Showit makes some of the most beautiful websites in the world. Photographers, wedding planners, and creative entrepreneurs love it for a reason: it gives you total visual control without needing to code.

But there’s one thing Showit doesn’t do out of the box: display testimonials from your actual clients.

You can add text boxes. You can style quotes manually. But if you want a live, embeddable testimonial widget — something that pulls real customer words and displays them professionally — you need to bring that in from outside.

This guide shows you exactly how to do it.

Why testimonials matter even more for Showit users

Most Showit websites belong to photographers, videographers, coaches, wedding planners, and other service providers. These are businesses where trust is everything.

Your potential client is deciding whether to hire you for their wedding day, their brand photos, or their rebrand. They’re not buying a $12 product. They’re buying a relationship.

Testimonials are the single most powerful thing you can add to a service-based site. Research consistently shows that authentic customer words — even just a few sentences — increase inquiry rates more than any design upgrade.

If your Showit site looks stunning but has no social proof, you’re leaving conversions on the table.

The problem with adding testimonials manually in Showit

Showit gives you design freedom, but that freedom cuts both ways. You can manually type testimonials into text boxes. But:

It never gets updated. You collect a glowing review, and it sits in your inbox while your site still shows the same 2019 quote.
It’s not mobile-optimized. Static text blocks don’t adapt to different screen sizes the way a proper widget does.
It looks unpolished. A plain text box doesn’t convey “verified customer” the way a properly designed testimonial card does.
It’s manual labor every time. Every new testimonial means logging back into Showit, redesigning a block, republishing.

The better approach: use an embeddable testimonial widget that you update once — and it shows up on your site automatically.

Showit supports custom HTML embeds through its Embed element. This is the key: anything that can be embedded with a snippet of HTML can live on your Showit site.

Here’s the workflow with SocialProof:

Step 1: Collect your testimonials

Sign up for SocialProof (free). You’ll get a collection link — a simple URL you send to clients. When they click it, they see a clean form asking for their name, feedback, and a star rating. No account required on their end.

For photographers: Put this link in your gallery delivery email. “If you loved working with me, I’d love to feature your words on my site — takes 2 minutes!” You’ll be surprised how many people fill it out immediately.

Step 2: Get your embed code

Once you have testimonials in your dashboard, go to Widgets → Create Widget. Choose a layout (carousel, grid, or list), pick which testimonials to show, and customize the styling.

Hit “Get embed code.” You’ll see a short HTML snippet — something like:

<div data-socialproof-widget="your-widget-id"></div>
<script src="https://cdn.socialproof.dev/widget.js" async></script>

Copy that.

Step 3: Add the embed to Showit

Open your Showit canvas
Click Add Element → Embed (or look for the “Code” or “HTML” element)
Paste your SocialProof embed code
Resize and position the element where you want your testimonials to appear
Publish your site

That’s it. Your testimonials are live.

Where to place testimonials on a Showit site

Placement matters. Here are the highest-converting locations for service-based Showit sites:

Above the fold (hero section): One featured quote from a dream client. Pull their words directly into your headline section — “The photos look like a fairy tale. Worth every penny.” — and add their name. This pattern converts.

After your pricing section: This is the hesitation moment. The visitor is thinking “is this worth it?” A grid of 4–6 reviews right after pricing answers that question.

On your investment/contact page: The page where people decide to reach out. Testimonials here reduce form anxiety. Put 2–3 short, specific reviews near the contact form.

A dedicated “Kind Words” page: Many photographers already have this. Link to it from the nav. Populate it with your SocialProof widget set to show your full testimonial archive.

Tips for getting great testimonials as a photographer or creative

The quality of your testimonials matters as much as the quantity. Generic (“She was so professional!”) is fine. Specific is better (“She calmed my nerves during the first look and delivered 800 edited photos in 3 weeks”) — those details paint a picture for the next client.

Ask a specific question: Instead of “Would you leave a review?”, try: “What would you tell a friend who was considering booking me?” That framing gets you story-driven answers instead of one-liners.

Time it right: Ask within 48–72 hours of delivering the final gallery or project. The emotion is fresh. Waiting a month means a lukewarm reply or no reply.

Make it zero-friction: Send a direct link. Don’t ask them to create an account anywhere. SocialProof’s collection link opens in the browser, takes 2 minutes, and doesn’t require a login.

Follow up once: If they don’t respond in a week, one gentle reminder is fine. After that, let it go. You want enthusiastic testimonials, not reluctant ones.

What about Showit + WordPress testimonials plugins?

Showit sites can optionally be connected to WordPress for blog functionality. If you’re using that setup, you might look at WordPress testimonials plugins.

The problem: most WordPress testimonials plugins are clunky, outdated, and designed for a traditional blog layout — not the visual, full-bleed aesthetics that Showit users care about.

The SocialProof embed approach works identically whether you’re using Showit standalone or Showit + WordPress. The widget is styled to look clean and minimal on any background, and you control the presentation from the SocialProof dashboard — not by editing PHP files.

Frequently asked questions

Does SocialProof work with Showit’s mobile canvas?

Yes. The widget is fully responsive. When you preview your Showit site in mobile view, the testimonials will stack cleanly.

Will my testimonial widget slow down my Showit site?

No. The widget script loads asynchronously — it doesn’t block the rest of your page from loading. Your Showit site’s load speed is unaffected.

Can I choose which testimonials to show?

Yes. In your SocialProof dashboard, you approve which testimonials appear in each widget. You can highlight your best reviews and keep others in reserve.

Is it free?

Yes — free forever for one active widget. That’s enough for most photographers who want testimonials in one or two places on their site. The Pro plan ($9/mo) adds unlimited widgets, custom branding, and more.

The bottom line

Showit gives you the most beautiful website canvas in the business. SocialProof gives you the social proof that turns site visitors into inquiries.

Together: a stunning portfolio and authentic client words displayed exactly where they need to be.

Start collecting testimonials free →

No credit card. 2-minute setup. Free forever for 1 widget.