The Best Marketing Content Comes From Your Customers

How Black Box Social Media went from zero testimonials with automated software to customer video stories that power its retargeting and acquisition campaigns.

By Stacey Lievens, co-owner of Share One. Originally published on LinkedIn on August 27, 2026.

Short answer: Testimonial software can send a link, but it cannot build rapport or ask good follow-up questions. Black Box Social Media got zero testimonials from automated tools, then switched to Share One's human-led interviews. The agency now uses those customer stories in retargeting and acquisition campaigns, and across its website, email, sales, and AI visibility.

Nick Bridges and his business partner have been running Black Box Social Media, a digital marketing agency in Round Rock, Texas, for 18 years. They understand just how important customer testimonials are for building trust and demonstrating value. There was just one problem: they weren't very good at collecting them.

Why testimonial software came up empty

Nick had even purchased software that promised to automate the testimonial process. He added it to the agency's customer follow-up emails and saw plenty of clicks, but not one testimonial came through. Because software can send a link, but it cannot build rapport, ask thoughtful follow-up questions, or help someone recognize which parts of their experience will matter most to a future customer.

That's where Share One changed the process. Black Box Social Media simply introduces us to the client, and our team handles the outreach, scheduling, human-led interview, editing, and delivery. Nick can see exactly where each person is in the process, while he and his team stay focused on running their agency and serving their clients.

As Nick explained, "It's been a no-brainer. It's been a time saver. It's been a money saver, and it's been a headache saver."

The power of "ethical propaganda"

One of Black Box Social Media's signature strategies is something Nick calls "ethical propaganda." It means putting good, honest content in front of customers wherever they are in the buying journey. And some of the most powerful content they can share is a real customer describing a real experience.

It is not the business owner telling everyone how great the company is. It is not a paid actor reading a script. It is a genuine customer saying, "Here's what happened to me, and here's what changed."

Black Box Social Media now uses these testimonial videos in retargeting and customer-acquisition campaigns. They have also referred several of their own clients to Share One because they want those authentic customer stories to fuel their campaigns too.

Trust is built before the sales call

A great testimonial does more than make a company look credible. It gives prospective customers a story in which they can recognize themselves. It answers the questions they may be thinking but have not yet asked: Can I trust these people? Have they helped someone like me? Will they actually deliver?

These stories can also work far beyond a single advertising campaign. One customer interview can support your website, social media, email marketing, sales conversations, and AI visibility. As people increasingly use AI-powered platforms to research companies and make buying decisions, detailed human stories provide valuable context about who you serve, what you do, and the results real customers have experienced.

Collecting stories takes a process, not just software

The lesson from Black Box Social Media is simple: your customers may hold your most persuasive marketing stories, but collecting those stories consistently requires more than software. It requires a process, a thoughtful human interviewer, and someone who is responsible for getting it done.

Because the best testimonial is not the one you planned to collect someday. It is the one you actually captured and put to work.

How many powerful customer stories are still sitting untold inside your business?

Watch Nick Bridges share his experience with Share One

Listen to Nick on how Share One has been a time saver, a headache saver, and a no-brainer.

Explore the full Nick Bridges and Black Box Social Media case study, learn about Share One's video testimonial service, or read Why a Marketing Agency Outsourced Its Most Important Proof.