Your client wrote a 500-word essay with typos. Here's how to trim it down while keeping it authentic.
A client sends you a testimonial. It's full of great things - but it's also 400 words long, has three typos, and buries the best quote in paragraph four.
Can you edit it? Should you? Where's the line between making a testimonial readable and misrepresenting what someone said?
Here's a practical guide to editing testimonials ethically.
What You Can Edit (Always Fine)
Typos and grammar. Fix spelling mistakes, broken sentences, and punctuation errors. Nobody benefits from a published typo. Your client would want this fixed.
Length. Trim long testimonials down to the most impactful parts. A 50-word testimonial performs better than a 400-word one in most contexts. Cut the preamble and filler.
Formatting. Add paragraph breaks, fix capitalization, clean up emoji overuse. Make it readable.
Ordering. Rearrange sentences so the strongest statement comes first. "Our revenue doubled" should lead, not be buried in the middle.
What You Can Edit (With Permission)
Condensing multiple sentences into one. If the client said "The project was great. The communication was excellent. We loved the final result" - you might condense to "The project was great - excellent communication and we loved the final result." Similar meaning, tighter delivery. Ask permission.
Adding context. If the testimonial references "the project" but doesn't say what it was, you might edit to "the website redesign project." Check with the client first.
Removing sensitive information. If the client mentions internal details, competitor names, or budget numbers they probably didn't mean to share publicly - edit those out and confirm with them.
What You Should Never Edit
The sentiment. A 4-star review is a 4-star review. Don't upgrade it to 5 stars. A testimonial that says "good work, some room for improvement" shouldn't become "amazing, flawless work."
Adding claims they didn't make. If the client said "we liked the design," don't edit it to "the design increased our conversion rate by 40%." Only they can make that claim.
Inventing quotes. Never write a testimonial and attribute it to a client who didn't say it. This is fraud, and it destroys trust if discovered.
Removing caveats. If the client said "Great work overall, though the timeline was tighter than expected" - don't remove the second half. Either use the full quote or don't use it at all.
The Approval Process
The golden rule: always send edited testimonials back for approval before publishing.
A simple message works:
Hey [Name], thanks for the testimonial! I made a small edit for clarity/length. Here's the final version - does this look good to you?
"[edited testimonial]"
If you'd change anything, let me know!
In my experience, clients almost always approve. They appreciate that you took the time to polish their words.
The Moderation Approach
If you use a tool with a moderation dashboard (like Quoted), you have a built-in workflow:
- Client submits a testimonial
- It appears in your dashboard as "pending"
- You review it - fix typos, trim length if needed
- Edit the text in the dashboard (the edit field is there for this purpose)
- If edits are substantial, reach out to the client for approval
- Approve and publish
For minor edits (typos, formatting), most businesses publish without re-confirming. For substantial edits (condensing, rewriting), always get approval.
When to Use the Testimonial As-Is
Sometimes the best approach is no editing at all. Raw, authentic testimonials - even with imperfect grammar or casual language - can feel more genuine than polished ones.
"omg you guys are seriously the best!!! the website looks incredible and my clients keep complimenting it" hits differently than a corporate-sounding rewrite. The enthusiasm is palpable.
Use your judgment. If the testimonial is clear and authentic, leave it alone.
The Ethics Summary
Editing testimonials is normal and expected. The line is simple:
Okay: Making it shorter, clearer, and error-free while preserving the meaning.
Not okay: Changing the meaning, upgrading the sentiment, or adding claims the client didn't make.
When in doubt, send it back for approval. It takes 30 seconds and protects both you and your client.
Related Reading
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