Why We Don’t Recommend Having a Testimonials Page
We all have a few things we’re particular about. I like to make my bed each morning before I leave the house. At work, I like having my notepad in the same exact spot on my desk every day. Those little routines keep me grounded and focused. But when it comes to websites, there’s one thing I’ve always been particular about too – and that’s not having a standalone Testimonials page.
It’s not that I don’t love testimonials. I think reviews, quotes, and stories from happy clients are some of the most powerful marketing tools you can have. They build trust and show credibility. But when they’re tucked away on a single, separate page labeled “Testimonials,” they don’t do nearly as much good as they could.
Why Testimonials Pages Don’t Get the Results You Think
It might seem like having a Testimonials page is a no-brainer. After all, everyone loves reading positive reviews, right? In reality, very few people actually click on that page.
When visitors land on your site, they’re there to learn something specific – what you offer, how much it costs, and whether you’re the right fit for them. They might browse your About page, your Services page, or even your Portfolio. But “Testimonials” pages often get skipped. They feel like an afterthought or a marketing checkbox.
The problem goes deeper than just traffic, though. When all your testimonials are grouped together, they lose context. Someone reading about your web design services should see web design testimonials right there on that page. If all your reviews are lumped into one big list, they don’t reinforce your messaging where it matters most – at the decision-making moments.
And here’s another point that many business owners overlook: one testimonial that’s just slightly off can create hesitation. Maybe it’s a client who said something positive but in a way that sounds lukewarm or confusing. For example, “The website turned out good after a few rounds of revisions.” That’s a perfectly fine review in context – but if that’s the one a potential client reads, it might make them pause. And just like that, you risk losing the sale.
How Testimonials Work Best
Testimonials work best when they’re woven naturally throughout your website.
Think about how you shop online. You don’t click to a “Reviews” page on Amazon – you see the reviews right next to the product you’re considering. The same concept applies to your website. If a user is reading about your SEO services, that’s the perfect place to show a short testimonial from a client whose search rankings improved. If they’re reading about your hosting plans, that’s where you highlight a review about your reliability and support.
This approach keeps your visitors engaged. They’re seeing proof at the exact moment they’re thinking, “Could this company handle my project?” Each testimonial becomes part of the conversation rather than a separate stop along the way.
From a marketing perspective, this strategy is far more powerful. Testimonials are emotional triggers – they help your visitors picture themselves having that same great experience. By placing those quotes where they’re most relevant, you’re reinforcing your message at just the right time.
Using Tools Like Trustindex.io
One of my favorite tools for this is Trustindex.io. It’s a great way to automate and showcase reviews from places like Google or Facebook directly on your site.
What I like about tools like Trustindex is that they make it easy to bring in fresh content automatically. Instead of manually copying reviews or letting a static page collect dust, a testimonial feed updates on its own. It keeps your website looking alive and up to date.
Even better, you can choose where and how to show those reviews. Maybe you want a few Google reviews to appear on your homepage, a few more on your Services page, and one or two on your Contact page. You can customize what appears so the testimonials feel personalized to the page and relevant to the user’s intent.
That’s the kind of thoughtful web design and digital marketing integration that builds trust organically. Visitors aren’t being told, “Go read our testimonials.” They’re simply seeing real client experiences appear naturally as they explore the site.
The SEO Perspective
From an SEO standpoint, a single Testimonials page rarely moves the needle. Google looks for pages with valuable, topic-specific content. A generic testimonials page doesn’t have enough focus for search engines to understand what it’s really about.
However, when you distribute testimonials throughout your site, you’re improving SEO indirectly. Each quote strengthens the surrounding content by reinforcing trust and relevance. A testimonial about your “Green Bay web design services” that sits on your Green Bay Web Design page helps validate that page’s authority in Google’s eyes.
It’s also worth noting that dynamic feeds like Trustindex can help keep content fresh – a factor Google tends to reward. Search engines love seeing active, updated sites. When your testimonials refresh automatically, that can give your site small but steady boosts over time.
Testimonials as Part of the User Experience
The other major advantage to sprinkling testimonials throughout your website is how it improves the user experience.
When visitors have to click to a separate page to read reviews, they’re leaving the flow of your main content. It’s a detour that doesn’t always bring them back to your sales funnel. But when testimonials appear naturally within the page they’re already viewing, users stay on track.
Each testimonial becomes a small confidence booster. They build trust brick by brick instead of dumping a pile of reviews all at once. By the time someone reaches your contact form or pricing page, they’ve seen enough social proof that reaching out feels like the natural next step.
It’s subtle, but it’s powerful – and it’s one of those design choices that can quietly make a big difference in conversion rates.
A Better Way to Build Credibility
I’m all for highlighting what your clients have to say. In fact, testimonials are one of the best forms of marketing you’ll ever have. But just like with every other part of your website, it’s all about placement and purpose.
A dedicated Testimonials page might seem like a safe choice, but it’s not the most strategic one. The smarter move is to use testimonials as supporting content across your entire site. When done right, they create a steady rhythm of reassurance – helping potential clients see that you’re trustworthy, reliable, and experienced without ever having to leave the page they’re on.
Building Trust, One Page at a Time
At Full Scope Creative, I always tell clients that a website should feel like a conversation. Every section should build trust, answer questions, and make the next step easy. Testimonials are a key part of that, but they shouldn’t live on an island of their own.
So the next time you’re planning a new website or updating your current one, skip the dedicated Testimonials page. Instead, think about where those client voices can have the biggest impact – on your homepage, near a call to action, or right beside the service that testimonial is talking about.
That’s how you make your testimonials work for you – not just sit quietly on a forgotten page.
