We’re back with even more and better news! In the previous article we covered the reasons why a business needs a video for their product or service. If from what you read in this, you concluded that this is the right type of video for you, then we suggest you continue with the second part of our dedication on the characteristics of a good testimonial.
Whether it’s a customer or partner testimonial video, it’s important that the people who will speak on camera and essentially represent your brand in this way are able, thanks to the design of the video, to convey the experience one gets from using the product or service you offer, in an authentic and engaging way. More specifically, each testimonial video should have the following basic characteristics
1. Emphasizes clear results and benefits.
A testimonial that can bring you more customers highlights specific results and measurable data. It talks about benefits instead of just features. There are many good products and useful services. So how does your product or service differentiate itself from the rest? What more does it offer and how does it serve your customers’ needs? Which solution do you offer to which problem? That feature that sets you apart from the competition should be at the core of every promotional video.
However, a testimonial video cannot be limited to describing the features of the product or service you provide, but must tell a personal story with emotion and verisimilitude – two characteristics that we will deal with shortly.
2. It looks real and projects authentic emotions.
Sincerity, i.e. the feeling that something is genuine and original, is an essential part of the testimonial video that can increase your sales. Have no doubts about whether consumers have the intelligence and experience to recognize staged testimonials and paid recommendations. A recent example with a huge impact on the market and the advertising sector has been the demand by social media users for more transparency in the dealings of their favorite influencers with the brands they recommend on the platforms. At the opposite of this request is the right of influencers to protect their “good name”. There are not a few times that well-known showbiz personalities have publicly succeeded against brands that used their name and reputation without their knowledge to promote their products.
In a virtual world, where everyone has access to infinite content – copyrighted or not – exploitation and deception are unfortunately commonplace for both creators and users. That is why 86% of consumers say that the authenticity of the testimonial is important when deciding which company and which brand to choose and support.
3. It tells a powerful story
People are driven by their feelings, so a video of happy customers or partners can draw much more emotion than e.g. with an infographic commercial. In other words the testimonial video is a way to showcase the strong bond of trust with your existing customers, as the strong story comes from the relationship you have built with them so far. A funny incident, a pivotal moment in the development of your business, or a pleasantly surprising result in a process that otherwise seemed trivial and insignificant, can be the trigger for a beautiful story in your video.
According to a Headstream research, if consumers like the brand’s narrative, they are 55% more likely to buy the product in the future, 44% more likely to share the story they watched, and 15% more likely to purchase the product immediately.
In conclusion, a good testimonial video from happy customers and/or partners has its own unique story with a smooth flow that doesn’t bore the viewers, but fills a need and at the same time inspires them to action.
