On a service page, you can explain how good your work is. Sometimes you need to. But a visitor mainly wants to know: have you helped someone with a problem like mine? A relevant case study can answer that question.
When I built websites for clients in 2016, I sometimes emailed them after delivery to ask how they had experienced the work. I published their replies on my website. On a page about online shops, for example, I preferred a comment about an online shop over a general endorsement of my work. That seemed logical to me: the closer the example is to a visitor's question, the easier it is for them to judge whether I might be able to help.
A compliment is not yet a case study
A short testimonial can build trust, but it usually says little about the assignment. “Great to work with” is lovely to hear. The reader is still left wondering what needed to be done, which choices were made, and what was delivered.
There is no need to turn a case study into a long tribute. Give readers enough context to see how it relates to their situation:
- Who was the client, and whom did they serve?
- What question or constraint did they face?
- What did you create or change, and why?
- What can a visitor see or assess in the result?
- What does the client say about working together?
You do not need an impressive answer to every question. If you have no measurable outcome, do not invent one. A clear account of a decision you made can be more useful than an unsupported claim about growth.
Put the right example in the right place
A portfolio is useful for people who want to browse. On a specific service page, an example from the same context can do more to explain the offer. Someone who needs a portfolio site is probably looking for something different from someone commissioning an online shop. A fitting case makes your work concrete without asking the visitor to make the connection alone.
At the time, I also used those pages in conversations with prospective clients. If someone described a similar question, I could send a relevant example. That is a practical reason to write a case study: you can show what you mean instead of only talking about it.
Ask for an honest account
Ask a client for specific feedback rather than a superlative. What was the original question? What worked well in the process? What would they do differently? Check the facts together and agree which name, words, and images you may publish. A critical detail can make the account more useful to a reader.
Then make the case easy to read. Start with the client's question, describe your approach in plain language, and show the work where possible. Keep the testimonial recognizably in the client's own words. An anonymous, generic quote without context convinces me less than a modest example readers can check.
A case study does not have to persuade anyone. It can help someone decide whether your experience fits their problem. That is already valuable.