Marketing
02-22-2021
(Updated 02-03-2025)
8 min
Consumers crave social proof. They want assurance and validation from like-minded buyers that their purchase will be worth the investment. This is where a good customer testimonial comes in.
In this article, we’ll explain how and why customer testimonials are one of the most powerful marketing tools for your brand. You’ll also get a look at several examples of effective testimonials in video format – and why they work – to inspire your own marketing campaigns going forward.
Need some inspiration for your next testimonial video? Luckily, we’ve compiled a list of some popular examples you can gain inspiration from!
Industry: Automotive and Energy
Video length: 2 minutes
Why this video stands out:
Weave a beautiful and emotionally charged story with strong characters that your audience can instantly relate to, like in a mini documentary. Tesla does a great job at creating a beautiful story.
Industry: Marine Conservation
Video length: 3 minutes
Why this video stands out:
Create a video that discusses solid facts and measurable data in order to convince others of your company’s value. Get valuable tips on how to integrate data insights in your videos in the post around infographic videos. Hear what Sea Shepherd has to say about using PlayPlay.
Industry: Technology
Video length: 5 minutes
Why this video stands out:
Product reviews are a consumer favorite. Proof? Google reveals viewers watched 50,000+ years of review videos between 2015-2017 alone.
With online shopping having gained a stronger footing in the last few years, you can tell the watch time for these videos has only increased. To add to that, product reviews are among the most popular YouTube video ideas.
Hence, an effective way to go about creating impactful reviews is to ask influencers in your industry to review your business. 37% of people say that this approach is more authentic than a business pitch of their own product.
Here’s an influencer reviewing an iPhone cable.
Industry: Social Media Management
Video length: 1 minute
Why this video stands out:
The testimonial video idea is a perfect choice if you’re looking to recruit new people or simply want to showcase your work culture to give a peek of what’s behind the curtain.
Sprout Social has an Inside #TeamSprout series that features employees sharing about themselves and why they love working there. For viewers, such video content reveals a lot about what it’s like to work at Sprout Social while showing the people who work there.
Industry: Technology
Video length: 50 seconds
Why this video stands out:
If you have a physical store, you can add a camera to your store front and ask customers to describe their experience when going out. Authenticity is the key advantage of these videos.
Online stores can conduct Live sessions on social media and ask clients to jump in and talk about their experiences.
Stores can also rely on their clients for their own real-time videos with their feedback. Check out this example from TikTok of an Apple customer unboxing their new computer!
Industry: E-commerce
Video length: 2 minutes
Why this video stands out:
Here’s a case study video where multiple people talk about their experience. They can all talk about one main feature or highlight several different ones. A great example by Amazon.
Industry: Project Management Software
Video length: 2 minutes
Why this video stands out:
The goal here is simple: tell a story that resonates with viewers so they can see their problem mirrored in the business the video features and visualize how you can help solve their problem too.
Monday.com dives into a daily work challenge and shares how their product can solve this challenge!
Industry: Dental
Video length: 2 minutes
Why this video stands out:
Before-and-after testimonial videos also send an impactful message. There’s an obvious distinction between how life was before your offerings entered the scene, and after it – highlighting the benefits of your offer loud and clear.
The Elite Dental before-and-after testimonial video clearly shows how others can benefit from them! There is an obvious difference between the teeth before and after using the service, showing how valuable Elite Dental is.
A video testimonial is like a case study, success story, or client story where your customer appears on screen sharing their experience with your product or service. Video testimonials are more engaging for an audience than traditional text-based reviews. They humanize the review by featuring a real person on screen, which positively impacts customers’ views of the company.
You can share your video testimonials on communication channels such as your social media platforms, your website pages, or commercials on TV.
Here are examples of facts that prove why video content can positively impact your marketing strategy:
With all this in mind, we’re clearly heading quickly towards a video-first world!
Creating great testimonials is just like creating any other high-quality types of video content. Think about your intentions. You want to get people to buy what you’re selling, but first you have to gain their trust. So keep that in mind when you write your video script.
Here are 3 key steps to follow:
The first step involves creating a strong script is the key to success when following a structure and flow.
Here is a basic structure:
Customers are usually not professional actors, so they need time to prepare.
The second step involves sending them a list of questions that will help them craft a great response. Here are some questions you could ask them include:
Brief your client about your plans for the video and how you plan to shoot it. This could be in person or over a video conference call. Suggestions on what to wear, where to look, and how to speak, would also be helpful.
The quality of video is the one thing that can easily make or break your video. So you’ll want to show that you care about every minute detail.
To do this, make sure your visuals are crisp and clear, and the sound is perfectly audible and there’s minimum background noise. Quality microphones can be found at low prices and are definitely worth using.
A recent study shows a 40% increase in views for captioned videos, so you should consider adding subtitles to your video to make it even better.
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So what's the secret sauce for a first-rate customer testimonial video? One that instantly captivates viewers and convinces them this is exactly what they’ve been looking for, and urges them to click the ‘Buy Now’ button?
Here are 3 key examples of what makes high-performing testimonials:
A high-converting testimonial video highlights specific results and measurable data. It talks about benefits instead of features.
A vague ‘it’s a nice product’ or a monologue describing the various features of a brand doesn't work in this highly competitive world. You need to teach the public why your product is the best for them, like an educational video!
There are lots of great services and products, so what do you offer in extra? How does it serve your potential clients’ individual needs?
It should state explicitly why the customer chose your product or service and prefers it over your competitors'. It needs to highlight tangible results that your audience can relate to and are looking for.
Authenticity is an essential part of a testimonial video that drives conversions.
After all, 86% of consumers say authenticity is important when deciding who they’re going to purchase from.
Potential buyers are smart—they can easily see through scripted and paid recommendations. So it’s important for companies to make testimonials that are authentic, genuine, and come from the heart.
People are driven by emotions. A testimonial is a way to build trust with your audience.
According to research by Headstream, if people love a brand story, 55% are more likely to buy from you in the future, 44% will share it, and 15% will buy immediately.
So, great testimonials need to have a strong story, a flow to them - and not be boring.
The best customers to interview are ones that are loyal. Don’t scare any new ones off with your testimonial demand! Stick to the ones who have purchased from your business for a longer time.
When you’re looking for customers to provide testimonials, don’t reach out to your entire client base. Not everyone is going to love what your business offers, so focus on the clients who gave positive feedback. After all, you don’t want to interview those who have negative things to say!
The best way to contact your customers for testimonials is via email. This will give them all the time they need to consider your offer without any pressure.
Start by thanking your customers for their positive feedback. Then, let them know you want to hear more about their experiences and opinions via an in-person testimonial. Make sure they’re aware of how you’re planning on using the testimonial video, whether it be posting on social media platforms or putting it on your website.
Try not to offer your customers any incentives for doing the testimonial! Not only is this bribery, but it will also influence the testimonial by making it less authentic. Make sure that your customer testimonials aren’t biased so that you stay honest about what you can do for them.
If the client agrees to give a testimonial, you have to ask them the right questions! Usually, they will start by describing all the positives. Make sure to probe them in the right direction so they take a unique approach to describing how you helped them.
All in all, creating one solid, well produced customer testimonial video could be far more powerful—and efficient—than spending hundreds of dollars on paid advertising.
So, which is the best tool for your customer testimonial video needs?
PlayPlay is the video creation platform that empowers Marketing and Communication teams to transform any message into engaging video stories.
With our powerful and intuitive products, the best AI technologies, and our focus on enterprise storytelling, we've enabled over 3,000 companies to make video their main form of communication.
Save hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars by using our platform to create all your customer testimonial videos in minutes! Benefit from 300+ editable templates and team collaboration features to ensure that your customer testimonial videos stand out from the rest.
Want to see it for yourself? Try PlayPlay for free for seven days, and share your experience with us!
What to say in testimonial videos?
In your testimonial videos, share your genuine experience with the product or service, highlighting its real benefits and results in your own words. Be sure to discuss the challenges you faced and walk through the step-by-step process of how the product or service helped resolve them.
How long should a customer testimonial be?
The ideal length of your video should be between 60 and 90 seconds to keep it as concise and effective as possible. It should explain your customers’ experiences by following a strong script.
How much should a customer testimonial video cost?
It all depends on the production company you choose to hire, if any! A small production company will typically charge $5,000-$10,000 whereas a high-end production one will charge around $15,000-$50,000. To avoid these agency costs, you can try video creation platforms like PlayPlay. With PlayPlay, you can significantly lower the cost of your videos, while keeping control of your brand image, without decreasing your video quality.
How do you ask for video testimonials from a client?
Allow your clients plenty of time to consider your request and propose convenient options so they are more likely to participate. Approach the request with a friendly and respectful attitude. Encourage them by sharing how you plan to distribute the video and how it can also benefit them.
Jaymi Onorato
Demand Generation Manager, North America
Jaymi is a growth-focused B2B marketing leader driving demand generation for North America at PlayPlay. Jaymi advocates for inclusivity in tech and women in leadership.
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