ScoreMySiteSocial proof
Vague testimonials that don't prove anything
By Caleb Gross · Updated · Based on Jev AI scores of 59 pages
Short answer
Ask customers what changed after using you, lead with the most specific line, and attach a full name, role, company and photo.
Many pages have testimonials, but they're short, generic and hard to verify. “Amazing tool, love it!” from a first name and an initial looks made up, even when it isn't.
17%
of the 59 marked-up pages Jev scored have this issue
5.8/10
average social proof score across the leaderboard
Why it matters
Proof only works when it's believable. Specific details (who, what changed, by how much) are what make a quote feel real.
Signs your page has this problem
- Quotes are one short sentence of praise.
- No last names, roles, companies or photos.
- No numbers or before/after in any quote.
How to fix it
- 1
Ask a better question
Instead of “What do you think?”, ask “What were you doing before, and what changed after using us?”
- 2
Lead with the result
Pull the most specific line to the top and bold it: “We closed the books 4 days faster.”
- 3
Add identity
Full name, role, company and a real photo, or link to the original post on X or LinkedIn.
Questions that get great testimonials
What problem made you look for a tool like this? What did you try before? What's different now? Is there a number that changed? Who would you recommend it to? Turn the answers into a short quote and send it back for approval.
Before and after
Before
“Great tool, highly recommend!” — Sarah K.
After
“We stopped losing leads over the weekend. 23 bookings in the first month.” — Sarah Kim, owner of Bloom Studio
Checklist
- Every quote has a full name and photo
- Most quotes mention a specific change
- The key line is bolded
- Links to the original post where possible
Pages that get this right
The highest social proof scores on the ScoreMySite leaderboard.
zapier.com
Zapier: Automate AI Workflows, Agents, and Apps
webflow.com
Webflow: The agentic web platform for modern businesses
grammarly.com
Grammarly: Free AI Writing Assistance
Questions
Are anonymous testimonials worth showing?
They're better than nothing but much weaker. If people won't attach their name, link to a public review or use a number instead.
Can I edit a customer's testimonial?
You can tidy wording, but send the final version back for approval and never change the meaning or invent results.
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