Grab the testimonials

testimonials.php

/**
 * Display testimonials
 */
function wds_testimonials( $type = '' ) {

	// Grab the type set for this layout
	$type = esc_html( get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_wds_meltwater_type_select', true ) );

	echo wds_get_testimonials( $type );
}

/**
 * Grab the testimonials
 */
function wds_get_testimonials( $type ) {

	// Grab the type set for this layout
	$type = $type ? $type : esc_html( get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_wds_type_select', true ) );

	// Grab the posts per page
	$posts_per_page = get_post_meta( get_the_ID(), '_wds_posts_per_page', true );

	// Query for our posts
	if ( isset( $_GET['delete-trans'] ) || ! ( $testimonials = get_transient( 'wds_featured_testimonials' ) ) ) {

		$post_args = array(
			'post_type'      => 'testimonial',
			'posts_per_page' => intval( $posts_per_page ),
			'tax_query' => array(
				array(
					'taxonomy' => 'type',
					'field'    => 'slug',
					'terms'    => $type,
				),
			),
			// 'meta_key'       => '_wds_featured',
			// 'meta_value'     => 'on'
		);

		$testimonials = new WP_Query( $post_args );

		set_transient( 'wds_featured_testimonials', $testimonials, 24 * HOUR_IN_SECONDS );
	}

	if ( ! $testimonials->have_posts() ) {
		return;
	}

	// Enqueue our animate.js file
	wp_enqueue_script( 'animate' );

	$output = '<h1>' . sprintf( __( "What our %s say", "wds" ), $type ) . '</h1>';
	$output .= '<div id="testimonials-carousel" class="testimonials-wrap">';

	while ( $testimonials->have_posts() ) {
		$testimonials->the_post();

		$thumb = get_the_post_thumbnail( get_the_ID(), 'testimonial' );

		$output .= '<div class="testimonial revealOnScroll" data-animation="fadeIn" data-timeout="500">';
		$output .= $thumb ? '<div class="customer-avatar">' . $thumb . '</div>' : '';
		$output .= '<div class="quote">';
		$output .= '<p>' . wp_trim_words( get_the_content(), 16, '' ) . '</p>'
		. '<div class="customer">' . get_the_title() . '</div></div>';
		$output .= '</div>';
	}

	wp_reset_postdata();

	$output .= '</div>';

	if ($type == 'staff') {
		$output .= '<p class="footer-link"><a href="#" class="button">' . __( 'Find openings', 'wds' ) . wds_after_button() . '</a></p>';
	} else {
		$output .= '<p class="footer-link"><a href="#" class="button">' . __( 'Case studies', 'wds' ) . wds_after_button() . '</a></p>';
	}

	return $output;

}