Presentation video or customer testimonial: your practical guide

When it comes to planning your next video, one question often comes up: what kind of video should you make? Or more precisely: should you create a presentation video or a customer testimonial?

Technically, the two formats are similar, but they don’t tell the same story or serve the same purpose. One is used to inform, the other to inspire. Knowing which one to choose is the basis of a solid video marketing strategy.

Here’s how to tell the difference and decide which best serves your next project.

Understand the difference between the two formats

What is a corporate presentation video?

A corporate video showcases your identity, culture and mission. It shows what your company does, why it does it and what value it creates for its audience.

This format aims to inspire and humanize your brand image by telling your story with emotion and coherence. Often shot in your offices, in the field or in the studio, it combines shots of teams, relevant locations, products or services to bring your world to life.

Its ideal length is between 1 and 2 minutes, the perfect amount of time to captivate and inform without boring your audience.

What is a customer testimonial?

A customer testimonial highlights the positive experience of those who have done business with your company. It features a customer telling us about the challenge they faced, the solution you provided and the results they achieved.

It’s an authentic, emotional format, focused on proof and satisfaction. The story is supported by real images: excerpts of the product in action, moments of collaboration, or service in the field. The aim is to create trust and make your future customer feel that your promise is lived, not just said. The tone is generally simple, sincere and human.

Typical duration is between 1 and 3 minutes, depending on the complexity of the project and the richness of the testimonial.

What’s the difference between a video presentation and a customer testimonial?

These two formats complement each other. The video presentation attracts and inspires your prospects. Customer testimonials reassure and convince your future customers.

Together, they create a complete communication, where each video supports the other to talk about your brand from every angle.

Choose according to your communication intention

Before choosing a format, ask yourself a simple question: what do I want my audience to feel?

If you want to inspire: choose a video presentation. It helps you show who you are, what you do and why your business is different from the competition.

If you want to demonstrate your impact: go for a testimonial video. It lets you demonstrate your expertise through your best ambassadors: your customers.

An experienced video production team will help you make the right choice for your purpose. If you need more advice, let’s talk!

Choose according to your sales cycle

Since each video responds to a different intention in the sales cycle. The choice of format also depends on where your customer is in their journey.

• Discovery phase: your audience doesn’t know you yet. An introductory video is perfect here: it attracts attention, humanizes your brand and makes people want to know more. It presents who you are, what you do and why you do it, without trying to sell. The aim is simple: to create the curiosity and emotional connection that will lead your audience to follow you further.
  
• Consideration phase: your prospect compares, seeks to understand. At this stage, your potential customer already knows that you exist. Now they want to know why they should choose you over someone else. This is where a customer testimonial becomes essential: it shows how your company solves real problems with tangible results.This format adds credibility to your pitch and turns the promise into concrete proof.You’re no longer saying “this is what we do”, but “this is what we’ve accomplished for them”.
  
• Decision phase: your customer hesitates before taking action. A strong, credible and sincere customer testimonial can make the difference between an intention and a decision, proving that your company really delivers what it promises. And an inspiring video presentation can rekindle emotion and remind us why your brand deserves trust. Together, they create the winning duo: the proof and the emotion your prospect needs to say yes.

Understanding your sales cycle means adapting your video marketing strategy to speak at the right time, with the right tone. Each stage requires a different emotion: the presentation inspires, the testimonial convinces.

Combine the two for a complete strategy

As we saw earlier, you don’t always have to choose between the two formats, because you can combine them when relevant. Together, they create a fluid and complete communication.
Imagine this simple route:

• A video presentation attracts your audience to your site or networks.
• A customer testimonial reinforces your credibility and proves your real impact.
• All this feeds your brand image, your recruitment and your sales.

It’s a sustainable video marketing strategy: first you inspire, then you prove your worth. And that’s where consistency between formats becomes essential. A good video production team will help you maintain the same aesthetic, energy and message across all your videos.

Take inspiration from real-life examples

At Studios Machiavel, we like to create videos that speak to the emotions while serving clear objectives. Here are a few examples of projects that show how each format has its strengths.

Presentation video – Next AI Montréal

A capsule that combines the two formats and shows the program’s creativity, energy and culture of innovation. The viewer discovers the atmosphere, the faces, and understands the spirit even before knowing the details.

Customer testimonial – CCIRS x OQLF

A series of candid interviews in which participants recount their experiences of the linguistic process with authenticity. Each testimonial highlights collaboration and professionalism, while reinforcing the credibility of CCIRS.

Customer testimonial – La Main

A capsule focused on trust and human relationships. The tone is simple, the words are true, and the video shows how the service has a concrete impact on entrepreneurs.

Customer testimonial – Innovlog x Isaac Instruments

This video is both technical and strategic. A perfect illustration of how a solid partnership can be transformed into measurable success.

It’s the perfect format for B2B audiences looking for concrete results. Each video has a different purpose, but they’re all part of the same strategy: to tell the story of your company from different angles, without ever losing your authenticity.

The right format is the one that serves your purpose

The video presentation lets you discover. Customer testimonials help you convert. Both build trust and reinforce your brand at different points in the customer journey.

Don’t think in terms of which format to choose, but rather: what message do I want my audience to remember today?

With a video production team that understands your DNA, you can create content that inspires, proves and connects, at every stage of your growth.

Discover how Studios Machiavel helps you create videos that inspire confidence and enhance your impact.

Tell us about your video project!