Video Testimonials – the digital version of word-of-mouth referrals

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Video Testimonials can be so powerful and so trusted by new customers

Word-of-mouth is the most trusted source of marketing according to a survey by Nielsen. 84 percent of buyers say that recommendations from friends or family are what they trust most of all. Why? Because we believe that they’re trying to help us, rather than sell us something. 

Video is the Most Impactful Testimonial

Reviews, social media recommendations, and video testimonials are the digital version of word-of-mouth referrals. While the recommendations don’t have to come from people they know, people trust online reviews and testimonials from unknown consumers as much as they trust recommendations from personal contacts. This is especially true of video where you can ‘see and feel’ the authenticity of the referral. 

A video testimonial is more impactful than sales literature because it’s genuine, heartfelt, and evocative

According to HubSpot, video is also 40x more likely to get shared than any other form of content.

Key Questions to Ask

A successful video testimonial starts by asking the right questions. Nobody really cares about the features of a product. The most important question to address in a testimonial video is not about the product, but about the value that the product delivers to the users. Think benefits – like ‘the time you’ll save’ or ‘the access is so easy’. And it’s not just about the product, it’s about you, the company and the experience you’ve delivered. So questions to ask in a video testimonial include:

  1. How did you discover the company?
  2. What made you choose this company?
  3. What have been the greatest benefits?
  4. How has the company helped you reach your goals?
  5. What was it like to work with the company?
  6. How did the company go “the extra mile”?
  7. Why would you recommend the company to someone else?
  8. What has the relationship been like during the project?

What to avoid

I’ve often been asked if testimonials should be real customers or actors speaking genuine customer’s words. Both can work really well. In fact, just about all so-called ‘customers’ on TV promoting anything, from life insurance to dental products, are actors. I know some of them personally. We still trust TV ads more than almost any other form of advertising. 

In summary, I truly believe that, on your website, you should try to always try to use customer testimonials. However there are some caveats. People can tell when a testimonial is forced, especially on video. So, don’t ask customers to repeat information that’s included in your brochure or on your website. Don’t get them to say how superior your product is compared to others on the market. That will sound tacky. Or scripted. In fact, most video experts recommend abandoning a script to let your customers be as natural as possible. You’re trying to build trust in your company, not a specific product. 

Give me a shout on 0845 606 9660 if you need to arrange a day of video testimonials. Remember, these genuine reviews, once captured, will be worth every effort.

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