Video testimonials are one of the most powerful video marketing tools that can bring an overwhelming boost to your conversions if done correctly. In some cases, video testimonials have been proven to be considerably more credible and effective than most other promotional methods. To your target market, a customer’s real-life experience with your product is more valuable than flashy promotional efforts.
In a survey, 67% of respondents admitted that video testimonials compel them more to make a purchase as such videos better explain how the product helps someone like them. Moreover, 77% of respondents actually bought a product after watching video testimonials. In addition, 79% of respondents stated that they gathered information about products, services, and companies from video testimonials as they found such insights more authentic.
Therefore, including video testimonials in your video marketing strategy is now more important than ever. It may be difficult sometimes to produce such videos while keeping the authenticity and appeal intact. However, if you have a thorough understanding of what video testimonials are, what to include in them, and how to make them effective, you can use them to trigger an increase in conversions. And in this article, we will discuss all of them.
What is a Video Testimonial?
A video testimonial is a form of social proof, such as written reviews and rating customers leave on e-commerce platforms. However, video testimonials are more believable as there are real people sitting and talking in front of a camera, sharing their experiences. Furthermore, if relatable enough, they can be emotionally triggering as well.
Usually, the customer talks about why they were looking for such products, why they chose that particular brand, how it solved their problem, and why they are recommending it. Good video testimonials present all this information in such a creative manner that it amplifies the whole effect of what is being said on the screen. Therefore, it is vital to plan and produce video testimonials carefully.
Why Do You Need a Video Testimonial?
On e-commerce platforms, the more positive reviews or stars a product has, the more it is typically sold. When customers look for a particular product, they usually spend a considerable amount of time reading reviews. The more expensive the product, the more time and effort go into research. Moreover, for B2B services, potential clients actively look for the opinions of previous clients to determine if they should invest in them.
However, due to some unethical practices of certain marketers, written reviews have lost some of their credibility. Also, reading several written reviews to find all the relevant information is inconvenient and time-consuming. It is more inconvenient for B2B businesses since information collection requires a lot of time and, in some cases, money as well.
A video testimonial solves all these issues effectively. Within a few minutes, your potential customers will have a clear overview of how your product or service can benefit another real customer. Therefore, the time and effort spent in browsing and reading through hundreds of reviews are saved. Also, such videos are also more believable than written reviews on the internet as people tend to trust a statement more when they see the person’s face.
There is another perk of using video testimonials. We all realize how valuable intangible assets like goodwill can be for a business. Video testimonials are the social proof that can enhance your goodwill if they are created right. And if you can get your testimonial from a well-known, high-profile client, the credibility of the video will be reinforced. Therefore, video testimonials are an important element for increasing brand credibility and the long-term value of a company.
How to Ask Your Clients for Video Testimonials?
It may feel awkward sometimes to reach out to your client and ask for time from their busy schedule to sit in front of a camera and talk about your products or services. But if you follow some strategies, you can convince a client to appear in your video testimonial and leave an unbiased review.
First of all, make sure the client you pick is familiar with your business and has been your client for a while. Initially, reach them by email instead of phone calls or visits because emails provide them the time to think about the offer, do their own research on it, and rearrange their schedule to fit your request in. Please remember to be completely transparent in this communication. Your client needs to be clearly briefed on where the video testimonial will be used, what to include in the video, how it will be portrayed, and other specifics.
What to Include in a Video Testimonial for Better Conversions?
Now that you know what a video testimonial is, why you need it, and how to approach your client for making one, it’s time to discuss what a video testimonial should have in it. Not all video testimonials are made in the same way, some include just a camera fixed on a client talking for several minutes, while others practically show how the product is being used and benefitting the client.
There are five must-have elements that need to be incorporated in a video testimonial to increase your conversions. You need to ensure these are carefully included and creatively highlighted in your video. Let’s take a look at them.
1. The Truth
First and foremost, your video testimonial should focus on the truth. You can present the truth artistically enough to appeal to the customers but do not exaggerate it. Your client should have the freedom to be completely truthful about your brand, products, or services. Some clients may be confused about the purpose of a video testimonial and mistake it for an advertising effort and talk accordingly. Therefore, brief your client to clarify what you are doing and what needs to be said.
When you focus on telling the truth, the testimonial video will appear more authentic to your potential customers. It will naturally have a positive effect on the overall quality of the video content. When the viewers can see and feel that the video is not exaggerating anything and the client is comfortably and confidently telling the truth, eventually, your conversions will get a boost.
2. Engaging Storytelling
Unfortunately, most of the video testimonials on the internet include just one or several clients talking for a while in an interview, maybe with some background music. But if you want a better conversion rate from video testimonials, you will need more than that – you will need to ensure emotional engagement through the video. And the best way to do that is to present the narrative as a compelling story that will keep your client glued to the screen.
Instead of just discussing your brand or product in the video testimonial, request your client to present it as a series of events. The chronology can go like this – client’s identity, the problem they faced before using your product, how they looked for solutions, how they got to know about your brand or product and why they chose it, how they used it, the outcome of using your product, and what their future look like with the product. Simply put, the storytelling process should have a clear direction with a steady flow of events.
3. A Clear Problem Statement
When talking about storytelling, you must also mention problem statements. This is a vital element of your video testimonial. The client, who is giving the testimony, should clearly state the problem that your product or service solved. When your video testimonial can give an accurate picture of the problem your target market faces, the viewer will be more receptive to the solution your brand offers. And, consequently, your conversions will increase.
For example, you offer an emergency medicine delivery service. In the video, your client can talk about how it is difficult to go to pharmacies and buy medicines when you feel too sick to move around. If necessary, help the client formulate the statement and word it in a way that will help the viewers immediately realize the pain point. Once that is established, it would be easier for the viewer to relate to the solution to the problem your brand is offering.
4. Quantitative Outcomes
The primary purpose of a testimonial video is to communicate all the benefits the potential customers can expect from your product or service. That is why you should encourage your client to highlight the USP (Unique Selling Point) of your product or service when they are discussing the outcomes. Moreover, your client’s testimony should be focused on the specific benefits that they actually received, not generic comments about what your product offers, its features, and so on.
To make your video testimonial more impactful, you can include data and numbers when discussing the outcomes. Request your client to discuss the results in some quantitative form if possible. For example, if you offer digital marketing services, your client can talk about by what percentage you increased their revenues. Including such data helps the viewers have a better idea of what they can expect from your service and makes the video testimonial more credible.
5. Statement on Satisfaction
Just mentioning the results in numbers on the video testimonial will not make your viewers feel connected. The video must include how your client feels about your brand, product, or service. Encourage your client to express their level of satisfaction clearly and honestly.
Here, other aspects of the core product can also be discussed, such as the responsiveness of your customer care team. Instead of making the statement vague or generic, request your client to be specific about what delighted them and why they would like to recommend your business to someone else. If presented convincingly, such statements can boost your conversions in no time.
Tips for Creating a Great Video Testimonial
Video testimonials significantly influence your company’s reputation along with your conversions. If planned, produced, executed, and delivered well, one video testimonial can leave a long-lasting impact on your viewers and support your growth for a long time. To successfully include and present all the important elements of an engaging and effective video testimonial, there are some strategies you can follow.
1. Pick One of Your Most Satisfied Customers
The most important part of your video testimonial is the characters – the customers who will provide the testimony. Before approaching and including them, make sure they are fully satisfied with your product or service and interested in expressing that satisfaction. Furthermore, make sure the client is comfortable on camera, congenial, has a pleasant and positive personality, has good presentation skills, and admires authenticity.
2. Keep it Candid
You should never script a video testimonial. Since it is highly unlikely that the customer on your video will be a skilled actor, scripting it will make the delivery obvious and not authentic at all. As a result, your brand’s reputation and conversion will suffer.
However, you can not just start recording your client without preparing them on what to talk about and how to present everything in a compelling manner. If your video testimonial includes an interview, give the client all the questions well ahead of time so that they can be prepared to answer them. Furthermore, keep yourself, or someone assigned, available to help them prepare whenever they need it so that you can fix issues as early as possible.
3. Include Motion Graphics
Traditionally, in video testimonials, the use of text is mostly confined to presenting an introduction, the client’s ID, the company’s name, a few notable points from the client’s speech, and a conclusion. Some video testimonials include subtitles as well.
You can present these texts in a fun and engaging manner by using motion graphics. Instead of just showing someone talking for a few minutes, add several small animated clips (relevant to the context) in the middle, employ interesting transitions, and use motion graphics to highlight important points. However, the style of the motion graphic should be consistent with your target audience, brand image, and the video’s context.
4. Keep it Short
The longer the video, the more difficult it is to make it engaging. While you and your client want to share everything about your experience elaborately, you need to remember that in today’s world, people’s attention span is shorter than ever before. Therefore, while adding interesting elements and exciting effects, keep the video brief and to the point. We recommend keeping each video testimonial within two to three minutes.
5. Insert a Good Call-to-Action
After watching your video testimonial, some of your viewers will want to know how to access more information about your brand, product, or service. That is why your video should end with an enticing call to action. For example, you can include a link to buy your product or service with a “buy now,” your website and/or shop address with a “visit us”, or details on where the user can get more information.
6. Maintain Coherence in the Story
We have already discussed the storytelling element of a good video testimonial. The story of a video can be presented in both a linear and non-linear manner. However, while it is essential to be creative to create an engaging video testimonial, you also need to remember that it has to be easy to understand. Therefore, it is better to use a linear approach to the storytelling, keeping coherence throughout the video so that the viewers understand what the client went through. The basic structure includes a short introduction of the client, company, and problem, a mid-section of finding and using your product, and a conclusion of the client’s feedback and a call-to-action.
7. Focus On The Camera Angle and Setting
A clear video and sound quality will be wasted if the camera angle and setting are not optimized. They are crucial to make your video testimonial visually appealing. The angle of each shot must offer a clear view, complement the subject, be appropriate to the message, and set the right mood.
You need to ensure that the lighting is appropriate while also setting a background that is not very noisy or distracting. Based on your target audience, determine a place to shoot- indoor, outdoor, your office, the client’s office, or wherever it is appropriate. Based on what atmosphere you want to create with the video, you have to build the whole setting, sometimes from scratch.
Why Should You Hire Professionals to Make Video Testimonials?
As you may have already realized, creating a video testimonial is simple, but creating an effective one that boosts conversions is certainly not. Weeks of preparations and production and a whole team of expert videographers and editors are required to produce a high-quality video testimonial. Moreover, if you explore the most popular video testimonials, you will find most of them are professionally made.
Therefore, partnering with a professional studio is the best way to create a video testimonial for better conversions. Hiring professionals is a cost-effective option because you save money on buying or renting expensive equipment, setting everything up, and doing the post-processing. It also helps you to save time and energy that you can devote to strategizing, customer management, and organizational tasks of your business. Furthermore, a professional video marketing team usually has enough experience to understand what works and what doesn’t. With their support, your video testimonial has the best shot to generate the level of engagement and conversions you have been striving to achieve.
