Consumers seem to be wary of being assaulted by ad claims that seem distant from reality. Brand messaging and smart graphic designs are being consciously screened for credibility. It isn’t that ad has lost its magic, though. Consumers have only grown wiser and more informed. To a large extent, currently, sentiment is driven by what is believable, tested and confirmed.
“As skepticism of marketing ad claims grows, consumers crave proof” – Hustle24
As well, the barrage of ads being aired and published here and there doesn’t help the marketers’ case. The target audience is beginning to see that not every ad is true. Skepticism is building like never before. Distrust is also getting deeper.
The Britannica Money captured the prevailing reality: “From the consumer’s point of view, the basic criticism of advertising is that it leads people to purchase goods that they have no wish to purchase by presenting misleading and untruthful statements or by creating wants, needs, and desires in their minds that might not otherwise exist.”
You know the preceding means. Marketing departments must be continuously searching for better ways to persuade consumers or shape behaviours to their advantage. From that backdrop, Consumer Testimonial Campaign (CTC) has emerged as the brand’s path to offsetting the decline in ad efficiency.
CTC is a strong social proof of a product’s acceptance and effectiveness in usage scenarios. As skepticism of marketing ad claims grows, consumers crave proof.
Testimonial campaigns humanise a brand. Testimonials can come in the form of real customer stories and user experience narratives, which add a personal touch to a brand, making it more relatable in the eyes of the audience.
According to Big Commerce, 72% of consumers said they are more inclined to purchase a product following contact with a positive testimonial campaign. A Nielsen Company report revealed that 70% of the target segment claim they are influenced by recommendations. Vocal Video said 88% of marketing teams see at least a 10% improvement in sales following the addition of a testimonial campaign to their marketing mix.
The data are convincing. Factoring consumer testimonials into your marketing mix seems to be the right thing to do in an intensely noisy market. Doing so will distinguish your brand. Doing so will enrich your brand story. Doing so will help you gain attention. Doing so will establish your brand truth. Doing so will win you recommendations and patronage.
Here are three tips for conducting a successful CTC:
- Identify the consumers who genuinely love your brand or product – Truth be told. Every customer won’t sign up to be your cheerleader. You have to look out for those who genuinely love your brand and are willing to lend their voices to telling their usage experience.
- Usage audiovisual – Combine text testimonials and videos. Video testimonials are growing in popularity. If possible, feature the customer using the product and let them speak in a language that resonates with the audience. It is important to keep video testimonials short to avoid overkill.
- Place the testimonials strategically – Promote the testimonial videos on key platforms, especially on top socials. Ensure your audience is identified and targeted. Having the videos on your website is also strategic.
