📚 What You Will Learn Today:
What's the most powerful thing you can put in an ad? Not a discount. Not a fancy video. It's another customer saying, "These people are great." This guide shows you three simple ways to get customer testimonials, especially video ones, and one sneaky way to get them to show up right on your Facebook ads where new customers will see them.
By the end of this guide, you will know:
- Why testimonials matter more than almost anything else in your marketing
- Strategy 1: how to offer a small thank-you gift that gets people to say yes
- Strategy 2: how to ask directly, the right way, with zero friction
- Strategy 3: the secret weapon, getting customers to post right on your ads
- How to film a video testimonial on a phone in under 2 minutes
- A 4-week plan to build a library of testimonials
🤔 First, Why Do Testimonials Matter So Much?
Here's a simple truth: People don't believe businesses. People believe other people.
Think about the last time you picked a restaurant in a new town. Did you read the restaurant's own website that said "best food in town"? Or did you look at what other diners said? Of course you looked at the reviews. Everyone does.
The numbers back this up. About 70% of Americans say they look at reviews before buying something. And nearly 63% say they're more likely to buy from a business that shows ratings and reviews. That's two out of every three people who want to see proof from other customers before they trust you.
Why It Matters Even More Now
Twenty years ago, you picked a dentist from the phone book. You had no way to know if they were good. Today, anyone can see 200 reviews in ten seconds. People have more information than ever, so social proof (that just means "other people vouching for you") is the first thing they look for.
A martial arts school ran two Facebook ads side by side. Same offer, same budget, same audience. Ad A showed a cool photo of the dojo. Ad B showed a 30-second phone video of a mom saying, "My son was shy and had trouble focusing. Six months here and his teacher asked what changed." Ad B got more than twice the leads at about half the cost. Nothing about the school changed. One parent telling the truth beat the best photo they had.
The Bottom Line
Testimonials are gold. In our experience running ads for local businesses, about 80% of the results come from the top 20% of ads. And those top ads are almost always built around a real customer's words. Cold strangers can't say "I tried it and it was great." Only customers can. That's why you need to collect them.
📊 Who People Trust
Your happy customers are the proof. You just have to ask them to share it.
✅ The 3 Strategies
Here are the three ways we help local businesses collect testimonials. Use all three. They work together.
Strategy 1: Offer a Small Thank-You Gift
People are busy. Even your happiest customer has a job, kids, dinner to make, and a phone full of notifications. Recording a video for you is not on their list. Give them a reason to take five minutes and help you.
Gift Ideas That Work
- A free product. One business we know ships a bottle of wine to customers who record a video. Costs them $15. The video is worth thousands.
- A small cash thank-you. A $10 gift card or a $10 credit on their account. It's not about the amount. It's about saying "I value your time."
- A service upgrade. A gym gives a free personal training session. A med spa adds a free add-on to their next treatment. A dentist gives a free whitening touch-up.
- A product add-on. A martial arts school gives a free uniform patch or water bottle. A home services company gives a free filter change at the next visit.
Dr. Lee put a small sign at checkout: "Love how you feel? Record a 30-second video for us and your next visit is on the house." In one month, 14 patients said yes. Each video cost him one visit. He now has 14 real patients talking about their experience, and he uses them in ads, on his website, and on social media.
Be Honest About It
Giving a thank-you gift for an honest review is fine. Paying for a fake one is not. Tell people: "Say whatever you really think. Good or bad, we want to hear it." The ones who had a great time will say so, and it will sound real because it is.
Google and other review sites have rules about gifts in exchange for reviews on their platforms. The gift strategy is best for testimonials you'll use yourself: videos for your ads, quotes for your website, comments on your Facebook posts. For Google reviews, just ask (that's Strategy 2).
Strategy 2: Ask Directly and Remove Every Bit of Friction
The simplest strategy is also the most skipped one. Just ask. Most happy customers would gladly leave a review. They just never think of it. Your job is to think of it for them, and then make it so easy they can do it in 30 seconds.
What to Say
Keep it light and honest. Here's a script that works:
"If our service was excellent, would you mind leaving us a quick review? Here's a direct link: [link]. It takes about 30 seconds and it really helps other folks find us. Thank you!"
Notice two things. First, "if our service was excellent" lets them off the hook if it wasn't. That makes the ask feel fair. Second, the link goes straight to the review box. No searching, no logging in to a page and hunting for a button.
Remove All Friction
Friction is anything that makes a person stop and think "ugh, this is work." Every bit of friction loses you half the people. So:
- Send the direct link. Not "find us on Google." The exact link that opens the review box.
- Text it, don't email it. Texts get read in minutes. Emails get buried.
- Ask at the right moment. Right after they say "wow, I feel great" or "that was so easy." Not three weeks later.
- Make it automatic. Set up your system to text the review link an hour after every completed visit. Then you never forget to ask.
For Video Testimonials
Asking for a video is a bigger ask than a written review, so make it even easier:
- Do it on the spot. "Would you mind if I grab a 30-second video of you saying that? I'll hold the phone." Most people say yes when it's happening right now and you're doing the work.
- Give them one question. Don't say "tell us about your experience." Say "What was it like before you came in, and how do you feel now?" One question, one answer, done.
- Keep it short. 20 to 40 seconds. Tell them that. "Just 20 seconds, totally casual." Short feels easy.
- Get permission in writing. A quick text or a one-line form: "Yes, you can use my video in your marketing." Save it.
The best time to film is right after a great result. The patient who just stood up straight for the first time in weeks. The parent watching their kid earn a belt. The homeowner seeing the new roof. Catch the real moment and the video sells itself.
📊 Every Step Loses People
Fewer steps, more reviews. Always send the direct link by text.
Strategy 3: The Secret Weapon, Testimonials Right on Your Ads
This is the one almost nobody does, and it's the most powerful of the three.
When you run a Facebook or Instagram ad, people can comment on it. Most business owners ignore the comments or dread them. But here's the trick: ask your happy customers to leave their testimonial as a comment directly on your ad.
Why This Is So Powerful
Think about where a stranger is when they see your ad. They're scrolling. They see your offer. They're deciding, right that second, whether to click or keep scrolling. And right below your ad, they see:
"Been going here for 6 months. Best decision I made this year. The staff actually remembers your name."
"Took my daughter for her first class and she begged to go back the next day."
"Fixed my AC the same day I called. Fair price, no surprises."
Those aren't on your website where they have to go looking. They're right where the person is making the decision. It's like having your happiest customers stand next to your sign and tell every person who walks by, "Trust me, go in."
How to Do It
- Launch your ad. Then grab the link to the ad post (in Ads Manager, open the ad preview and copy the Facebook post link).
- Text your happiest customers. "Hey Sarah! We just launched a little ad on Facebook. If you had a good experience, would you mind dropping a quick comment on it? Here's the link: [link]. Means the world to us!"
- Reply to every comment with a thank-you. This bumps the comment up and shows new people you're paying attention.
- Keep the same ad post running. Here's a key detail: if you make a brand-new ad, the comments disappear with the old one. Use the "existing post" option in Ads Manager so your comments and likes stack up over time.
A med spa launched a "free skin consultation" ad. The owner texted 20 regular clients and asked for a comment. 11 did. Within a week, the ad had 11 glowing comments from real local women with real profiles. New people scrolling by saw the offer AND the proof in the same glance. That ad ran for four months, and the owner said it was the best-performing ad she'd ever run. The comments did the selling.
Pin the best comment to the top. On Facebook, you can "pin" a comment so it always shows first. Pick the one that answers the biggest objection. Nervous about pain? Pin the one that says "I was nervous and it didn't hurt at all."
Never write fake comments or have your staff pretend to be customers. People can smell it, and Facebook can shut your account down for it. Real customers, real words, real profiles. That's what makes it work.
🎥 How to Film a Video Testimonial on Your Phone
You don't need a camera crew. Your phone is better than the cameras pros used ten years ago. Here's the whole recipe:
- Find a window. Have the person face the window so the light hits their face. Never put the window behind them.
- Hold the phone upright (vertical). That's how people watch on Facebook and Instagram.
- Get close. Chest up, face filling most of the screen. Close means clear sound too.
- Ask one question: "What was going on before you came to us, and how are things now?"
- Let them talk. Don't interrupt. 20 to 40 seconds is perfect. If they ramble, that's okay, you can trim it.
- Say thanks and get permission in writing, right then.
Keep It Honest and Safe
For gyms, med spas, and health businesses, Facebook has rules. The customer can say "I feel stronger," "I have more energy," "I built a habit I actually stick to," "the staff made me feel comfortable." They should NOT say "I lost 30 pounds in a month" or show before-and-after body shots. Keep it about the experience and how they feel, and your ads will stay approved.
"So I hadn't worked out in like three years. I was really nervous walking in. But Coach Dee met me at the door, learned my name, and set me up with stuff I could actually do. Now I come three times a week and I honestly look forward to it. If you're on the fence, just come try one class."
Real. Specific. No promises. And it ends with her telling the viewer what to do. Perfect.
🔁 What to Do With Your Testimonials
Once you have them, use them everywhere. One good testimonial can work in five places:
- Facebook and Instagram ads. A testimonial video as the ad itself is usually your best performer.
- Comments on your ads (Strategy 3).
- Your website, near the "Book Now" button.
- Your follow-up texts. When a new lead comes in and gets an automatic text within 5 minutes, the second or third message can include a short quote: "Here's what Maria said after her first visit..." Social proof in the follow-up helps people book.
- Your appointment reminders. A quote the day before the visit reminds nervous people why they signed up.
Remember: Testimonials are GOLD. You can't buy them from a stock photo site. You can't write them yourself. Only your customers can make them. That's exactly why they work.
📊 One Testimonial, Five Jobs
Each testimonial you collect is a worker that never takes a day off.
📝 Quick Summary
The 3 Strategies, In One Place
- Offer a small thank-you gift (free product, $10 credit, a service upgrade) for honest testimonials you'll use in your own marketing
- Ask directly with a friendly script and a direct link by text. For video, film on the spot with one question
- Secret weapon: have happy customers comment on your Facebook ad so strangers see proof right where they decide
Plus: film upright, facing a window, 20 to 40 seconds, get written permission, and keep health claims out.
Remember: About 80% of your ad results will come from your top 20% of ads, and those are almost always testimonial ads. Collecting testimonials isn't a side task. It's the main task.
🎓 Your 30-Day Action Plan
Week 1 — Set up the ask
- Get your direct Google review link and save it
- Write your review-request text using the script above
- Set it to send automatically one hour after every completed visit
- Make a simple permission form (one line, a checkbox, a signature)
Week 2 — Collect videos
- Pick your thank-you gift and put a small sign at checkout
- Film 5 customer videos on your phone this week, one question each
- Get written permission for every one
Week 3 — Launch the secret weapon
- Launch one ad using your best testimonial video
- Text 20 happy customers the ad link and ask for a comment
- Reply to every comment. Pin the best one
Week 4 — Spread them out
- Add your best quotes to your website near the Book Now button
- Add a short testimonial quote to your automatic follow-up texts and reminders
- Compare the testimonial ad to your other ads: cost per lead and how many paid. Keep the winner
The businesses that grow fastest aren't the ones with the slickest ads. They're the ones with the most real customers saying real things in public. Start asking today. Five videos this week will still be making you money a year from now.
Ready to Get More Customers From Your Ads?
We set up and run Facebook and Google ads for local businesses every day. The ads, the tracking, the follow-up texts, and the booking are all done for you.
Get Your Free Growth Strategy Session