Testimonial Videos Build Trust and Drive Sales

What Is a Testimonial Video?

A testimonial video is a video where a person shares their experience with your brand and product. That person could be a user, customer or employee. A customer might share what aspects they have enjoyed and benefited from, and they could explain in what ways your product has helped them solve specific problems or challenges. They will often share their full name, and if it’s a B2B product, their role, and where they work. Testimonial videos are also really great for employer branding, and letting employees share their experiences working for you can be a great way to attract top talent. 

 

Why Are Testimonial Videos So Efficient?

Today, reviews are crucial in online marketing. There are review sites for everything, from software to restaurants, and a growing number of people have the habit of always checking reviews before purchasing. Almost 9 out of 10 consumers check reviews before buying something, and that 93% say that online reviews influence their purchase decisions, so it’s easy to understand why doubling down on reviews makes sense. 

Video testimonials are reviews – but on steroids. While video testimonials are a form of review, they’re much more potent than a star rating and a few words. Videos build more trustworthiness and are more engaging and memorable than written reviews.

The fact that your customers are ready to go on film and praise your product builds a different level of trust in your brand than anonymous star ratings on review platforms. A real person who is using your product, or working in your company, is also inherently more trustworthy than, let’s say, your marketing department. This is why authentic video testimonials may be the number one most efficient marketing video format of them all. 

Below are some stats to illustrate just how much of a game-changer good testimonial videos can be for your marketing.

• 79% of consumers have watched video testimonials to learn more about a company, product, or service
• 9 out of 10 people they what a customer says about a business more than what that business says about itself.
• 77%of consumers say that testimonial videos have helped convince them to buy products or services.
• 95% of consumers state that reviews – positive as well as negative – influence their purchasing decisions.

Different Types of Testimonial Videos

There’s a wide array of different types of testimonials, and depending on your business goals, they can all be valuable for your business at one time or another. Some of the most popular testimonial videos include customer interviews, celebrity endorsements, and personal experiences. Let’s have a closer look at some of them!

 

Docu-style or Documentary Testimonials

Docu-style testimonial video consists of users sharing their experiences with your product or service in a documentary-style setting. This type of testimonial video is a valuable marketing asset that provides a personal perspective on your product. Docu-style testimonials show that you’re credible and trustworthy. Through their inherent authenticity, they help build trust in your brand and establish a positive reputation for your business. 

We recently created this series of testimonial videos to promote Adopting Retired Greyhound Racers, all in the docu-style format.

 

Results-Based Testimonial Videos

A results-based approach focuses on showcasing your customers’ actual outcomes thanks to your products or services. While some testimonial videos might zero in on the customer experience or your brand narrative, this type of testimonial video is all about facts and figures. How much more money did your clients make? How much more successful are your B2B customers? And how many more sales did your software generate? These are the type of questions that are at the center of results-based testimonials videos. This is a powerful type of testimonial that combines the authenticity of the format with hard facts about what results to expect. 

 

5 Steps To Creating Effective Testimonial Videos

 

1. Identify your most successful customers

A crucial step in creating a successful testimonial video is deciding who will star in it. Pick a customer with whom you already have a great relationship and that’s had success thanks to your product or service. The more precise and verifiable their results are, the better. 

 

2. Plan the interview and content ahead of time

While you definitely want your testimonial to have an air of spontaneity about them, that doesn’t mean no planning is required. In fact, quite the opposite. You want to record answers from your customers that feel spontaneous, but most people need some kind of script or support to be able to talk on video. You also want to ensure your subject addresses the most important pain points and benefits so they’re not left out by accident. One good strategy is to prep your customer with talking points, such as:

• Why did you choose our company?
• How did our product/service help you?
• Why and how is our company better than others?
• What are the main benefits you’ve experienced?

Send the questions ahead to give your customer a chance to come up with their answers. However, you do not want them reading their answers from notes. Instead, the best strategy is usually to film them while talking about these questions a few times. This way, you get a lot of material to work with, and the editing process will do its magic.