# Testimonial Scoring & Vetting Guide

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## 1. Credibility Score (Max 10 points)

Credibility establishes trust. A testimonial lacks credibility if customers doubt the reviewer is real.

| Indicator | 2 Points | 1 Point | 0 Points |
|-----------|----------|---------|----------|
| **Verified Purchase** | Verified badge present, 3+ month ownership | Purchase history exists, timeframe unclear | No purchase verification, unknown source |
| **Customer Identity** | Full name + verified (LinkedIn), headshot | First name + last initial, headshot | Anonymous, no headshot, unverifiable |
| **Product Details** | Specific product name + 2+ features | Vague features mentioned | Generic praise, no product ID |
| **Timeline** | Specific dates/duration (3+ months) | General timeframe ("several months") | No timeline or vague ("always") |
| **Verification Media** | Professional headshot or video | Low-res headshot or screenshot | No media or stock photo |

**Credibility Tiers:**
- 9-10 points: "Highly Credible" — Premium placements
- 7-8 points: "Credible" — Most placements
- 5-6 points: "Moderately Credible" — Secondary placements
- 3-4 points: "Low Credibility" — Caution; strong persuasion required
- 0-2 points: "Not Credible" — Reject immediately

**Red Flag:** Testimonial from source without purchase history = automatic 0.

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## 2. Persuasion Power Score (Max 12 points)

Persuasion answers "Will this convince someone to buy?". High persuasion addresses objections and shows clear benefit.

| Dimension | 3 Points | 2 Points | 1 Point | 0 Points |
|-----------|----------|----------|---------|----------|
| **Emotional Impact** | Relief, joy, transformation language | Moderate satisfaction ("happy with it") | Factual appreciation ("it works") | No emotion or lukewarm |
| **Objection Handling** | Addresses 2+ objections, shows resolution | Addresses 1 major objection | Acknowledges concern, weak resolution | No objection handling |
| **Before/After Narrative** | Clear arc with specific metrics/ROI | Qualitative transformation shown | Mentions problem OR solution | No narrative structure |
| **Specificity** | Concrete examples, numbers, HOW used | Specific use case, light on detail | General language, vague | Generic praise |

**Persuasion Tiers:**
- 10-12 points: "Highly Persuasive" — Strong converter; premium placements
- 8-9 points: "Persuasive" — Good for most placements
- 6-7 points: "Moderately Persuasive" — Supporting testimonials
- 4-5 points: "Low Persuasion" — Fill volume only
- 0-3 points: "Not Persuasive" — Reject

**Key Insight:** Testimonials overcoming objections are 40% more persuasive than purely positive reviews.

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## 3. Platform Fit Score (Max 6 points)

A great testimonial on wrong platform underperforms.

| Factor | 2 Points | 1 Point | 0 Points |
|--------|----------|---------|----------|
| **Length & Format** | Perfect match, minimal editing | Fits with 20-30% trim | Requires extensive rewriting |
| **Tone & Voice** | Matches platform culture perfectly | Acceptable, slight adjustment needed | Significantly mismatches |
| **Visual Compatibility** | Headshot/media aligns with design | Acceptable with minor adjustment | Incompatible or no media |

**Platform Guidelines:**
- Amazon/Shopify: 80-150 chars, conversational, 1-2 sentences
- Email: 100-200 chars, 2-3 sentences
- TikTok/Instagram: 15-30 sec video, casual, short clips
- LinkedIn/B2B: 200-400 chars, professional, 4-6 sentences
- Homepage: 80-120 chars, punchy, 1-2 sentences

**Tone Profiles:**
- Professional: LinkedIn, B2B (formal, metrics-driven)
- Conversational: Email, homepage (casual, relatable)
- Enthusiastic: TikTok, Instagram (emojis, energetic)
- Storytelling: Blog, email sequences (narrative arc, emotional)

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## 4. Overall Scoring Formula

**Total Score = Credibility + Persuasion Power + Platform Fit (out of 28 points)**

### Tier Assignment

| Score | Tier | Best Use | Usage Rules |
|-------|------|----------|-------------|
| 22-28 | **HERO** | Homepage hero, main product page, retargeting ads | Premium placements; rotate monthly |
| 18-21 | **PRIMARY** | Product pages, email campaigns, social ads | Core placements; rotate bi-weekly |
| 14-17 | **SECONDARY** | Testimonial page, email newsletters, user-generated feed | Supporting placements; quarterly update |
| 10-13 | **TERTIARY** | Testimonials page only, volume fills | Archived after 6 months |
| Below 10 | **REJECT** | Do not use | Archive or discard |

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## 5. Common Scoring Examples

### Example 1: Text Testimonial (Medium)
**Raw:** "I use this 4-5 times a week for meal prep. Been using 8 months, blades still sharp. 10x faster than knife. Safety guard saved my fingers. Best $35 spent. — Marcus T."

- Credibility: 7 (name+initial, specifics about usage, no media)
- Persuasion: 9 (emotional, specific metrics, before/after, overcomes objection)
- Platform Fit: 5 (good length for Amazon, conversational, no visual)
- **Total: 21 (PRIMARY TIER)** ✓ Use on product pages, email

### Example 2: Video Testimonial (High)
**Raw:** Customer on camera: "Sensitive skin, terrified this would irritate. After 2 weeks, noticeably brighter, zero irritation. 3+ weeks daily use. Friends asking what I'm doing different. Worth every penny. — Priya S., SF"

- Credibility: 10 (video proof, name+location, specific timeline, product details)
- Persuasion: 11 (strong emotion, overcomes sensitivity objection, specific result, narrative)
- Platform Fit: 6 (perfect video format, conversational tone)
- **Total: 27 (HERO TIER)** ✓ Use as hero testimonial, retargeting ads

### Example 3: Generic Review (Low)
**Raw:** "Love this serum! My skin is so much brighter now. Definitely recommend."

- Credibility: 2 (no verification, generic language, no identity)
- Persuasion: 3 (no specificity, no objection handling, no timeline)
- Platform Fit: 2 (could fit many products, no emotional depth)
- **Total: 7 (REJECT)** ✗ Don't use

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## 6. Scoring Checklist

Before finalizing testimonial scores:

- [ ] Verify purchase history in system
- [ ] Confirm customer identity (LinkedIn for B2B, basic name check for B2C)
- [ ] Check for repeated language patterns (indicates templated/fake)
- [ ] Assess emotional language (relief, joy, transformation > generic praise)
- [ ] Identify 1-2 specific objections addressed
- [ ] Confirm timeline (3+ months of use highly credible)
- [ ] Rate media quality (video > headshot > screenshot > none)
- [ ] Match tone to intended platform
- [ ] Ensure testimonial length fits platform specs
- [ ] Document final tier assignment and placement plan

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## 7. Quick Scoring Reference

**Fast Scoring (1 minute per testimonial):**

1. Does customer have verified purchase? (No = 0 credibility, reject)
2. Is there emotional language + specific metric? (Yes = 8+ persuasion)
3. Does it address a top objection? (Yes = +2 persuasion)
4. Does it fit platform length/tone? (Yes = 5+ platform fit)
5. Is there media (video preferred)? (Yes = +2 credibility)

**Quick math:** If all 5 are "yes," score is ~20-24 (PRIMARY/HERO tier).