Ever wondered if the gleaming reviews you’re reading are written by real people? I know we have. Although a written testimonial from a client or customer can be very effective, video testimonials will always outperform in a side-by-side comparison.
Why?
In this article, you’ll find the answer to that question. You’ll also learn 3 effective strategies for obtaining video testimonials from clients and customers.
What Is a Video Testimonial?
In a video testimonial, a customer or a client discusses and records their feelings about your product or service.
And here’s the thing, they keep the camera on. In a video testimonial, customers see a real live relatable person talking about your product or service.
Most video testimonials touch upon the fact that a pain point was addressed and a solution was provided. It’s also common for the speaker to provide specific examples of how the solution was delivered and what impact the experience had on his or her situation, maybe even on his or her life.
How Effective Are Video Testimonials?
Before we explain why you should consider them, let’s talk about exactly how effective video testimonials really are.
Based on a recent survey by Wyzowl:
- 79% report they have watched a video testimonial to find out more about a company, product, or service
- 64% say that a testimonial video has played a part in convincing them to buy a product or service
Why Are Video Testimonials So Effective?
Consumers love video in general. But there is just something about a video testimonial that really moves the needle when it comes to converting leads into customers.
Customers Hear from Those with Similar Pain Points & Business Objectives
Potential customers want to be convinced that your solution will work for them.
Hearing specific details about the following items can help ease anxiety and move potential customers along the buyer’s journey:
- The struggle to find the right solution
- Worries or concerns fellow customers had before purchasing
- What it’s like to work with your company
- An honest account of customer support
When they can see and hear from other real people with similar pain points or the same business objectives, video testimonials instill confidence in your ability to deliver solutions.
Video Content Drives SEO
Search engine algorithms have one thing in mind: to keep searchers happy and coming back for more.
So when a search engine sees that your website includes quality content, you’ll be more successful with SEO. To determine if your site does, in fact, contain quality content, the search engine will scan for media types other than text.
By including video testimonials, you’re giving the search engines what they want—a solid visual offering that indicates your page is likely to contain varied and quality content. Before you know it, your site begins to climb in the rankings.
And when potential clients find your site easier, you see more traffic and ultimately attract, engage, and convert more leads.
People Love Stories
The best speakers, teachers, and communicators don’t tell you facts and figures, they show you the main point by telling a story. And they’re smart to do so since according to PRSA, certain parts of the brain light up when people hear stories.
Stories are effective with retention and recall, which is critical to the sales process. People are 10X more likely to remember a story than a statistic.
A video testimonial establishes a human connection by taking the viewer on a journey that can turn your prospects into customers. That connection can transform prospects into participants, and even brand advocates.
Videos Soften the Digital Experience
Online businesses face a host of challenges. But one that’s not often discussed is the lack of face-to-face human interaction.
You can have the best content in the world and the shiniest branding, but if your customer doesn’t get the feeling that there are humans behind the screen, that can cause friction in your sales funnel.
Video testimonials are a perfect remedy for this issue.
Sometimes, all a lead is looking for is to hear from someone they can relate to. They want to know that, once they make the decision to buy online, they will have access to some personal attention.
Credibility. Enough Said.
Of course, potential customers are more likely to believe social proof from a real live customer than what they read or even hear directly from the owner or a sales rep.
In fact, 37% of consumers believe testimonial videos are more authentic than what they read or hear from the business itself.
Video testimonials provide the opportunity for potential buyers to hear about the experience directly from another human being.
Video Testimonials Can Be Repurposed
Any marketing tool that can be repurposed has infinite potential when it comes to return on investment. According to Animoto, 88% of companies who use video marketing in their social media efforts are happy with the ROI video provides.
Considering that video testimonials are exponentially more engaging than written content, capturing the attention of your prospective customers will be easier than ever once you begin collecting video testimonials.
You’ll differentiate yourself from the competition, not only by tapping into the power of video marketing but also by providing social proof in a form your potential customers are more likely to actually consume.
Of course, the video testimonial will be prominently positioned on your website, but here are just a few ways you can repurpose a video testimonial:
- Social media: Videos testimonials are easily sharable on social media. And because video content tends to be more engaging, you’ll capture the attention of a larger portion of your target audience.
- Email campaigns: According to Hubspot, just including the word “video” in your subject line will give open rates a boost of 19% and reduce unsubscribe rates by 29%.
3 Ways to Obtain Compelling Video Testimonials
Requesting a video testimonial from a client or customer is a demonstration of respect for that individual. You’re essentially entrusting your reputation to this person. When you make this gesture, you’re expressing how much you value their input, opinion, and the relationship in general.
But let’s face it, you’re asking the customer to spend their time and effort to record a video testimonial.
So how can you go about this in the most effective and professional manner?
1. Ask in the most personal way possible
When you notice a client or customer is having an especially fabulous experience with your company, it’s time to ask for a video testimonial.
Always come from a place of sincerity and begin by letting the customer know how much you value the relationship. And, of course, give the customer plenty of time to decide.
And while there are DIY solutions for recording video testimonials, the best option is to entrust the process to a professional video development company.
2. Do the lion’s share of the work for them
It’s critical that the customer providing the video testimonial understands its purpose.
You want them to discuss their business, pain points, and goals. And you want them to explain how working with you helped solve the problem and achieve the goal.
A well-executed video testimonial will be unscripted, sincere, and natural. Be as specific as possible about the ideal end result, without being too controlling. After all, you don’t want to have to ask them to rerecord the testimonial.
Provide prompts to help the client or customer develop appropriate content. Here is a sample of questions you might provide:
- Give a bit of background about your business.
- How did you discover us?
- What, if anything, made you skeptical about working with us?
- Why did you ultimately decide to work with us?
- Describe your experience working with us or using our product.
- How have we helped solve your pain point or achieve your goal?
- Would you recommend our business to a friend? Why?
3. Share how you intend to use the video testimonial
Explain how you intend to utilize the video testimonial and ensure that the customer is comfortable with your plan.
The testimonial might even benefit the customer from a marketing and exposure perspective. Whenever there is marketing exposure involved, it’s always a good idea to ensure the testimonial is of the highest quality. To optimize that exposure for you and for the testimonial provider, consider using a professional video development company to record and produce the testimonial.
Start Curating Video Testimonials from Your Best Customers Today
Video testimonials can make a real difference in your marketing efforts and for the future of your business. And they can help you take the first step toward establishing a competitive advantage in your industry or local market.
Contact to learn more about how to create high-quality video testimonials.
