Most happy customers are glad to say something nice about you. Very few will record a video. That is rarely because they don’t like you. Recording feels like work, and almost all of that work can be taken away.
Why people say no
Think about what a video request usually asks of someone: find a quiet room, set up the phone, think of what to say, record it three times, then work out how to send a large file. Each step is a reason to say “I’ll do it later”, and later rarely comes. Fix the steps and most of the “no” goes away.
1. Ask at the right moment
Timing matters more than wording. Ask when the customer is happiest:
- right after you deliver, when they have just said thank you;
- when they write something like “this is great” or “this worked”;
- after a result they can see, such as a launch, a sale or a solved problem.
Don’t wait three months. By then the excitement has faded and the request feels like a favour. Our guide on how to ask for a video testimonial has message templates you can copy.
2. Make it one step, not five
Every extra step loses people. Downloading an app, creating an account, uploading a file: each one is where a willing customer gives up.
The best setup is one link that opens on their phone and lets them record straight away, in the browser. No app, no sign-up, nothing to send afterwards.
3. Give them three simple questions
“Can you say something about us?” is hard to answer on the spot. Specific questions are easy:
- What was going on before you worked with us?
- What did we do, or what changed?
- What would you tell someone thinking about working with us?
Together they make a short before and after story, which is what makes a testimonial convincing. There are more in our list of testimonial questions.
4. Tell them how short it is
Say it only needs 30 to 60 seconds. People agree to “thirty seconds” far more readily than to “a quick video”, because the first one is a promise they can check. Short clips are also more useful to you: they fit on a web page, in a social post and in a sales email.
5. Let camera-shy people use their voice, or write
Some people will never turn the camera on, and that is fine. Give them choices:
- Voice only. Many people are happy to talk, just not to be seen.
- Text. Still real, still useful, and quick to give.
A voice note or a few honest written lines are far better than nothing. See video vs written testimonials for where each works best.
6. Help them feel ready
A lot of camera nerves are really “I don’t know how to look okay”. Send a few simple tips with your request: face a window, hold the phone at eye level, find a quiet spot, and don’t aim for perfect. We wrote a page you can send them, how to record a video testimonial on your phone.
Tell them they can re-record as many times as they like before sending.
7. Never script it, and never “improve” it
It is tempting to send a script, or to polish what someone said afterwards. Don’t.
- Real words sound real. Scripted testimonials sound like ads, and viewers can tell.
- It can be a legal problem. In the US, the FTC rule on reviews and testimonials, in effect since October 2024, bans fake testimonials, including AI-written ones. If you give something in return for a testimonial, say so where it is shown.
Trimming a long pause is fine. Changing what someone said is not.
8. Ask for permission clearly
Before you publish, make sure the customer knows where it will appear: your website, social media, ads. A short consent checkbox at the moment they record saves awkward conversations later. Our testimonial release form guide covers what to include.
9. Add captions
Many people watch with the sound off, on social media and at work. Captions make sure the testimonial is still understood, and they help viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing.
10. Use each one in many places
One good testimonial can work hard:
- your home page and pricing page;
- proposals and sales emails;
- social posts and short reels;
- case study pages.
Not sure where to start? See where to put testimonials on your website.
How Akteora helps
We built Akteora to take the work out of every step above:
- One link your customer opens on their phone to record video, voice or text. No app, no account.
- Your questions on screen while they record, and a consent checkbox built in.
- Transcripts and captions, made from what they actually said.
- You approve everything before it goes public.
- A website widget, a public testimonials page, and short captioned clips for social.
- The AI only picks the best moments. It never writes or changes a customer’s words.
Start free, or follow the step by step guide to collecting video testimonials with Akteora.
Common questions
How do I get customers to record a video testimonial?
Ask right after they have had a good result, send one link that opens the camera in their phone browser with no app or account, give them two or three specific questions, and tell them it only takes 30 to 60 seconds.
What if a customer does not want to be on camera?
Offer a voice recording or a written testimonial instead. Many people are happy to talk but not to be seen, and a real voice note or a few honest lines are far better than nothing.
Can I give customers a script for their testimonial?
No. Scripted testimonials sound like ads, and the words must be the customer’s own. Give them questions to answer instead, and only trim pauses afterwards, never change what they said.