The complete production framework for all Scroll Media client testimonial content. Read this once before opening any Shoot Packet.
Section 01 — Format
This is a Core Format in the Scroll Media Formats Library. It sits at the Bottom of Funnel and is designed to drive conversion through social proof. The primary metrics we optimize for are CTR, Link Taps, and PCR.
| Attribute | Spec |
|---|---|
| Format Name | Customer Testimonial |
| Format Type | Accordion Documentary — A-roll interview spine, fast B-roll cuts (1–2 sec clips), aggressive on-screen text hooks |
| Funnel Stage | Bottom of Funnel (BOF) — Conversion & Social Proof |
| Target Length | 60–90 seconds (hard cap at 90 seconds) |
| Primary Platform | Instagram Reels (posted to Scroll Media @scrollmedia_co) |
| Primary KPIs | CTR, Link Taps, Profile Conversion Rate (PCR) |
| Secondary KPIs | Views, Saves, DM Triggers ("BLUEPRINT") |
| Aspect Ratio | 9:16 vertical (1080 × 1920px) |
| Safe Zone | No critical content in bottom 20% (UI overlap) or top 15% (Reels header) |
| Captions | Dynamic auto-generated, 3–5 words per line, centered, safe zone placement |
Why this format works: The accordion documentary style creates the feel of a real documentary — not a polished ad. The A-roll interview footage provides authenticity; the fast B-roll cuts maintain attention; the on-screen text carries the story for the 85%+ of viewers watching without sound. This is the format Caleb Ralston and Briar Cochran both identify as the highest-performing structure for founder-led social proof content.
Section 02 — Story Arc
Every testimonial follows this exact arc. The prompts are asked in order 2 → 3 → 4 → 5, then 1 last. The Hook (Part 1) is captured last because the founder is warmed up and unguarded — that's when the best soundbite comes out. It's placed first in the edit.
Hook — Captured Last, Placed First in Edit
The Attention Grabber
A rapid-fire sentence-starter asked after the full interview. The founder is warmed up and not overthinking. This becomes the first 2–3 seconds of the edit. Target: a single, punchy, specific statement that creates immediate curiosity. Example structure: "Before Scroll, my social was..." or "The thing that changed everything was..."
Context — Asked First
Set the Stakes
Establish who the founder is and what they had built before Scroll. The context makes the conflict meaningful. Without stakes, there's no story. This section should make the viewer think: "I know this person. I've been in this position."
Conflict — Asked Second
The Specific Moment of Friction
Not a general statement about "social being hard" — a specific moment, feeling, or realization. The conflict must be emotionally honest and relatable to other founders watching. The more specific, the more universal it feels. Push for a memory, not a summary.
Turning Point — Asked Third
The Moment It Clicked
A specific memory — a specific post, a specific conversation, a specific number seen for the first time. Target response: "I remember when..." This is the moment Scroll Media enters the story as the solution. It must feel earned, not scripted.
Resolution — Asked Fourth
The Tangible Outcome + Emotional Shift
Two layers: the hard metric (what changed in the numbers) and the emotional transformation (how the founder feels about the business now). The metric goes on screen as a bold text overlay. The emotional shift is the final spoken line before the CTA. End on a forward-looking statement, not a backward-looking one.
Section 03 — Editing Standards
These rules are non-negotiable. They are drawn from Briar Cochran and Caleb Ralston's frameworks on short-form content creation and Scroll Media's own copywriting guidelines.
| Element | Rule | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| On-Screen Text — Font | Bold, high-contrast sans-serif. Use Instagram native fonts (Strong or Classic Bold). White text on dark backgrounds, dark text on light backgrounds. Never use thin or script fonts. | 85%+ of viewers watch without sound. The text IS the story for most of your audience. |
| On-Screen Text — Timing | Each text overlay stays on screen for exactly as long as it takes to read it aloud at normal speed — no longer. Remove it before it overstays its welcome. 1.5–2.5 seconds max per overlay. | Text that lingers kills pacing. Pacing is what keeps people watching. |
| On-Screen Text — Copywriting | Use the founder's exact words when possible. Never paraphrase. No filler words ("amazing," "incredible," "so good"). No "but" as the first word of an overlay. Specific beats generic — use numbers, names, and places. | Authenticity is the product. The moment it reads like ad copy, it loses credibility. |
| Metric Overlays | Hard numbers go on screen as large, bold text at the exact moment the founder mentions results. Format: "118% Increase in Interactions" — not "118% more interactions." The metric is the proof. Make it impossible to miss. | Numbers stop the scroll. They are the single most effective pattern interrupt in a testimonial edit. |
| B-Roll Clips | 1–2 seconds per clip. One shot per sentence of A-roll. B-roll must be visual evidence of what the founder is saying — not filler. If it doesn't support the current sentence, cut it. | Caleb Ralston: "B-roll is not decoration. It's proof." Every cut must earn its place. |
| Scene Transitions | Cut on the beat of the music. No wipes, fades, or fancy transitions — straight cuts only. Transitions are for music videos, not documentary-style content. | Straight cuts feel real. Fancy transitions feel produced. This is a testimonial, not an ad. |
| Audio — Music | Use a trending instrumental track at 15–20% volume under the A-roll. Duck to 8% during key soundbites. The music sets the emotional tone — choose something that matches the brand energy (not generic "corporate" music). | Music is the emotional subtext. It tells the viewer how to feel before they consciously process the words. |
| Audio — Voice | A-roll voice must be clean, clear, and present. No echo, no wind noise, no room reverb. If the audio is compromised, the credibility is compromised. Do not use footage with bad audio. | Bad audio is the fastest way to lose a viewer. It signals low production value, which undermines the testimonial's authority. |
| Captions | Dynamic auto-generated captions, 3–5 words per line, centered, placed in the safe zone (above the bottom 20% of the frame). Use a clean white font with a subtle dark drop shadow for readability on any background. | Accessibility and retention. Captions increase watch time by 12–15% on average. |
| Hook — First 3 Seconds | The first 3 seconds must contain: (1) the founder's voice or a strong visual, and (2) an on-screen text overlay that creates immediate curiosity. No logo intro. No music-only opening. No slow pan. Start in the middle of the story. | Briar Cochran: "You have 1.7 seconds before someone scrolls. The hook is not the intro — it's the promise." |
| CTA — Final Frame | The final 5–8 seconds must include: (1) a freeze frame or slow fade on the founder, (2) the Scroll Media logo, and (3) the on-screen CTA: "Comment 'BLUEPRINT' below to see the strategy we used." No voiceover on the CTA — text only. | The CTA must be impossible to miss and easy to act on. DM triggers are the most frictionless conversion action on Instagram. |
Section 04 — Stories Promotion
Once the Reel is live, execute a two-frame Stories sequence the same day. This drives the post's initial engagement velocity and creates a direct conversion path to the Growth Blueprint page.
Frame 1 — Repost Story
Repost the Reel to Stories. Add a brief text overlay: "This is what working with Scroll Media looks like." Tag the client. No other elements — keep it clean.
Post Immediately After Reel Goes LiveFrame 2 — Link Story
Single frame. Copy: "Want results like this for your brand? We break down the exact framework in our Instagram Growth Blueprint." Add a prominent link sticker pointing to the Growth Blueprint page.
Post Within 2 Hours of Frame 1CTA Strategy: The Reel caption uses a soft DM trigger — "Comment 'BLUEPRINT' below to see the exact strategy we used." This creates an inbound signal Riley can respond to manually, or that can be automated via ManyChat DM automation in the future. The Stories link sticker provides the direct conversion path for viewers who are ready to act immediately. Both paths lead to the same destination: tools.scrollmedia.co/instagram-growth-blueprint
| Action | Timing | Goal |
|---|---|---|
| Post the Reel | Tuesday–Thursday, 10am–12pm or 6pm–8pm | Maximize initial reach window |
| Frame 1 — Repost Story | Immediately after Reel goes live | Drive Reel views from Stories audience |
| Frame 2 — Link Story | Within 2 hours of Frame 1 | Convert warm viewers to Blueprint page |
| Tag the client | In both the Reel post and Frame 1 Story | Client reshares = additional reach |
| Pin first comment | Within 5 minutes of posting the Reel | CTA: "Comment BLUEPRINT for the strategy behind this → tools.scrollmedia.co/instagram-growth-blueprint" |
Section 05 — Quality Control
Every edit must pass this checklist before it goes to Chase for approval. If any item is unchecked, the edit is not ready.
Hook: Does the first 3 seconds contain a strong on-screen text overlay and the founder's voice? No logo intro. No slow pan.
Arc: Does the edit follow the 5-part Sammy Jones arc in order? Hook → Context → Conflict → Turning Point → Resolution → CTA?
B-Roll: Are all B-roll clips 1–2 seconds? Is every clip visual evidence of what the founder is saying at that moment?
Metric Overlay: Is the key metric on screen as large, bold text at the exact moment the founder mentions results?
Audio: Is the A-roll voice clean and clear? Is the music ducked under the voice at 15–20%? Is there no echo, wind, or room noise?
Captions: Are dynamic captions enabled? 3–5 words per line? Placed in the safe zone (above bottom 20%)?
Safe Zone: Is all critical content (text, faces, metrics) within the safe zone? Nothing in the bottom 20% or top 15%?
CTA: Is the final frame clear? Does it include the Scroll Media logo and "Comment 'BLUEPRINT' below"? Is it on screen for at least 5 seconds?
Length: Is the total edit between 60 and 90 seconds? If over 90 seconds, cut it.
Caption: Is the ready-to-use caption from the Shoot Packet copied into the post? Is the client tagged?
Stories: Are both Stories frames (Repost + Link Story) scheduled for the same day as the Reel goes live?
Section 06 — Shoot Packets
Each Shoot Packet contains the full interview prompts, B-roll shot list, edit arc, and ready-to-use caption for a specific client. Open the relevant packet on shoot day.
Launch Party
The coachability story. A founder who trusted the process and built full-funnel success. @shoplaunchparty
Open Shoot Packet →
Define Oakley
The trending content story. Boutique fitness studio that grew 75% in views without losing brand credibility. @defineoakley
Open Shoot Packet →
MEAS Active
The foundation-to-amplification story. Strong offline community, missing digital strategy. 118% interaction growth. @meas_active
Open Shoot Packet →