Numbers in a quote
Specific Results in Customer Testimonials
“Cut our month end close from ten days to three” is exactly what you hoped a customer would say. Under the FTC’s Endorsement Guides, though, a testimonial that claims a specific result is usually read as a promise that others can expect the same, and “results may vary” does not change that. Run any results quote through the checklist before it goes on a page.
- Is this result typical, and can you show it?
- What a disclosure has to say instead
- Cites the FTC and Google pages it relies on
Free checklist
Before a testimonial with a number goes live
Use it on one quote at a time. Work through the groups in order.
Ticks are kept only in this browser tab.
The problem, solved
Where results testimonials go wrong, and how StoryProof helps
- Problem 1
Our best quote is our best customer
The one who tripled revenue is the outlier, but it is the quote everyone wants on the homepage.
How StoryProof solves it
You choose which approved testimonials each widget shows, so an exceptional result can sit beside its disclosure on one page rather than everywhere.
- Problem 2
We cannot find every quote with a number
Results claims are scattered through hundreds of testimonials, and nobody knows which need a disclosure.
How StoryProof solves it
Tag each testimonial that states a figure, so the set that needs checking is one filter away.
- Problem 3
It was live before anyone checked
A customer’s enthusiastic number goes straight onto the site with no review.
How StoryProof solves it
Nothing a customer submits appears until you approve it, so a results claim can wait until its evidence is in hand.
- Problem 4
We never know how they measured it
“Saved us hours” could mean anything, and you need the baseline to judge whether it is typical.
How StoryProof solves it
From Pro, a multi-step form can ask several questions in one sitting, so you can ask how and over what period they measured the result.
- Problem 5
Without the number the quote feels flat
Removing the figure leaves “it was great”, which persuades nobody.
How StoryProof solves it
Ask the customer to describe what changed for them day to day, on video, audio or in writing, through the collection link.
The same result, handled two ways
Number with a vague footnote
- Headline quote: “Doubled our leads in a month”
- Small print in the footer: “Results may vary”
- No idea whether doubling is common
- The quote runs on every page and in ads
Number with context
- The same quote, with the customer’s situation in one line
- Beside it, the result customers in that situation generally see
- Evidence for that figure filed with the testimonial
- Shown only on the page where the context fits
In StoryProof
Manage results claims in StoryProof
- 1
Tag every quote that states a figure
Make the set needing review easy to find now and next year.
- 2
Hold until the evidence is in
Leave a results quote unapproved until the typicality question is answered.
- 3
Ask better follow-up questions
From Pro, ask how the result was measured in the same sitting as the testimonial.
- 4
Place it with its disclosure
Add the quote only to widgets on pages where you can show the generally expected result next to it.
What happens next: Revisit the expected result figure as your customer base grows. What was typical for early adopters may not be typical now.
Before you start
Limits of this guide
What this does not cover, and what to check on your side. Better to know now than after launch.
- 01
Not legal advice
It summarises the FTC Endorsement Guides questions and answers and one Google Ads policy, read on the date shown. Other countries and sectors have their own rules.
- 02
StoryProof does not add disclosures
This page does not claim the product writes or attaches a disclosure. The expected result statement is copy you write and place.
- 03
Typical results need your own data
Only you can say what customers generally achieve. Without that evidence, reframing the quote is safer than guessing.
- 04
Regulated sectors go further
Health, finance and earnings claims often have stricter rules than general advertising. Check them separately.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
Does “results not typical” make a results testimonial acceptable?
The FTC says statements like “Results not typical” or “Individual results may vary” do not change how a specific result is read. You need proof it is typical, or a clear statement of generally expected results.
What does a disclosure of expected results look like?
The FTC’s own example is a plain line such as “Women who use QRS Weight-Loss for six months typically lose 15 pounds.” It states what most people get, near the testimonial.
Can I use a testimonial with a number if I have no data on typical results?
That is the risky case. Consider asking the customer for a version about their experience rather than the figure, and take legal advice before publishing the number.
Do ad platforms have their own rules on results testimonials?
Google Ads, for one, asks that testimonials claiming specific results carry a visible note that results are not promised and can vary. Check each platform you advertise on.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Publish results with their context
Tag results claims, hold them until checked and place each one where its disclosure fits.
Sources
- FTC’s Endorsement Guides: What People Are Asking, Federal Trade Commission. Checked 2026-11-06.
- Unreliable claims, Google Ads Advertising Policies Help. Checked 2026-11-06.
Last updated 2026-11-06.