Help customers record a good video
Send customers a one-minute guide to recording a testimonial on their phone
Most customers have never recorded themselves for a business. A few plain tips about light, sound and framing turn a dim, echoing clip into one you are glad to publish. Build the guide below and send it with your collection link.
- Written for the customer, not for you
- Short, medium and printable versions
- Fits the recording length your plan allows
Guide builder
Build the guide you send customers
Choose a length, fill in the details, and paste the guide into your request email or under your form prompts.
- Quick tips (paste under your request)
Before you record: - Face a window so the light is on your face, not behind you. - Find a quiet room and turn off music or the TV. - Hold the phone upright at eye level, or lean it on a stack of books. - Keep it to [about one minute]. Answer two things: [What made you get in touch with us?] and [What is different now?] No need for a script. Talking the way you would to a friend is perfect.
The guide is assembled in your browser. Nothing you type is sent or stored.
The problem, solved
Where a phone testimonial falls apart before it reaches you, and the fix
- Problem 1
They gave up at the app download
A customer who agreed to help will not create an account in an unfamiliar app to do it. The request dies on the install screen, and you never hear why.
How StoryProof solves it
Your StoryProof link opens a recorder in the phone’s own browser, so the customer taps it and starts filming with nothing to install.
- Problem 2
The recording stopped mid-sentence
A guide that says “about two minutes” on a form that stops sooner leaves the best line unsaid, and the customer rarely tries again.
How StoryProof solves it
The maximum recording length for each plan is fixed and listed, so you can set the target in your guide safely below it.
- Problem 3
A printed card has nothing to tap
Tips on a counter card or tucked in a parcel are only useful if the customer can reach the recorder from the same piece of paper.
How StoryProof solves it
The collection link prints as a QR code, so the printed card version of the guide leads straight to the recorder.
- Problem 4
They filmed it in the camera app instead
Some customers ignore the link and send a file from their camera roll. Asking them to start over after they made the effort feels ungrateful.
How StoryProof solves it
A video file you already have can be uploaded straight into StoryProof and handled like any other submission.
- Problem 5
A dark, echoing take nearly went live
Even with tips, the odd clip arrives backlit or full of room noise, and a weak video on your homepage does more harm than no video.
How StoryProof solves it
Each submission stays private until you approve it, so a poor take can wait for a reshoot instead of appearing on your site.
The five problems that ruin most phone testimonials
In StoryProof
Send it with your StoryProof link
Step 1 of 4
Put the two questions in your form
Use the same questions as the guide so the customer sees them again while recording. They can switch to an audio note or text if video does not suit them.
Step 2 of 4
Match the length to your plan
Longest video a customer can record: Free 2 min, Starter 5 min, Pro 8 min. A one-minute target fits comfortably on every plan.
Step 3 of 4
Send the guide with the link
Paste the quick tips under your request, or send the full guide first and the link a day later.
Step 4 of 4
Review before anything is public
Every video waits for your approval. If the sound is poor, ask the customer kindly for another take rather than publishing it.
Before you start
Worth knowing
Recording length depends on the plan
On Free the limit is 2 min. Keep the guide’s target well under your plan’s limit so nobody gets cut off.
Existing videos can be uploaded
If a customer sends a file by email, upload it to StoryProof rather than asking them to record again.
Tips, not requirements
A slightly imperfect, sincere video is better than none. Do not make the guide so long it puts people off.
Check what is behind them
A home recording can show family photos, a street sign or a screen full of messages. Check the background of each video during review, and add a line to the guide if it keeps happening.
FAQ
Questions people ask
Short answers to what usually comes up next.
Should customers hold the phone vertically or horizontally?
Pick one and ask everyone for it. Upright suits phones and most video widgets on mobile; sideways suits wide players on desktop. Consistency matters more than the choice.
How long should a customer testimonial video be?
Around a minute is enough for two clear answers. Longer videos are fine for a case study but are watched less on a busy page.
Do customers need to download anything?
No. They open your link and record in the phone browser.
What if a customer is nervous on camera?
Suggest a practice take they delete straight away, and a couple of words jotted on paper rather than a full script. Reading aloud sounds stiff; glancing at a note does not.
Should the guide tell customers what to wear?
Only lightly, if at all. A line such as "wear what you would normally wear" removes the worry without making the request feel like a photo shoot.
Still have a question? Ask the StoryProof team or book a demo.
Send your first guided request
Create a form with your two questions, paste in the guide, and send it today.
Last updated 2026-11-04.