Consumers trust other consumers. No matter how much you or your employees vouch for your products, it’s the opinions of other customers that truly matter. So, you may be adding customer reviews and photos to your product pages as social proof. However, when it comes to certain products and services, written reviews alone may not be enough, and photos may not be the best way to explain how your product or service solved customer issues.
That’s where video testimonials enter the picture, offering an impactful way for customers to vouch for your brands through an audio-visual format. Here, we provide you with an in-depth guide on creating video testimonials–why they’re a good option, what’s in a good video testimonial, and the best practices for creating one. Let’s take a look.
Ultimate Guide on Video Testimonials:
Why You Need Video Testimonials
If you’re sharing written reviews and photos already, you may be wondering whether you really need video testimonials. But with the authenticity and depth they provide, video testimonials could be the perfect solution for winning the trust of your potential customers.
In fact, 81% of marketers in the Wyzowl Video Marketing Statistics 2022 believe video has directly and positively impacted their sales. This is largely because videos are highly effective for helping consumers to understand their product or service better.
Source: wyzowl.com
Another Wyzowl study reveals that 79% of people watch video testimonials to learn more about a company and its products or services. Out of these, 77% say that video testimonials play a part in convincing them to make a purchase. Moreover, two out of three people say they’re more likely to buy something after watching a testimonial video that demonstrates how the business and its products or services have helped someone like them.
Here are a few reasons why video testimonials are so impactful, according to the Wyzowl study:
- 37% say it’s more authentic than a pitch from the business.
- 47% say it helps them visualize how the product or service works.
- 39% say it illustrates how the product or service can impact their lives.
- 42% say it showcases a real person and their story.
What Makes a Good Video Testimonial?
As much as they are impactful, not all video testimonials are made the same. While there are videos that will instantly captivate your audience and make a compelling case for your product or service, others may get them to click away in just a few seconds. So, what makes a good testimonial video? Here are a few common elements that you can find in high-performing video testimonials:
Exudes Authenticity
From the quality of the video to the overall look and feel–everything about the video screams “authentic.” Viewers can clearly see that the testimonial isn’t paid or scripted and the customer genuinely vouches for the product or service.
Here’s an excellent example from FreshBooks where a customer explains, in her own words, the challenges she experienced and how FreshBooks helped to solve them. The conversational tone of her story and her body language helps to exude that element of authenticity.
Compelling Story
The video follows a clear direction with a consistent flow of events, telling a story that viewers can easily follow. It has an emotional factor that people can relate to so they can form a connection with the story.
Here’s an emotional video testimonial from Dove in which Molly Burke tells her story of living with a condition that causes loss of vision. The story seamlessly transitions into how Molly uses her hands a lot to experience the world around her and she could feel the difference when using Dove’s body wash.
Clear Results/Benefits
It highlights results and benefits that are specific and unique to the customer. Instead of vague and generic comments about the product features, it clearly explains how a specific customer has benefited from the product.
In the following video testimonial for Hunt Club, one of their clients explains the difference that the recruiting firm has made. He elaborates on the firm’s approach to candidate sourcing and the personalized experience that they deliver.
Tips and Best Practices for Effective Video Testimonials
Now the question is–how do you create a video testimonial that has all these characteristics? Check out the following tips and best practices to create effective testimonial videos for your brand.
Prioritize Good Image and Sound Quality
Although authenticity should be central to your testimonial videos, that doesn’t mean you should opt for candid videos that your customers recorded themselves using their phone cameras. Otherwise, you’ll end up with videos where the image is fuzzy and cloudy or the sound is barely audible.
At the end of the day, you still want your video to be digestible and comprehensible because the goal is to convince others to buy your product or service. This is why the quality of the image and sound is so crucial. Make sure you capture crisp and clear videos and viewers can easily make out what the customer is saying. That means keeping background noise to a minimum and using quality equipment.
Check out the following testimonial video for Direct Agents created by the company’s in-house creative studio. The client’s voice is clear and audible and the video is high-quality so viewers can really focus on the message and the story.
Ditch the Script for Prepared Questions
Consumers are smart; they can smell scripted content from a mile away. So, if you’re making the customer read from a script, your video testimonial is going to come off as inauthentic and unnatural.
At the same time, you can’t just start filming without a plan or a clear idea of what to talk about. This could leave you with lots of unusable footage in which the customer keeps repeating the same thing over and over or provides a lengthy explanation on an irrelevant topic.
This is why it’s important to strike the right balance between spontaneity and preparedness to deliver something that’s authentic and professional. The best thing you can do here is come up with a list of questions that the customer can answer in their own words. Share the questions with them ahead of time so they can get an idea of what you’ll be asking and prepare an appropriate response.
When recording time comes, they’ll be able to provide great answers that add value to the video. You can provide them with direction and cues by asking the questions you shared earlier, much like an interview. Those parts can be edited out later to create an impactful testimonial video.
In the following testimonial video, Deloitte US shares questions in the transitions between different answers. This is a great way to help viewers follow the video and comprehend your message.
Maintain a Coherent Story Sequence
Since the goal is to tell a story through your testimonial video, make sure you’re maintaining a coherent structure that people can easily follow. The flow of the video should make sense so viewers can understand the story you’re trying to tell. There should be no confusion about who the customer is, why they needed your solution, why they chose your brand, and how their needs were addressed.
The basic structure of your testimonial video may look something like this:
- An introduction – The customer gives a short introduction about who they are and what they do. They talk about the main pain points that needed addressing, which will help to establish why they needed your product or service.
- A middle – Once the pain point is established, the customer then explains what attracted them to your brand. Why did they choose to work with you or buy your product instead of all the other options available?
- A conclusion – Finally, the customer elaborates on the difference that your product or service has made for them. How did your product or service solve their problem?
Keep this structure in mind when preparing your list of questions. Alternatively, you can also edit your video in such a way that this sequence of events is followed.
The following testimonial video for Zoom maintains a coherent flow starting with a strong introduction, followed by the client’s experience using the solution. The client explains how easy it is to set up Zoom meetings through Slack and how this has changed the way they’ve communicated within their organization.
Keep It Short and Compelling
While you may feel inclined to tell an elaborate story, this isn’t always the best option when it comes to video testimonials. Instead, you should look to engage your viewers throughout the entire video. That means keeping shorter attention spans in mind and creating short yet compelling videos that send the message across in a concise manner.
The sweet spot is around 2-3 minutes as this gives you sufficient time to get your point across without the risk of disengaging your audience. So, you may need to cut out a few redundancies and unnecessary parts when editing your video. If you’d like to tell a more elaborate client story, consider sharing the video alongside a longer case study that people can choose to read if they’re interested to learn more.
Perfect Your Angle and Setting
Since the quality of the video is crucial, that means you need to choose the perfect angle and setting. You want to make sure that the lighting is great, and the background isn’t distracting for viewers. The goal is to get viewers in the right mood depending on the kind of story you want to tell and the kind of emotional impact you want to make.
Consider whether it’s better to film indoors or outdoors and whether you should film at their office or in their home. This largely depends on the type of customers you want to appeal to. For example, a home office setting may be great if your target audience is made up of freelancers or solopreneurs.
If you’re trying to reach the general population of consumers, filming the video in your customers’ homes may be the best option. Alternatively, you may also need to film the video outdoors at different locations depending on the experience you want to highlight.
For example, in the following testimonial video for Excedrin Migraine, the brand uses multiple settings to better elaborate the story they want to tell. To highlight how migraines have impacted the daily lives of their customers, some parts of the video are shot outdoors. Meanwhile, they use a more intimate, indoor setting to film the one-on-one conversations between customers and their loved ones.
Include Graphics and Text
The right graphics and text overlay can complement your video testimonial. It can help elaborate on certain points or highlight facts and figures that are harder to process in an audio format. Moreover, it’s also a great way to keep your viewers visually engaged instead of simply sharing a single shot of someone talking.
For starters, make sure you’re using text overlay to showcase who the client or customer is to strengthen your introduction. You can also use text and graphics to maintain a seamless transition between different scenes and stages of the story. Some brands also add subtitles or captions as a text overlay to help engage different types of viewers.
In the following testimonial video for Guesty, they’ve used text overlay to highlight certain points from the customer’s testimonials. This helps to create a bigger impact by guiding viewers to focus on the most important points.
Create a Bigger Impact with Video Testimonials
Compelling and high-quality video testimonials can help you engage your audience and convince them to choose your brand. So, make the most of the tips and best practices highlighted above to start creating your own testimonial videos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a client testimonial video?
A client testimonial video is a video in which your customer vouches for your brand and explains the difference you’ve made in their life.
How do you record a good testimonial video?
You can record a good testimonial video by using high-quality equipment, following a structured sequence, preparing the right questions, and perfecting your setting.
How long should a video testimonial be?
We recommend keeping your video testimonial at around 2-3 minutes to properly get your message across while still retaining your viewers’ attention.
What makes a good customer testimonial video?
A good customer testimonial video consists of three main characteristics: a compelling story, an authentic look and feel, and a clear result or benefit.
What should I ask in a video testimonial?
Your video testimonial should answer questions like who the customer is and what they do, what challenges they faced, and how your brand and its product or service have solved that challenge.
