Video Testimonials Increase Click-Through Rates

Does your marketing strategy include testimonial videos by customers? If it doesn’t, it may be time to include it. Research has shown just how important video testimonials are in gaining your audiences’ trust; in the age of reputation marketing, they play a crucial role in converting viewers to customers.

The Importance of Video

As the interactivity of the internet continues to increase and buzzwords like content marketing enter marketer’s heads, video marketing continues to raise its importance. In 2013, 82 percent of marketers confirmed that video marketing had a positive impact on their business. Meanwhile, even only mentioning the word ‘video’ in a promotional email can increase click-through rates by 7-13 percent.

Why has video marketing been so successful? Because 65 percent of people are visual learners. But even those not officially classified as such generally prefer viewing content rather than reading it. That’s especially true online, where the screen size and number of potential distractions has reduced our attention span significantly.

Including video on your website combats that reduced attention span. By speaking directly to the emotions of the audience and conveying content in a visual way, videos engage the viewer to take action. In short, video allows marketers to reach their audience in a visual and fun way.

The Persuasiveness of Testimonials

When you purchase a product on line, where do you turn for “social proof” that the product will satisfy your expectations? If you’re like most internet users, the answer is customer reviews, which makes sense. Reading what actual users think about a product or service is much more believable than wafting through promotional text.

Statistics support the importance of peer reviews: 85 percent of users read online reviews before purchasing a product, 73 percent of users trust a business with positive reviews, and no less than 72 percent trust a review by a complete stranger. According to a Harvard Business School study, a 1-star increase in rating on Yelp (a popular review site) can lead to an increase in revenue between 5 and 9 percent. Peer reviews have become an important part of our buying decision.

Putting It All Together

The importance of video and persuasiveness of testimonials make video testimonials a natural fit for your business. After considering the statistics, it should be no surprise that p90x creator Beachbody tripled its conversion rate due to video testimonials. These testimonials allow your company to distribute authentic, persuasive content of actual customers, while taking advantage of a medium that’s perfect for today’s digital age.