17 Awesome Testimonial Advertising Examples to Inspire Your Next Campaign

January 12, 2023

17 Awesome Testimonial Advertising testimonial advertising

Ads have often been viewed as a quick and easy way to boost ecommerce sales. They get your product in front of shoppers and away from the competition.

However, play your cards wrong, and they can get expensive at a breakneck pace. Digital advertising costs are rising rapidly.

For instance, Facebook ads (now Meta) have increased 61% year-over-year and average $17.60/CPM (cost per thousand).

Other platforms are following suit:

  • Instagram: 23% year-over-year increase
  • TikTok: 185% year-over-year increase, averaging at $9.40/CPM
  • Google: 75% year-over-year increase, 14% year-over-year CPC (cost-per-click) increase

As a result, it’s become too expensive to test which tactics stick with consumers—CPC is a hefty investment.

Nailing your ads is crucial, as their content and conversion rates can make or break your bottom line.

Testimonial ads offer a solution in these trying times, and we’ll show you how to use them to stand out from the crowd. Plus, we’ll show off some testimonial ad examples that do it right.

Read on to learn more about:

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What is testimonial advertising?

Testimonial advertising leverages user-generated content (UGC)—primarily customer quotes—as the primary ad campaign copy.

They come in many forms, including text, video, and images.

They’re meant to promote and showcase how your products fit your customers’ daily lives and your brand’s overall impact on consumers.

While there are many types of ecommerce ads, those that center your customers’ experience are certain to perform the best, quickly garnering their trust and boosting your authority.

Why are testimonial ads such a powerful strategy?

“I’ve used customer testimonials in my ads and saw a good return on investment. When I ran them, I saw a 50% increase in conversions.

The main difference between testimonial ads and regular ads is that the latter are more targeted. In the testimonial ads, we were able to target people who were likely to buy our product.”

— Krittin Kalra, Writecream Founder

Statistics show consumers trust endorsements from other people almost as much as they would from friends and family and see them as more reliable than advertisers:

  • According to Nielsen, 84% of people trust recommendations from friends and family the most.
  • ExpertVoice reported 92% of consumers would trust another person’s endorsement over branded content.

This reliance on word-of-mouth recommendations is due to consumers’ newfound emphasis on authenticity—so much so that they’re 2.4 times more likely to say UGC is more genuine than other content your brand creates.

As such, effectively harnessing testimonials yields proven results, with one study revealing:

  • Regularly employing testimonials can earn 62% more revenue from each customer
  • Those who interact with reviews are 58% more likely to make a purchase

Different types of testimonial ads

“Letting the clients speak instead of the brand through testimonial ads has usually seen an ROI between 70% and 150%. I’ve heard fellow marketers say that video testimonials net the biggest ROI.”

— Damjan Tanaskovic, Localizely Writer and Editor

Testimonials can appear in a variety of formats, the most common being:

  • Text
  • Images
  • Audio
  • Video

Ecommerce ads with UGC combine the above mediums, but their implementation highly depends on your chosen channel (which we’ll discuss later).

We’ll show you some examples of each to help you gain a clearer understanding of what goes into an engaging testimonial ad.

Video ad

flare audio instagram story testimonial advertising
Image: Instagram

Flare Audio created a testimonial video ad using a customer’s Instagram Story.

In it, the buyer spoke about how the brand’s noise-reducing earphones fit her evening routine and how they benefited her.

Why we love it:

  • The customer had a personable and approachable tone, as if recommending to a friend.
  • It showed how the product fits into everyday life, allowing viewers to visualize how they would use it.
  • The benefits were clearly stated.
  • The video wrapped up with a CTA.

Image ad

blanquil testimonial advertising
Image: Instagram / Meta Ad Library

BlanQuil capitalized on a glowing five-star review to promote their premium weighted blankets in an Instagram ad.

In the caption, a customer named Kelly O. talked about how her five-year-old daughter never slept soundly until she bought one of the brand’s products.

She then recommended it to others, highlighting what she loved about the weighted blanket.

Why we love it:

  • The review was a first-hand account of how the product helped the customer and her daughter, giving the impression of exceeding expectations.
  • The caption emphasized use cases for the weighted blanket and included a link to its webpage.
  • The image was straightforward, consisting of a rolled BlanQuil and text that featured three key benefits.

Text ad

brazos text ad instagram testimonial advertising
Image: Instagram

Brazos Market & Boutique, a fashion boutique for women, shared multiple five-star reviews from customers who enjoyed stellar shopping experiences.

Kiah, for instance, went into detail about what she loves about Brazos, emphasizing their customer service, which made her feel like she was shopping with friends.

She also raved about the boutique’s high-quality pieces that, although pricey, were worth it.

Why we love it:

  • Five-star reviews from various customers displayed the brand’s consistent quality.
  • Brazos’ ad used a graphic, color scheme, and font that perfectly matched their branding.
  • All reviews shared personal experiences to maximize the ad’s authenticity.

Audio ad

podcast upside testimonial advertising
Image: AdvertiseCast

Caraway, a producer of chemical-free coated pots and pans, promoted their products through an audio ad on “The Upside,” a podcast hosted by Callie and Jeff Dauler.

Callie summarized her impression of the brand’s cookware, comparing it to typical non-stick ones and stating how she benefited from it.

She also brought up key characteristics, followed by a CTA telling viewers to visit their affiliate link to take advantage of a discount.

Why we love it:

  • Though some portions of the ad were scripted, Callie’s overall tone and delivery came across as genuine.
  • After her testimonial, the ad highlighted a relevant offer encouraging listeners to buy Caraway pots and pans, capped off with the brand’s tagline.

UGC ad

starbucks ugc video ad testimonial advertising
Image: TikTok

Sharing UGC doesn’t always entail promoting a product or service.

In the above TikTok, for instance, Starbucks showcased a customer’s experience with an empathetic barista.

Cecily was at a Starbucks drive-through when her children started to cry. The barista heard them and supported Cecily with helpful life advice that brightened her morning.

Why we love it:

  • Even a single interaction can humanize a brand and their staff, showing they care about their customers.
  • It didn’t promote or advertise. Instead, it showed how one encounter with a kind Starbucks barista could improve someone’s day, making the testimonial more authentic.

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Where do these types of ads appear?

“We find that the brands we work with see the best results with ads that look as candid and natural as possible, rather than the influencer type UGC campaigns which can seem more scripted.

These content pieces are usually basic smartphone videos without any real production value, but they’re highly authentic.

These creatives can perform well as ads in most stages of a funnel—whether that’s to convert cold traffic, or increase conversions from lost website visitors via re-targeting.”

— Ryan Turner, Ecommerce Intelligence Founder

Brands present ads on a variety of channels, like the ones mentioned above, to extend their audience reach.

The formats that work differ for each platform, so your content must be appropriate for your chosen channel to maximize your advertising.

Facebook

This is a great option for sharing image ads with lengthy captions.

Video testimonial advertising, both short- and long-form, also works well. The platform’s algorithm, however, can be tough for organic reach.

The Ordinary

the ordinary facebook ad testimonial advertising
Image: Facebook / Meta Ad Library
Cosmetics brand The Ordinary sponsored an influencer’s post in the form of a video testimonial ad on Facebook.Through a combination of text and video, Rasna Bhasin showed off how the brand’s Multi-Peptide Lash and Brow serum works and fits into her daily routine.Why we love it:

  • She emphasized it’s the one product she swears by for her eyebrows and lashes.
  • Its delivery featured Rasna Bhasin’s unique style, voice, and tone.
  • The high-quality video employed various shots and angles.
  • The mention of a four-week time frame for results helped set customer expectations.

Twitter

Twitter has a Publish feature that lets you embed customer testimonials on your website or pages .

Retweets are also a great way to spread the word, along with image sharing.

The platform’s small character count makes testimonials concise, so users quickly grasp a product’s main highlights.

Juvee

twitter video ad testimonial advertising
Image: Twitter

The energy drink brand Juvee retweeted a video posted by one of their subscribers, Jedi, who showed off the contents of a Juvee box he received.

He broke down the included items one by one, briefly explaining what they were. He also went into how the delivery exceeded expectations.

Why we love it:

  • It provided a first-hand account of how a brand went above and beyond for a subscriber.
  • Jedi went the extra mile by talking about the company’s management.
  • He also encouraged people to subscribe to Juvee.

Instagram

This platform is excellent for sharing, reposting, and discovering customer testimonials, so high-quality images and videos are crucial.

For example, you could turn a quote into a graphic or share a customer Story.

A.P. CHEM

ap chem instagram ad testimonial advertising
Image: Instagram

In this testimonial, the beauty brand A.P. CHEM shared an endorsement from Adam Livermore, a well-known figure in the cosmetics industry.

He demonstrated how the brand’s moisturizer works and fervently praised it after his experience using it.

Why we love it:

  • Adam went into detailed specifics, like how the product felt on his skin.
  • The video incorporated text that backed up the influencer’s credentials.
  • It also included subtitles for greater viewer accessibility.

TikTok

Although less refined and short form in nature, TikToks are genuine nevertheless, which is one of their strongest attributes.

Users actively engage in the comments section as well, compounding your reach.

Share a sound bite of customers talking about your product and top it off with a video that shows how it works.

Peter Thomas Roth

peter thomas roth tiktok ad testimonial advertising
Image: TikTok

In this TikTok that skincare brand Peter Thomas Roth shared, Ashley briefly demonstrated how she used the brand’s moisturizer.

She also brought up a before and after comparison, showing the product’s powerful effect in only a few days.

Why we love it:

  • The video was straightforward and stated all the pertinent information a viewer would need to know about the product.
  • The before and after comparison and the specific time frame accompanying it further cemented how effective the product’s effectiveness.

LinkedIn

Being a social network for professionals, employee-generated content and online reviews from other professionals typically work best on this platform.

GoDaddy AU

godaddy linkedin ad testimonial advertising
Image: LinkedIn

GoDaddy AU helps entrepreneurs build online businesses through simple, affordable support and tools.

They emphasized their service capabilities through a LinkedIn ad that presented the success story of one client named Marcus Bradberry.

The testimonial began with a brief introduction of his journey, then displayed a direct quote that described his experience before meeting the brand.

It also incorporated a photo of Marcus to humanize the ad further.

Why we love it:

  • The ad focused on a real customer who reached greater heights thanks to GoDaddy AU’s services.
  • It then directed the reader to a piece where Marcus went into detail about the difficulties he faced and how GoDaddy AU helped him overcome them.

YouTube

This platform is ideal for sharing videos of customers’ experiences with your product and how it helped them.

UGC, such as unboxing videos, vlogs, and video reviews from niche influencers or well-known professionals, are also common marketing tactics on YouTube.

Zoom and Slack

hubspot video testimonial advertising
Image: YouTube

In this video, two brands, Slack and Zoom, scored a testimonial video ad from Andrew Lindsay, the current senior VP of corporate development and business development for HubSpot.

Andrew testified how both tools have become critical for overcoming the challenges of communicating across great distances.

He followed up by saying Zoom and Slack enabled HubSpot to better serve their customers.

Why we love it:

  • The testimonial from a high-ranking client added significant credibility and served to cement the brands’ reputations.
  • Andrew gave concrete use cases, giving the audience an idea of what Zoom and Slack do.

Webpages and landing pages

Text reviews and testimonials are ideal for these channels. Images and videos also fare well but must be placed strategically.

Jasper

jasper landing page video ad testimonial advertising
Image: Jasper

Jasper, an AI tool for copywriting and generating content, spotlighted testimonials from clients (all company CEOs) on their homepage.

Each one emphasized how Jasper greatly benefited their business and recommended others use it.

Why we love it:

  • The testimonials came from company leaders or business owners and highlighted the major role Jasper played in their clients’ success.
  • Each testimonial uniquely displayed a silent video of the CEO talking about Jasper, with the complete quote beside it.

Search engines

Google and other search engine ads typically combine text and images.

Customer reviews containing direct quotes, along with a rating of your business or products, are commonplace.

Thrive Digital

google search ad thrive testimonial advertising
Image: Google

A search engine ad doesn’t have to include a direct quote from a client, but it can still leverage the influence of social proof.

Thrive Digital, for instance, highlighted how they’ve worked with—and enjoy recognition from—some of the biggest and best brands.

thrive digital logos testimonial advertising
Image: Thrive Digital

On their website, visitors see some of Thrive Digital’s clients, verifying the truth of their claims.

Why we love it:

  • Stating they helped major brands succeed online can entice Google searchers to visit Thrive Digital’s website and learn more about the company.

Other channels

Testimonial ads can also appear on channels like webinars and podcasts, as well as traditional ones like TV, radio, and billboards.

You can capitalize on a testimonial ad of some form virtually anywhere you’re able to advertise.

TV: Cricket Wireless

cricket wireless video ugc testimonial advertising
Image: YouTube

This video from Cricket Wireless showcased testimonials from different customers, sharing their reasons for staying with the prepaid service provider.

It even incorporated a company mascot that scrolled through the recorded endorsements.

Why we love it:

  • Every customer shared a unique motive for staying with Cricket Wireless, displaying the brand’s various upsides.
  • Those in the video were regular, everyday people, which made the ad more relatable.

Radio: Juna Sleep Systems

juna sleep systems testimonial advertising
Image: Facebook

Radio is a traditional channel that can reach audiences both broad and narrow.

Juna Sleep Systems, a manufacturer of quality mattresses based in Sioux Falls City, used it to deliver a testimonial audio ad aimed at the city’s residents.

In it, a customer named Lori discussed how she snagged “the best product for the best price” and highlighted the brand’s superb customer service.

The narrator then ended with a CTA encouraging listeners to visit Juna’s website.

Why we love it:

  • Though scripted, Lori’s delivery was genuine.
  • The ad then pointed listeners to Juna’s website, improving the chances of securing conversions.

Billboard: Chobani

chobani billboard ads testimonial advertising
Image: EMC Outdoor

Billboards are another established marketing avenue that are great for focusing on certain locales or demographics.

Chobani, for example, used them to execute a major branding campaign across 11 states.

The billboards featured unique customer testimonials from Twitter that praised the brand and displayed the billboards in 60 locations across the country.

Why we love it:

  • The campaign sourced testimonials from a digital space and plastered them across many physical sites.
  • Since they came from Twitter, each testimonial was concise yet engaging.
  • Each billboard featured a unique image of Chobani’s yogurt flavors.

Podcast: Up First

the gist podcast testimonial advertising
Image: AdvertiseCast

“Up First,” a daily news podcast from NPR, promoted itself through “The Gist,” a podcast hosted by Mike Pesca.

Mike began by talking about how he began his day and enjoyed his early news fix with the program.

He then went into how his former coworkers at NPR are the backbone of “Up First,” detailing their work and attesting to the podcast’s credibility.

Why we love it:

  • The testimonial came from a known journalist who has personal experience working with the NPR team, further solidifying the podcast’s reliability.
  • It was delivered with conviction and total belief in the people behind “Up First.”

Embrace testimonial advertising to win more conversions

Testimonials are first-hand accounts from customers who’ve experienced your business and its offerings.

Their trustworthiness enables you to leverage them as highly credible endorsements.

Since consumers trust other people more than branded content, testimonials are excellent resources for creating ads that resonate with your target audience.

When crafting yours, focus on conveying authenticity, credibility, and relatability to attract and maintain shoppers’ attention.

Employ the formats that are appropriate for your chosen channel as well, and you’ll be well on your way to a higher conversion rate.

 

#cta-visual-pb#<cta-title>Embrace testimonial ads across your platforms<cta-title>Add testimonial ads to your website, create dedicated landing pages, and showcase UGC in carousels with Shogun.Start building for free

Rachel Go

Rachel is a remote marketing manager with a background in building scalable content engines. She creates content that wins customers for B2B ecommerce companies like MyFBAPrep, Shogun, and more. In the past, she has scaled organic acquisition efforts for companies like Deliverr and Skubana.

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