Choosing Music for Your Brand Video: A Checklist
Don’t let the hard work of creating your video go to waste with poor music choices.
Music serves not just as a background element but as a powerful tool to evoke emotions, reinforce messaging, and captivate your audience.
It’s just as important as the quality of the visual itself.
Let’s explore the psychology of music and ten considerations when choosing the perfect song for your video marketing content.
The psychology of music
Music is a powerful psychological tool that can influence mood, emotion, and behavior.
Listening to music can stimulate the release of various neurotransmitters, such as dopamine, a chemical responsible for pleasure and reward, which can elevate mood and reduce stress.
Music can also affect the brain’s limbic system, which is involved in emotion regulation, thus being able to soothe anxiety or evoke memories and emotions linked to specific songs or melodies.
Different musical elements, such as tempo, rhythm, and harmony, can trigger different responses.
For example, fast-paced music can energize and improve focus, while slow-paced music can help relax the mind and promote calmness (think of a spa-like setting).
The universal language of music connects people on a deep emotional level and showcases its unique ability to alter our brain’s state and emotions in profound and complex ways.
That’s exactly why, as a content creator, you should be careful and intentional about choosing background tracks in your video content.
So, how do you choose the perfect track?
1. Determine your video’s goal
Grasping the primary objective of your promotional video is the first step in the music selection process.
Whether the aim is to inform viewers about a new product, entertain them with a creative narrative, or persuade them to take a specific action, each goal demands a thoughtful approach to choosing your music.
An informative video may benefit from more subtle, unobtrusive background music that doesn’t distract from the message.
On the other hand, an entertainment-focused clip might call for a lively and engaging tune.
Similarly, persuasive content could require an emotional or motivational soundtrack to drive home your call to action effectively.
2. Know your target audience
Knowing the preferences and demographics of your target audience allows you to select music that creates a strong emotional bond.
A younger audience might resonate more with contemporary pop or electronic music, while an older demographic could prefer classic rock or jazz.
If your video is aimed at fitness enthusiasts, energetic and upbeat tracks can amplify the motivational aspect of your promotional content.
Conversely, a luxury brand targeting high-end consumers might opt for classical music or sophisticated ambient sounds to evoke a sense of exclusivity and elegance.
Take this promotional video from StudioSuits as an example, where they opt for an instrumental track to strike the right chord (pun intended) with their target audience.
Top that off with synchronized dynamic shots that seamlessly intertwine with the beat, showcasing their luxury clothing line from various angles.
3. Consider the emotion you want to evoke
Choosing the right music for your promotional video is all about tapping into the emotions you want your audience to feel.
It’s a key move that can make or break the connection you’re trying to build.
If you’re promoting an adventure travel package, choosing an upbeat track can instill a sense of excitement and anticipation in viewers.
It will make them eager to experience the adventure themselves.
Cruise America, which provides RV rentals in LA, created a fantastic video that combined superb visuals with music that inspires wanderlust.
On the other hand, educational videos require a certain seriousness, but that doesn’t mean they have to be somber.
For example, a video that talks about the Wegovy weight loss medication will require some formality because it is a health topic.
So, it’s appropriate that whoever speaks in the video is a doctor and uses the appropriate vocabulary.
But music can be something more fun and striking.
The intention is to educate viewers but also entertain them and keep their attention, so an upbeat song can help lighten the subject and make the video more amusing.
Emotion is key, especially if you want your audience to do something in response to the video (such as signing up for a free trial or buying a product).
4. Mind the volume
Experiment with volume levels to ensure the music complements rather than competes with spoken content in your promotional video.
Don’t allow your background music to drown out voiceovers or dialogue, distracting viewers from the message.
Instead, adjust the volume to a level where the music subtly enhances the mood without overwhelming the primary audio.
Consider a promotional video for a wellness brand, where a calming voiceover describing the benefits of a new product is paired with equally serene background music.
5. Look for versatility
If your promo video dances through various moods and scenes, choose music that glides right along with it.
That way, your viewers stay tuned in and ride the wave of every twist and turn with you.
Plus, when you opt for a soundtrack that can adapt to different tones and paces without jarring transitions, it can enhance the cohesiveness of the video.
Take, for example, a corporate video that begins with a high-energy introduction to grab attention.
From there, it moves into a more serious, informative section before ending on an uplifting note to inspire action.
A single, versatile piece of music that subtly shifts in intensity or instrumentation to match these segments can create a fluid narrative flow.
Similarly, a documentary-style promotional video might explore diverse themes, from challenges to triumphs.
A soundtrack with a broad dynamic range can underscore these varying emotions, gently guiding the viewer through the story without needing abrupt musical changes.
6. Use high-quality music
A top-notch soundtrack can make your brand shine, captivating your audience with every note.
But beware. Low-quality tunes can turn them off, feeling more amateur than awesome.
For example, using WAV files for a lively product launch makes sure the sound matches the hype. You’ll keep everyone hooked from start to finish.
Don’t forget about your video quality as well.
Understand the proper compression techniques that don’t impact quality for best results.
7. Mind the licensing and copyrights
Using copyrighted music without the proper permissions can lead to legal complications, including fines and mandatory removal of your video.
To circumvent these potential issues, explore royalty-free music libraries that offer a wide range of popular tracks available for use without the typical licensing fees.
It’s a simple way to save some of your marketing budget.
Don’t forget that attribution is sometimes required (in the case of Creative Commons licenses).
However, royalty-free audio libraries still provide a diverse selection, making finding a track that suits your video’s mood and purpose easier.
Investing in licensed tracks from professional musicians or music licensing companies is worthwhile for more unique or specific musical needs.
This makes sure that you’re legally covered and supports musicians and creators financially.
Author
Jeremy is co-founder & CEO at uSERP, a digital PR and SEO agency working with brands like Monday, ActiveCampaign, Hotjar, and more. He also buys and builds SaaS companies like Wordable.io and writes for publications like Entrepreneur and Search Engine Journal.
