How often do you read online reviews or ask friends for recommendations? Other people’s opinions and experiences with a product or service often feel more reliable than a salesperson’s pitch. That’s exactly what testimonial ads do—leverage third-party evaluations to build trust between you and your potential customers.
Before we explore some of the best testimonial ad examples from various companies and industries, here’s an overview of what to consider when creating testimonial ads.
Why Testimonial Ads?
Hearing real-life experiences from other customers builds credibility and helps potential buyers imagine themselves using your product. It’s not just about selling; it’s about demonstrating that your product delivers on its promises. A good testimonial highlights specific benefits and provides proof that your solution actually works. Plus, it adds a human touch—real names, faces, and stories create an emotional connection. People relate to real stories, and that makes them more likely to trust your brand.
Testimonial ads turn happy customers into your best salespeople. It’s similar to word-of-mouth effect, but in a controlled, public way.
Do’s and Dont’s for Testimonial Ad Design
Dos:
- Keep it real: Your audience is sharp, so stick to authentic quotes from real users who genuinely appreciate your product.
- Highlight specific benefits: Focus on key features or outcomes in the testimonial. Details help potential customers see why the product might work for them. Give them a solid reason to try it.
- Reveal the reviewer’s identity: Share relevant details like their name, company, job title, or even a photo. This adds credibility and a personal touch.
- Speak to your audience: Make sure the testimonial reflects your target audience's needs and pain points. If it resonates with them, it’ll stick.
Don’ts:
- Don’t be generic: Avoid bland quotes like, “The best tool ever!” Instead, include specifics about why they love your product. It’s especially important in competitive markets to back up claims with details.
- Don’t exaggerate: Steer clear of over-the-top or unprovable claims. People are naturally skeptical of anything that sounds too good to be true.
- Don’t drag it out: Keep testimonials short and impactful. No one wants to read a novel—balance concise text with engaging visuals.
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Now, let’s dive into the best testimonial ad examples in 2024.
1. Square - Business software & tools
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: Big, bold yellow text highlights a testimonial, creating a vibrant contrast against the black background. A vivid photo of a chef using a digital display in a bustling kitchen grabs attention.
- Quote: clearly points out a specific product (KDS, kitchen display system) and the benefit it brought.
- What’s good about this ad:The photo showcases the reviewer using the product in a real-time setting, supporting the statement that it “keeps our front and back of house on the same page.” The retro style of the photo also gives a vintage, nostalgic vibe that stands out from most SaaS ads.
2. Canva - Graphic design tool
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: A clean and structured design featuring a prominent quote in large text, highlighting the key benefit. The logo of the reviewer’s company (FedEx) is placed at the top. A vibrant photo showcasing an engaged and positive workplace adds dynamic warmth to the graphics.
- Quote: The quote emphasizes Canva's ability to provide "500+ branded templates," which streamline the internal review processes at FedEx. The name and job title of the reviewer lend credibility.
- What’s good about this ad: This ad showcases Canva's value proposition to businesses by using a testimonial from a recognizable corporate client. The quote introduces a key feature and its benefit to the client, making the endorsement concrete.
3. Workvivo - Employee communication platform
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: A modern, clean design with a dominant white and navy blue color scheme that gives it a corporate look. The orange G2 badge and five-star rating grab attention, along with the enlarged quote, “Lifechanging app for employees.”
- Quote: The bold statement of “lifechanging app” first catches attention and is then supported by further explanation in smaller text to provide details.
- What’s good about this ad: It leverages social proof (G2 badge), making the testomonial more believable and relatable. The highlighted date and star rating reinforce the recency and quality of the feedback. The tagline at the bottom challenges the audience to compare Workvivo to the intranet solutions they’re using, cleverly positioning Workvivo as a competitive alternative.
4. ClickUp - Project management tool
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: Bright and engaging colors that align with ClickUp’s brand identity. The quote is placed in the middle in a large font. Profile photos and visual elements of the product interface surrounding the quote add a sense of positive workflow.
- Quote: An indirect testimonial pointing out an issue with ClickUp’s main competitor, targeting an audience that uses or is familiar with Jira.
- What’s good about this ad: A great example of a fusion format combining testimonial and compassion ads. It uses a direct comparison to Jira, a well-known competitor to highlight ClickUp’s benefits in a relatable way for its target audience.
5. Yonder - Credit card
- Industry: Finance
- Visual: A textured background that implied a sophisticated lifestyle and the display of the Yonder card. The quote is placed in the center, with a familiar online review format and the green star rating of Trustpilot.
- Quote: Casual and enthusiastic tone that conveys genuine satisfaction. It lists several benefits of the card such as points, rewards, travel insurance, and customer support, and ends with a playful pun.
- What’s good about this ad: This ad combines visual appeal with effective messaging. The lifestyle approach makes it more relatable and engaging. A touch of humor in the quote adds authenticity and personality, making this testimonial seem more trustworthy.
6. Userpilot - Product growth platform
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: Minimalistic design makes the text easy to read. It features the logos of Userpilot and Cledara at the top. The face of the reviewer, his name, title, and company logo are clearly displayed, adding personal touch and credibility.
- Quote: This quote emphasizes the efficiency and speed (“with in a week”) of Userpilot’s service in generating potential leads.
- What’s good about this ad: The clear, direct quote and the presence of a real customer’s photo and title lend credibility and relatability to the message, which can resonate with other businesses looking for efficient solutions.
7. Linktree - Link in bio tool
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: A bold red background catches the eye. It features a tweet format that includes a profile picture and username, indicating it’s a testimonial from a small baking business. The tweet includes thumbnails of a screenshot of the Linktree interface and a picture of appealing pastries.
- Quote: The quote reveals the identity of Sam, a small business owner, and the positive impact on their small business.
- What’s good about this ad: The creative format and language capture the essence of a tweet, making it intuitive and engaging. The visual contrast between colors and vivid pictures ensures the ad stands out.
8. PayPal - Online payment system
- Industry: SaaS
- Visual: A professional and straightforward layout with a deep blue color scheme that aligns with PayPal's branding. It features an image of the reviewer overseeing business operations.
- Quote: Highlights a key benefit of PayPal, showing a before-and-after comparison.
- What’s good about this ad: The visual component complements the testimonial by placing the subject in a scenario that potential customers can relate to. The large portrait of the reviewer at work makes the ad credible and relatable.
9. Heights - Supplements
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: The ad has a cool, creative layout with testimonials piled on top of each other around a bold central message. A big picture of the product in hand clearly shows what it's all about.
- Quote: A collection of user quotes focuses on the top-notch quality and effectiveness of the ingredients.
- What’s good about this ad: The testimonials do more than just talk up the product—they also add a visual kick that makes the ad stand out.
10. Suri - Toothbrush
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: A clean, minimalist look with a sleek toothbrush on a soft grey background. It’s simple but classy, emphasizing the simplicity and elegance of high-tech products.
- Quote: A smart comparison to Apple, a brand from an entirely different category but renowned for its design and quality.
- What’s good about this ad: The quote, aligned with the ad's design, is straightforward yet effective. The comparison to Apple instantly signals high quality and great design, capturing attention and suggesting that this isn’t just any ordinary toothbrush.
11. Dirty Labs - Laundry detergent
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: The ad shows a clean, minimalist design with a bottle of "Dirty Labs" laundry detergent pouring liquid into a measuring cap. It’s straightforward and visually neat, making the product and the testimonial the stars of the show.
- Quote: The enlarged "game changer" grabs attention, followed by a genuine explanation of why it’s great. It addresses a common issue with eco-friendly detergents and highlights the unique selling proposition of Dirty Labs.
- What’s good about this ad: It has a clean design and a quote that directly addresses a common pain point with eco-friendly products. It appeals to consumers who are environmentally conscious but still want effective cleaning solutions.
12. AG1 - Supplement
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: The ad features a clean and striking design with two hands toasting bottles of AG1. The white background enhances the vivid green color of the drink, quote, and the five star rating.
- Quote: A funny and memorable testimonial adds a humorous and relatable touch to the ad.
- What’s good about this ad: The humorous approach to discussing a typically sensitive topic grabs attention. Other elements, such as the product being used in a cheering action, review numbers and ratings, and key feature icons, together make this ad dynamic and persuasive.
13. Huckberry - Men’s clothing
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: A plain white t-shirt alongside an image of a man in a studio like setting examining clothing, suggesting the product is reviewed by a knowledgeable buyer.
- Quote: A down-to-earth endorsement focuses on the durability of the t-shirt.
- What’s good about this ad: It highlights the product's durability, a key selling point. The visual simplicity keeps the focus on the product and the customer testimonial.
14. Pela - Phone cases
- Industry: E-commerce
- Visual: A close-up image of a phone held in hand, highlighting the texture and details of the phonecase. The background is soft and pastel, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the product.
- Quote: It mentions the product's design, its environmental attributes, and the reviwer’s personal satisfaction. The testimonial ends with with a forward-looking endorsement, affirming her positive review.
- What’s good about this ad: The ad combines strong visual appeal with a personal testimonial that highlights the product's design, quality, and environmental awareness, resonating with an audience that shares similar lifestyle preferences.
Lessons from Testimonial Ad Examples
A closer look at these testimonial ad examples reveals several best design practices that can win people’s trust and spark curiosity:
- Use a simple, yet powerful quote: Choose a quote that’s concise and meaningful, highlighting the essence of the customer’s positive experience in real-life cases.
- Address a specific benefit or issue: Focus on how your product solves a key problem or delivers a unique benefit. Avoid using generic phrases.
- Show who the reviewer is: Include the reviewer’s name, photo, or other details to add authenticity and make the testimonial more trustworthy.
- Leverage different visual elements: Incorporate eye-catching visuals like bold text, realistic photos, star ratings, or social proof badges to grab attention and enrich the layout.
- Align with your branding: Ensure the ad’s colors and style match your brand identity to maintain consistency.
When crafting testimonial ads for social media, focus on keeping it real and relatable. Use clear, compelling visuals that highlight the speaker, and keep the message short but impactful. Leverage the love and positive experiences of your users to create ads that make a lasting impression on your audience!
FAQs
What are the differences between testimonial and social proof ads?
Testimonial and social proof are both evaluations from third parties, but they are different and have distinct approaches when used in ads. Testimonial ads use direct quotes or stories from customers sharing their positive experiences, focusing on personal, detailed endorsements. Social proof ads, on the other hand, can be presented in various ways to highlight how popular or well-rated a product is by communities or media. They might use statistics like "Over 10,000 users," or ratings and awards from trustworthy platforms, or even media coverage.
How can I find the right quote to use in my testimonial ads?
Look through the reviews your users have left on any online platform or through your customer service, and choose quotes that directly reflect their positive experiences and outcomes. If you know any users personally, ask them what they like about your product and why. The testimonials you use in ads should sound authentic and genuine. Additionally, run and text ads with different quotes to see which ones perform best in terms of engagement and conversion rates.
Should I use different quotes in my testimonial ads to target specific audiences?
Absolutely! Tailoring testimonials to highlight benefits or experiences that resonate with specific demographics makes your ads more relatable. Put yourself in the TA’s shoes and imagine who and what will resonate with them the most. What is their preferred style of communication? Who would their friends be, and what do they care about the most? These questions might give you a better understanding of what testimonials would spark their interest the most.
How to find inspiration for my testimonial ad design?
The Meta Ad Library provides a collection of ads running across Facebook and Instagram, allowing you to search by industry or company. LinkedIn Ad Library is another great tool, particularly for B2B companies, as it showcases ads targeting professional audiences. Lastly, MagicLibrary is a curated collection of high-performing ad examples from various platforms, helping you find creative and effective ad ideas. These platforms offer a broad range of inspiration to help you craft compelling ads.
