Last week I was on a call with one of my clients from California. During that conversation, the client asked what my opinion was about linking the article I was writing for them to a testimonial on Houzz. For this situation, I don’t recommend it. Here’s why.
You work hard to get a consumer onto your website to read your blog. Don’t you want them to stay there? When you link to an outside resource (especially without opening the link in a new tab or window), you run the risk of losing your audience. The reader may not finish reading your article; will skip your photo gallery and may not even remember the name of your company.
I’m not saying this always happens, but why would you risk it?
This is especially dangerous when you link to Houzz – because Houzz is the black hole of home ideas. You click here, you click there and next thing you know it’s 2 a.m.
How to Make better use those amazing Houzz testimonials
Take a testimonial and an image from a client’s project. Create your own photo testimonial like the one I created (using Canva) for my client in Pittsburgh, Prime 1 Builders.
This customer provided a wonderful testimonial on Houzz for a kick-butt project. I copied the testimonial, added a few project photos, and now Prime 1 has a great image to share on social media for years to come.
Notice how I give source credit to Houzz without detracting from the graphic?
Bonus Tip: Here’s how I’d share it on social media. I’d write a few different blurbs about the project, like these:
- The Union Provision Building in Lawrenceville once housed a slaughterhouse. Now it serves as a primary residence, furniture shop and Aikido studio. Read more about this transformation. [link to blog]
- Dating back to 1895, the Union Provision and Packing Company building in Lawrenceville and located at 5136 Butler Street, once housed a butcher shop, slaughterhouse and meat storage coolers. Now it serves as a primary residence, furniture shop and Aikido studio. Read more about this transformation. [link to blog article]
- See how this Lawrenceville slaughterhouse, dating back to 1895, transformed into a two-story, mixed-use building that serves as an Aikido studio, custom furniture shop and primary residence. [link to blog article]
I hope to see your Houzz testimonials used on social media. If you do, tag me in the comments section (Facebook, Twitter or Instagram) so I can enjoy them, too.
-Tess
P.S. Need help brainstorming content ideas or getting blog content written? I can help.
