House style
Testimonial Style Guide and Attribution Format
On one page a customer is “Sarah K., Acme”. On the next she is “Sarah Kim, Head of Operations at Acme Inc.”, and in the deck she is “S. Kim”. Small differences like these make proof look assembled. Fill in one customer below to see your house format in every place you use it.
- One attribution line, built from your fields
- Versions for the website, decks and social
- A short house style the team can copy
The problem, solved
Where testimonial formatting drifts, and how StoryProof holds it steady
Every page shows a different name format
Full name here, initials there, company missing on the third. A visitor who reads several pages starts to doubt them all.
With StoryProof: Fix the format at approval, before anything goes public. Nothing a customer submits or you import is shown until someone approves it.
Old testimonials arrive in a messy spreadsheet
One column holds “CEO @ Acme”, another “Acme Inc (CEO)”, and the names are in mixed case.
With StoryProof: When you upload a CSV, its columns are matched to reviewer name, company, job title and the rest, so each part lands in its own field rather than one mixed string.
Nobody knows what the customer approved
A customer agreed to first name and company only, but the next person to publish adds the surname from the CRM.
With StoryProof: Tag each testimonial with the attribution level the customer agreed to, such as “first name only”. Tags are on every plan.
Short and long quotes sit side by side
A three-word quote next to a three-paragraph one makes a widget look uneven and the short one look thin.
With StoryProof: You choose which approved testimonials go into each widget, so you can group quotes of similar length.
Social images use a different style again
Designers retype the quote and attribution for each post, and the format drifts a little every time.
With StoryProof: From Pro, the social image designer turns an approved testimonial into a branded image, starting from the approved testimonial instead of a retyped copy.
Flip the switch to see how StoryProof handles each one.
Format builder
Build your attribution line
Enter one real customer’s details as they agreed to be shown, then switch the channel to see each version.
- Full attribution, two lines
Name on the first line, role and company on the second. Use this as the default.
“[We answer tickets in half the clicks.]” [Priya] [Raman] [Head of Support], [Northwind]
- Compact, one line
For badges and narrow strips where two lines do not fit.
“[We answer tickets in half the clicks.]” [Priya] [Raman], [Northwind]
Formats are built in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
House rules to write down
Decide each once. The answers matter less than everyone using the same ones.
One customer, one format, three places
Sample attribution using a made-up customer
Website: “We answer tickets in half the clicks.” Priya Raman, Head of Support, Northwind.
Sales deck: the same quote and attribution, with the separators changed to middots for the slide layout.
Social post: the same name, role and company in one line, because the customer agreed to full attribution everywhere.
In StoryProof
Apply the style in StoryProof
- You will need
- Your house rules agreed and written down
- Consent on record for the attribution each customer approved
- 1
Map imports to separate fields
When bringing in a spreadsheet, match name, job title and company to their own columns. Only the name is required.
- 2
Check format at approval
The reviewer compares name, title and company against the house rules before approving.
- 3
Tag the agreed attribution level
For example “full name”, “first name only” or “no company”, so whoever publishes later follows what the customer agreed.
- 4
Group similar quotes in each widget
Pick testimonials of a similar length and attribution style for each widget so the set looks deliberate.
What happens next: Put the house rules where the team writes copy, next to the brand guidelines, and update both together.
Before you start
What the style guide cannot change
The customer’s choice comes first
If someone agreed to first name only, the house format bends for them. Consistency never overrides consent.
Format is not wording
These rules cover how a quote is presented. Changing what the customer said is a separate question with stricter rules.
Titles go out of date
People change roles. A format rule cannot keep a job title current; a periodic check can.
Some layouts show less
Compact widgets may not have room for every part of the attribution. Choose which part to drop and apply it everywhere.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
Should a testimonial show the full name or first name only?
Full name, role and company is the most credible when the customer agrees. If they prefer first name only, use that, and keep the company if they allow it.
Do I put the attribution inside the quote marks?
No. Quote marks go around the customer’s words only. The name and role sit outside, usually on the next line.
Can I shorten a long job title?
Yes, to a common short form that keeps the meaning, such as “Head of Support” for a longer title. If in doubt, ask the customer which version they prefer.
Should we use the company’s legal name?
Usually the trading name people know, without Inc, Ltd or LLC. Keep the same form across every channel.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
One format, everywhere you publish
Import into clean fields, check the format at approval and tag what each customer agreed to.
Last updated 2026-11-05.