How Not to Create a Video Testimonial

Testimonials from existing customers are an invaluable customer draw in hard times. So if you're going to invest in a video testimonial, make sure you get it right.

There are four simple rules for getting video testimonials right.

1. Visual appeal.
2. Ability to engage.
3. Technical quality.
4. Overall flow.

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3X6Lq5P9OE More could have been made of the branding here, even by simple use of a branded aston (on-screen caption identifying the subject). The technical quality was also poor -- grainy and, on occasions, difficult to view.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ubp3GEhOjBU The lighting and sound quality here are poor. More important, the content is delivered in a haphazard way -- the subject is virtually given carte blanche to say whatever he wants to camera, which is a very risky approach. In this case, the subject ends up virtually embarrassing the interviewer.
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2gRA31W2Z6o&feature=related and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaXhpM3sDx4&feature=related Grainy, fuzzy and the edges of the subjects are blurred. All this could have been prevented by shooting the video correctly against green or blue screen, ensuring lighting was used to separate the subject from the colour behind it. Good compositing software can help to save a poorly shot, chromakeyed video. Generally though, like most things, it's a case of "rubbish in, rubbish out". It's also a bit out of date -- Elnaugh's company was bought out several years back.