I was reading a little writeup from some random place online (since I find things I am not needing at the time and read them anyways). This one writeup was all about the best tips for web hosts, and that having a Testimonials page was an absolute must. So I will ask: yay or nea, and if you are listing them on your site, are you moderating which get listed and which do not?

I think there are different ways in which you can present a testimonial. The most effective for me are those coming from REAL clients. When I say real, I'd like to see a real full name followed by an URL I can verify. I also like specifics. I'd appreciate a testimonial that would be about a specific event/gesture. For example: "I had a problem with my blog's database, but Dan M from ABC Hosting Inc spent 30 minutes with me and showed me what I was doing wrong."

When I see a general statement like "I was looking for a reliable hosting and my friend suggested I use ABC Hosting Inc. I did and so far the experience has been great!" followed by person's first name, like Michael P., for me that testimonial carries zero value, as it provides me with zero information.

So yeah, I think seeing actual real testimonials is a great marketing tool and the more the better.

If you provide any service or product on the web then it's a MUST, it brings credibility to your service/product, specially if its a new product/service or if you are unknown.

Even though I strongly believe testimonials are an essential marketing tool for hosting provider's websites, we use only logos of some of our more recognizable clients, like the St. Louis Cardinals, Wonder and Purina.

Testimonials are a must for web hosting companies. They will not bring potential clients to your website but they will help you close the sales.

Artashes is right I think. something else that would probably add value to a review, even if it's just psychological in nature, would be a picture of the reviewer. Sure, in practice it could be a fake one (some might do that).

Examples of good testimonials, in my opinion:

http://www.theplanet.com/why-the-pla...ccess-Stories/
http://www.fastservers.net/partnersh...timonials.html

I quickly discredit any testimonials that do not come with a URL.

I'd expect a testimonial page (or just random testimonials in a box) on a host's site. I don't know if it makes me more likely to purchase hosting, but it would definitely be conspicuously absent if a host did not have one.

Some testimonials from reputable web host review sites or forums would be great. By reputable I don't mean those 'top 10' fanciful 'web host reviews' sites but sites that provide real user reviews or discussion.

Interesting that you quoted fastservers because I noticed their testimonials last November and recommended that we do the same.

We do have testimonials on our own site, but we prefer to use places like BBB and 3rd party services that allow users to rate/comment on us, and doesn't allow us the ability to EDIT their comment. Anyone can put words in someone elses mouth and say "bobby said". We're involved with a number of partners that review our services and members of those softwares put direct reviews on THOSE sites to us.

Also, any of our customers that want to provide a testimonial, we prefer them to put the testimonial on THEIR site, and we'll link to it. This gives credability also. We can capture a portion of it on our site, but a link to their actual statement is much better.

Also, HostingAssured used to allows people to post a review, they run checks on the domain to make sure it's actaully hosting with the host they are giving positive (or negative) reviews for. The post can not be edited by the host, but the host CAN provide comments. I see their site is no longer active - it's a shame. It was run by FindMyHosting.

It was indeed one of the first hosting review sites to do this kind of neat check-ups but unfortunately web hosting providers were too quick to exploit the tactic by giving out credits/discounts to those that post positive reviews. Checking the URL no longer carries the same weight in review validity it did before.

We do list testimonials on our site and I do believe in many cases they do bring some creditability; however, I do not believe they are an overall force on whether someone buys anymore. There are making money in 24 hour sites and one page ebook selling sites that use "testimonials" from clients. With ever expanding fraud and overnight hosting companies, I believe that testimonials do not fact into the decision making process on the web as much as they do locally.

Now video testimonials on the other hand, bring creditability.

I think it's safe to say that easily verifiable testimonials (including full name, URL to site, description of service rendered) can definitely add value while unverifiable, vague testimonials could scare a potential customer off.

There's only one reason a hosting provider would fudge a testimonial and that's because no customers were willing to provide legitimate ones