Prepare the person, not a speech.
Ask for permission
Make sure the customer is comfortable being recorded and understands where the video may be published.
Video Testimonial Release Form
A simple PDF template you can customize before the recording.
Download PDF
Choose the setting
Find a quiet, well-lit area with little background noise. Natural light or soft indoor light works well. Avoid busy walkways, loud equipment, television screens, and windows directly behind the customer.
Use questions as prompts
- What problem did you have before working with us?
- How did our service solve that problem?
- What was your experience like working with us?
- Why did you choose our company over the alternatives?
- How quickly did we resolve the issue?
- What part of the service did you appreciate most?
- How has your home, life, or business improved?
- Would you use our services again?
- Would you recommend us to other people?
- What would you say to somebody considering hiring us?
Make the basics invisible.
- Stabilize the camera. A smartphone on a tripod or steady surface is enough. Record horizontally for a versatile frame.
- Put light in front. Do not place the customer in front of a bright window. Their face should be the brightest important object in the frame.
- Protect the audio. Turn off nearby equipment and reduce background noise. A simple lapel microphone helps in a large or echoing room.
- Keep it short. A focused 30 to 60 second story is easier to watch and easier to reuse.
Have a conversation.
- Ask one prompt at a time and let the customer answer naturally.
- Keep your tone relaxed. A comfortable customer gives a more believable answer.
- Ask for a second take only when an answer is unclear, not because it was imperfect.
- Watch a quick playback before the customer leaves. Confirm the face is lit, the audio is clear, and the background is not distracting.
Avoid the word-for-word script
The small pauses and the customer’s own language are part of the proof. Clean does not need to mean rehearsed.
Trim it, caption it, use it.
- Make simple edits. Use iMovie, CapCut, InShot, or another basic editor to remove dead time and add the business logo.
- Add captions. Many people watch with the sound off. Accurate captions improve comprehension and accessibility.
- Publish in more than one place. Add the video to the website, Google Business Profile, social channels, follow-up emails, and text messages where appropriate.
