Everything you wanted to know about video testimonials

How many times have we chosen a destination for our vacation on the advice of a trusted friend?  

And we have certainly ordered a dish at a restaurant because someone with similar tastes assured us that it was really good.

And the same argument, with due proportion, can be applied to the most diverse areas: from choosing a school for the children to choosing a phone provider, from choosing a repairman or handyman, or even a series to watch on Netflix.  

It’s an absolutely common, everyday experience.

And a good marketer knows the unparalleled power of it all very well.

The key word is very simple: trust.

Unconsciously or not, we tend to trust people much more than brands and companies.

They seem more authentic, more selfless, and more similar and close to us.

The subject of video testimonials fits precisely within this dynamic. 

In short, it is the digital and modern version of a very old mechanism that has existed as long as commerce has existed.

In practical terms, a video testimonial is a video where a customer promotes a company; often, even more specifically, a particular product or service.

Beware, however: a similar dynamic can be established by placing influencers (especially micro-influencers) at the center of your communications.

We’ll return to this hybrid form of testimonial in the concluding section of this post. 

Let’s begin by immediately focusing on some essential elements that every good video testimonial must have.

Video testimonial – the essential elements 

Each video testimonial is different and unique, of course. That’s because how it’s created depends on a large number of factors: the type of brand and company; the product or service at the center of the video; the specific objectives of that particular campaign; the target audience (a decisive point to which we will return in one of the items on the next list); and, of course, the testimonial itself.

In the midst of all these decisive differences, however, there are some fixed points. 

A good video testimonial rests on these pillars.

We will talk about them below with a list of tips and best practices.

1) First, introductions

The strength of testimonials is authenticity, hence the sense of trust that is established with the potential target audience. 

It’s clear that, first and foremost, the company needs to know who is in front of him. His name, his role, occupation, and in some cases even his likes and dislikes.

Caution: don’t dwell on introductions; they risk taking valuable space away from what matters most.

2) A problem…and its solution  

After the introductions, the classic pattern of a good video testimonial involves talking about a problem that the customer has been facing. A problem of any kind, but one that — in some way — can be configured as a common problem for many people. 

It should be laid out clearly, listing the negative consequences…but while keeping it brief.

From the problem, then, we move on to the solution.  

Of course, the solution was provided by the product or service at the center of the video.

Warning: while this is a very basic schema, with proper precautions, it can be valid for all video testimonials.

To be clear: you can talk about a very circumstantial problem (from insomnia that impacts our quality of life, to a difficult management of the billing flow in the company), which involves a very specific or “technical” solution (a certain drug or electronic billing service). But you can also be much broader and more general.

In each case, the “movement” is always the same: there is an initial problem, perhaps even an uncertainty of choice, and, finally, there is a resolution–a certain resolution.

3) And the solution must be proven

The testimonial is the first guarantee of the effectiveness of a product or service or of the efficiency of a company’s customer service. Or of the satisfaction, status-wise, that comes from embracing the values and imagery of a certain brand. And these are just a few examples.

However, single testimony may not be convincing enough. A good rule of thumb is to broaden the focus. 

So, placing verified data, authoritative research, and surveys alongside the individual narrative is always a good idea.

4) Don’t forget to tell a story

In the previous points, we have established a recurring and very solid pattern of video testimonials: starting with introductions, moving on to talking about a problem (specific or generic) and ending with the solution offered by the brand, product, or service.

But there is one aspect that must always be given the greatest consideration. 

This pattern must not be presented in a cold, rigid way. It must always be absorbed into a story that is easy to follow, that is enjoyable, and engaging.

Informing is important: but it’s all useless if you are not also able to entertain, to attract the attention of the viewer, and to keep that attention constant throughout the duration of the video, all the way to the call to action.

5) The call to action

With this point we move to a more technical aspect of video testimonial production.  

You were able to talk about a testimonial’s experience with your brand, product, or service with an effective and engaging story. You started with a problem and arrived at a solution.

Well, it’s time to include a call to action that is clear, direct, and consistent...but not invasive. 

Make it prominent and lead, quickly and easily, to the conversion, whatever it is.

6) The optics must be omnichannel

Here, we isolate another technical aspect that should not be underestimated under any circumstances.

Your video testimonial must be optimized for viewing on all types of devices and you must prioritize smartphones. In fact, this is the medium from which the vast majority of users watch videos.

In addition, it’s very important to distribute the video on the widest range of channels and platforms: from YouTube to Google ads, from the company website to social networks to email campaigns. 

Each channel has its own technical rules, best practices, and target audience.

Therefore, it’s a matter of adapting your communication accordingly, in the most automated way possible, without losing its unique and recognizable identity.

7) Upstream of everything: from data to personalization  

Here we come to the last point and the most important one. 

We said early on that the effectiveness of video testimonials lies very much in the sense of trust they can inspire. 

A matter of “authenticity,” of closeness to individuals.

In this sense, the first thing to ask is the most basic one: who are the people on the other side of the screen? What characteristics do they have? What are their interests? What are their preferences? What are their desires?

And how to get the answers to these questions? 

Very simple: through a broad and deep analysis of data, that is, of the digital traces that your actual and potential audience disseminates online.

First, understanding who is on the other side is critical to choosing the very type of testimonial. 

In fact, you must choose someone who is similar to your target audience, who shares the same problems, who seeks similar solutions, who belongs to the “same world.” Someone, in short, with whom it is easy and natural to identify and empathize.

And that’s not all: starting with data analysis, you can use tailor-made video marketing campaigns with storytelling and calls to action that automatically adapt to the characteristics of different audience segments.

The ultimate boost? Matching these segments with individuals. 

This is the breakthrough of one-to-one communication and personalized videos, which can be produced through Babelee’s Video Personalization platform.  

Find out more about the enormous potential of this tool here.

“Almost testimonials” – the role of micro-influencers

We anticipated this from the very beginning of this post.  

There is a category of people and “profiles” that – in a way – is very similar to classic customer-testimonials. 

We’re talking about influencers.

Be careful, however: we are not talking about “mega-influencers” with their hundreds of thousands (and sometimes millions) of followers. In fact, these personalities are now perceived much like the TV or movie stars in traditional commercials: therefore, they are perceived as distant and unreachable.

On the other hand, if the goals you want to achieve have to do with closeness and authenticity, as in the case of video testimonials, targeting micro-influencers is an excellent strategy.

These are people with a much smaller following and one that is almost always very loyal, active, and involved.

In short, testimonials who–on the one hand–may still be perceived as close to the public, authentic, and “disinterested”; but who–on the other hand–already carry with them a small but valuable endowment of the public that trusts them and follows them.

To conclude, here is a statistic: 

– Around 70% of millennials are in some way directed in their choices by influencers (startupsmagazine.com).

This is an interesting statistic because it clearly points to a trend that certainly didn’t start today…but is destined to last.