Looking for new ways to market you dentistry business is something you should always be practicing. Word of mouth has always been a successful method, however you should also focus on testimonials you can put on your website, commercials, and social media outlets. You may not think that you can afford the time or money to film video, but in reality with all of the advancements in technology, you can do it right from your smart phone! Here are a few tips on capturing a great testimonial, and why it is so important.

Practice makes perfect

If you haven't been collecting testimonials because you're holding out for professional quality, it’s time to put those concerns aside and get started.

You don't have to jump right into it, though. Practice with your staff, family, and anyone who can be of help. Try a few locations in the office to see what works and what doesn't. All of this will build your confidence in an area that you might not be very familiar with. Plus, you’ll end up learning some pretty valuable tricks on your own!

By the time you're ready to ask a patient to sit down and give a testimonial, you'll be ready to get a great video and not waste a number of takes.

It’s not as hard as you think

You don’t have to hire a team of people to set up lighting and all that jazz. You can do everything yourself. Here are a few tips when getting started:

Film horizontally with a tripod

This will ensure that you have the cleanest and best-looking shot for all of devices that people may be watching the video on. We’ve all seen those home videos where someone’s hand is wobbling the camera, and they are turning and maneuvering every step of the way. Use the tripod.

Don’t zoom in and out with your smart phone

You should move the phone and tripod in order to get the best shot, or else you’ll have an overly pixelated shot and it will look like an amateur filmed it.

Use the natural light of the sun or invest in studio light

Factor in how many films you plan on making for your practice, and the best time for you and those participating. If everyone can be there when the sun is out, that’s great, but if not, the studio light will be the best bet.

Make sure you can hear the person talking clearly

This means going beyond the microphone that you have on your mobile device, and getting one that you can rely on to produce a professional sounding video. You can find microphones and adapters that connect to your phone.

Don’t forget to edit!

Preview the footage before you post it on social media and your website. Also, be sure that your patient signs a consent form before going live with the video.

Google likes videos

If people can't find you online, it's likely that the majority will never know about you and move on to another practice with better online visibility. Google owns YouTube, so well optimized videos can actually help your search engine optimization efforts and appear in search engine result pages in addition to your website.

Once you start uploading videos to the web, make sure they have good titles, keywords and descriptions—including local information like city, state and neighborhood—and a link to your full website!

Once you have completed these steps, you’ll be on your way to creating testimonials in an easy and effective way.