How to get video testimonials from customers, step by step
When to ask, what to ask and how to get permission, so happy customers send you short video testimonials from their phone. No app or film crew.
The SayCandid team3 min read
Key takeaways
- A video testimonial is a short clip of a real customer talking about your business in their own words, usually filmed on their phone.
- Ask right after a good experience, with a personal message and one link that opens in the browser. No app, no account.
- Give two or three simple questions about a moment, and thank everyone the same way, whatever they say.
- Get clear permission to use the video, and approve each one before it shows on your website.
In this article
To get video testimonials from customers, ask happy customers right after a good experience, send them one link they can record from on their phone, give them two or three questions, and get their permission before you use the video. This guide walks through each step.
A video testimonial is a short video in which a real customer talks about your business: what they bought or booked, how it went, and why they would recommend you. It is usually filmed on a phone, in one take, in their own words. Written reviews tell people what customers think. A video shows the person saying it.
When to ask for a video testimonial
The best moment is right after a good experience: at the end of a stay, when a job is done well, or when a customer says thank you. The experience is fresh, and they are already in a good mood.
Ask people you know were happy, like the customer who just told you "this was great". Months later, the details have faded and the moment has passed.
How to get video testimonials, step by step
- Pick the moment. Ask while the good experience is fresh, ideally the same day.
- Send one link. Your customer should be able to open it and start recording straight away. Every extra step (an app to install, an account to make, a file to email back) is one more reason to give up.
- Give them a few questions. Most people don't know what to say on camera. Two or three questions on their screen while they record take that worry away.
- Make the message personal. "Hi Sam, it was great having you!" works better than a general request. Say it takes a couple of minutes. Ready-made messages: How to ask customers for video testimonials.
- Say thank you. Show a thank-you after they send, and if you like, a small gift such as a discount code.
- Watch it before anyone else does. Approve the videos you want to use. Nothing should go public without your OK.
- Put it where people decide. Show the videos on your website, on the pages where visitors choose whether to buy or book.
What to ask in a video testimonial
Good questions are about a moment, not an opinion. "What made your stay special?" gets a better answer than "Rate our service".
Questions that work for most businesses:
- What made you choose us?
- What was the best part of your experience?
- What would you tell a friend who is thinking about it?
- Would you recommend us to a friend? Why?
Keep it to two or three. Your customer can answer some or all of them, and a short, honest answer is worth more than a long, rehearsed one.
Get permission the right way
A customer's face, voice and name are theirs. Before you use a video, they should clearly agree to how you will use it: on your website, on social media, in ads. Ask for that in writing at the moment they send the video, not afterwards.
It also helps to say that you may shorten, crop or add captions to the video, so nobody is surprised later.
How to do it with SayCandid
SayCandid puts all of these steps in one place:
- Make a link. Press New request. The note and questions your customer sees are already filled in, and you can change them. See How do I ask a customer for a video?
- Send it by WhatsApp, text or email. One link can take many videos. See How do I send the link to my customer?
- Your customer records on their phone or computer in four short steps: record, check, rate and send. They tick a box that lets you use the video before sending. See What do my customers see?
- You approve it. New videos wait under To review, and nobody else sees them until you approve. See How do I approve a video?
- It shows on your website. Paste one piece of code on your site once. After that, every video you add shows up there by itself. See How do I put videos on my website?
You can also set a thank-you gift that your customer gets the moment they send. See How do I give a thank-you gift?
Questions people ask
- How long should a video testimonial be?
- Short. Most good video testimonials are under a minute. On SayCandid a video can be up to 2 minutes on the Free plan and up to 10 minutes on Pro.
- Do my customers need an app or an account?
- Not with SayCandid. They open your link on their phone or computer and record in the browser. If they already filmed a video, they can upload it instead.
- Is a video testimonial the same as a video review?
- Mostly, yes. Both mean a customer talking about you on camera. "Testimonial" is the usual word when you ask for one and use it in your marketing, which is what this guide is about. In SayCandid, the videos your customers send are under Video reviews.
- Can I use customer videos in ads?
- Only with their permission. On SayCandid every customer ticks a box before sending, agreeing that you may use the video, their name and the role and company they typed on your website and in ads. They can take that back by writing to you.
- Should I give something in return?
- A small thank-you, like a discount code, is a nice touch. Give it to everyone who sends a video, whatever they say and however many stars they give. That keeps the reviews honest.