Some of the most successful videos for brands include honest feedback. The testimonial video is a great way to portray that honest feedback. This honest feedback can translate to more high quality leads and, as a company, that’s something we all could use. Maybe you have had a customer who loved their experience with your company and would love nothing more than to share it with those they know? Here is a perfect example of when a testimonial video could be utilized. Text reviews and testimonials are great, but more and more people are treating them like white noise. Videos with testimonials come across more authentic and convey better emotion. The power behind the testimonial video is storytelling by real fans of your business. Here are 3 reasons to use testimonial videos followed by 3 quick tips for creating testimonial videos.
One of the first and most important reasons for utilizing testimonial videos is to build trust with potential customers. When a real customer of yours speaks about your products or services in an authentic and honest way, the viewer will begin to trust your business a little more. Testimonials are a great way to build social proof that your business is credible and conducts business in the way that potential customers want.
Another major reason to use testimonials in video over text is the ability to connect and engage with potential customers emotionally. What does this mean? Have you ever watched a video where you can see and hear when a person is genuinely thankful, excited, or even sad? Sometimes you can see a hint of a tear in their eyes or hear the smile in their voice. The way someone talks about your business could be more important than what they actually say and that’s where video testimonials shine.
Testimonials are best utilized during the Consideration Stage and Decision Stage of the buyer’s journey when they are researching or making the final decision on whether or not they want to purchase from your company. A good testimonial will leave no doubts in the buyer’s mind that he or she should continue with their purchase or working with your company.
In this example, we worked with a marketing company to create a testimonial video with two testimonials that really helped build trust and move customers along the buyer’s journey.
Our first tip when producing testimonial videos is to use real people whenever possible. We understand that in some circumstances or industries using real people may not be possible, but when you can then you definitely should. Real people will come across more believable, trustworthy, and authentic. Also, using real people will likely produce a more emotional story which connects better with potential customers.
A lot of businesses believe that their testimonials have to be professional produced. This is not the case. With today’s technology and more people becoming acclimated with zoom videos and using their phones for video, filming a testimonial by yourself is an option. In some cases, a less-professionally produced testimonial comes across as more authentic than a more polished one. The power of a testimonial video comes with the emotion and story of the testimonial giver and the quality of that video can be overlooked when the story resonates well with the viewer.
Testimonial videos don’t have to be standalone videos. We have found that using them within other videos or combined with interviews with your team members can create great case studies for your team to use in sales meetings, online, and on social. By combining testimonial interviews with your team members, you have the ability to connect and convert potential clients through two ways: trust from another business and trust with your team.
In this second example, we worked with a wireless technology company to combine real testimonials with interviews from the team members they worked with. This build a cohesive case study style testimonial that feels authentic and builds trust.
Testimonials have been around for a long time. New technology is allowing businesses to capture video testimonials easier than ever. But choosing the right people and the right stories will be the most important way to maximize the power of your video testimonials. If you’re interested in learning more about producing testimonial videos, please contact us and we will schedule a discovery meeting!
We’re always open to chat about anything marketing, video production, or digital strategy! We’d love to talk!
