The need for social proof is an inescapable part of marketing strategy today. With so much noise in the marketplace, it’s understandable why consumers look for social proof from their peers or other consumers about their buying decisions. So the best tool to communicate your value further? A video testimonial from your delighted clients.

Insight:  Video testimonials are an effective way to share your brand story and get the social proof needed to increase conversion.

Data: According to Nielsen, 92% of people will trust a recommendation from their peers and 70% of people will trust a recommendation from someone they don’t even know.

Key Action Point: To get the social proof you need, use video testimonials in your marketing strategy to increase conversion, boost engagement, improve shareability and retention.

One key challenge for today’s brands is the battle for relevance in a crowded marketplace — there’s just too many stories to share, too many products fighting for the limelight. In order for brands to stand out today, they have to find the means to grab attention while staying authentic and true to who they really are.

Video testimonials, in particular, are a great way to promote your brand or organisation without appearing too self-promotional. Let’s face it. No matter how much you outline the benefits of your own products and services, nothing will ever be as effective or as convincing as when it actually comes from the people using it — your clients and customers. This is where video testimonials stand out. They are a great tool to highlight and share customer experiences so they can resonate with bigger audiences.

No matter how much you outline the benefits of your own products and services, nothing will ever be as effective or as convincing as when it actually comes from the people using it.
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No other content increases retention by 80%, drives traffic and sales by as much as 76%, increases conversion by 80%, and significantly improves engagement.

Why Video Testimonials Should Be a Part of Your Marketing Strategy

1. Video Testimonials Make Brands Appear More Authentic

For example, in this video testimonial for RUC Mining, a company that offers underground hard rock solutions, you’ll notice how an employee’s story shines through and how seamlessly it drives what a great company it is to work for. This can’t be done without the use of first-hand experiences from the company’s employees.   

RUC Mining - Celina's Testimonial

2. Video Testimonials Increase Conversion

Notice how easier it is to making a purchase decision after you’ve seen a product demo or a  how-to video?

Video testimonials work the same way. When you hear people share about their experiences with a product or service, it makes it so much easier to decide whether or not a company or brand is right for you.

According to HubSpot, “81% of people have been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a brand's video.”

My Local Foodie offers a full-service platform for food businesses, helping them be more profitable by reducing buying costs and offering tools for precise menu and recipe costing. For B2B companies like My Local Foodie, customers and their opinions about the product are very powerful as they are trusted by their local community and their colleagues in the industry. 

 My Local Foodie - Julian's Testimonial

2. Video Drives Retention

Unlike other forms of content, video plays a key role in delivering your message because it is highly visual. In fact, we are naturally programmed to remember visual content more than text. Many reports outline that viewers remember 95% of a message when they’re watching it rather than reading it.

It also combines different key elements that drive attraction and retention such as movement, music, or sound. Video’s ability to feature different types of content such as text, photos, movement, and audio is primarily the very reason it is considered the king of all content today.

Data from HubSpot outlines that 80% of online users can recall a video ad they have viewed in the last 30 days.

In this example from Bankstown City Aged Care, a community-built aged care provider, in notice how easier it is to understand the message and remember it.

 Bankstown City Aged Care - Betty’s testimonial

3. Video Has Better Shareability

When you have so much to say about your brand, you may find your audiences struggling to understand the message. Using video testimonials allows you to get the message across consistently and spread it to as many people as possible. This is because as of today, video still ranks the highest in terms of engagement and shareability.  

HubSpot reports that 83% of consumers share video content more to their friends and network.

 Channel 40 - Lionel’s testimonial

4. Video Testimonials Promote Trust

Video testimonials are the perfect content to use as social proof and build trust among your audience. It has been frequently found that user reviews, ratings, testimonials, and other content generated with the help of your consumers themselves are powerful decision-making tools.

To make the best use of the value of social proof, we recommend using a subject that represents your customer base. 

tim - Guy’s Testimonial