How to make a testimonial video: 4 steps

Testimonial videos are powerful marketing tools because they create engaging social proof. According to research from Wyzowl, two out of three people would be more likely to purchase from a company if they had watched a testimonial video beforehand. Here’s how to make a testimonial video for your business.

What we will cover

Step 1: Create a plan

The first thing to understand about how to make a testimonial video is that the best results come from effective planning. It might appear to the viewer that your customer is speaking ‘off the cuff’, but it’s really an illusion created by good preparation and clever editing.

A good plan starts with a clear brief. Yes, you want your interviewees to wax lyrical about your products or services, but is there a particular offering you want to push above anything else? Which USP do you most want to get across?

Who are you going to interview? You will want to include your highest profile clients and those who have had the most satisfaction from your product or service. However, you might also want to consider those customers who can add a lot of personality to a video. Some people are just natural video stars!

How to make a testimonial video: 4 steps

Andrea from House of Marbles was a good choice because she was such a natural in front of the camera

Setting a brief is most important if you are working with a third party because they won’t be familiar with your brand. Your brief will also inform your budget. A short ‘talking head’ style interview for your corporate website will require fewer resources than a lengthy cinematic sequence complete with drone footage and special effects.

Your plan should also include how you intend to distribute your testimonial video and the deliverables you can expect. If using a third party, make sure you are clear on usage rights.

Think about other video projects too. If you are also going to need product demo and company origin videos, it makes financial sense to spend a whole day filming everything you need than to book three or four separate slots.

Your interviewee(s) should be prepped well ahead of time. It is good practice to send them a short list of questions, a few days ahead of shooting so they can think about their answers.

We recommend you ask them these three:

1.What did you originally come to us for?

This will take them back to the issues they were facing and what problems they needed to solve. Were they looking for something different than they needed – did you help?

2.Why did you choose us?

This helps them recall their decision-making process. It should highlight your USPs (what you do differently).

3. Why do you continue to choose us?

This may seem a strange question, but it leads into the results they have had. Ask them to dig out some specific stats and facts for you.

Step 2. Set up your shoot

For a basic testimonial video, the three most important technical factors are bright, even lighting; a comfortable, visually appealing background and clear audio.

how to make a testimonial video
Having fun on the shoot helps everyone relax and encourages a natural conversation

On the day of the shoot, welcome each interviewee and help them to relax. Explain that you may leave slightly longer pauses between questions than with a normal conversation. Tell them that the conversation will be unscripted, so it could meander and take up to an hour depending on the individual.

Ideally, use a two camera setup with someone moving in on close-ups. This means you can cut away to trim the narrative. It also adds more visual appeal. Leave gaps between your questions because this will help with editing.

Step 3. Edit and add graphics

Once the raw footage has been collected, you will need to create an MP4 file (or similar) using post-production software such as Adobe Premiere Pro. Here is where you can cut between different angles, apply cropping, adjust video and audio settings, add music and more.

Adding captions and animations to your edited sequence completes the post-production process. For accessibility, you may want to include closed captioning for viewers who are hearing impaired.

Step 4. Distribute your video

The final step in how to make a testimonial video is exporting the edited footage to whatever format(s) you need. This will depend on how you are going to release the video to the public.

It is now easier than ever to host video content on a corporate website. This gives you maximum control but, depending on your website platform, you may need some assistance in uploading and displaying your video. Hosting multiple videos can also slow a website down, so speak to your web developer for advice on this.

Youtube can host your video and give you an embed code to avoid the server having to support it

An alternative route is to use a video hosting platform such as YouTube. The platform will do the heavy lifting while you display the video on your website using a lightweight widget. This offers several advantages over self-hosting, including easy set-up, powerful promotional tools and video analytics. On the flipside, your viewers may have to endure advertising, and you will have less control over the service.

Many social media platforms, including LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, allow users to post video content. Each platform will have its own parameters regarding video duration, resolution and content, so make sure you check this out so you can create videos to fit.

How to make a testimonial video with help from Vu Online

It’s one thing to know in theory how to make a testimonial video, but its quite another to put all the pieces together into a fully-fledged project, especially when you’re running a hectic business.

Vu Online’s Video Production Service is designed to take away the hassle. With experience in all aspects of video production, we can provide a turn-key solution to all your video needs.

With access to a wealth of video resources, from drone pilots and gimbals to 3D camera technology, we can support you in creating any type of video, from product demos and origin stories to remote premise tours and aerial footage.

See Rachel’s video below for an example of a Vu testimonial video.

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