Creating Powerful and Engaging Video Testimonials

[Part of a continuing series] Consider how these important marketing touchpoints intersect:

• Video content now accounts for well over half of the traffic online
• Well over half of health and healthcare searches begin with an Internet search
• Positive reviews and testimonials strongly influence purchase decisions

So this formula—video-plus-Internet-plus-testimonials—is a powerful combination for effective healthcare marketing. What’s more, digital technology has advanced rapidly, and online video testimonials are:

• Widely supported (Facebook, YouTube and many other platforms)
• Easy to create (beyond everyone’s iPhone, digital video hardware abounds), and
• Inexpensive to produce (acceptably good quality is nearly free)

How video testimonials are powerful…

As a recent real-world example, a young friend of ours became aware of the benefits of neurofeedback mainly by having seen a video testimonial. In this case, the video she saw was by another young person…someone much like herself that she could easily relate to…and that opened the door to investigate further.

Although written testimonials are effective, and online reviews are influential, real-people video testimonials are:

• Personal
• Engaging
• Compelling, and
• Easily shareable

In presenting honest and believable first-person testimonials, the video form presents a positive and influential message that wins the day. Video testimonials are powerful because:

• Consumers believe other users more than the word of experts or advertising messages
• First person testimonials can convey emotions and engender trust
• Individuals tend to relate to ideas or things that mirror themselves
• Social validation or proof directs buying decisions that follow the choice of others
• The voice of customers is more believable than the word of the business
• Videos provide pre-purchase assurance or implied satisfaction for the prospective buyer

Most objections are common misconceptions…

Ask any professional practice about creating short videos or testimonials and you are likely to run headlong into common objections—that are actually misconceptions:

• “People don’t want to comment (or to be asked)” – Satisfied customers actually are pleased to be asked and appreciate the opportunity to provide meaningful feedback.
• “Video content is difficult or expensive to create” – The cost of photography and production has dropped dramatically with the availability of digital hardware and software.
• “Written testimonials are just as good”– The written word is useful, but video messages have a greater impact.

Engaging video content and testimonials…

When a business talks about itself, the audience has an automatic concern about credibility. But when customers/consumers/patients speak about a business or their own experience, their words—through video testimonials—are far more influential and engaging than pure advertising messages.