by Usman SheikhTestimonial Videos – Ultimate Guide
Testimonial Videos – Ultimate Guide
Testimonial Videos – Ultimate Guide
Why Video?
What do you do when you want to purchase something you know little or nothing about? You head to the internet and try to find some information to help you make the best decision, don’t you? You aren’t alone; a recent survey by Spiegel Research Center shows that about 95% of online buyers read user reviews before making an online purchase.
Alternatively, you can ask people with relevant experience around you to help you decide. In fact, there are high chances that you’ll trust the product’s reviews by the existing customers than what the seller says about it.
According to a recent survey by Dimensional Research, positive online customer reviews influence the purchase decisions of about 90% of the respondents. The reviews are normally in the form of short texts or videos.
However, a recent Social Science Research Network study shows that 65 percent of humans are visual learners. Therefore, it’s no surprise that video testimonials are more engaging and convincing as compared to text testimonials.
Video Vs. Text Testimonial
You still want to keep text customer testimonials on your digital marketing channels for search engine optimization (SEO), lead generation and conversion? Well, there’s no problem with that. However, it’s crucial to ensure that you don’t miss out on the great opportunities that video testimonials have to offer. In fact, you need to consider having more video content than text as far as customer testimonials are concerned.
Why?
A brief video can say what you’d otherwise convey with hundreds of text pages. James L. McQuivey asserts that a one-minute video is worth 1.8 million words.
Sorry, perhaps you’re wondering what’s a customer testimonial video or text.
Well, a customer testimonial video is a review in the form of a video that features a customer who has interacted with your product/service or brand explaining his/her experiences with or opinions about it.
A one-minute video is worth 1.8 million words
On the other hand, a customer testimonial text is a content written by your existing customer in reference to their experiences with your product, service or brand.
If you visit review websites like Yelp, you’ll see lots of text testimonials. However, sometimes these reviews seem too vague to be considered authentic. Some are written by anonymous people. As such, people reading them might find them unreliable for the buying decision-making process.
When it comes to customer testimonial videos, they appear more reliable because you can clearly see or even identify the person giving out the review. Some are people who are known by some of the target audience. The viewers can easily relate with such real-life customers and are highly likely to trust the information being passed.
Customers tend to share the information valuable and trustworthy information. So, a video testimonial will promote the virality of the positive content of your brand better as compared to written customer reviews.
Besides, Syndacast’s statistics show that video content is the form of marketing content with the highest return on investment. So, if you’ve been wondering how you can boost your business’ ROI organically, then know that you can’t go wrong with customer testimonial videos
When to Ask
Hopefully, we are all in agreement that any serious marketer can’t afford to overlook the potential of testimonial videos. But do you request any Tom, Dick and Harry to help you with the content? Of course no. Actually, the request should be appropriately timed.
So, when do you ask?
Imagine buying something from an online shop, and the next minute someone is calling or sending you an email, asking you to give them a video review on the product you purchased. You’d feel something is amiss, wouldn’t you? You’d wonder why the rush. Perhaps you’d start doubting the legitimacy of the brand or the product.
So, from a seller’s perspective, you shouldn’t rush things in a way that would scare customers off. Although the basic requirement for a video testimonial candidate is that they should be your existing customer, consider the duration they’ve interacted with your business.
The ideal candidates should have at least six months of positive experience with your business. The longer the duration, the higher the chances that these customers will be highly loyal to your business and readier to spread a good word about it. So, wait until a customer sticks around with your business and give positive feedback about it consistently for at least half a year before you request the video content from them.
How to Ask Your Customers for Video Testimonial?
The way you approach your video testimonial prospects can make or break your mission. As such, it’s important that you don’t rush things no matter how soon or badly you want them to give video testimonials.
While sending text messages to the customer could be an option you’d want to explore, it’s not as professional as sending them emails. You might also consider calling them one by one. However, a customer might feel as if you’ve not given them enough space and time to analyze your proposal critically.
The best way to ask your customers for video testimonials is via email. After receiving your email, the customers will understand what you want, and the reason behind your request, and will have enough time and space to think about it and make well-informed decisions.
Now, you want to start crafting that email? Wait; there’s something else you need to know- the email message should be as detailed as possible, but to the point.
First, appreciate them for their positive reviews of your product (s)or business. Then, tell them why you’d highly appreciate if they agree to give out video testimonials. Don’t forget to disclose to them that their video testimonials will be viewed by other people, should they consent. Additionally, it’s crucial for the email to highlight the recipient’s freedom to accept or decline the request.
However, avoid writing the email in a manner that portrays bribery. Don’t offer an incentive in exchange of a customer testimonial.
Below are two templates to give you a clearer picture of how to write an email for soliciting video testimonials from your customers:
Email Template Example 1
“Hello (Insert the customer’s name),
We, (insert the name of your business), are truly grateful for the loyalty and support you’ve given us all that long. Rest assured that we are committed to making your experience with us even better.
We have another humble request though- could you agree to help us with a video testimonial in the form of a short review of our business? With your permission, the video will be visible to the rest of our target customers and go a long way to supporting our existing and future marketing efforts.
It is worth noting that this exercise is fully voluntary and we’ll make it as convenient for you as possible. We shall give further details about it after your response.
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.”
Email Template Example 2
“Dear (Insert the customer’s name),
We are thrilled about the positive feedback you’ve been giving about our performance. You’re a great part of us.
As we continue to reach out to the rest of our target customers, we feel that a video of you talking about your experiences with our product could make our marketing strategies more engaging and convincing. We might incorporate the video into the rest of our marketing content, but at your discretion. Now, could you help us with the video? We’ll be over the moon if you say yes and give you further guidance on how to about it.
You are free to respond to this email with any questions you might have regarding the request.
We are looking forward to hearing from you soon.”
User Generated Customer Testimonial
When engaging customers who are physically located far away from you, a one-on-one video shoot will not be feasible. Alternatively, you can ask them to simply to video-record themselves showcasing your product in use. However, after they’ve accepted your request, you need to find out if they have the necessary skills and devices and assist them where needed and possible.
Ask On Social Media
Your social media platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram are fertile grounds for user-generated video testimonials. Make a post requesting your followers to share their most memorable experiences with your product or brand in a short video. Also, it’s advisable to ask them to highlight their reasons for choosing your business.
Questions to Ask in Preparation for The Video Shoot
As earlier mentioned, a customer testimonial video should be short, detailed and sweet. This means that a reviewer ought to highlight various aspects of your brand within a very short time, depending on their experiences with it. Therefore, it’s important to guide the reviewers on the areas to focus on while sharing their experiences.
Besides, the ideal testimonial videos shouldn’t be fabricated, lest you want your audience to develop trust issues with you. So, in as much as you’d want someone to speak highly of your business, make sure you’re not pushing them to lie.
Essentially, you should guide the reviewers in an open-ended manner that gives them a chance to share their real stories in a structured way.
On that note, here are some of the questions you can ask them to answer in their videos.
- What needs were you looking to address using our product or service?
The answer that a customer will give to this question will help the rest of your audience realize the value that your product or service has to offer. If the need highlighted is something they can personally relate to, the video will definitely arouse their attention.
- What made you choose our products instead of other options?
This question guides the reviewer to disclose the things that make your brand or product stand out from your competitors’. Very Important!
- What do you love most about our business?
Ask the reviewer to reveal that particular thing that makes them happy about working with your company/business. It could be your exceptional core values, service delivery, or the fulfilling nature of your products.
- Would you recommend our business to other people? Why?
Some prospective buyers out there are looking for reasons for engaging your business. The candid recommendation that the reviewer gives will go a long way to boosting their trust toward the business.
- What’s your parting shot to a person who’s considering our products?
The response to this question has a personal touch. The reviewer is specifically addressing a person who’s about to purchase the product(s). It’s a hooking statement that will leave the prospects closer to responding to your call to action.
Each of the above questions is very important for an effective testimonial collection exercise. They seem quite simple to answer. Nevertheless, considering that not everyone is used to speaking in front of the camera, a customer might be so tensed that they might fail to respond to some as expected.
Considering that, you have to ensure that every reviewer is as confident and comfortable as possible while sharing out their experiences. One way of achieving that is sending over those questions to the respective customers a couple of days to the video shooting day. Such early notice will help them prepare and practice adequately before the D-day.
How to Shoot the Best Testimonial Video
Confidence is one of the key factors for a highly converting video testimonial. The reviewer should not appear as if they aren’t sure about what they talking about.
Make sure that the customers are well prepared so that they don’t look as if they were coached. Do everything possible to make them calm and composed.
Also, ensure that you slot the video shooting session at a time that’s convenient for both you (or the video shooting crew) and the customer. Otherwise, shooting in a hurry will compromise the visual quality of the video and/or its content.
Also, encourage the customer to be their usual selves. If they don’t like makeup, assure them that their natural appearance will be absolutely okay. Tell them they don’t have to wear official or expensive clothes for the video. When you meet, boost their confidence and esteem by complimenting their looks.
Some people find their accents embarrassing, and this might make them shy away from public speaking. If you’re dealing with such a customer, help them appreciate themselves by assuring them that what matters most is their confidence in what they say. Additionally, let them know that you can edit out the necessary areas of concern in their video after the shoot.
Don’t keep the camera fixed in front of the customer’s face like a gun during the interview- it can worsen their tension. Instead, keep it rolling to capture other areas of the surrounding environment. This will make the interview more comfortable for the customer, especially if they are camera-shy.
A comfortable and confident customer will bring out the humanity aspect of the video through their giggles, facial expressions and gestures.
Software & Tools to Use
There are a few basic tools and software that you need for a successful video shoot. They include:
Lighting
Without proper lighting, even the best camera will find it difficult to record a top-quality video. Sometimes, the natural light is all you need when it’s enough.
But if the video shoot environment is not sufficiently lit, extra lighting becomes essential. You can use white light-reflecting surfaces to improve lighting in the area. Ideally, three-point lighting is recommended for professional videography. The lighting comprises a key light, a backlight as well as a fill light.
A point of caution though- don’t project too much light from the back of the customer to prevent shadowing or wash-out effects.
Microphone
The audio aspect has a significant impact on the effectiveness of a video clip. This tells you that you need to use a quality mic for the video shoot, otherwise you’ll end up producing a video that nobody will want to watch to the end.
Your camera’s microphone won’t produce the best audio quality. Consider buying a better stand-alone microphone, preferably, an XLR (External Line Return).
An XLR microphone is the best for professional videography. You can find their gallery here on amazon.com
Cameras
A good camera comes in handy for the quality visual aspect of a video. Use at least a 480p camera. However, if you can afford it, a 4K camera is the best.
A smartphone can also be an alternative to a camera, especially for user-generated videos. It’s not logical for a customer to buy a camera just because they want to give you a testimonial. Lots of modern smartphones can shoot high-quality videos, even 4K.
Software
There are specific digital applications designed to make your video shoots as easy and quality as possible. IMovie, Windows Movie Maker and QuickTime are some of the options you can consider. When you install one on your smartphone, tablet, or computer, you’ll be able to shoot a fairly clear video and edit it effortlessly.
Setting: Use Their Space Ideally
The ideal setting for the video shoot should be convenient for you and the customer. Also, you need to settle for a place with minimal visual and audio interruptions, otherwise, the distractions might water down the whole essence of the video.
The ideal setting for the video shoot should be convenient for both of you
If the customer is comfortable with using their own space, the better. It might be a win-win situation for both of you. For instance, if the shooting is done within their business premises, it will be a good opportunity for them to promote their business, although in a small way. You can showcase their branding to make them heroes.
This approach will build trust with your audience as well, especially if the customer’s business is reputable.
Hire A Professional Videographer
The whole process of producing a high-quality video can be a daunting task, particularly when time or the relevant skills and tools are inadequate. But don’t worry if you are facing any of the challenges. Simply hire a professional videographer to take care of all that.
In case you are wondering where to get a reliable and professional videographer, look no more; Web Worx Labs Video Services got you covered. Our services are top-notch and very pocket-friendly.
Best Editing Options
An ideal video testimonial has the following elements:
Intro
The sole purpose of an intro is to capture the attention of the target audience. As such, the intro content should be interesting and brief (20 seconds at most). It ought to highlight your brand and showcase your customer in their environment. That’s not all-the intro should feature animation text overlay with the music that should make it clear what the video is all about, and who is talking.
There’s a wide variety of video editing tools that you can count on for a killer video intro. They include Wondershare Filmora9, Adobe Spark, Animaker, Renderforest, OFFEO and Panzoid. Wideo, LightMV and Flixpress are good options as well. It is worth noting that some of these tools are free while others come with a price.
Outro
An outro is the conclusion part of a video and should be 5 to 10 seconds long. This is where the customer giving the testimonial will promote your call to action. For instance, they can recommend the viewers to visit your website, purchase your product, make a subscription, etc., depending on your objectives.
Music overlay
The music overlay sets the video’s tone, which should be consistent with your brand’s tone. Additionally, the overlay ought to give a positive vibe, considering you’re dealing with a positive testimonial. You can get royalty-free music for your testimonial videos from reputable websites like PremiumBeat, Epidemic Sound, Artlist and Music Vine, among others.
Behind the scenes
Capturing behind the scenes in a video does not only portray your videography expertise but also gives the video a natural touch. They make the video more engaging.
Post Production
After shooting the video, you need to edit it to cut out the fluff and other unnecessary/repetitive scenes to make it detailed but brief. Remember the ideal length of a testimonial video ranges from 60 to 90 seconds. So, edit it to that length.
Show the Finished Product to the Client
Once you’re done with the final edits, it’ll be courteous for you to send over the polished draft to the featured customer before putting it in the public domain. The customer will feel appreciated and honoured.
Promote The Video
The buck doesn’t stop at the video creation. Remember the whole idea is to let the rest of your target audience develop trust with your business after seeing some shout-outs from your existing customers.
So, now that you have a top-quality video, the next thing is to promote it through your online marketing channels. However, ensure that you consider the specific digital marketing areas you need to focus on as far as your marketing plan is concerned while posting the video. On this note, consider the following options:
Social media
Do you know that social media users account for almost half of the emntire global population currently? This tells you that your content can reach a significant percentage of your audience through your business’ social media channels.
Therefore, post the video on your business’s social media accounts including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Linkedin and TikTok.
Advertising
You can boost the video further through paid ads. The most popular ads that you can consider using include Google Ads and Facebook Ads
YouTube
Does your business have a YouTube channel? That’s another place where you can upload the video for more audience reach. If you don’t have a YouTube channel, you can create one through a few simple steps.
Publish On Your Site
There are some people who interact with your business’s content exclusively from the businesses’ website. These people might not see the video testimonial if you post it on your social media, or YouTube or even the commercial ads. Considering they are an integral part of your marketing effort too, you need to ensure that you place the video strategically for them. Publish it on the website.
Need Help?
Hopefully, you’ve clearly understood why you need to incorporate customer video testimonials in your marketing plan and how to go about video production and promotion.
In case you need any help with customer testimonial production, get in touch with us now and we’ll be glad to assist you. Reach out at info@webworxlabs.com or check our corporate photography and video production services page.
From a start-up helping local small businesses, over a span of 5 years, Usman has built Web Worx Labs to be a leading provider of digital marketing solutions that employs 15+ full-time employees and has customers in over 30 countries.
Outside of work and his passion for all things digital, Usman is a proud father of three, loves running and is an avid reader.
Follow Usman on LinkedIn or Twitter as he is always sharing tips on strategy, branding, marketing and analytics.