How to Collect Testimonials for Your Online Courses

In the digital age, social proof is one of the most powerful marketing tools you can use to grow your business. When selling an online course, nothing builds trust like hearing success stories from past students. That’s why understanding how to collect testimonials for your online courses is essential if you want to boost credibility, increase conversions, and scale your reach.

But testimonials don’t just happen on their own. You need a clear strategy to collect, curate, and use them effectively. In this blog, we’ll walk you through how to get testimonials that not only sound authentic but also drive sales.

Why Testimonials Matter for Online Courses

Before diving into strategies, let’s look at why collecting testimonials should be a core part of your course marketing.

• Builds Trust: People trust people. Testimonials offer social proof that your course delivers real value.

• Increases Conversions: Seeing others succeed encourages prospects to enroll.

• Overcomes Objections: Potential students who are hesitant will feel reassured by the positive experiences of others.

• Boosts SEO and Credibility: Search engines recognize user-generated content, helping you rank higher.

• Strengthens Your Brand: Testimonials reinforce your reputation as a knowledgeable and trustworthy instructor.

Now that we’ve established the importance, let’s break down the process of collecting powerful testimonials.

Step 1: Deliver Value That Warrants a Testimonial

Before you even ask for testimonials, make sure your course is genuinely valuable. The quality of your course content, user experience, and support will determine how enthusiastic your students will be when sharing feedback.

Make sure your course:

• Solves a clear problem

• Delivers outcomes you promise

• Includes actionable, well-structured content

• Has excellent customer support

• Engages students with interactivity or community

Without value, even the best strategy won’t yield quality testimonials.

Step 2: Identify the Right Timing

Timing plays a crucial role when collecting testimonials. You want to ask at a point when your students have experienced results or feel a sense of accomplishment.

Here are a few optimal moments to ask:

• Immediately after course completion

• After a big win or transformation

• At milestones within a longer course

• Post-coaching session or assignment review

Set up automated emails or triggers to prompt feedback at these moments when satisfaction is high.

Step 3: Ask the Right Way

Students are more likely to give testimonials when you make it easy and non-intrusive. Customize your outreach depending on the platform and format you prefer.

Email Request Template:

Subject: Quick Favor – Your Feedback Means a Lot!

Hi [Name],

I hope you’re enjoying the course! If it’s helped you in any way, I’d love to hear about your experience.

Would you be open to sharing a quick testimonial? Just 2-3 sentences about what you’ve learned, how it helped you, or what you’d tell someone considering it.

You can reply directly to this email or fill out this short form: [Insert Link]

Thanks so much!

[Your Name]

Keep the tone personal and grateful, not pushy.

Step 4: Use Testimonial Forms or Surveys

A testimonial form is a great way to collect structured feedback. You can embed these forms directly into your course platform or share them via email.

Platforms like Typeform, Google Forms, Tally, or Jotform can help you create easy-to-fill testimonial forms.

Suggested fields for your form:

• Name

• Photo (optional)

• Course taken

• “What problem were you trying to solve?”

• “What result did you get from this course?”

• “Would you recommend this course to others? Why?”

• Consent checkbox to use testimonial publicly

Make it mobile-friendly and limit it to 5–7 questions to keep things simple.

Step 5: Offer Incentives (If Needed)

If your students are shy or busy, a small incentive can boost responses without compromising authenticity.

Examples:

• A bonus lesson or downloadable resource

• Entry into a giveaway or raffle

• Discount on future courses

• A free 15-minute coaching call

Make sure you’re clear that the testimonial must be honest, and there’s no obligation to write only positive feedback.

Step 6: Capture Different Formats (Text, Video, Audio)

Different types of testimonials serve different purposes. While text-based testimonials are easy to collect, video testimonials are much more engaging and credible.

Here’s a breakdown:

• Text: Great for landing pages, social proof sliders, or email funnels

• Video: Ideal for sales pages, YouTube, and social media

• Audio: Useful for podcasts or as voice clips on your course platform

You can ask students to record themselves on their phones or via Zoom. Keep it casual and stress that professional production quality isn’t necessary.

Step 7: Use Strategic Prompts for Better Responses

Instead of asking, “Can you give a testimonial?”, guide them with prompts that produce storytelling-based answers.

Here are sample testimonial prompts:

• What was your biggest challenge before taking this course?

• What made you choose this course over others?

• What surprised you the most?

• How has your life or business changed as a result?

• What would you say to someone who is unsure about enrolling?

These questions help generate detailed, specific, and relatable stories that future students can connect with.

Step 8: Follow Up (Without Being Pushy)

Many students genuinely want to help but forget. A gentle reminder can make a big difference.

Tips:

• Follow up 5–7 days after your initial request

• Keep the tone friendly and understanding

• Include the form link again

• Remind them how much their feedback means to you and future students

One or two follow-ups are fine—any more might feel pushy.

Step 9: Organize and Tag Your Testimonials

Once you start collecting multiple testimonials, it’s essential to stay organized. Use a spreadsheet or database to track:

• Name and email

• Course completed

• Key transformation or theme (e.g., productivity, income growth)

• Format (text, video, etc.)

• Permission status

• Date collected

This makes it easier to repurpose them strategically across marketing channels.

Step 10: Display Testimonials Where They Matter Most

You’ve collected testimonials—now put them to work. Feature them in high-converting areas to build trust and drive enrollment.

Where to use testimonials:

• Landing pages: Place near calls to action or pricing tables

• Sales pages: Include a dedicated testimonial section

• Email campaigns: Use a student quote in your launch sequence

• Course checkout page: Add 1–2 short testimonials to reduce drop-off

• Social media: Share video snippets or quotes as reels or stories

• Ads: Use video testimonials in retargeting campaigns

Testimonials should match the objections your audience typically has—this creates relevance and persuasion.

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Make sure you get explicit permission before using testimonials publicly. Always:

• Ask for written or checkbox consent

• Avoid altering the message too much

• Credit the student unless anonymity is requested

• Avoid fake or incentivized testimonials without disclosure

Honesty builds trust—manipulation destroys it.

Bonus Tip: Turn Testimonials into Case Studies

As you collect longer, more detailed feedback, consider turning 1–2 standout testimonials into full-blown case studies.

Highlight:

• The student’s problem

• The steps they took during the course

• Their transformation

• Their testimonial and any media (photos, video)

Case studies offer in-depth social proof that appeals to analytical buyers.

Conclusion

Learning how to collect testimonials for your online courses isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s a vital part of building credibility, boosting conversions, and showcasing real-world impact. From asking the right questions to displaying testimonials in key areas, each step contributes to a more trustworthy and high-converting course brand.

Start with your existing students, make the process simple, and continuously refine your approach. The results will speak for themselves—in their words, not just yours.

Next steps

The online course industry is booming, but here’s the hard truth—most courses don’t make it.

Over 85% of online courses fail to retain students, and a major reason is poor platform usability and lack of engagement.

Research shows that the average completion rate for online courses hovers around 15%, with some dropping as low as 3-5%.

The solution? An intuitive platform, interactive content, and a smart marketing strategy.

And Graphy solves exactly this.

Graphy has helped over 200K creators launch and sell their AI-first courses, webinars, memberships and other digital products.

Get your free consultation today!