5 Mistakes to Avoid in Remote Testimonial Videos

Quick Links

• Complete Guide to Remote Testimonial Videos
• Best Tools for Remote Testimonial Videos
• Remote vs. In-Person Testimonials

Introduction

Remote testimonials are supposed to make your life easier — faster, cheaper, and more authentic than flying out a film crew. But there’s a catch: if you don’t set them up the right way, it’s easy to end up with footage that feels unpolished, unfocused, or unusable.

The good news? Most of these problems are easy to avoid. By steering clear of a few common mistakes, you’ll turn remote testimonials into one of the most effective assets in your marketing toolkit.

Mistake #1: Bad Audio

Poor audio is the number one killer of a testimonial. If people can’t hear clearly, they won’t watch.

Fix: Encourage customers to record in a quiet room with minimal background noise. Headphones or earbuds with built-in mics usually work better than a laptop mic. Remind them to avoid echoey rooms like kitchens or open spaces.

Mistake #2: Poor Lighting

Even the best story can feel untrustworthy if the video is dark or backlit.

Fix: The easiest solution is natural light. Ask customers to face a window during the day. If that’s not possible, a simple desk lamp positioned in front of their face is enough. Avoid overhead lights or sitting with a bright window behind them.

Mistake #3: Over-Scripting the Answers

When customers try to read a script, they sound robotic. It strips away the authenticity that makes testimonials powerful.

Fix: Instead of scripts, provide open-ended prompts. Examples:

• “What problem were you trying to solve?”
• “What changed once you started using it?”
• “What would you say to someone considering it?”

The best lines come from customers speaking naturally, not reading word-for-word.

Mistake #4: Rambling or Overly Long Stories

Sometimes customers get comfortable and start going off track. A testimonial that drags for five minutes loses attention.

Fix: Ask for short clips instead of long takes. Encourage answers under one minute. Later, you can trim these into a 90-second story that stays sharp and focused.

Mistake #5: No Clear Story Arc

A bunch of random clips isn’t a testimonial. Without a beginning, middle, and end, viewers won’t connect.

Fix: Structure the edit around a simple arc:

1. Problem → what they were struggling with.
2. Solution → how your product or service helped.
3. Result → what’s different now.

This format works every time and makes the testimonial easy to follow.

Pro Tips to Elevate Your Testimonials

• Ask for a “soundbite” → a single, short line you can overlay as text or pull into a sales deck.
• Keep the energy high → remind customers to smile and talk like they’re chatting with a friend.
• Capture more than you need → you can always cut down later, but you can’t add what isn’t recorded.

Example Scenario

A customer named Alex records his testimonial in his home office. At first, he sits with a window behind him — the footage looks dark and washed out. By turning to face the window, the video instantly looks brighter and more professional.

Instead of sending Alex a script, you give him three prompts. He records short clips, each under a minute. Later, you edit them into a tight 90-second story: Alex explains the challenge, how your product solved it, and what changed afterward. Clean, simple, and effective.

FAQs

What’s the most important thing to get right?
Audio. People will forgive less-than-perfect visuals, but they won’t stick around if they can’t hear the story.

Do I need to coach the customer live?
Not necessarily. Clear written instructions with a few examples usually get the job done.

Can remote testimonials still look professional?
Yes. With basic fixes like lighting and audio, they can look better than many in-person shoots.

Conclusion

Remote testimonials don’t require a big budget or a film crew. They just require the right setup. By avoiding bad audio, poor lighting, over-scripting, long rambles, and unclear storytelling, you’ll end up with proof that feels authentic and powerful.

At ProofPudding, we build every testimonial around these principles — so your customer stories look sharp, sound great, and hit home every time. 👉 See Plans

‍