If a photo is worth a thousand words, a video is worth even more.
Text-based testimonials are a great starting point for building social proof, but a testimonial video of a happy customer? That’s priceless.
Strong video testimonials build trust and credibility, which ultimately impacts the bottom line. Smart marketers like you know this; in fact, 60% invest in video testimonials.
This guide will cover what makes a great video testimonial and how to create one step by step. Let’s get started.
Jump to a specific section:
[#TOC1]What makes a great video testimonial?[#TOC1]
First, not all testimonial videos are created equally.
Poorly-made ones could leave potential customers wondering about the quality of your product. But when done right, they sell on your behalf.
Here are a few key factors that make up a great video testimonial:
A clear and compelling structure
Strong client testimonial videos should follow a framework.
First, have the customer introduce themselves and their company, followed by a brief explanation of the pain points they faced before using the product or service. This sets the stage for an emotional connection and a relatable and engaging story.
Next, the customer should explain how your product or service helped solve their problem, backed up with any measurable improvements or metrics. Highlighting positive experiences and a before-and-after transformation makes the testimonial much more compelling.
Finally, wrap up with a call to action encouraging others to try your product or service.
Authenticity and relatability
While we recommend having some structure to your testimonial videos, they shouldn’t feel overly scripted. Great testimonial videos feel natural, as if your customer is just sharing a story with a friend about a product they enjoy.
The speaker should avoid overly promotional language and share their genuine thoughts to keep the testimonial authentic. Featuring real people, their workspace, and actual results in their business or startup adds relatability and builds trust.
For example, VEED interviewed Jason Baptiste, Senior Creative, at Zopa Bank in this compelling testimonial video. This video works well because it follows a clear structure with interview-style questions but is also quick and to the point.
It finds a way to add measurable results by mentioning a 30-40% increase in the number of videos that Jason was able to create along with a recommendation at the end for viewers to try VEED.
[#TOC2]How to create a great testimonial video[#TOC2]
Step 1: Select the right customer
Creating the best testimonial video starts with selecting the right customer stories. We recommend choosing someone who represents your target audience to help viewers see themselves in the story and build relatability.
For the strongest testimonials, prioritize satisfied customers with a compelling story or measurable success as a result of using your product or service.
Also, make sure the speaker is comfortable on camera and is open to sharing details. The best customer to film is someone who is genuinely excited to share their experience working with your company.
Step 2: Plan your questions and structure
Rather than using a word-for-word script or template, prepare questions that encourage natural storytelling. This helps customers share their experiences without sounding overly rehearsed.
Here are a few open-ended questions you can ask in a customer review:
- What challenges were you facing before using our product?
- What made you choose our solution over others?
- How has our product impacted your business?
- What results have you seen since using it?
- What would you say to others considering our product?
However, do not limit yourself to a set of fixed questions. It’s alright to go off-script and come up with additional follow-up questions on the spot depending on the context. Continue to build the story as the conversation moves along.
You can also provide the questions ahead of time to give your customer time to think about their responses, but let them know that you’re looking to have a natural conversation rather than have scripted answers.
Step 3: Choose the right setting and equipment
The quality of your client video review matters almost as much as the content itself to portray your brand in a good light (no pun intended). Choose a quiet, well-lit location, ideally at the customer’s workplace for a more authentic feel.
Use a high-quality camera to get the best visuals. In a pinch, you can use a smartphone with a decent camera to achieve good quality video. Try to use an external microphone whenever possible for clear, crisp audio. You don’t want to realize too late that your audio sounds distorted!
Step 4: Record the testimonial
Now it’s time to hit record! But before you get started, have a casual conversation with your customer to make them feel comfortable. Spending a few minutes chatting can do a lot to ease your speaker’s nerves.
It might take more than one try to get it right, so don’t be afraid to film multiple takes. You’ll most likely get the most natural and confident responses after a few tries.
To make your video more engaging and visually dynamic, consider adding b-roll footage like the customer using the product or a shot of their work environment.
Also, use a mix of different angles and shots from close up to wide shots for more visual variety. Consider if you need to film both horizontal and vertical options or if you can frame the speaker in a way that allows room to resize the video for social media.
Step 5: Edit for clarity and engagement
Thoughtful video editing can turn your raw footage into a powerful marketing tool that converts. Luckily, you don’t have to be an expert in video production. To start, you’ll want to trim unnecessary pauses and filler words to keep the video concise and impactful.
Add captions to make the video content more accessible and boost engagement, especially for viewers watching without sound.
Try using dynamic cuts and switching between the speaker and b-roll footage to make the video more visually appealing or adding extras like animations and creative transitions.
Finally, to maintain brand consistency, add your logo, brand fonts, and company color scheme into the video in post-production. This gives your video a more professional, cohesive appearance that reinforces your brand identity.
Step 6: Publish and promote your video testimonial
A testimonial video is only effective if people see it.
To this end, you should first embed the video on your website in areas like marketing landing pages and case studies.
Next, share it across social media platforms like LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook to reach a wider audience. You can also include it in email marketing campaigns to nurture leads and showcase real customer success stories. Finally, you can use the video in sales conversations to reinforce the credibility of your product and help close more deals.
Conclusion
Customer testimonial videos can be a powerhouse part of your overall marketing strategy. They build trust, showcase real results, and turn prospective customers into closed sales.
By gathering and sharing authentic customer stories through compelling video testimonials, you can connect with your audience on a deeper level and drive meaningful conversions.
Ready to bring your customer feedback to life? Start creating high-quality testimonial videos today with VEED.
