Writing copy that holds up

Nine things never to invent on a business page, and what to write instead.

A page works because a stranger believes it.

Most people who want a testimonial already have one. A client said something kind, and nobody wrote it down. The last part of this page shows you how to get it in writing.

Nine things never to invent

Every invented detail is a bet that nobody checks. The people who do check are the ones about to buy.

Testimonials

Never write a testimonial yourself and put a customer's name on it. A visitor can't verify it, and a real client who finds words they never said won't like it.

Instead Ask a past client for a real one, and paste in their words with the typos fixed. Or add the reviews block, and real reviews from your Google listing show up on their own.

Reviews

Don't write reviews as though customers left them. A review only carries weight because a visitor believes a stranger wrote it.

Instead Add the reviews block. It connects to your Google listing, shows the real reviews, and links back so anyone can check them. If you have none yet, ask your last few clients for one.

Certifications and awards

Don't call yourself certified, licensed, accredited or award winning unless you are. A careful customer checks credentials first, and one that doesn't check out costs you the whole page.

Instead Write what you do have. Years doing the work, how many clients you've served, a real membership, training you finished, a job you're proud of. Concrete beats decorated.

Statistics about your business

Never make up figures. A number is the easiest claim on a page to check.

Instead Use a real number. A small true number often reads stronger than a big round one, because a big round one reads as marketing.

Promises about health outcomes

Don't write that your service treats, cures or fixes a medical condition. The people who approve your ads and your payments read health wording closely, and a promised outcome is the first thing they look for.

Instead Describe what you do, what a session is like, who tends to come to you, and what people say they came away with. Specific reads as more convincing.

Countdowns and low stock warnings that aren't real

Don't add a timer that resets on every page load, or a spots-remaining count that never moves. People notice, and then they stop believing the rest of the page.

Instead If you have a real deadline, a real limit on how many clients you take, or a real seasonal window, say so plainly. Real scarcity doesn't need decorating.

Partnerships you don't have

Don't call yourself an official partner, dealer or affiliate of a company unless you are. Brands watch for this, and the complaint usually comes from the brand.

Instead If you use their product, work with their tools or trained on their system, say exactly that. We work with is honest and does most of the same job.

Another company's writing

Never copy text off someone else's website onto yours. Search engines are good at spotting duplicated text, and the company you copied may find out.

Instead Look at the page you like and note what works about it. Then write something with the same shape in your own words. Their copy is about them. Yours should be about you.

Fees hidden until checkout

Don't hide a cost until the last screen. Surprise costs at checkout are a common reason people leave without buying.

Instead Show the all-in price up front and say what it includes. If the total varies, say so, so nobody feels ambushed at the end.

How to get real testimonials

Most small businesses have none because asking feels like begging. It isn't, and a good ask takes 30 seconds of someone's time.

Ask the ones who already told you. Someone has said something kind to you in person or in an email. That's a testimonial. It just needs their permission and their name.
Ask for one specific thing. "What was the part you were most worried about before we started?" gets a better answer than "would you write me a testimonial."
Offer to write it up. Take what they said, put it in a sentence, send it back and ask if it's fair. Most people say yes and are glad you did the typing.
Use their real name, or their first name and city. An initial or "a happy client" reads as invented even when it isn't.
Two real ones beat ten invented ones.

A short message works: "You mentioned you were happy with how it went. Could I quote you on my website, with your first name and city?"

What our terms say

Most of this page is advice. One part is a rule: invented reviews and testimonials are not allowed on any AntGlow site. See our terms. We don't check pages before they go live, so what your site says is up to you.

Questions about any of this? Use our contact form and a person will read it.