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The Importance of Video Testimonials in Content Marketing

Date published: March 17, 2016
Last updated: March 17, 2016

It’s no surprise that video is one of the more effective content mediums in today’s digital marketing landscape. However, simply knowing this fact doesn’t do you any good. If you want to maximize the value of video, you must know how to effectively use it. And in 2016, we believe you’ll want to focus on video testimonials.

The Value of Video Testimonials

In order to fully understand the value of video testimonials, you must look at the two root words: video and testimonial. Video has quickly become the most effective content medium in Internet marketing. Whether it’s a product video, live streaming event, or testimonial, video engages users unlike any other alternative content form.

Then you look at the testimonial aspect. Testimonials – whether written, visual, or auditory – always hold great value with customers. When people make a purchase, they want social proof from unbiased sources. Testimonials provide just that.

So, it stands to reason, when you combine video with the traditional testimonial, that the result will produce high returns. Still not sold? Consider the following statistics as curated by Boast, a leader in professional video testimonial production.

  • 65 percent of your audience is inclined to visual learning.
  • Website visitors are 64 percent more likely to follow through with a conversion after watching a video.
  • Online shoppers are 63 percent more likely to purchase a product if it has reviews and ratings.
  • 90 percent of online shoppers say their buying decisions are influenced by online reviews.

This is just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. When you look at video testimonials in action, it’s clear that they provide high returns, no matter the industry.

4 Tips for Better Video Testimonials

The problem is that most businesses don’t know where to start with video testimonials. Sound familiar? Don’t worry - we’ve gathered some tips and best practices to push you in the right direction.

1. Contact Your Most Satisfied Customers

You should be very selective in who you choose for your customer testimonial videos. You don’t just want any customer to volunteer. Carefully identify the most satisfied customers you have and then set up some interviews to see if they’re interested in being featured.

For example, RoboVent, a leader in clean air delivery systems, did a fantastic job of choosing loyal customers Chris and John Geneva for this customer testimonial video. They are charismatic, enthusiastic, and genuinely satisfied. These are three things you need to look for in testimonial candidates.

2. Guide without Writing a Script

There’s a major difference between giving your customer free reign to say whatever they want and putting a script in front of them. You don’t want to do either. Ideally, you should give the customer a chance to speak from the heart, while guiding the direction of their story.

If you want a good example of what this looks like in practice, check out this I Am Second video testimonial with best-selling author Eric Metaxas. You can tell that he isn’t reading a script, but it’s also obvious that there’s someone behind the camera directing the flow of conversation.

3. Keep it Brief

While the I Am Second video with Eric Metaxas is nearly 12-minutes long, that’s the exception to the rule. In most cases, you want to keep testimonials around two or three minutes (as in the RoboVent video). Anything longer and you’ll notice that viewers will lose focus and drop off. Anything shorter and you really don’t have time to get the message across.

4. Choose Good Lighting and Backgrounds

The final tip is to make sure you use a good background and lighting. Generally speaking, there are two different strategies for shooting customer testimonials. One involves the splicing of scenes between the customer talking and images of the product in use. This is the approach RoboVent takes in their video. Then you have the style where the entire video features the customer talking, as in the I Am Second example.

Regardless of which approach you take, you need to make sure you’re using good lighting and backgrounds. Both of these examples do a good job of providing quality video, albeit in different styles. The last thing you want to do is film with a shoddy background or poor lighting.

Winning Customers with Video

There’s no question that video is one of the highest returning content formats in modern Internet marketing. And while there are many different types of video content, the customer testimonial is by far the most valuable. It gives your website visitors an authentic behind the scenes look at how your products and services work and how much value they afford customers, just like themselves.

As you pursue different video content marketing strategies, make sure you put video testimonials at the top of your list. By referencing some of the examples and tips mentioned in this article, you can give your content strategy the modern jolt it needs to be successful in 2016 and beyond.

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