Freelancers, marketers, even bloggers are taking testimonials seriously. Although some referring it to be purposed for closing sales, truth is testimonial is a critical aspect in brand monitoring.  While I was outsourcing for hosting service, the clients’ reviews are my ‘first impressions’ to the brand. Not solely on the after-use experience, but how the brand is channeling  positive  clients responses to benefit their marketing strategy, creating a sense of urgency for visitors like me to know their service better – that is simply encouraging.

7 Easy Ways to Add Clients Testimonials to your Blog

You don’t need me to tell you how big social media is these days. So if you are hunger for more eyeballs and opportunity for the service (or product) you provide on your site, I will be introducing you some Twitter applications and wordpress plugins to showcase your very own clients’ testimonials. You’ll be surprised how easy it is done:

#1  Twitter Favorites Widget – Web application

It’s not the first time we heard about using Twitter Favorites as a Testimonials-collector for its users. The reason why it is so popular is that Twitter Favorites is public viewable, not only you can retweet it but its RSS feed can be embedded to other social media sites for visibility.

For example, Twitter’s very own Faves Widget allows you to place the testimonial tweets (tweets you’ve starred as favorites) at the sidebar or most visible spot in your blog:

The only downside with twitter favorites is that we won’t be able to keep them forever. The results will update themselves with the most recent tweets been displayed first. If you’re not a consistent twitter user, the old tweets may seem outdated to your visitors. Therefore, if not work-related, quality recommendations concerning your work ethics and personalities may be a good fit too.

#2  Tweetimonials – Web application

This is a much simpler, non-fancy script to import Twitter testimonials to your website. It displays two tweets in one time and auto-refreshes itself after few seconds. No avatars but just texts with status link. You can adjust the colors and width whenever necessary. Sweet and simple.

#3  Tweet-stimonials – WordPress Plugin

The setup is quite easy, just install the plugin and look for it in Appearance -> Widgets. It will then show up at your blog’s sidebar. The maximum tweets can be added up to 20, with a call to action to follow your twitter account right beneath it.

#4  LTW Testimonials – WordPress Plugin

LTW (LessThanWeb) Testimonials enables you to place your client testimonials as a page, equipped with sorting and various configurations available for clients details, visibility for testimonial groups or clients and more. Not only that, you can edit the HTML and CSS code from the admin area to enhance the layout of the testimonial page. An excellent plugin to self-customize based on your clients feedbacks.

#5  Collision Testimonial – Wordperss plugin

Collision Testimonial is slightly different from LTW (LessThanWeb). It does not provide an upload box for clients profile image, but it gives you a form where your clients can submit their testimonial easily to your site. From Pages -> Add New Page, insert these two codes to the HTML content of your Testimonial Page:

<!– collision_testimonials_page –>

<!– collision_testimonials_form –>

You can then review, edit (if needed), keep it on hold (hide it) until you decide to publish it.

#6  Video Testimonials from Clients – New Page

I am impressed by the video testimonial page by Denise Wakeman. She collected the videos from her clients and brilliantly presents the visual effects that speak louder than plain texts. If your clients don’t mind, why not discuss with them for a video feedback? You may be surprised how many of them are willing to help out.

#7  Clients Success Stories

This is another great ‘mutual benefit’ I learned from Denise’s blog.  While sharing her clients’ success stories, not only they were in the spotlight but Denise’s efforts were credited too. I’m sure Denise didn’t ask them to do so, but out of their appreciation to Denise’s work, they are more than willing to mention her. It may be something you’d like to try out, see it more as a relationship building with your clients. Set a special segment for their Success Stories – apart from a little exposure and inspire your readers, your quality work may be highlighted too. Best of both worlds, I’ll say.

These are just some creative ways people can do by integrating Twitter favorites and using wordpress plugins to optimize their brand with Testimonials on blogs. In the coming post, I will be discussing on  how to promote your LinkedIn and facebook page with Testimonials for a similar purpose, stay tuned!

Now is Your Turn…

How would you like to present your Testimonials on blogs? Or any other social platforms for that matter? The comment is all yours!

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Last year, Facebook overtook Google to be the most-visited site on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I don’t think the forecast will be any less different in 2010 considering facebook continues to outshine other social networking sites in terms of user base and connectivity. Plus, you must have heard that Facebook beats ebay to be the third most valuable web company in U.S. lately, right? With so much power and fame, facebook lives under the radar of its 500 million active users daily, hoping their expectations be heard and taken heed of.

Two days ago I had an interesting discussion on my page wall. I asked the fans to share what they hope to get from facebook for Christmas this year (if facebook is listening). Their feedback was amazing and I had so much fun learning what people are expecting from facebook! That’s what I love most about a facebook page – you can never expect how a normal wall post can create unusual responses! To reward their enthusiastic participation, I hope their wishes be heard. What can be a better way to chase away Monday blues than a Christmas wishlist to facebook? Take it away, dear Social @ Blogging Tracker members:

1. “I would like an exclusive souvenir from Facebook!” – Mico
2. “Two Newsfeeds – one for personal profiles and one for business pages.” – Jill




3. “To keep it as it is. I dont want them to change its appearance or functions!” – Noor




4. “Time on my hands.’ – Todd




5. “An easier, appropriate, reliable and fair way to communicate, to support people. Please!” – Debbie




6. “To share via my page instead of my profile (because sometimes that’s what I want to do WITH the share button). Ooh, and to be notified when someone does something on my page (likes, comments, etc.). Please, please, please.” – Anne




7. “A free T-shirt.” – Jill




8. “To rid my old account name from any search engine such as google, facebook, etc so i can live.” – Aved




9. “A an email informing me to wait for my gift cheque worth 100 million in my snail mail..lol” – Jena




10. “To solve my privacy bug so that my friends could see my photo albums!!” – Miriam




11. “The ability to unmerge a places and business page; Two news feeds, one for friends and one for pages, each accessible with just one click.” – Laura




12. “My gift from Facebook would be to keep our profile pics with the post, ie. don’t change the profile pics from previous posts. I’d like to keep the pic with the post.. like Christmas, Halloween, Veterans Day.” – Mike




13. “If possible, I want to have a chance to meet Facebook CEO – Mark Zuckerberg.” – Lee




14. “Better option for privacy settings for posts, photographs etc, even amongst friend lists.” – Shubhra




15. “Thumbs up for Anne’s wish! It would be way better to be notified when someone does something on pages! And the page can leave a comment on their friends.” – Jane




16. “The ability to communicate better with Facebook (the organization) when you have problems or questions. And more FBML commands!” – Genevieve




17. “My wish is for better separation between personal and professional activities and pages (finally). Let’s hope they listen to all of your readers’ comments!” – Scott

Are you nodding at some of them? I know I am. Why not join our page and share what is your biggest wish from facebook on Christmas day ? You can do so in the comments too if like, but be sure to tell why that wish is important to you. Fact is, you never know who is going to see the list and checking it twice (*waving* at facebook). Together let’s create an ultimate Christmas wishlist for facebook.

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Updated Post:
7 Free iFrame Applications to Create Welcome Tab (Custom Tabs) for Your Facebook Page.

Custom tabs can be one of the greatest inventions for facebook page. It brings a page to life, allows content enhancement to impress and capture attention. Setting up a custom tab can be easy (DIY) or complicated with advanced coding knowledge of HTML, Javascript and iframes (soon to come). Answering these questions can help in deciding what type of custom tab you are planning to build:

• What is the tab for?
• What are the results I hope to achieve from the tab?
• What kind of brand image I wish to portray to visitors?
• What are the must-have designing elements within the tab?
• What is your budget for a custom tab?

 

Also, one more thing you should know about is iframes will be replacing FBML tabs soon:

 

Existing FBML tabs will continuously be supported but no doubt, IFrames will be the new lead in facebook customization. Currently IFrames tabs are yet to be released by facebook. A fan from our page had brought up a good concern here – “ I don’t have much knowledge in setting up a welcome tab, but are there any possible ways for a DIY?”.

Yes, there are. In fact I’m going to share with you some facebook applications (come with free accounts) that can do just that. But there will be limitations comparing to customization work done by professionals, such as advertisement links or hidden features. If you’re in a hurry to setup a welcome tab (or any landing tab/custom tabs) for your business page, FBML is still a good pick. Otherwise, these facebook applications will be a good fit for your fan page:

 

5 Facebook Applications to Create Welcome Tab (Custom & Sub-tabs)

 

1. Welcome Tab for Pages

 

HTML Knowledge: Yes
Sub-tabs: No

The whole concept is similar to Static FBML, you ought to have basic HTML knowledge to get things running on the tab. So this may be a good pick if you’re running out of FBML boxes (maximum 10 tabs per page) to add. The only advantage it has over Static FBML is the built-in analytical stats for your welcome tab visits.

If you are to stick with Static FBML (at least it has no footer message; tab name is editable), try to give this article a read about embedding Google Analytics code within the tab.

 

2. TabSite

 

HTML Knowledge: Yes
Sub-tabs: Yes (Two)

TabSite has a wordpress-like control panel for drafting your tab content: font resizing, styles, even media files uploading (images, videos). For its free account, you can create up to two sub-tabs. You can arrange the tab order and how they are displayed to fans – horizontally or as a drop down menu.

Visit tabsite pricing page for more features.

 

3. Static FBML and Welcome Tab by iwiPage

 

HTML Knowledge: Yes
Sub-tabs: Yes (>2 but Limited)

I love sub-tabs so no doubt I’m giving iwiPage a test-run. It is said to support iframes, Javascript and flash on all sub-tabs except ‘Home’. I did not get to verify on the iframe insertion so if anybody did, kindly share your experience with the app in the comments. Apart from the slick design with drag and drop, the ability to hide tab from non-fans until they liked the fan page impressed me the most – it’s a feature that not always come with a FREE account, but iwipage allows it (but with limitations).

The customization is a bit challenging until you figure out how it works. I would advise you to watch this video tutorial first to prevent frustration and lost of your work:

4. Tigerlily CMS

– [UPDATED: 12/01/2012] This app is no longer available.
 

HTML Knowledge: No
Sub-tabs: Yes (Two)

Tigerlily is pretty much straight forward (drag and drop). Its free account offers users with basic configurations without the need of knowing any HTML at all. As long you don’t mind their brand name on the tab and footer, you can insert quite a number of media files or social feeds with just the source links (no sign in for authorization purposes).

It offers several applications for different packages. More about their price plan here.

 

5. Pagemodo Pagebuilder

 

HTML Knowledge: No
Sub-tabs: No (One Tab Only)

For those who are not into complicated HTML or CSS code modifications, pagemodo gives you sophisticated design layout with the simplicity of drag and drop! Everything is basically well customized. Page admin only needs to replace the images and texts, reposition the content before confirming your changes. Font customization and background design can be modified. No designing skills required to make your custom tabs (welcome, showroom etc) look like pro’s!

But to unlock video-embedding themes, add more tabs and eliminating the footer, a paid plan is needed.

 

The reason why I am so into facebook customization is that every page is unique on its own. Even with these DIY apps, you can still make a difference for your welcome tab if you willing to experiment and improvise. Don’t stop by adding the application to your page. Monitor its results and find out what works and what’s not.

Recommended Post:
7 Free iFrame Applications to Create Welcome Tab (Custom Tabs) for Your Facebook Page.

 

Now is Your Turn…

 

What are your anticipations for iframes? Any other facebook applications that I missed for a well customized welcome tab? Share your thoughts.

 

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