Save the original
Keep a copy of the original review, message, or interview notes, with the date and the job it relates to. Don't copy more customer details into your marketing files than you need.
Reviews and reputation guide 06
Customer Proof and Case Studies for Local Businesses
Before you put a customer's words or photos on your website, get their written OK, make sure any numbers they mention are true, and keep a note of where you used it so you can take it down if they ask.
← All reviews and reputation guidanceSave the original
Get written permission
Check the claims
Add context
Review or take down
Why this matters
A testimonial on your website is advertising, and you are responsible for it.
When you put a customer's quote, name, or before-and-after photo on your website, it becomes your advertising. The FTC's Endorsement Guides say testimonials must be honest and cannot make claims you couldn't make yourself. The FTC also expects businesses to have proof for factual claims such as "saved us $2,000" or "fixed in one hour" before publishing them.
A great result may be real but unusual. A customer may have received a discount or free work. And a public Google review does not give you permission to copy the customer's name, words, or photos into your own ads. If you run a testimonials page that shows only positive reviews, don't present it as all or most of your reviews. The FTC rule prohibits that when negative reviews are left out because of their rating or tone.
Responsible practices
Build every testimonial and project story from real, checked facts.
Get written permission
Ask in writing and note exactly what you may use: first name or full name, the quote, photos, and where it will appear. A text or email reply saying "Yes, you can use this" is a good start. Ask a qualified adviser about anything involving children, health, or confidential work.
Check every factual claim
Separate the customer's opinion ("great service") from facts ("cut our bill in half"). Have records that support each fact before you publish it, or leave it out.
Show when a result is not typical
If a result is unusually good, say what the starting point and scope were, or don't feature it. A line like "results may vary" does not fix a misleading overall message.
Disclose discounts and connections
If the customer got a discount, free work, or a referral payment, or is a relative or employee, say so next to the testimonial, not on a separate page.
Keep a list of where you used it
Write down every page, ad, and social post where the testimonial appears. If the customer asks you to remove it, or the facts change, you'll know where to look.
Worked example
Hypothetical example: turning a review into a website testimonial
A roofing company wants to feature a five-star Google review on its roof replacement page. The review says, "They replaced our whole roof in two days and it cost less than the other quotes."
- Permission
- The owner emails the customer: "May we quote your review on our website with your first name and town? You can ask us to remove it at any time." The customer replies yes. The owner saves the email.
- Checking the claims
- The job file shows a two-day install. The owner can't verify the other quotes, so the website version keeps the timing and drops the price comparison.
- Context
- The page adds: "Single-story home, about 2,000 sq ft. Timing depends on roof size and weather."
- Where it's used
- Roof replacement page and one social post, logged with the date and the customer's email.
- Testimonials page
- The page is titled "What some of our customers say," not "All our reviews," and links to the full Google profile.
Permission, accurate claims, and a list of where you used it make testimonials safe to keep and easy to take down.
Testimonials
Check these before a testimonial goes live.
What you can do yourself
- 01
Save the original review or message and the date.
- 02
Get the customer's written OK for how you'll use it.
- 03
Remove any number or fact you can't back up.
- 04
Note any discount or connection next to the testimonial.
- 05
Keep a list of every place the testimonial appears.
What to ask your provider or staff to handle
- 01
Show you the customer's written permission before any testimonial is published.
- 02
Keep testimonials off landing pages and ads unless the claims have been checked.
- 03
Remove a testimonial from every page, ad, and post within an agreed time when you ask.
Avoid these mistakes
Do not let one customer's story promise more than you can back up.
- Copying a public review, reviewer photo, or customer name into ads without permission
- Editing a quote until it says something the customer didn't mean, or using AI to fill in missing details
- Featuring an unusual result without saying what made it unusual
- Calling a hand-picked testimonials page "all our reviews"
- Adding review star markup to your own pages to try to get stars in Google search
Customers decide what they write and review sites decide what stays up, so ratings, review counts, and removals are not guaranteed.
Questions business owners ask
Know what permission and accuracy mean in practice.
01Can I copy a good Google or Yelp review onto my website?+
Don't assume a public review gives you permission. Ask the customer in writing, save their reply, and check the review site's current terms. A qualified attorney can answer questions about your specific situation.
02Does a real customer's result need proof?+
Yes, if it includes facts. The experience must be genuine, and factual claims about cost, time, or results still need records that support them before you publish.
03Can my testimonials page show only positive reviews?+
You can feature selected testimonials, but don't suggest they are all or most of your reviews. The FTC rule prohibits that when negative reviews are held back because of their rating or tone. Label the page honestly and link to your full review profiles.
04Should I add review markup so Google shows stars?+
Usually not for your own business. Google's review snippet rules limit self-serving reviews for local businesses and organizations, and markup must match what's visible on the page. Even eligible markup does not make Google show stars.
Primary guidance
Endorsement, advertising, review, and structured-data guidance
Show real customer stories