Looking to get more (and better) testimonials for your product or service? You’re in the right place. This guide is for anyone using Senja who’s tired of boring, generic forms that people ignore—or worse, abandon halfway through. We’ll walk through exactly how to customize your testimonial collection forms so you get higher response rates and useful feedback, not just flattery.
No sales pitches, no theory—just practical steps, honest advice, and a few things to skip. Let’s make your forms work harder (so you don’t have to).
Why Customizing Your Testimonial Form Matters
Most people hate filling out forms. If your testimonial form is long, confusing, or feels like a generic survey, you’ll lose people fast. Customizing your form isn’t just about branding—it’s about making it dead-simple (and maybe even enjoyable) to respond.
Here’s what a good customized form does: - Removes friction: No one wants to write a novel or guess what you want. - Gets better answers: The right prompts lead to stories, not just “Great service!” - Feels personal: A little context goes a long way. - Looks trustworthy: People spot generic forms a mile away.
You don’t need fancy design skills or a team of copywriters. Senja gives you the right tools—if you use them well.
Step 1: Start With Your Goal
Before you even open Senja, get clear on what you want from your testimonials. Are you looking for: - Quick, punchy quotes for your website? - In-depth stories for sales calls? - Social proof for a landing page?
Knowing your goal keeps your questions focused. If you try to get everything, you’ll get nothing.
Pro tip: If you want both short and long testimonials, make two separate forms. One for quick feedback, one for deeper dives. Don’t make busy people jump through hoops.
Step 2: Log Into Senja and Create a New Form
Once you know what success looks like, log into Senja and head to the Forms section. Click "Create New Form." You’ll see the default template—a decent starting point, but not optimized for your audience.
Step 3: Customize the Form Introduction
The intro is your first (and sometimes only) shot to keep people engaged. Don’t waste it on bland greetings like “We value your feedback.” Instead: - Be specific: Why are you asking for this testimonial? (“We’d love to feature your experience on our homepage.”) - Show gratitude: A simple thank you helps. - Set expectations: Tell them how long it’ll take (“Just 2 quick questions!”).
What to ignore: Overly formal language. You’re not a bank.
Step 4: Trim (or Rewrite) Default Questions
Senja’s default questions are safe, but that’s the problem—they’re vague. Customize each field:
- Ask for the story, not just praise. Instead of “What did you like?” try “What made you choose us, and what changed after you did?”
- Keep it brief. Three fields is a sweet spot for most use cases.
- Give examples. “E.g., ‘Before using [product], we struggled with X. After, we finally achieved Y.’”
- Make name and photo optional. Some people want to stay anonymous. You’ll get more (and more honest) responses if you give them that choice.
- Avoid mandatory video. Video testimonials are gold, but requiring it kills your response rate. Make it optional, or follow up later if you need it.
What to skip: Fields you’re not actually going to use. Every extra field makes drop-off more likely.
Step 5: Adjust the Field Types and Order
Senja lets you use different field types: short text, long text, rating, image upload, etc. Here’s what works in practice:
- Start with the easiest question. “What’s your name?” or “How did you first hear about us?” gets people typing.
- Put the emotional/story prompt next. This is where you get the gold.
- End with optional stuff. Photo, video, social handle—these should never be required.
Real talk: Star ratings are tempting, but they rarely add value to a testimonial. Stick to stories and specifics.
Step 6: Tweak the Design (But Don’t Obsess)
Senja has basic customization: your logo, brand colors, maybe a background image. That’s plenty. Here’s what matters:
- Use your real logo. Not a generic “brand” graphic.
- Pick colors with good contrast. If people can’t read the form, they’ll bail.
- Skip fancy fonts and animations. They don’t impress anyone, and they can break on mobile.
Pro tip: Test the form on your phone. If it looks weird or loads slowly, fix it.
Step 7: Add a Friendly Thank You Message
After submission, Senja lets you show a thank you message. Don’t just say “Thanks.” Use this space to:
- Let them know what happens next (e.g., “We’ll review your story and may feature it soon!”).
- Include a small thank-you offer if you want (coupon, shoutout, etc.), but don’t overpromise.
- Invite them to connect elsewhere if it feels natural (“Want to see your testimonial live? Check out our site next week!”).
Step 8: Test (and Shorten) Your Form
Before you share the form with real customers, fill it out yourself. Twice. Ask a friend or colleague to give feedback.
- How fast can they complete it? If it takes longer than 2 minutes, it’s probably too long.
- Were any questions confusing or awkward? Rewrite them.
- Did you ask for anything you don’t really need? Cut it.
What to ignore: The urge to collect extra data “just in case.” Only ask for what you’ll actually use.
Step 9: Share the Form the Right Way
You’ve put in the work—now get it in front of people. Senja gives you a shareable link and embed options.
- Direct link: Great for email requests, DMs, or after support chats.
- Embed: Add it to your website, but don’t bury it in the footer. Use a call-to-action button (“Share your story” or “Help us improve”).
- QR code: Handy if you’re collecting testimonials at in-person events.
Pro tip: Personal requests always get more responses than mass blasts. If you can, reach out 1:1.
What Actually Boosts Response Rates (And What Doesn’t)
Here’s the honest version:
What works: - Keeping it short and specific (3-4 fields, tops) - Clear, friendly language - Optional anonymity - A quick, personal intro
What doesn’t: - Making everything mandatory - Gimmicks (“Win a $10 gift card!”—people can smell desperation) - Overbranding or “slick” design - Too many follow-up emails
If you want higher response rates, treat your users’ time like it matters. Because it does.
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink
You don’t need a perfect form—you need a working one. Start small, launch it, and watch how people respond. If you’re not getting enough testimonials, make the form shorter or the questions clearer. If you’re getting low-quality responses, tweak your prompts.
Customizing your Senja form is about making it as easy as possible for people to share their real experiences. Most of the time, less is more. And if you’re ever in doubt, fill out your own form. If you hate it, your customers will too.
Now go get those testimonials—without driving anyone crazy.