A useful testimonial gives a reader context: what the customer needed, what happened and what they thought of the work. It should remain the customer's account.
Ask about the actual experience
Useful questions include: What did you need before contacting me? What concerned you before starting? What was the experience like? Let customers answer in their own words rather than supplying a positive review for them to approve.
Get permission and preserve the meaning
Confirm the wording and attribution the customer authorises for publication. If you shorten a long comment, keep its meaning and obtain approval for the edited version. Do not add a result, a company name or a location that the customer did not provide or authorise.
Use relevant context
A comment about communication can accompany your process. A comment about the finished website can sit near the project. Include only the identifying detail the customer agreed to share. An initial or a limited attribution is preferable to publishing private information without consent.
Keep experiences separate from guarantees
A customer's reported result is their experience, not a promise that every new customer will achieve the same outcome. Do not turn an anecdote into a measured average or invent star ratings. Explain the scope when a quote could otherwise imply a feature the website does not offer.
Manage the originals
Keep the original comment, the approved public version and the permission record in your private business files. Review whether testimonials still describe the current service. Provide a practical way for the customer to request an update or removal.
If you also request a review on a third-party platform, follow that platform's rules. Do not offer incentives for positive feedback or use a request process designed to filter out negative experiences.
Content reviewed: 2026-11-04