Best Practices for Capturing Effective Customer Testimonial Videos 

For most businesses, customer testimonial videos are an invaluable tool for building trust, credibility, and social proof. These testimonials have become an essential part of marketing strategies as they allow potential customers to hear from satisfied customers directly. 

However, capturing effective customer testimonial videos requires careful planning and execution. In this blog post, we will discuss the best practices to follow in order to create compelling and impactful customer testimonial videos.

Planning for effective customer testimonial videos

To capture impactful customer testimonial videos, it is essential to have a well-thought-out plan in place, preferably led by experienced professionals.

Following a well-thought-out process will help you to capture the right content at the right time, in the right format. It will also prompt you to think about how you’re going to use these testimonials and what impact they will have on your business.

Here are some steps we recommend taking:

1. Deciding on a clear message: The first step is to decide on what type of message you want your customer testimonial video to convey. This can be anything from “this product is amazing!” to “you will love this service!” or even something more specific like “I saved $100 per month by switching from cable TV.”
2. Engaging professional video production services: Before diving into the video testimonial process, it is beneficial to consider using professional video production services. These experts can provide valuable insights and assistance in planning a compelling video testimonial that aligns with your marketing objectives.

Read: Why professionally-created sales and marketing videos are an important investment for recall, traffic, and results

3. Helping the customer prepare: To ensure that the customer feels prepared and confident, provide them with some suggested talking points or even a sample testimonial. This will help them structure their thoughts and deliver a well-organized testimonial.
4. Creating a story: Plan easy-to-digest segments for the testimonial video, addressing different questions or themes. A professional video scriptwriter can be instrumental in crafting a compelling success story that resonates with the audience.
5. Considering branding and video aesthetic: Ponder over your branding guidelines and the desired video aesthetic. Make the necessary preparations in terms of the set, background, dress code, and any props that might be needed to reinforce your brand identity.
6. Researching competitor testimonials: Study customer testimonial videos created by other brands, especially your competitors. This analysis can offer insights and inspiration for the planning and editing process.

Setting up the perfect shot

The setup and composition of your video testimonial shot can greatly enhance its quality and visual appeal. While it shouldn’t look too staged, taking care of a few basic factors will help you get high-quality footage, which is essential for a high-quality video. 

1. Orientation, i.e., landscape or portrait: Decide on the orientation of the video testimonial based on the platform you plan to use it on. While portrait may seem smartphone-friendly, landscape orientation provides greater versatility and ease of editing.
2. Camera position: Ensure that the camera is positioned at eye level with the customer. If possible, use two cameras to record simultaneously from different viewpoints. This allows for more options and angles during the editing process.
3. Framing and headroom: Adjust the frame to have the appropriate amount of headroom, where the customer’s head is fully visible without too much white space. Proper framing helps maintain viewer engagement and professionalism.
4. Lighting: Record in a well-lit area to ensure clear visibility. Position the light sources in front of the customer, avoiding backlighting that could result in shadows or a washed-out appearance.

Guiding the customer for a natural and authentic video testimonial

Guiding your customers to deliver authentic and compelling video testimonials requires thoughtful direction and consideration. Prior to the video shoot, prepare and take them through some basic guidelines. Here are a few pointers: 

1. Avoid virtual backgrounds: Encourage the customer to use a natural and authentic setting for their testimonial. Virtual backgrounds can sometimes appear artificial and distract from the genuine storytelling.
2. Consider dress color and contrast: Advise the customer to choose a dress color that contrasts with the background, ensuring they stand out clearly in the video testimonial.
3. Pause for a few seconds: Instruct the customer to pause for a few seconds before they start speaking and after they finish their sentences. This will provide clean editing points and allow for smooth transitions between shots.
4. Eliminate background noise during video calls: If recording the testimonial over a video call, ensure that there is no background noise that could interfere with the audio quality. A quiet environment helps maintain focus on the customer’s message.
5. Make the customer comfortable: Before the shoot, encourage the customer to relax and get comfortable. Remind them to take a deep breath and begin their testimonial with confidence. A relaxed customer is more likely to deliver an authentic and engaging testimonial.

Enhancing impact through professional video editing

Once you have gathered the raw footage, the process of video editing can significantly enhance the impact of your customer testimonials. 

The editing process is the final step in creating a compelling video testimonial. It’s where you can take your footage and turn it into something that looks professionally produced, and most importantly, enhances the impact of your customer’s message. Here how professional video editing services can help:

1. Selecting impactful clips: A professional video editor will diligently review the raw footage to select the most relevant and impactful clips for the testimonial. They will consider factors like emotion, delivery, and alignment with the messaging.
2. Creating a compelling narrative: The editor will connect the selected clips to create a seamless and visually engaging story. By choosing clips that flow well together, they will produce a testimonial that captivates the viewers and maintains their interest.
3. Showcasing the product/service: Incorporate footage of the product or service being used to provide visual context and reinforce the customer’s positive experience. Visual evidence adds credibility to the testimonial.
4. Using overlays and visuals: Enhance the storytelling by using overlays with text and other visuals to highlight key points or emphasize important information. These elements can add clarity and visual interest to the testimonial.
5. Adding branded elements: For brand recall and consistency, the video editor should incorporate branded elements such as brand colors, fonts, and the company logo in the intro and outro of the video testimonial. This helps reinforce your brand identity and increases brand recognition.
6. Choosing suitable music: Select music that complements your brand’s personality and the overall tone of the testimonial. The right soundtrack can enhance the emotional impact and create a cohesive atmosphere throughout the video.

Bonus: 5 quick tips for promoting your customer video testimonial

Once your customer video testimonial is ready, you’ll need a good promotion strategy to get the most out of it. Here are 5 quick tips to get you started:

1. Share on social media platforms: Distribute your customer testimonial videos across relevant social media platforms to reach a wider audience. Encourage viewers to engage with the content by liking, commenting, and sharing.
2. Embed on website and landing pages: Feature your customer testimonial videos prominently on your website and landing pages. This helps build trust and credibility for potential customers visiting your site.
3. Utilize email marketing: Incorporate customer testimonial videos into your email marketing campaigns. Share snippets of testimonials with compelling call-to-actions, enticing recipients to click and watch the full video.
4. Share with sales teams and use in presentations: Provide your sales teams with customer testimonial videos to leverage during presentations or meetings with potential clients. These testimonials serve as persuasive tools to showcase the real experiences of satisfied customers.
5. Consider paid advertising: Invest in paid advertising campaigns that showcase your customer testimonial videos to a targeted audience. This can significantly amplify the reach and impact of your testimonials.

Want more video marketing inspiration? Learn what other videos your business should invest in.

Conclusion

Capturing effective customer testimonial videos requires careful planning, preparation, and attention to detail. By following the best practices outlined in this blog, you can create compelling and impactful testimonials that build trust, credibility, and influence potential customers. 

To achieve the best results, engage professional video production services. This will ensure a well-set-up shot, and professional guidance for the customer, helping them deliver a natural and authentic testimonial. Professional video editing will also enhance the video’s impact, which will be amplified as you strategically promote your testimonials across various channels. 

By harnessing the power of customer testimonial videos, your business can gain a competitive edge in the market and cultivate strong relationships with your target audience. 

To begin sharing customer stories, solution explainers, product demos, and more through compelling videos, get in touch.