Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?

I think people do use FAKE testimonials.
And YES its wrong to do that as in other words your are telling lie's to your visitors.
Regards

It is pretty hard to prove whether anyone uses a fake testimonial or not, unless they admit it.
It is wrong to use fake testimonials since like gadir5000 said, you are lying to your visitors.
If you don't have any good testimonials, don't post up any until you do.

It is wrong and something you wouldn't want to get caught out on!
I would just ask a customer to right one for you.
Chris

How about customers, do you prefer that they use real or imaginary credit card numbers when they are getting started in buying and don't have a big budget yet? :-) Obviously, the real thing is usually better!
People providing a service will eventually get testimonials and reviews, although it may take some time for unsolicited ones.

"Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?"
Yes, it is unethical. Once your customers find out you lied to them they will leave and take any referrals with them!

Most people can see right through fake testimonials. It's a great way to kill the sale.

Indeed. Most fake testimonials often heaps tons of praise on the company, even though the domain was only registered a few months ago :D

I have never used a fake testimonial on my hosting site, I started out with no testimonials and added some from my clients when they gave me them.

i have never used fake testimonials for either web design or hsoting. i think that is just wrong and if clients ever found out what you had done it would cause all sorts of trust issues and ultimately would probably loose you their business.
to be honest i don't use them generally just for this reason that i think many of them are made up and i don't think that new clients take much notice of them. Especially in hosting. they are far more likely to google your name or visit places like these for reviews.

I had work done from another poster here and I would have to say his had to be fake as I was not satisfied. Live and learn I guess.

its totally unethical to post fake testimonials , if they lie about it they can lie about anything else then

How about customers, do you prefer that they use real or imaginary credit card numbers when they are getting started in buying and don't have a big budget yet? :-) Obviously, the real thing is usually better!
People providing a service will eventually get testimonials and reviews, although it may take some time for unsolicited ones.
Good point :)
I agree with everyone. Displaying forged testimonials is very unethical. Unfortunately it can be difficult to detect one. I would first start off by asking a current client for some feedback. Then display the feedback on your site, and be sure to ask for permission to display their name and company.
Eventually testimonials or even small "thank you's" will start coming in, depending on the quality of your product/service.

When starting out, just don't post any testimonials at all, don't make mention of it. As your business grows you will get customers who say "Great business, and I love the plans and pricing!" Thats a good testimonial, you have your first one. Save it and edit your website to integrate testimonial or wait until you get 3 testimonials then post them.
But don't start our making fake testimonials. You're reputation will be ruined if you do.

I think it's pretty common especially for hosting companies. Majority of internet savvy people wouldn't trust written testimonials displayed on your website unless the person is well known and you've stated the contact details.
So in a nutshell, I don't think it'll help much at all putting testimonials

Checkout all these fake ones http://www.webhostingstuff.com/review/NETRACKserverscom.html

This is unfortunate because there are plenty of people out there that have high standard of ethics and would never display anything false. This type of stuff can effect people with true testimonials on their pages; people might think they are fake as well.
But a lot of the times you can judge whether they are fake or not.

From our experience most customers do not even think about writing a review as having your website running smoothly was part of the service they did buy, only some customers who experienced other hosts and did leave because of trouble sometimes are suggesting to write a review; and in most cases they first asked us if it is okay for them to do so.
I am not willing to ask customers to write a review as i believe these are then not real reviews, but if they want to write them, i do provide them with some links where they can place them if they like.
It is nice if a customer writes about you in a positive way, but others may think its just a fake.. for me only bad reviews are the ones i check out, and form my own opinion or base my questions towards the hosting company on the reviews i have read.

Reviews that say something like "OMG the most fantastic host in the galaxy!!!!" are not likely to be taken as real. Well, not by me, anyway. :)
The best reviews, I would say, are ones that thank you for helping the customer solve a problem.

Reviews that say something like "OMG the most fantastic host in the galaxy!!!!" are not likely to be taken as real. Well, not by me, anyway. :)
The best reviews, I would say, are ones that thank you for helping the customer solve a problem.
Don't help the people who fake them!

There was just a study done on this
They found that slightly over 80% were faked
Sorry...No link...but it was broadcast on the news a few weeks ago
I'm sure if you do an internet search, you'll find the source

I would not advise using them. As your parent more than likely told you if you lie you will always be found out.

All the testimonials on our site are real. But I actually notice two problems now:
1.) Do you fix typos and grammatical errors in testimonials? Do they reflect on the quality of the business? Will people understand that the testimonials were copied/pasted word for word without alteration?
2.) Does it look bad if you only have about 5 testimonials? Ie., "oh, this company only has 5 testimonials; they must not be reputable." Is it better to have 0 than just 5?
I would especially like to read comments regarding #1.

That is a tough one. Fixing errors does that count as altering the testimonial? I would personally sort spelling errors as this would come across as unprofessional.

I would fix major errors, much the same that your newspaper can edit letters to the editor.
On the one hand, the customer's words are theirs, and you should respect that.
On the other hand, glaring errors will do you no good. The testimonial writer should understand that.
A balanced approach, then, is the right one: fix the errors and leave the message unchanged.

Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?
I think many people probably do. I admit it is not right to use fake ones.

All these make a million dollar's on the new get rich scams use fake testimonials?

1.) Do you fix typos and grammatical errors in testimonials? Do they reflect on the quality of the business? Will people understand that the testimonials were copied/pasted word for word without alteration?
Definitely correct typos and misspellings. Grammatical errors, it would depend. When you change grammar, you can change the meaning. It's perfectly acceptable to add in the intended word in [brackets], the same as all newspapers do. You can also use the word sic to show that the person writing the testimonial made an error and you realize that but are not changing the original.

Brackets are a good idea, but I wouldn't use "sic" - it works well in news accounts quoting someone, but not good for promotional material.

@ the OP
It all deals with ethics. Some people are ethical some are not.
However just looking at all the companies that promote all the so called "top" list sites are guilty of fake reviews and testimonials to one degree or another.

I believe more and more internet users are understanding that you cannot people everything you read on the internet, but unfortunately many people do not investigate the veracity of the information they read on websites. It is just too easy to post on the internet and say anything.
Additionally, today's photo editing programs are so powerful that some "actual" photos can come into question now.

I think it's pretty common especially for hosting companies. Majority of internet savvy people wouldn't trust written testimonials displayed on your website unless the person is well known and you've stated the contact details.
So in a nutshell, I don't think it'll help much at all putting testimonials
I agree. I have a hard time believing testimonials on a website--even if they are true I'm sure the worst company must have at least one satisfied customer.
I'd say skip them, but if you have to use them, don't fake them.

fake testimonials or fake comments would be lame

Yes, I notice many hosts use fake testimonials.
most are easy to find, as they treat the host like a god.

Actually, I've seen real customers be so incredibly happy and grateful that they found a host who actually does things right and even helps them that they do indeed sound like they're ready to promote the host to divine status. :)
True, I can't say how many of the testimonials that look like this are real or fake, but there's a lesson in this for hosts...

From personal experience, I won't pay any attention to a testimonial or rating of your site unless its on an independent party's website or it is on the customer's letterhead and contains full contact details.
I guess contact details can be faked too, but it's a much greater risk for the company to put a fake telephone number up and "fake" enquiries to those numbers...
So I would say request real testimonials from real customers that they provide on authentic stationary (scanned to PDF usually works well) with their true contact details to provide credibility.
As a sidenote: always get your customers' permission to publish the testimonials on your site and make sure that you exclude these documents in your robots.txt file out of respect for your customers' privacy.

I never use testimonials to get online work, and people never ask for them anyway. I just send people links to work I have done, or ask them to google my name.
Obviously for offline jobs I use references, but my referees are established professionals based at well-known institutions.

Yes they do. :)

Some people resort to posting fake testimonials to make their company look more professional. But it's a matter of ethics. You should not advertise something that is not true.
Just my two cents.

Well, i cannot fully agree with it.

Posting FAKE testimonials is just wrong. It ruins your rep, and just drives away any chance of a sale. Like everyone above said, people can spot a fake testimonial. I have a support department dedicated to testimonials. When a client submits one, I proof read to fix any spelling errors, and then I post it on my site.
If your service is good, then you can expect a client or two to give you a review. Using a FAKE review is never a good thing to do. Decieving your clients is something you should never do as it will spread and any client you have will find out and leave. It is best to use honest and genuine reviews. If not, your whole business could be at stake.

I've seen people post pictures you can find on google image search to 'show' what the person making the testimonial looks like. Its sad really.

Yeah, it really is sad.

Its too easy to implement fakes, no checks on it, and a bit of creative writing it sounds very legitimate. Its a pity people have to stoop to those levels, they should be proud of genuine compliments and word hard to achieve those rather than just publishing lies designed to establish trust.

I have a sales sheet in my folder (physical folder left at clients) that has testimonials but I also have their website and phone number. I agree if you do not have any testimonials don't use the "fake it till you make it" train of thought.

Ya, people do use fake testimonials! You cannot judge the product, by the testimonials written for the product! You need to find out yourself, with your own judgments, whether the product is worth buying or not!

Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?

I think people do use FAKE testimonials.
And YES its wrong to do that as in other words your are telling lie's to your visitors.
Regards

It is pretty hard to prove whether anyone uses a fake testimonial or not, unless they admit it.
It is wrong to use fake testimonials since like gadir5000 said, you are lying to your visitors.
If you don't have any good testimonials, don't post up any until you do.

It is wrong and something you wouldn't want to get caught out on!
I would just ask a customer to right one for you.
Chris

How about customers, do you prefer that they use real or imaginary credit card numbers when they are getting started in buying and don't have a big budget yet? :-) Obviously, the real thing is usually better!
People providing a service will eventually get testimonials and reviews, although it may take some time for unsolicited ones.

"Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?"
Yes, it is unethical. Once your customers find out you lied to them they will leave and take any referrals with them!

Most people can see right through fake testimonials. It's a great way to kill the sale.

Indeed. Most fake testimonials often heaps tons of praise on the company, even though the domain was only registered a few months ago :D

I have never used a fake testimonial on my hosting site, I started out with no testimonials and added some from my clients when they gave me them.

i have never used fake testimonials for either web design or hsoting. i think that is just wrong and if clients ever found out what you had done it would cause all sorts of trust issues and ultimately would probably loose you their business.
to be honest i don't use them generally just for this reason that i think many of them are made up and i don't think that new clients take much notice of them. Especially in hosting. they are far more likely to google your name or visit places like these for reviews.

I had work done from another poster here and I would have to say his had to be fake as I was not satisfied. Live and learn I guess.

its totally unethical to post fake testimonials , if they lie about it they can lie about anything else then

How about customers, do you prefer that they use real or imaginary credit card numbers when they are getting started in buying and don't have a big budget yet? :-) Obviously, the real thing is usually better!
People providing a service will eventually get testimonials and reviews, although it may take some time for unsolicited ones.
Good point :)
I agree with everyone. Displaying forged testimonials is very unethical. Unfortunately it can be difficult to detect one. I would first start off by asking a current client for some feedback. Then display the feedback on your site, and be sure to ask for permission to display their name and company.
Eventually testimonials or even small "thank you's" will start coming in, depending on the quality of your product/service.

When starting out, just don't post any testimonials at all, don't make mention of it. As your business grows you will get customers who say "Great business, and I love the plans and pricing!" Thats a good testimonial, you have your first one. Save it and edit your website to integrate testimonial or wait until you get 3 testimonials then post them.
But don't start our making fake testimonials. You're reputation will be ruined if you do.

I think it's pretty common especially for hosting companies. Majority of internet savvy people wouldn't trust written testimonials displayed on your website unless the person is well known and you've stated the contact details.
So in a nutshell, I don't think it'll help much at all putting testimonials

Checkout all these fake ones http://www.webhostingstuff.com/review/NETRACKserverscom.html

This is unfortunate because there are plenty of people out there that have high standard of ethics and would never display anything false. This type of stuff can effect people with true testimonials on their pages; people might think they are fake as well.
But a lot of the times you can judge whether they are fake or not.

From our experience most customers do not even think about writing a review as having your website running smoothly was part of the service they did buy, only some customers who experienced other hosts and did leave because of trouble sometimes are suggesting to write a review; and in most cases they first asked us if it is okay for them to do so.
I am not willing to ask customers to write a review as i believe these are then not real reviews, but if they want to write them, i do provide them with some links where they can place them if they like.
It is nice if a customer writes about you in a positive way, but others may think its just a fake.. for me only bad reviews are the ones i check out, and form my own opinion or base my questions towards the hosting company on the reviews i have read.

Reviews that say something like "OMG the most fantastic host in the galaxy!!!!" are not likely to be taken as real. Well, not by me, anyway. :)
The best reviews, I would say, are ones that thank you for helping the customer solve a problem.

Reviews that say something like "OMG the most fantastic host in the galaxy!!!!" are not likely to be taken as real. Well, not by me, anyway. :)
The best reviews, I would say, are ones that thank you for helping the customer solve a problem.
Don't help the people who fake them!

There was just a study done on this
They found that slightly over 80% were faked
Sorry...No link...but it was broadcast on the news a few weeks ago
I'm sure if you do an internet search, you'll find the source

I would not advise using them. As your parent more than likely told you if you lie you will always be found out.

All the testimonials on our site are real. But I actually notice two problems now:
1.) Do you fix typos and grammatical errors in testimonials? Do they reflect on the quality of the business? Will people understand that the testimonials were copied/pasted word for word without alteration?
2.) Does it look bad if you only have about 5 testimonials? Ie., "oh, this company only has 5 testimonials; they must not be reputable." Is it better to have 0 than just 5?
I would especially like to read comments regarding #1.

That is a tough one. Fixing errors does that count as altering the testimonial? I would personally sort spelling errors as this would come across as unprofessional.

I would fix major errors, much the same that your newspaper can edit letters to the editor.
On the one hand, the customer's words are theirs, and you should respect that.
On the other hand, glaring errors will do you no good. The testimonial writer should understand that.
A balanced approach, then, is the right one: fix the errors and leave the message unchanged.

Do people use fake testimonials when starting out? Is it considered wrong to use fake or untrue ones?
I think many people probably do. I admit it is not right to use fake ones.

All these make a million dollar's on the new get rich scams use fake testimonials?

1.) Do you fix typos and grammatical errors in testimonials? Do they reflect on the quality of the business? Will people understand that the testimonials were copied/pasted word for word without alteration?
Definitely correct typos and misspellings. Grammatical errors, it would depend. When you change grammar, you can change the meaning. It's perfectly acceptable to add in the intended word in [brackets], the same as all newspapers do. You can also use the word sic to show that the person writing the testimonial made an error and you realize that but are not changing the original.

Brackets are a good idea, but I wouldn't use "sic" - it works well in news accounts quoting someone, but not good for promotional material.

@ the OP
It all deals with ethics. Some people are ethical some are not.
However just looking at all the companies that promote all the so called "top" list sites are guilty of fake reviews and testimonials to one degree or another.

I believe more and more internet users are understanding that you cannot people everything you read on the internet, but unfortunately many people do not investigate the veracity of the information they read on websites. It is just too easy to post on the internet and say anything.
Additionally, today's photo editing programs are so powerful that some "actual" photos can come into question now.

I think it's pretty common especially for hosting companies. Majority of internet savvy people wouldn't trust written testimonials displayed on your website unless the person is well known and you've stated the contact details.
So in a nutshell, I don't think it'll help much at all putting testimonials
I agree. I have a hard time believing testimonials on a website--even if they are true I'm sure the worst company must have at least one satisfied customer.
I'd say skip them, but if you have to use them, don't fake them.

fake testimonials or fake comments would be lame

Yes, I notice many hosts use fake testimonials.
most are easy to find, as they treat the host like a god.

Actually, I've seen real customers be so incredibly happy and grateful that they found a host who actually does things right and even helps them that they do indeed sound like they're ready to promote the host to divine status. :)
True, I can't say how many of the testimonials that look like this are real or fake, but there's a lesson in this for hosts...

From personal experience, I won't pay any attention to a testimonial or rating of your site unless its on an independent party's website or it is on the customer's letterhead and contains full contact details.
I guess contact details can be faked too, but it's a much greater risk for the company to put a fake telephone number up and "fake" enquiries to those numbers...
So I would say request real testimonials from real customers that they provide on authentic stationary (scanned to PDF usually works well) with their true contact details to provide credibility.
As a sidenote: always get your customers' permission to publish the testimonials on your site and make sure that you exclude these documents in your robots.txt file out of respect for your customers' privacy.

I never use testimonials to get online work, and people never ask for them anyway. I just send people links to work I have done, or ask them to google my name.
Obviously for offline jobs I use references, but my referees are established professionals based at well-known institutions.

Yes they do. :)

Some people resort to posting fake testimonials to make their company look more professional. But it's a matter of ethics. You should not advertise something that is not true.
Just my two cents.

Well, i cannot fully agree with it.

Posting FAKE testimonials is just wrong. It ruins your rep, and just drives away any chance of a sale. Like everyone above said, people can spot a fake testimonial. I have a support department dedicated to testimonials. When a client submits one, I proof read to fix any spelling errors, and then I post it on my site.
If your service is good, then you can expect a client or two to give you a review. Using a FAKE review is never a good thing to do. Decieving your clients is something you should never do as it will spread and any client you have will find out and leave. It is best to use honest and genuine reviews. If not, your whole business could be at stake.

I've seen people post pictures you can find on google image search to 'show' what the person making the testimonial looks like. Its sad really.

Yeah, it really is sad.

Its too easy to implement fakes, no checks on it, and a bit of creative writing it sounds very legitimate. Its a pity people have to stoop to those levels, they should be proud of genuine compliments and word hard to achieve those rather than just publishing lies designed to establish trust.

I have a sales sheet in my folder (physical folder left at clients) that has testimonials but I also have their website and phone number. I agree if you do not have any testimonials don't use the "fake it till you make it" train of thought.

Ya, people do use fake testimonials! You cannot judge the product, by the testimonials written for the product! You need to find out yourself, with your own judgments, whether the product is worth buying or not!