Customer Video Testimonial Statistics: USA 2025 | TeraLeap

Trust is the foundation of effective marketing, and customer video testimonials are one of the quickest ways to build it. When captured and shared in the right way, these authentic customer stories enhance brand credibility, drive engagement, and improve conversions.

But what is the right way, and what’s working for industry professionals?

To find out what 130,979 marketing leaders’ opinions in the US are about video testimonials, we used AI-driven audience profiling to synthesize insights from online discussions for a full year, ending June 23rd, 2025, to a high statistical confidence level. The results show how leaders are using testimonial videos, what challenges they face, and what they believe makes these videos truly effective.

Index

• 30% of marketing leaders find customer testimonial videos extremely valuable for building trust with prospects
• 44% of marketing leaders likely prefer company websites for showcasing customer testimonial videos
• 18% of marketing leaders agree that limited engagement is their biggest challenge when creating customer testimonial videos
• 68% of marketing leaders agree that customer testimonials are a crucial element in the trust-building stage of the buyer journey
• 14% of marketing leaders prefer customer testimonial videos that are honest and direct
• 40% of marketing leaders definitely prefer featuring customers with recent success stories in testimonial videos
• Full-length interviews are a strong contender for performance for 57% of marketing leaders
• 45% of marketing leaders agree that genuine emotion absolutely makes a testimonial feel authentic 
• 23% of marketing leaders say testimonial videos are extremely helpful in assisting customers in making a decision
• 35% of marketing leaders’ main goal when using customer video testimonials is to support the sales team 
• 40% of marketing leaders say a great interview question is one that might show a customer’s personal journey
• 25% of marketing leaders say customer testimonial videos are a crucial asset for brand strategy
• 44% of marketing leaders say professional editing is absolutely essential in a vendor that creates customer testimonial videos
• Social sharing volume is a useful indicator of a successful testimonial campaign for 52% of marketing leaders
• 38% of our marketing leaders’ teams are primarily based in the Midwest
• Key Takeaways
• Methodology

What Do You Find Most Valuable About Using Customer Testimonial Videos?

30% of marketing leaders find customer testimonial videos extremely valuable for building trust with prospects

Customer videos are appreciated by marketing leaders for a variety of reasons:

Once seen as a nice-to-have, customer testimonial videos are now worth their proverbial weight in gold. Multiple studies reinforce this, including EnTribe research, which reveals that 86% of US consumers trust user-generated content more than influencer videos.

For our audience of US marketing leaders, this power to build trust is also where the most value lies. While some find customer testimonial videos somewhat beneficial (4%) or quite beneficial (15%), a large number (30%) say they’re extremely valuable. 

Part of this trust comes from humanizing the brand, which 22% of our audience say is extremely valuable, while 5% find it quite beneficial. Increasing engagement is also considered extremely valuable for 18% and another 1% say it’s somewhat beneficial. 

Additionally, a few marketing leaders (8%) agree that videos from customers are extremely valuable for strengthening credibility, and 1% find them quite beneficial. 2% say the same for supporting conversion rates, and the remaining 1% find them extremely valuable for this purpose. These numbers may be lower, but they highlight the immense value video testimonials offer on all levels.

TeraLeap’s Thoughts

No surprise from us here on the data — trust is everything! Makes sense most marketers talk about the trust building effects. If your buyer doesn’t trust you, they won’t buy. A great customer story says, “Don’t just take our word for it… look who’s already winning with us.”

What’s wild? Why more marketers aren’t talking about the credibility gap. The real reason these videos work. Your prospects are skeptical. Rightfully so. Testimonials are your fastest way to close that gap and show you’re the real deal.

Where Do You Prefer To Showcase Customer Testimonial Videos?

44% of marketing leaders likely prefer company websites for showcasing customer testimonial videos

Opinions differ about where to post testimonial videos:

As we saw, the majority of US consumers prefer customer videos to those produced by brands or influencers. This raises the question of where to post these testimonials. 

 

For our audience, 44% might prefer posting testimonial videos on their company website, while others might (6%) or definitely (21%) prefer using them in sales presentations. 14% definitely prefer using customer videos in email campaigns, while 7% might prefer posting them on social media platforms, which are definitely preferred by 6%. Only 2% might prefer showcasing them on their landing pages.

 

It’s interesting that relatively few marketing leaders choose social media platforms, considering that 239 million Americans (70%) used social media in 2024. This reflects a strategic preference for controlled environments like websites and sales presentations, where messaging and audience experience can be more carefully curated to drive trust, credibility, and conversions.

 

TeraLeap’s take

Makes sense most conversation is about just website. Your site is your digital front door. Buuuut… if your video’s buried on a “Customer Stories” page no one clicks, it’s not doing much.

We call it the “dust collector” effect. The video gets made, uploaded, and… forgotten. Collecting digital dust. Just because it lives on your site doesn’t mean it’s working for you.

The real opportunity? Getting those stories into conversion points. Email campaigns. Sales decks. LinkedIn posts. Retargeting ads. Anywhere your buyer is already looking. If the back parts of your website is the only place your testimonial shows up, you’re leaving major credibility-building opportunity (and revenue) on the table.

 

What Challenge Have You Faced When Creating Customer Testimonial Videos?

18% of marketing leaders agree that limited engagement is their biggest challenge when creating customer testimonial videos

Limited engagement is a big challenge, but it’s not the only one marketers face when creating customer videos:

 

One of the biggest challenges in creating customer videos is limited engagement, which is a definite issue for 18% of marketing leaders, while 15% say it’s occasionally problematic. Only 16% say this isn’t a concern. 

 

11% say that getting approvals from customers is a frequent issue, although this is only occasionally problematic for 13%. Consent is compulsory as it’s essential to obtain it before using video content posted on social media. Doing so without the creator’s permission could result in lawsuits and reputational damage. 

 

Other lesser-common challenges are low video quality frequently being an issue (10%), while another 10% say this is occasionally problematic, and scheduling interviews with customers is a frequent issue for 7%.

 

TeraLeap’s Take

This one hits home. The hardest part is often just getting customers to say yes — let alone scheduling, getting approvals, and pulling off a good recording.

What’s interesting is that while “limited engagement” had the most conversation, things like scheduling and approvals were flagged as frequent issues too. Really, it’s all part of the same pain: getting from “We should do a testimonial” to “We actually have one.”

That’s why we built our whole Customer Stories process to solve this. Also why we created the Tesitmonial Request Guide, to help every marketer address this problem. If creating a testimonial feels like pulling teeth, the system is broken. And the good news? That’s fixable.

What Role Do Customer Testimonials Play In Your Buyer Journey?

68% of marketing leaders agree that customer testimonials are a crucial element in the trust-building stage of the buyer journey

Marketing leaders value using customer videos in two main buyer journey stages:

Trust between brands and customers is crucial, whether as an element in the initial customer journey or a factor inspiring existing customers to return. PWC research confirms this, with 42% of executives saying that trust affects customer engagement. On the other hand, 61% of consumers have recommended trusted companies to family or friends, while 46% purchased more from a brand they trust, and 40% no longer purchase from companies they no longer trust.

It’s unsurprising, then, that 68% of our audience of US marketing leaders say that customer testimonials are a crucial element in the trust-building stage of their buyer journey, 4% say they play a minor role in this stage, and 3% say they are an important factor. 

When reaching the customer validation stage of the journey, 21% say testimonials are a crucial element, while 4% say they play an important role, putting trust-building far ahead. 

Teraleap’s Take

We’re seeing a theme here — trust, trust, trust. And honestly? We love it. Because when a buyer sees someone like them saying, “This worked for me,” it shortcuts the whole decision-making spiral.

But here’s the nuance: marketers also mentioned “customer validation” as a key use case — basically, proving that real customers exist. Which… is fine. But logos alone don’t build belief. Real stories do.

This is the heart of the credibility gap. It’s not just about showing that people buy your product. It’s about helping new buyers believe it’ll work for them, too. Testimonials fill that emotional gap — and when they’re real and relatable, they move buyers forward fast.

What Tone Do You Prefer Your Customer Testimonials To Have?

14% of marketing leaders prefer customer testimonial videos that are honest and direct

Marketing leaders have different preferences regarding the tone of customer testimonials:

It’s clear that marketing leaders have distinct preferences for testimonial tone, with five areas showing similar preference levels. 

Our results align with an Atlantic Marketing Journal highlighting the preference for honesty and humor in marketing communications. 8% of our audience absolutely prefer honest and direct videos, and 14% describe this as a preference, while only 1% disagree, saying they don’t really prefer it. 

13% say they prefer videos that are energetic and upbeat, with 7% saying they absolutely prefer this. For 8%, polished and professional videos are an absolute preference, while this is preferred by 12%. Another 12% say their absolute preference is for videos that are relatable and real, while only 7% describe this as their preference. 

When it comes to a warm and conversational tone, 14% say this is their preference, while 3% say it absolutely is. This suggests that while no single tone dominates across the board, authenticity, clarity, and relatability are all valued in varying but overlapping ways.

TeraLeap’s take

This one’s close to our heart. While some marketers prefer testimonials to be “polished and professional” or “energetic and upbeat,” the conversations with the most positive sentiment? “Relatable and real.”

We couldn’t agree more. When buyers see someone like them — not a polished actor, but a real human — it clicks. That’s how you build trust and break through the noise.

Interestingly, only 14% explicitly mentioned preferring an “honest and direct” tone. Our guess? That’s what they want — they just don’t always know how to ask for it. Good storytelling draws that out. It’s why we design interviews to pull real emotion, specific results, and those human moments that make the story stick.

What Types Of Customers Do You Prefer To Feature In Your Testimonials?

40% of marketing leaders definitely prefer featuring customers with recent success stories in testimonial videos

Different types of customers feature in testimonial videos:

Marketing leaders in the US have different preferences regarding the customers featured in their testimonial videos. The most noticeable preference in this regard is for recent success stories, with 40% saying they definitely prefer this and 19% might prefer it. In contrast, 11% might not prefer this, while 3% say this isn’t their preference. 

As for featuring long-term clients, this is the definite preference for 13%, while 8% might prefer it. 3% say they might prefer niche use cases, although this is the definite preference of 2%. 

None of the marketing leaders whose social media responses we analyzed preferred using industry leaders or power users in their testimonial videos, revealing a consistent desire for genuine, unscripted stories to enhance trust and relatability.

TeraLeap’s take

Majority of ocnversation is on only recent? Not a surprise. When you’re short on stories, you reach for whoever just had a win. It’s the “we need something” phase (we’ve all been there).

But this stat also reveals something deeper: most teams are still in reactive mode. They’re not building a customer story pipeline. They’re scrambling to get that one happy user on camera before the moment fades.

The truth? If you’re only capturing recent wins, you’re leaving strategic storytelling on the table. Mature programs feature a range: different industries, use cases, personas, geos. That comes later… once you’ve stopped treating testimonials like a one-off fire drill.

If you’re still chasing “anything we can get,” you’re not alone. But getting ahead means building a repeatable system, not just reacting to recency.

What Customer Testimonial Format Do You Find Performs Best?

Full-length interviews are a strong contender for performance for 57% of marketing leaders

Different success rates depend on the format of customer testimonials:

Among formats, full-length interviews are a top choice for our audience, with 17% describing this as the ultimate choice for performance. Another 57% say it’s a strong contender, but 8% say it isn’t the best fit for them. 

Short video clips are another preferred format, with 4% saying it is their ultimate choice and 7% saying it is a strong contender, while 2% say their ultimate choice is highlight reels. 

Considering Hubspot found that short-form marketing content had the highest ROI of any social media strategy, it’s surprising it didn’t rank higher. Another 2% say their top choice is the text plus video format, and for 8%, their ultimate choice is a case study combo. 

TeraLeap’s Take

We’re gonna challenge this one. “Full-length” is vague. Are we talking 20 minutes? Three? Either way, most buyers don’t have time to watch a long video.

We’ve found that highlight reels and short clips often do the real heavy lifting. A quick 20-second punch of social proof from multiple customers? That’s gold. Especially in sales decks, LinkedIn posts, and email follow-ups.

The truth is, most marketers have good content — they just haven’t broken it down into the right formats. A long interview is a great raw asset, but it’s not the finish line. It’s the starting point.

If you’re not repackaging your stories for the way people actually consume content today, you’re missing the opportunity.

What Makes A Customer Testimonial Feel Authentic To You?

45% of marketing leaders agree that genuine emotion absolutely makes a testimonial feel authentic 

Marketing leaders have different ideas about what makes customer testimonials feel authentic:

Customer testimonials lose impact when they feel inauthentic. However, marketing leaders have different opinions and preferences regarding injecting authenticity into customer videos. 

 

Genuine emotion from customers is a big plus, with 45% of US marketing leaders saying this absolutely makes a testimonial feel authentic and 3% saying it helps make a video feel genuine. However, 27% disagree, saying that even genuine emotion can come across as somewhat staged. 

 

For some marketing leaders, sharing specific benefits goes a long way to adding authenticity. 6% say this absolutely adds authenticity, and 10% say it feels genuine, although 6% say this can make videos seem staged. For 2%, consistent storytelling feels genuine, while another 2% say that seeing customers in a casual setting adds authenticity to their videos. 

 

It’s clear that while there’s no one-size-fits-all formula, authenticity in customer testimonial videos is most convincing when it balances emotional resonance with relatable storytelling and context that feels natural rather than rehearsed. This correlates with Nielsen’s often-referenced 2021 Trust in Advertising Study, which found that authenticity and relatability are key drivers of trust in advertising.

 

TeraLeap’s Take

Almost 75% of marketer’s conversation is on the value of genuine emotion? Yup. We get it. When someone lights up talking about their results or shares the struggle they overcame, people lean in. Emotion is what turns a testimonial into a story.

Sorta odd? How 27% marketers feel that even “genuine emotion” can feel staged. Which is wild. Maybe we’re just so used to fake-sounding content that even real reactions get second-guessed.

That’s why the way you capture the story matters. You can’t just hope emotion shows up. You have to earn it by asking better questions, helping people feel comfortable, and listening for the real stuff. That’s the interviewer’s job (something we foucs a lot on at TeraLeap).

You don’t need exactly a tearjerker. You need honest moments. That’s what buyer’s connect with.

What Feedback Have You Heard From Viewers?

23% of marketing leaders say testimonial videos are extremely helpful in assisting customers in making a decision

The marketing leaders we analyzed received a variety of responses from customers regarding testimonial videos:

On the topic of testimonial videos being more believable than text, 8% of marketing leaders say that customers indicate they are extremely more believable, while 18% say they are only generally more believable. Conversely, just 4% say that customer feedback showed they have some reservations about videos being more believable. 

 

In terms of helping customers make a decision, the highest number (23%) say videos are extremely helpful, while 4% say they are generally helpful, and 1% say there are some reservations regarding videos’ helpfulness. This aligns with reports that find nearly 8 out of 10 people say user-generated content (UGC), such as testimonials, highly impacts their purchasing decisions.

 

Some customer feedback was around videos making it easier to connect with brands. 3% say their feedback indicated that testimonials make it extremely easy, while another 3% say there are some reservations about the role of videos in this regard. 2% say testimonial videos do not make it easy for customers to connect with brands. 

 

When it comes to persuasiveness, 9% say they are extremely persuasive, 6% say they are generally persuasive, and 2% say they aren’t persuasive at all.

 

Customers also provided marketing leaders with feedback regarding the length and detail of testimonial videos. While 2% have some reservations about videos being too long or detailed, 3% say their customers describe the videos they’ve seen as generally too long or detailed. 

 

All this suggests that while testimonial videos are generally seen as more believable, persuasive, and helpful in driving customer decisions, their effectiveness still depends on striking the right balance in length, detail, and emotional tone to avoid diminishing their impact.

What’s Your Biggest Goal When Using Video Testimonials?

35% of marketing leaders’ main goal when using customer video testimonials is to support the sales team 

The biggest goals when using video testimonials vary among marketing leaders:

Our audience has different opinions regarding their biggest goals when using customer testimonial videos in their marketing efforts. For 35%, supporting the sales team is a top priority,  while 25% feel the same about driving traffic to product pages, and 7% say it is important. 

 

A further 23% say their top priority is educating potential clients, 3% say it’s building buyer confidence, 5% say growing social engagement, and just 1% say this is an important goal for them. 

 

This shows that customer testimonial videos’ greatest perceived value lies in enabling sales conversations and guiding prospects further down the funnel, rather than purely driving engagement or awareness.

TeraLeap’s Take:

Most conversation and highest sentiment about using for sales? 100% tracks! Sales wants ammo. A solid customer story gives reps instant credibility: “Here’s someone just like you… already winning with us.”

But here’s the twist: even though this is the top goal, it’s not where most teams are seeing results (see the other stat on “What Internal Team Benefits Most…”). And we get it — if the video’s hiding on a case study page somewhere, it’s not helping close deals.

Want to see real ROI? Make it easy for reps to actually use the story. Short clips, highlight reels, links they can drop mid-deck or post-demo — that’s where the magic happens.

What Makes A Great Interview Question For A Customer Testimonial?

40% of marketing leaders say a great interview question is one that might show a customer’s personal journey

Opinions are divided on what makes a great interview question for customers:

You need to ask the right questions if you want customer interviews that make an impact. For 40% of marketing leaders, a great question is one that might lead the customer to explain their personal journey, while 9% say a great question absolutely will do this. However, 5% say such a question might not show their personal journey. 

 

30% of our audience says the best question absolutely highlights transformation, while 3% aren’t as committal, saying that a great question might highlight the customer’s transformation. 1% of marketing leaders say the best questions are absolutely open-ended and relaxed, while 5% say great questions might meet this criterion.

 

This shows that marketing leaders believe impactful customer interviews depend heavily on asking questions that uncover personal stories and highlight transformation, suggesting that emotional depth and narrative arc are key to creating testimonial videos that audiences can connect with.

What Internal Team Benefits Most From Using Customer Testimonial Videos?

25% of marketing leaders say customer testimonial videos are a crucial asset for brand strategy

Different internal teams benefit from using testimonial videos from customers:

Based on our audience’s opinions, we identified four main internal teams benefitting from using customer testimonial videos: brand strategy, product marketing, customer success, and sales enablement. 

 

Brand strategy is crucial for success, and it took the lead with 25% of marketing leaders agreeing it is a crucial asset, 3% say it is somewhat useful, and 1% say it is highly beneficial. Following this is customer success teams, divided between those saying they are a crucial asset (21%) or simply highly beneficial (13%). Thereafter comes product marketing, with 16% saying videos are a crucial asset, 14% highly beneficial, and 3% somewhat useful. Conversely, 2% disagreed, saying they are not beneficial.

 

Lastly, customer videos are either a crucial asset (1%) or highly beneficial (1%) for sales enablement teams, showing that while there is some benefit, it is minimal.

 

TeraLeap’s Take

Wait… what? Sales is the top goal (see other stat), but the least impacted? That disconnect is costing many brands.

We’ve seen it firsthand — marketing creates great videos, but sales doesn’t end up using it. No delivery plan, no training, no guidance. So the content just… sits there.

That stat from Highspot still rings true: 70% of sales content goes unused. Let’s not let your testimonials fall into that pile. If sales is your intended audience, treat them like one. Serve them the content where they work, how they work — not buried five clicks deep on your website.

What Do You Look For In A Vendor Who Creates Customer Testimonial Videos?

44% of marketing leaders say professional editing is absolutely essential in a vendor that creates customer testimonial videos

Marketing leaders have different priorities regarding what they look for in customer testimonial video vendors:

Marketing leaders in the US have differing priorities when looking for vendors who create testimonial videos. For 44% of our audience, professional editing is absolutely essential, while this is an important consideration for 6% and not a priority at all for 7%. 

 

A customer-friendly process is absolutely essential for 12%, and 9% feel the same about brand-aligned storytelling. Although 11% say that flexible distribution rights are absolutely essential, this is only an important consideration for 2%. A fast turnaround is the least important, but it is still mentioned as being absolutely essential for 3%, while others say it’s either not a priority (4%) or irrelevant (2%). 

 

TeraLeap’s take

This one surprised us… in a good way. With so much user-generated content out there, we wondered if “polished” had lost its place. But it turns out, quality still matters. A lot.

Editing isn’t just about trimming clips. It’s about crafting a story that feels cohesive, authentic, and on-brand. It’s knowing which moments to highlight, how to pace the story, and how to make your customer look and sound like a total rockstar.

Great raw footage is a start. But great editing is what turns it into a high-converting asset your team actually wants to use. If you’re going to the effort of capturing a story, make sure the final product reflects the quality of your brand.

 

How Do You Measure The Success Of A Testimonial Campaign?

Social sharing volume is a useful indicator of a successful testimonial campaign for 52% of marketing leaders

US marketing leaders have different ways of measuring testimonial campaign success:

It’s estimated that by 2028, 6 billion people globally will use social media, so it’s understandable that 52% of our audience of marketing leaders say the amount of social sharing that happens is a useful indicator of the success of their testimonial video campaigns. However, this is either not a primary focus (42%) or irrelevant (1%) for some marketing leaders. 

 

Social sharing volume clearly dominates, but 2% also say that audience engagement is a critical metric for measuring campaign success, and only 1% mention sales team feedback, saying it isn’t a primary focus of theirs.

Which Region Are US Marketing Leaders’ Teams Primarily Based In?

38% of our marketing leaders’ teams are primarily based in the Midwest

Our audience of marketing leaders’ teams is based in various regions in the USA:

 

When it came to where our audience teams are based, the Midwest emerged as the most popular destination, with 38% primarily based in the region, and only 3% not mainly based there. Considering the Midwest is home to more than half of US private-sector manufacturing employment, 6.5 million of America’s 12.8 million manufacturing workers, and has been called the “Silicon Prairie” due to becoming a thriving hub for fintechs, this high concentration is easy to understand.  

 

For the remainder of our audience, 17% say they’re primarily in the South, 2% are primarily remote or national, and 12% on the East Coast. 15% are absolutely remote or national, and 4% are absolutely based on the West Coast, while 3% are not mainly based and not based at all in this same region. Among those who identified the West Coast, 3% aren’t mainly based there, and 3% aren’t based there at all. 

Key Takeaways

The data confirms what we see every day: video testimonials work, but most teams aren’t using them to their full potential. Trust is the goal, but the execution often falls short — stories still get buried on websites, never make it into sales decks, or die in the approval queue.

The opportunity? Think beyond just making the video. Build a system that gets the right stories, in the right formats, into the right hands. When you do that, testimonials stop being a checkbox and start becoming one of your most valuable sales and marketing tools.

If you want help briding the credibility gap with expertly crafted customer stories, captured with almost no work from you, let’s talk.

Methodology

Sourced by Artios from an independent sample of 130,979 United States marketing leaders’ opinions across X, Reddit, TikTok, LinkedIn, Threads, and BlueSky. Responses are collected within a 95% confidence interval and 6% margin of error. Results are derived from opinions expressed online, not actual questions answered by people in the sample.

About the representative sample:

• 43% of our audience of US marketing leaders are between the ages of 45 and 65.
• 52% identify as female and 48% as male.
• 39% earn between $200,000 and $500,000 annually.
• The highest number (25%) is based in the South Atlantic US.