As humans, our nature drives us to seek out comfort and security as a survival mechanism. Something predictable is always a safer bet than gambling on the unknown. For our prehistoric ancestors, this might have looked like choosing to spend the night in a familiar cave instead of venturing out to find a new form of shelter. While selecting a new product or service might not seem as high stakes as this scenario, it still produces the same reaction in us: the familiar is always more comfortable. 

As marketers, this pattern of human behaviour can be useful. From a psychological standpoint, testimonials provide customers with a feeling of security, giving them the confidence to take a risk and try a new product or service. This is equally, if not more pronounced in B2B marketing, where businesses, like humans, are risk-averse. Testimonials can be exactly what you need to instil a sense of trust in order to convert leads.

But, you say, what exactly are testimonials?

Here at VidOps, we throw the word around a lot. In reality, the term may be broader than you realise. A testimonial is simply an endorsement from a trusted source in favour of one’s character or qualities. When it comes to testimonials in marketing, the sources are usually satisfied customers, and the endorsement for the quality of your product or services. Unlike case studies, which are designed to present a detailed narrative, testimonials focus on the broader emotional aspects of a client's experience with you (See: Case Studies or Testimonials: What's the Difference?). They can be presented in a variety of formats, including written, image and text-based graphics, or our personal favourite, video. 

Video is our favourite because, as visual storytellers, it has by far the greatest emotional impact on viewers. Research indicates that an audience retains 95% of a message when watched in a video, compared to only 10% when reading the same information in text form​ (Lemonlight)​. This highlights the lasting emotional impact of video content, which engages multiple senses and leaves a more memorable impression compared to text.

Video testimonials, then, are that much more impactful in the connection they are able to make with your viewers. They satisfy the desire for predictability and familiarity by building trust and will stick with viewers long after written text would. In fact, they are so appealing to leads that Fan & Fuel reports that 94% of customers read reviews before making a purchase (See: The Secret Power of Customer Reviews). 

For more information about the power of testimonials, visit our Testimonials page.