How to Get Camera-Shy Customers to Leave a Video Testimonial

Video testimonials are a powerful way to get prospective customers’ attention. However, many existing customers feel uncomfortable in front of a camera. If you can help even the most camera-shy customers feel confident enough to share their experiences, you’ll have more video testimonials to leverage into more sales. Let’s take a look at some strategies to help camera-shy customers leave a video testimonial that feels comfortable and authentic.

Why Are Video Testimonials Important?

Video testimonials are a powerful marketing tool and one of the most powerful types of social proof. Customers look to other customers when they’re uncertain about what to buy, but many online reviews are becoming increasingly unreliable and fake. Video testimonials are harder to fake, and it’s easier for consumers to tell when a video testimonial is real. This means customers tend to trust video testimonials more than text-based reviews or testimonials. Showing off your video testimonials not only means showing your potential customers that your business is beloved, but it can also help to address potential customers’ concerns, answer their questions, and show how your product or service is best used.

You’re probably already aware of the power of authentic video testimonials, but you may struggle to get customers to provide them. Many businesses do! It’s understandable that customers may feel uncomfortable in front of the camera. Here are a few ways to help camera-shy customers leave video testimonials.

How to Get Camera-Shy Customers to Leave a Video Testimonial

1. Understand Why Customers Feel Camera-Shy

Before you can help customers get comfortable on camera, it’s crucial to understand why they feel camera-shy. Many people experience stage fright, feeling self-conscious about their appearance, voice, or ability to articulate their thoughts clearly. Others may feel pressure to say something profound or worry about making mistakes. Some simply don’t like being the center of attention.

If you can, talk with your customers about why they are resistant to giving a video testimonial. Try to find your best customers and those that really enjoy your business. If you understand why they’re unwilling to provide a video testimonial, you’ll be in a better position to create an experience that feels relaxed rather than intimidating.

2. Create a Comfortable and Supportive Environment

One of the best ways to ease a customer’s nerves is to create a setting that feels casual and welcoming. Instead of a formal studio setup with bright lights and a professional camera crew, consider filming in a comfortable environment—perhaps at their place of business, in a cozy office, or even outdoors if that makes them feel more at ease. If you collect video testimonials on your website, you can even allow your customers to record a video testimonial in their own setting, at their own pace.

Boast makes it easy to collect videos on your website
See how it works >>

3. Start with an Informal Chat Before Recording

Instead of jumping straight into filming, ease into it by having an informal conversation first. Ask your customer about their experience with your product or service in a casual manner before introducing the camera. This allows them to get comfortable speaking about their thoughts naturally, without the immediate pressure of being recorded.

Once they start talking freely, they’ll often forget the camera is even there. For example, if a customer used your software to collect and manage customer reviews, ask them to casually share a success story or a moment when the tool really made their job easier. As they talk, they’ll naturally start forming the testimonial in a way that feels authentic and conversational.

If you’re collecting video testimonials on your website and not interviewing your customer directly, you can use a few testimonial questions on your webpage to get your customer thinking about how they use your product or service.

4. Guide Them with Simple, Open-Ended Questions

Many customers struggle with what to say, which can make them freeze up on camera. Instead of expecting them to come up with a testimonial on their own, guide them with easy, open-ended questions.

You might ask things like, “What was your biggest challenge before using our product?” or “How has our service made a difference in your daily routine?” By framing the conversation this way, you help your customer focus on telling a story rather than worrying about crafting a perfect response. If they stumble, reassure them that they can pause, start over, or take their time. Some of the best testimonials come from a natural back-and-forth conversation.

5. Offer a Guided Format or Soft Script

Some people feel more confident if they have a basic structure to follow, rather than being put on the spot. Offering a loose video testimonial script or talking points can provide a helpful framework without making the testimonial feel robotic.

A good approach is to give your customer a three-part structure: introduce themselves, explain their challenge before using your product, and describe the results they’ve seen since. For example, a customer might say, “Hi, I’m Sarah, and I run a small online boutique. Before using this software, I struggled to collect and showcase customer reviews. Since implementing it, I’ve seen a 40% increase in new customers who trust the feedback on my site.” This structure keeps their thoughts organized while allowing room for natural expression.

Let your customers record video testimonials on their device, on their own time
Start a free trial of Boast >>

6. Use Editing to Remove Mistakes and Enhance Confidence

One of the biggest fears customers have is making mistakes on camera. Reassure them that they don’t have to get it perfect in one take, because editing will smooth everything out. If they fumble over their words or lose their train of thought, it’s easy to cut out mistakes and stitch together a polished final product.

Many customers relax significantly when they realize they don’t have to be perfect on the first try. Additionally, simple editing techniques like adjusting lighting, adding captions, and incorporating relevant visuals can enhance their testimonial and make it even more engaging for viewers.

7. Keep It Short and Sweet

Customers are often more willing to participate if they know they won’t be stuck in front of the camera for a long time. Let them know that their testimonial only needs to be 30-60 seconds long—just enough to share their key thoughts without feeling overwhelming.

Short testimonials tend to perform better online, since viewers tend to engage more with concise, impactful content. If a customer has a lot to say, you can always break the content into multiple clips or create a montage with highlights from different testimonials.

8. Show Examples of Other Testimonials

Sometimes, the best way to ease nerves is to show examples of past customer testimonials. When hesitant participants see that other real customers—just like them—have successfully recorded testimonials, they’ll feel more encouraged. Seeing a variety of people delivering natural, unscripted testimonials helps normalize the experience and reassures them that they don’t need to be a professional speaker to share their thoughts effectively. You might show these to your customer when you speak to them, or showcase a few testimonials on your collection landing page as examples.

Helping camera-shy customers feel comfortable enough to leave a video testimonial is all about creating a supportive, comfortable environment. Video testimonials don’t have to be perfect—they just have to be genuine! And when customers feel valued and supported, they’re more likely to share authentic stories that resonate with your audience.

If you’re interested in collecting authentic video testimonials and you want to give your customers the ability to film and submit videos using their own device and their own comfortable setting, give Boast a try. Try it free for 14 days to see how it works and get started collecting valuable, genuine, impactful testimonials from your customer.