Video Testimonials: Why They Work, And How To Get Them
Testimonial videos are some of the best forms of marketing content around. In this article, we will cover why a testimonial video is powerful and discuss how to get them from customers. Before getting started, we’ve highlighted a few powerful components of a customer testimonial video. Testimonial videos:
- Spark emotional appeal
- Increase conversions
- Give customers a chance to advocate for your brand
- Provide social proof
- Tell a story
The power of testimonials
Wise marketers know that the most persuasive and credible messages don’t come from sales reps or email campaigns. They come from satisfied customers.
Just because you believe your business offers the best services and products on the market doesn’t mean that you’re the most credible source of information. However, when a message about your brand and product comes from a genuinely satisfied customer, their authentic review trumps all of your other sales tactics.
When you combine that type of social influence with the emotional impact of video, you get the most valuable kind of video content there is: video testimonials.
What is a video testimonial?
A testimonial video is when a customer speaks about their positive experience in video format. So, instead of a traditional review, a video testimonial has a customer appear on video to discuss your product and give consumer video feedback. Typically, customers share how the company helped solve a problem or what impact it had on their life.
Customer testimonials are by far one of the most effective forms of marketing, whether you’re marketing to prospects or existing customers. Having third-party opinions that you can share about your product makes a massive difference in future sales. Most people will read upwards of 10 reviews before making a decision on a purchase. And testimonial videos have a more profound impact on others’ decisions. Here’s why video testimonials are so powerful.
5 reasons why testimonial videos are so powerful.
1. They create a deeper and more emotional appeal for your brand.
One of the main goals when communicating with your audience should involve building trust and credibility. Customers don’t just want to know that you can solve their problem, they want to be sure that you can solve their problem better than anyone else.
According to this study, using customer testimonials on a regular basis can result in 62% more revenue from every customer, every time they visit your brand. In addition, a whopping 92% of customers even said that they look to testimonials prior to making a purchase decision. Further, nearly 90% of customers said that they trusted these types of reviews just as much as personal recommendations.
To top it off, over 70% of participants in this study said that positive video testimonials significantly increased their trust in that specific business. This stat alone shows the power in a business testimonial video. However, if you’re still not convinced that video testimonials are digital marketing gold – keep reading!
2. They convert.
The ultimate goal of all online marketers is to convert potential customers into paying ones, and video testimonials are great at converting.
The Content Marketing Institute’s 2018 benchmarks study revealed that case studies were ranked as number two, and videos were ranked number three, on the list of content types most often used by content marketers. There must be a reason as to why so many content marketers are using these two types of content: Because they work.
When you put testimonials and videos together, you get a marketing tactic that drives traffic to your site, increases social shares, converts customers, and builds trust.
3. They provide the opportunity for regular customers to be brand advocates.
Customers that have had a positive experience with your company act as brand advocates when they share their positive feedback. Testimonial videos allow your message to be amplified in the best possible way, without seeming too braggy.
Customers and word of mouth marketing can really be your greatest brand champions.
4. Social proof is a powerful decision-making factor.
Consumers naturally trust each other more than they do advertising. Think about it – when you’re pouring over dozens of gorgeous apartments on Airbnb in search of the perfect accommodation for your next trip, you probably rely on aggregated reviews from hundreds of different customers.
Simply put, people are more likely to purchase something that other people have already bought. They are also more likely to trust a brand that others already trust. Therefore, user reviews, ratings, social media posts, and other forms of user-generated content have proven to be extremely powerful in influencing consumer decisions.
By encouraging someone that enjoys your product or service to record a positive video testimonial, you’ll encourage more purchases. Their review will hold more weight when buyers are deciding to make a purchase, which will, in turn, produce more happy customers. No matter how rational we think we are, social proof always prevails.
5. Nothing beats a good story.
Not only are customer reviews powerful, they tell a story about your brand.
At the very heart of your video testimonials lie authentic stories with unique characters (your customers). Each testimonial video tells a different tale about how your brand helped a customer solve a problem or achieve a specific goal.
When your prospects can picture themselves as problem-solvers with your product serving as their guide, they’ll be much more likely to make a purchase. Testimonial video examples like this show the power and impact testimonial videos can offer.
How to get video testimonials from customers
Nothing beats a testimonial video of a satisfied client recommending your product or service. However, asking for testimonials and consumer video feedback is never easy. We’ve included some helpful tips to use as you learn how to ask for and how to collect testimonial videos.
You can start gathering video testimonials today for free with a Start a free trial a video email platform. We wouldn’t consider ourselves a service only for testimonial videos; however, we provide you the tool and the strategies you need to succeed.
Sign up for a demo to see Covideo in action and learn how to record and share a testimonial video.
Here are several easy ways you can start gathering testimonial videos from your clients:
1. Ask customers personally and authentically.
Simply send them an email or give them a call to see if they’d be willing to record a testimonial. Even better, send them a video email! With Covideo’s reply feature, all your recipient has to do is click “reply with video” and they can send a response to your video email with a video of their own.
Keep in mind that some people are more comfortable on camera than others. It’s always best to ask people who would welcome the opportunity and who you feel would do a great job representing you. See how easily you can gather customer testimonials with Covideo’s video reply feature.
2. Offer to interview customers.
Interviews help by removing some of the heavy liftings from the recording process. Oftentimes even great video testimonials end up not being used due to their poor video quality or performance.
Instead, make it easier for your clients by offering to interview them. They will feel more comfortable and natural by answering your questions on camera and will likely produce that emotional connection you’re looking for in a testimonial.
3. Show them why customer testimonials are valuable.
Perhaps the most important factor when asking for a video testimonial is the way you ask. You want to avoid convincing someone to record a video if they’re not interested, but help them see why their story is so important to you.
Send a short message such as, “You’ve had amazing success using our product and we’d love to tell your story for others to hear. Would you mind sharing your experience to help inspire other like-minded business owners to see what’s possible with our solution?”
By walking through their story with them, you’ll likely uncover that your product saved them time, solved specific issues, or increased their sales. This is the type of content you want to convey and mention in a video testimonial.
Sending a great testimonial video
After looking at the evidence, it is clear that video testimonials are digital marketing gold. There is no better way to build connections and trust with your audience than with an engaging video directly from a customer. Getting your hands on great testimonials isn’t easy, but once you’ve got them, they can be some of the most valuable pieces of content you’ll have.
If your customers aren’t sure what to say or how to do a customer testimonial, check out the example below of a few great testimonial videos.
Start gathering powerful testimonials today
Video testimonials might just become your best video email marketing tactic and biggest selling point. Your audience will be able to see and hear the value you offer through an authentic and sincere medium. Schedule a demo to see how to record and share a testimonial video.
Record and send video email, free with Start a free trial,. You won’t know until you try – so start gathering video testimonials today!
