Word of mouth (and WOM advertising), celebrity influencers or micro influencers (vloggers, etc.), ratings, reviews… We are all influenced by the opinions of others to some extent. Every product or service needs to have people vouching for them, proving their value to prospects.

When was the last time you booked a holiday without looking at a review of the hotel in advance? Our point, precisely.

Are you collecting testimonials yet? If not, whatcha waiting for?

LET THE NUMBERS DO THE TALKING

Ever heard of social proof? “Social proof is a psychological phenomenon referring to people’s reliance on the feedback and actions of others to determine what is right and what is wrong in a given situation.” (Hootsuite)

Exactly how much do testimonials really influence us when it comes to making a decision, let alone a purchase?

• People are 63% more likely to purchase a product from a site if it has product ratings and reviews (People Claim)
• 79% of online shoppers tend to trust online reviews as much as recommendations from friends and family (BrightLocal)
• Customer reviews create a 74% increase in product conversion (People Claim)
• 77% of people take the time to read product/service reviews before they make an online purchase (Juniper Research)
• Customer testimonials have the highest effectiveness rating for all types of content marketing, with a rating of 89% (WebDAM)
• 90% of consumers admit their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews (Marketing Land)

Testimonials are simply too crucial to be overlooked.

The Facts About Video Content

If text testimonials are great for titan retailers like Amazon, surely they can help your business too. Your satisfied clients are the best marketing tool at your disposal, so make the most of it by creating video testimonials. Is it really worth the fuss? I hear you ask.

Totes! Video testimonials are always more engaging and convincing. Moreover, in an era where attention and retention are so important, videos are the best way to keep your visitors longer on your website, which will then increase the chances of them making a purchase. Are you loving the idea yet?

Here’s more…

• 65% of your audience are visual learners (WebDAM)
• Website visitors are 64% more likely to buy a product on an online retail site after watching a video (ComScore). If that’s not music to you ears, I don’t know what is?!
• Website visitors who view video stay on a website an average of 2 minutes longer than those who don’t view videos (ComScore)

Videos are up there with case studies as one of the most credible forms of customer endorsement. With a video endorsement, you get the additional benefit that words are coming straight from your client’s mouth.

Create great client testimonials

The video should reach two objectives:

– Provided that the words won’t be extracted under torture, the speaker, their attitude and tone of voice, and the settings should all look and feel as authentic as possible. It’s all about credibility – the content (wording) actually comes in second place.

– The client testimonial should be interesting and captivating for the audience, showing the product under a new light/angle. The audience must feel like they’ve learned something new about the product or service. Make their experience (watching the video) worth their time.

How-to?

One camera or two? A close-up or a wide angle? Should the speaker be seating or standing up? Make sure all these decisions are made prior to filming. If your budget allows it, opt for two cameras – the same scenes seen from different perspectives makes sure the audience is visually stimulated (and pays attention). If you’ve opted for a single camera, try using movie composition to give more depth and richness to the video.

Make sure your video is mobile friendly, with written captions for those viewers watching with the sound off.

The candidate

Choosing the right speaker is key to the success of your video. Getting clients to agree to tell their success story can be like pulling teeth.

Some people are “naturals” in front of a camera – enthusiastic and happy to share their experience; they will turn out to be your brand’s greatest ambassadors. When approaching a customer with the idea of the testimonial, highlight the benefits your client will gain from telling their story. This will help them see this video testimonial as a win-win partnership.

The message

The message has to be compelling, captivating and should tell a story. Steer away from monologues, improvisations and memorised scripts- all sure ways to send your audience to sleep (at best) or to create ill-will. Prepare a few questions in advance together with the speaker – the answer to each question should revolve around one strong, memorable idea. Your #1 aim is to show that your company provided a high quality service that went beyond your client’s expectations.

• Start– The client starts to speak about their company’s needs and goals
• Middle– Then the client found out about your brand and all the great services that you provide. They explain how your brand stuck out from your competitors.
• Ending– The client wraps things up by explaining how their needs are now satisfied by your brand.

(Wowza)

The video length

The video should not exceed 2-3 minutes, which should give enough time for 2 or 3 questions. The answers should be kept short, straight to the point and shine a new light on your company. Make sure the video sends positive vibes and leaves the audience with a favourable perception of your brand.

A Call to Action

You need to think carefully about your CTA, and decide how your video can help your brand. Drive more traffic to your site? Inform your audience about your latest offers? Whatever it is, always insert a CTA at the end of your video to gear your audience into the right decision.

Distribution

Your marketing team needs to work out the best distribution strategy for your video testimonials. The videos should definitely have a place on your website, but you need to take advantage of other distribution canals too, to maximise the impact. Is it worth creating a YouTube channel? Should you attach them to your newsletter, post it on LinkedIn?

Over the years, consumers have grown smarter and they know it’s difficult to trust the authenticity of written testimonials. Many businesses have fabricated testimonials to boost sales. Testimonial videos can protect the credibility of testimonials, and your brand.

Testimonial videos are the most efficient marketing tool when it comes to building a trusting relationship with potential clients. Customers explaining that your brand helped them satisfy a desire or overcome “pain points” will create an urge or necessity to purchase your product/service.

This is a great example of a testimonial video.