How to Use Testimonials on LinkedIn to Attract More Clients
LinkedIn is where your B2B prospects do their due diligence. Before a marketing manager contacts your agency, before an HR director calls your firm, before a founder replies to your cold email — they’ve already looked at your LinkedIn profile.
What they see there either builds trust or raises doubt. Testimonials and recommendations on LinkedIn are one of the fastest ways to convert profile visitors into actual conversations.
LinkedIn Recommendations vs. External Testimonials
LinkedIn has a built-in Recommendations feature where connections can leave text endorsements visible on your profile. These are highly credible because:
- They’re linked to a real, verified LinkedIn profile
- They can’t be faked without detection
- They show up prominently below your experience
External testimonials (on your website) are more flexible — you can design how they look, add photos, and display them in grids or carousels. But for people researching you on LinkedIn, on-platform recommendations are more trustworthy.
Best approach: Collect both. LinkedIn recommendations for in-platform credibility. Website testimonials for full control and embedding in proposals.
How Many LinkedIn Recommendations Do You Need?
There’s no magic number, but context matters:
- Freelancers: 5–10 strong recommendations is impressive
- Consultants: 10–20 across different clients and roles signals real depth
- Agency founders: 15+ with a mix of client and team testimonials
- Job seekers: 5 strong recommendations from managers and senior colleagues
Focus on quality over quantity. One detailed recommendation from a CMO is worth more than five “great person to work with!” one-liners.
Asking for LinkedIn Recommendations
The direct approach (works for clients you know well):
“Hi [Name], it was great working together on [project]. If you have a few minutes, a LinkedIn recommendation would mean a lot — it helps new clients understand what we do. Happy to reciprocate anytime.”
The thoughtful approach (warm, less transactional):
“Hi [Name], I’ve been thinking about our work on [project] lately — it was one of the most interesting challenges I’ve tackled. If you have 5 minutes and found the work valuable, a LinkedIn recommendation would be a fantastic way to help me continue doing work like that. No pressure at all.”
After a client milestone (best timing):
When a client emails you saying “we hit our goal!” or “great result last quarter” — reply with: “So glad! Would you mind sharing that on LinkedIn as a recommendation? It would help others in similar situations find us.”
Turning Testimonials Into LinkedIn Posts
Don’t just let testimonials sit on your profile or website — publish them as content.
Format: Share a client testimonial as a post. Write a brief intro about the project (without violating confidentiality), add the quote with attribution, and close with a sentence about how you can help others.
Last month we helped a boutique hotel reduce their review response time by 80% with a new social proof system.
Here’s what their director of marketing had to say:
“[testimonial quote]”
If you’re in hospitality and want to collect and display guest testimonials better, let’s talk.
These posts:
- Appear in your connections’ feeds (warm outreach at scale)
- Add regular credibility signals to your profile’s activity section
- Tell a complete story instead of just a generic product pitch
Featured Section: Pin Your Best Testimonials
LinkedIn’s Featured section lets you pin posts, articles, links, and media to the top of your profile. Options:
- Pin a post where you shared a particularly strong client result
- Pin a link to your testimonials page or case study
- Pin a PDF of your portfolio that includes client testimonials
This is one of the most underused features on LinkedIn. Most profiles have nothing there. Adding your best social proof content sets you apart immediately.
Your LinkedIn profile is your most visible sales page. Treat testimonials there with the same care you’d give your website.