Reviews

This post was originally featured in the February 26th, 2025 newsletter found here: INBOX INSIGHTS, February 26, 2025: Reviews, Marketing Job Demand

Reviews: The Human Connection AI Can’t Replace

Last week, I was grabbing coffee with our Account Manager, Kelsey, when she brought up something that has been bothering her. “I feel weird about putting too many client testimonials on our website,” she confessed. “Like, at what point does it just become bragging?”

I nearly choked on my latte. Not really, but I was taken aback.

“Kelsey,” I said, “that’s like a restaurant worrying it has too many five-star reviews on Yelp! Silly goose!”

This conversation stuck with me because it highlights something so fundamental about business today: in an increasingly AI-driven world, authentic human connections still drive our most important decisions. And what are reviews if not the digital form of the oldest marketing strategy in history – people telling other people about their experiences?

The Human Element AI Can’t Replicate

Think about your own buying habits for a second. When you’re considering a purchase, do you trust the perfectly polished marketing copy or the somewhat messy, imperfect reviews from real customers?

I know my answer. Last month, I was looking at two similar project management tools. One had sleek AI-generated descriptions that promised to solve all my problems. The other had dozens of detailed customer stories – some mentioning frustrations alongside their overall positive experiences. Guess which one I chose?

The human reviews won, hands down. Why? Because they contained something AI simply cannot replicate: authentic human experience.

The 5P Approach to Human-Centered Reviews

When I think about customer testimonials, I consider them through our 5P framework:

1. Purpose: Reviews create trust through shared human experience
2. People: They forge emotional connections between past and future customers
3. Process: They show how real humans experienced your service delivery
4. Platform: Where reviews live affects how authentic they feel
5. Performance: They measure human satisfaction, not just technical metrics

Why AI Can’t Replace This Connection

There’s been a lot of talk about AI writing everything from marketing copy to product descriptions. But here’s why AI can’t replace genuine human testimonials:

Emotional Resonance

AI can’t truly convey the relief a client felt when you solved their seemingly impossible problem. Only human words carry that emotional weight.

Shared Struggles

When a testimonial mentions specific challenges that were overcome, potential clients see themselves in those stories. AI can simulate this, but it lacks the lived experience.

Trust Signals

Humans are remarkably good at detecting authenticity. We’ve evolved to sense when something feels “off” about communication. Real testimonials have natural imperfections that signal truth.

Relationship Qualities

The best testimonials don’t just praise your deliverables; they highlight how it felt to work with you. Was the process enjoyable? Were you responsive? Did you actually listen? These relationship qualities matter enormously.

Making Human Connections Through Testimonials

So how do we showcase testimonials in a way that emphasizes their human element?

1. Preserve authentic language Edit for clarity if needed, but keep the client’s unique voice and phrasing intact.
2. Include context and backstory What was the client trying to achieve? What had they tried before? This context creates connection.
3. Use visual evidence when possible Photos, videos, or even Zoom screenshots add faces to names and enhance credibility.
4. Highlight the relationship, not just results Include feedback about how it felt to work with you, not just what you delivered.
5. Connect testimonials to specific team members When appropriate, show which team members the client worked with to humanize your organization.

The AI-Proof Testimonial Strategy

As AI becomes more prevalent, authentic human testimonials become even more valuable. Here’s how to future-proof your approach:

• Capture video testimonials when possible – they’re much harder for AI to fake convincingly
• Include specific details that only someone who truly used your service would know
• Update regularly to show ongoing human relationships, not past successes
• Create conversation around testimonials by responding publicly to thank clients
• Connect testimonials to real profiles on LinkedIn or other platforms

The Personal Touch in Testimonial Collection

One thing that helped Kelsey feel better was understanding how personalized our testimonial collection process is. We don’t use automated systems – we have actual conversations:

1. Make a personal request to discuss their experience
2. Ask specific, open-ended questions
3. Listen for emotional language and personal impact
4. Follow up with personalized thanks (not automated responses)
5. Maintain the relationship even after collecting feedback

Your Human-Centered Testimonial Plan

Ready to emphasize the human connection in your testimonials? Start here:

1. Review your current testimonials – Do they sound like real people or marketing copy?
2. Add context to existing feedback – What was happening in the client’s world when they worked with you?
3. Create conversation – Respond publicly to testimonials to show human interaction
4. Highlight relationships – Showcase the people who delivered the work alongside client feedback
5. Connect testimonials to your community – Integrate client voices throughout your content

Remember, in a world increasingly populated by AI-generated content, authentic human experiences stand out more than ever. Your testimonials aren’t just feedback—they’re evidence of real human connections that AI simply cannot replicate.

What’s your approach to capturing the human element in your client testimonials? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Reply to this email to tell me, or come join the conversation in our free Slack Group, Analytics for Marketers.

– Katie Robbert, CEO

---

Need help with your marketing AI and analytics? Get help with your AI strategy » Learn generative AI for marketers with our new course » Prove the ROI of your marketing with our advanced analytics services » Just got a "silly" question you want an answer to? Ask us here »	You might also enjoy: AI and Copyright Law: How Copyright Applies to AI-Generated Content How To Build Better Analytics Dashboards and Reporting About Trust Insights The Intelligence Revolution: Large Language Models and the End of Marketing As You Knew It The Woefully Incomplete Book of Generative AI
Get unique data, analysis, and perspectives on analytics, insights, machine learning, marketing, and AI in the weekly Trust Insights newsletter, INBOX INSIGHTS. Subscribe now for free; new issues every Wednesday! Click here to subscribe now »	Want to learn more about data, analytics, and insights? Subscribe to In-Ear Insights, the Trust Insights podcast, with new episodes every Wednesday. Click here for Google Podcasts » Click here for Apple Podcasts » Link for all other podcasting software »

---

Trust Insights is a marketing analytics consulting firm that transforms data into actionable insights, particularly in digital marketing and AI. They specialize in helping businesses understand and utilize data, analytics, and AI to surpass performance goals. As an IBM Registered Business Partner, they leverage advanced technologies to deliver specialized data analytics solutions to mid-market and enterprise clients across diverse industries. Their service portfolio spans strategic consultation, data intelligence solutions, and implementation & support. Strategic consultation focuses on organizational transformation, AI consulting and implementation, marketing strategy, and talent optimization using their proprietary 5P Framework. Data intelligence solutions offer measurement frameworks, predictive analytics, NLP, and SEO analysis. Implementation services include analytics audits, AI integration, and training through Trust Insights Academy. Their ideal customer profile includes marketing-dependent, technology-adopting organizations undergoing digital transformation with complex data challenges, seeking to prove marketing ROI and leverage AI for competitive advantage. Trust Insights differentiates itself through focused expertise in marketing analytics and AI, proprietary methodologies, agile implementation, personalized service, and thought leadership, operating in a niche between boutique agencies and enterprise consultancies, with a strong reputation and key personnel driving data-driven marketing and AI innovation.