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Are Video Testimonials Better than Text Testimonials for Conversion?

Sep 20, 2024
Ben Russell
Founder

Ever wonder why some brands turn casual browsers into loyal buyers faster than others? It’s not magic—it’s testimonials. Whether written or on video, customer testimonials are powerful tools when it comes to building trust and driving sales. They offer real social proof, showing potential buyers that your product or service really works.

But the burning question remains: are video testimonials better than text testimonials when it comes to driving conversions? Now imagine this—you’re about to buy a product online. You’ve read a few reviews, but then you see a video testimonial from a real customer. Instantly, you connect with their experience, see the product in action, and feel more confident about your purchase.

That’s the power of video testimonials—they don’t just tell; they show, and they convert.

While both have their merits and text reviews have long been the norm, video testimonials—especially video UGC—have been proven to capture attention, engage viewers, and leave a lasting impression more effectively. And with tools like Clipara, creating dynamic, short-form video experiences has never been easier. Clipara lets businesses showcase video UGC in a way that feels fresh—like the TikTok and Instagram experiences people love. From clickable grids to shoppable videos, Clipara transforms testimonials into powerful conversion tools.

What Are Text Testimonials?

Text testimonials are the traditional, written statements from customers who share their experiences with your product or service. You’ve likely seen them scattered across websites, often taking the form of short quotes, reviews, or detailed case studies.

Here are a few examples of how text testimonials are used:

Google Reviews

Reviews are brief and easy to read. They offer quick insights into customer satisfaction and can be effective for SEO. For example, Michelin-star restaurant The Ledbury features Google reviews where diners share their experiences, helping prospective customers gauge the quality of their dining experience.

Quote Testimonials

Similar to reviews, quote testimonials are easy to read and provide immediate insights into user satisfaction. Milanote, a visual collaboration tool, uses short quotes on their homepage to highlight positive user feedback. These quotes provide a snapshot of user satisfaction and the tool’s benefits, making it easier for potential users to see its value quickly.

Case Studies

Case studies provide detailed accounts of how organisations have successfully used a product or service. Salesforce features in-depth case studies that include text testimonials from customers. These detailed stories offer valuable insights into how different businesses have benefited from Salesforce, though they can be longer and more involved to read.

Pros of Text Testimonials:

  • Quick and easy to consume: Text reviews can be read in seconds, making them highly accessible to customers browsing your site.
  • Good for SEO: Text is easily optimised with keywords, helping your site rank higher in search engine results.
  • Low-cost to produce: You can collect written testimonials through simple email requests, surveys, or review platforms without much hassle.

Cons of Text Testimonials:

  • Less engaging: It’s easy for users to skim past text without fully absorbing its message. There’s less emotional engagement compared to video.
  • Lacks authenticity: Text can sometimes feel scripted or impersonal, which can reduce its ability to build genuine trust.

Conclusion: While text testimonials serve their purpose, especially for SEO, they struggle to create the emotional connection needed to inspire action, especially when compared to video.

What Are Video Testimonials?

Video testimonials feature real customers talking about their experiences with your brand, often highlighting key benefits, emotions, and outcomes. With the rise of video on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, video testimonials, particularly video UGC, have become a powerful tool to increase both engagement and conversions.

Take a look at these examples:

Video UGC

Ombe, a credit card membership service, leverages video testimonials on its homepage, powered by Clipara. Their customers' exciting and relatable video reviews are presented in engaging carousels and swappable formats, making the content more shareable and impactful than text-based alternatives. Clipara enhances the experience by seamlessly integrating these dynamic video testimonials, capturing the essence of customer satisfaction and building trust.

Video Testimonials

Slack features video testimonials from companies using their platform, directly on their homepage. These testimonials offer a compelling look at how various organisations benefit from Slack’s communication tools. While this approach is effective for showcasing real-world use cases, the YouTube videos are not swipeable, meaning users can view them individually but cannot navigate through a carousel of different testimonials.

Pros of Video Testimonials:

  • Higher engagement: People are far more likely to watch a video than read a block of text. According to statistics from Wyzowl, video content holds attention 95% better than text, making video testimonials an ideal format for communicating key messages. You can check out more statistics here.
  • Builds trust and authenticity: Seeing real customers speak about their experiences, their body language, and their facial expressions can create an emotional connection that text simply can’t.
  • Versatile content: Video testimonials can be repurposed across multiple platforms—whether it’s on your website, social media channels, or even in paid ads.
  • Conversion power: Video testimonials can boost conversion rates by up to 80%. That’s a massive increase when compared to text-only testimonials.

Cons of Video Testimonials:

  • Production costs: While videos require more time, effort, and sometimes expense, tools like Clipara make the process more affordable and efficient by simplifying video collection and integration. Clipara’s user-friendly platform helps businesses create and showcase engaging video testimonials without breaking the bank..
  • Time-consuming: Getting customers to film, edit, and submit video testimonials can take longer than simply gathering written reviews. Using user-generated content (UGC) can make this easier. By encouraging customers to create and submit their own video testimonials, businesses can speed up the process and cut down on production time. Learn more about collecting UGC here.

Conclusion: While video testimonials may take more effort and investment, they offer much more in return, driving higher engagement, building trust, and converting viewers into customers.

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Why Do Video Testimonials Convert Better?

1. Emotional Connection

Video testimonials allow for non-verbal cues like facial expressions and tone of voice, which create a stronger emotional connection. These elements help potential customers relate to the person in the video, making them more likely to trust the review and, ultimately, convert.

2. Data-Backed Evidence

The data is clear: video converts better. Research from WiserNotify shows that adding a video testimonial to a landing page can increase conversions by as much as 34%. Additionally, 79% of people say they’ve been convinced to buy a product or service by watching a video testimonial.

3. Increased Trust

When potential customers see real people talking about their genuine experiences, it fosters a sense of trust that text just doesn’t match. A customer smiling while talking about how your product changed their life is far more convincing than a block of text.

4. SEO Benefits

Video content is increasingly prioritised by search engines like Google. Not only does video drive more traffic, but search engines also tend to rank pages with video content higher. This leads to better organic visibility and, as a result, more conversions.

Introducing Clipara: The Modern Video Testimonial Tool

If you’re looking for a way to create dynamic, engaging, and modern video testimonials, Clipara is the solution. Built to deliver TikTok- and Instagram-like experiences, Clipara helps brands showcase video UGC in short-form, multi-video formats, perfect for today’s fast-paced digital world.

Key Features of Clipara:

  • Effortless video embeds: No coding needed—just easily embed short-form videos directly on your site.
  • Customisable layouts: Whether you prefer a carousel or grid, Clipara lets you design a layout that matches your brand
  • Multi-video experiences: Display several testimonials or stories at once, creating a richer experience for your audience.
  • Optimised for performance: Clipara ensures that video content won’t slow down your site, making it ideal for high-traffic websites.

Examples of Clipara in Action:

Atlas Packs: Features a sleek integration of video testimonials that highlight customer experiences in a visually engaging way, enhancing user interaction.

FlipMits: Showcases video testimonials that emphasize product use and customer satisfaction, providing a relatable and compelling narrative for potential buyers.

Flashpack: Uses Clipara to feature travel-related UGC, displaying a carousel of video testimonials that offer an engaging, immersive experience for users interested in adventure travel.

Video Testimonials vs. Text Testimonials: The Verdict

While both text and video testimonials have their place in your marketing strategy, video testimonials are the clear winner when it comes to driving conversions, . While text reviews are straightforward and cost-effective, they lack the emotional depth and engagement that videos provide.

If you’re serious about taking your testimonials to the next level, consider investing in video testimonials and leveraging a platform like Clipara to easily collect and display them on your website. By doing so, you’ll create an engaging, modern experience that your customers will trust—and that will ultimately drive results.

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