SEO Company Testimonials
SEO company testimonials are public customer quotes or reviews used by an SEO agency as social proof, and they can also be used as a link-building tactic when the testimonial includes a backlink to the reviewer’s site.
Key takeaways
- Testimonials build trust and help you evaluate an SEO agency’s track record.
- Genuine testimonials can earn backlinks when published with attribution.
- Strong testimonials include specific problems, solutions, and measurable outcomes.
- Weak testimonials are vague, generic, or lack attribution.
- Personalized outreach to companies you already use works best.
When used strategically, testimonials can also earn backlinks from vendor and service websites.
Example: Turning a Tool Review Into a Backlink
- You use Ahrefs for keyword research.
- You write a short, honest testimonial: “Ahrefs helped us find low-competition keywords that increased organic traffic by 40% in three months.”
- You include your name, role, company, and website.
- You submit the testimonial via Ahrefs’ customer story form.
- Ahrefs publishes it on their testimonials page with a backlink to your site.
- Result: You earn a relevant, high-authority backlink from a trusted SEO tool.
Quick Start: How to Use Testimonials for Link Building
- List companies you genuinely use and can honestly recommend.
- Check if they already publish customer testimonials (look for a “testimonials” or “reviews” page).
- Write a specific testimonial: mention the problem, the feature you used, and the measurable outcome.
- Find the testimonial submission page or contact email.
- Submit your testimonial with your full name, role, company, and website URL.
- Follow up politely if you don’t hear back within two weeks.
How to Judge the Credibility of an SEO Company’s Testimonials
- Look for specific details: problem, solution, and measurable outcome (e.g., “increased organic traffic by 30%”).
- Check for attribution: full name, role, company, and ideally a link to the reviewer’s site.
- See if the testimonial is placed on a dedicated page, case study, or product page.
- Cross-check the reviewer’s company to see if it exists and matches the testimonial’s claims.
- Prefer testimonials that include a timeframe or before/after data.
Common Mistakes in Testimonial Link Building
- Writing vague praise like “Great service!” without any specifics.
- Using the same generic testimonial pitch for every company.
- Asking for a backlink before offering a credible, useful testimonial.
- Promising exaggerated or dishonest results.
- Submitting testimonials to companies that don’t publish customer quotes.
Next step
FAQ
What are SEO company testimonials?
They are public quotes or reviews from clients that an SEO agency uses as social proof to attract new customers.
How can testimonials be used for link building?
When you provide a genuine testimonial to a company you use, they may publish it with a backlink to your site, earning you a relevant link.
What makes a testimonial credible?
Specific details about the problem, solution, and measurable outcome, along with the reviewer's name, role, and company.
What are red flags in SEO company testimonials?
Vague praise, no attribution, exaggerated claims, or identical wording across multiple testimonials.
Related topics
Sources
- Google Search Central — Best primary source for link-scheme, review, and quality guidance.
- Search Engine Journal — Widely cited SEO publication with practical link-building guidance.
- Moz — Well-known SEO reference for link-building and agency evaluation concepts.
Reviewed by Lucía Marín, Founding editor.