The evolution of testimonials

Testimonials have evolved over time as a marketing tool, from oral testimonials, the famous word-of-mouth, to written testimonials, propelled in particular by ecommerce sites. And finally to video testimonials, with the rise of technological means.

Earplugs

Word of mouth is the world’s oldest testimonial format. This is the very essence of recommendation. Before the advent of various information technologies, this was the only way for a company or retailer to build its reputation with the help of satisfied customers.

Written testimonials

The use of written testimonials has been common practice for many years, with companies collecting and sharing written statements from satisfied customers to build trust and credibility with potential customers. This has been democratized by the spread of the Internet and online sales in particular. E-commerce sites widely promote customer testimonials, or to be more precise, customer reviews. They reassure consumers before they make a purchase.

Video testimonials

However, the rise of social media, the miniaturization and accessibility of video recording technologies, and online platforms have led to the emergence of video testimonials. They offer potential customers a more personal and engaging way to discover a product or service.
Video testimonials allow customers to share their experiences through video, which can be more effective in building trust and credibility than written testimonials.

Conclusion

In addition, the use of video analytics and AI could help companies to better understand and target their audience with video testimonials in the future.

Overall, the use of testimonials will continue to evolve and change over time.

See our article on the evolution of video testimonials over the next 5 years.

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