Music can be powerful, it can convey emotions and evoke memories. Now, imagine adding that element to your marketing video. That’s right, done well, your perfectly planned, well thought out video could be even better with the right music to accompany it.
Of course, it’s one thing to understand that using a music player to enhance your video can work wonders for your online business marketing campaign. But, its a different thing to actually sit down and select the right music.
Luckily, we’re here to help you out with that and guide you to choose the perfect musical accompaniment to your next marketing video!
What are you looking to achieve?
Even if you’ve already written the script for your video. Or, it’s been filmed and is nearly ready for publication, you can still add music. All it takes is some additional planning and thought.
The first thing you must pin down is: what is your marketing video trying to achieve? Are you marketing a product or service, sharing an inspirational thought-provoking story, or promoting an event where your brand has a prominent spot?
The style of music you select depends on the message you’re trying to convey with your video. It can also help you decide if you want music that is truly in the background. Or, if the music you opt for plays a slightly more prominent role.
Feelings
Once you’ve pinned down the reason for the video, you’re able to pinpoint the feelings you want that video to evoke. Branding with video is something that, done well, can help convey the feelings you want when customers think of your business. But, to achieve that you have to get all the marketing elements just right.
Some music libraries helpfully label their music tracks with different feelings, such as peaceful, energetic, empowering and playful. Take the time to listen to some of that music and understand why different pieces have different labels.
Once you’ve got that, you can begin thinking seriously about what music to add to your video.
Background music?
We touched on this before, but you must also decide on whether or not the music you select for your marketing video is to provide nice background support, or if it’s playing a more key role.
Watch these two videos and see the different roles the music plays. The first one is a well put together, informative video where the music is purely in the background but provides a good tone for the film. In the second video, the music works to help drive home the different feelings throughout the film, culminating in one of ecstasy when the branded item plays its part.
Both options work well, it’s up to you to choose which one you want for your video, based on:
- The message you want to convey.
- What music would chime best with your potential customers?
Keep it contemporary
Another important detail to note when you’re selecting the right music for your video is that it’s usually best to go for a contemporary sound. Even if you love music from a bygone era and know a song that would perfectly fit with your video, listen to other options first.
That’s because, if you opt for an old-fashioned tune, then the people who watch and listen to your marketing video will likely think of it as old fashioned too. And that’s not what you want.
Opting for a contemporary sound, music that isn’t a popular song and a piece that has a regular rhythm, is the best choice for most marketing videos.
Selecting music for videos with voiceovers
As you’ve likely seen from some of the marketing videos you’ve watched yourself, it is perfectly possible to create an informative marketing video that includes narration, with background music. But, you just need to be aware o the sound of the music and the instruments used in it.
Tips include:
- Lead guitars, wind horns, and violins can all conflict with the sound of a human voice, so try and avoid those instruments.
- Instead, acoustic sounds can work well, acoustic guitar, higher ranges on the piano and percussion instruments.
Don’t choose music that commands attention
Another key detail to bear in mind when you’re promoting your brand with video is that although you go to great lengths to choose the perfect music, you also need to ensure the track you select doesn’t take the viewers’ attention away from your brand or the message you’re working to convey.
That’s one reason why popular tracks don’t work well – they’re designed to be catchy and if you play the whole track including the chorus and hook, then you’re taking your viewers’ attention away from your branding plan.
Licensing
This is a very important element of choosing the right music for your marketing video. You must ensure you select music that you can use for marketing purposes. That usually means you need to pay a small fee for that licensing detail.
If you fail to ensure you can use the tacks you like in your marketing video, then you run the risk of them being removed when you post them on YouTube or Vimeo. Or, facing legal action from the owner of the rights of that music.
One way to avoid that is by using music composed by a friend – with their permission. Or, why not compose your own track? That way you’re using totally unique music for your marketing video that likely conveys exactly what you want it to and suits your video just right.
When it comes to adding music to your marketing video, just with all things, to get it just right you need to spend time working out what the aim of the video is, what’s your brand’s tone and whether or not the music should be purely in the background or play more of a staring role by helping change the mood according to the story you’re telling.
It’s not a simple thing to get right. But, with time, research and lots of time listening too different music, you’re sure to make the perfect marketing video!
