Music in corporate videos always comes as an afterthought. The power of music is known, and yet still, very underestimated. Corporate videos are videos used both for internal and external marketing by a business. While other videos can contain multiple concepts, corporate videos tend to be very specific, for instance:
- A training and safety video for employees.
- A presentation video the results of a financial year to Stakeholders and investors.
- A video to promote a new product or highlight a new move by the company.
- A marketing video to create awareness about the company’s brand.
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Why Music Matters in Corporate Videos
We all listen to music for the entertainment value. It makes us feel good and if can put you in any mood you want. In the era of the silent movies, creators would use music to tell a story and hence create tension or humor in the film. It’s for the same reason that corporate videos have music in them.
Good music attracts the audience’s attention. A badly shot video that has good music has a higher chance of getting the attention of the intended audience. Music elicits emotions in the viewer and makes them establish a positive feeling towards a corporate brand.
A Corporate Video They will Remember
Have you found yourself one too many times humming to a tune but you can’t remember where it is from? That’s what advertising can do for brands _ increase recall. Customers don’t have to know who you are, but they will think of your product when they hear a certain tune.
Music is not only essential for entertainment, but it also adds to the structure and continuity of a corporate video. Marketing tunes increase memorability and help to establish your brand as an authority in the industry. You can read more about it in our detailed article on Music Advertising _ Adding To the Value of Products.
The music you select for your corporate video represents your brand. You can show potential clients and shareholders that you are a solid, dependable brand with a side of innovativeness. Corporate video music defines your identity, whether its a simple classical tune or a more modern beat.
Remember to keep your audience in mind when choosing music for your corporate video. If marketing to a middle-aged demographic, for instance, you can use old tunes to create a sense of nostalgia in your viewers.
Is Corporate Music Free?
Yes, there are a lot of sites that provide corporate free music. The correct term to use is royalty-free music.
Royalty-free, however, doesn’t mean the background music you choose is entirely free of charge. You still have to pay for the music license, and then you can use the tunes however you want as much as you want. You won’t have to pay a recording royalty fee to the artist.
Where to Get Royalty-Free Corporate Video Music
The following are sites that you can get royalty-free music:
SoundCloud
On this site, you can filter your searches to get tracks licensed for reuse and music to use on corporate videos. Also, since SoundCloud is a social site, you can also see how many people liked a certain song. This gives you insight into the number of people that enjoyed listening to the tune, and will probably like to hear it again in a corporate video.
ccMixter
Musicians and DJs share their work here for free and you can use them as long as you give the creator a mention. It’s only right that you acknowledge the artist after all the hours they put in to give you a masterpiece. ccMixer is one of the best sites to find original background music.
YouTube Audio Library
You’ll find the YouTube Audio Library in their “create” section. It contains different genres of music that you can choose from. You can use the search bar to look for the tunes that suit your corporate videos, such as calm music, or upbeat music.
You can also search for music according to its duration to see if it will fit the length of your video. Remember to check out the music policies to see which tunes are free to use. There are legal policies in place to protect artists from copyright infringement, so read through the description of a tune before deciding to use it.
Incompetech
This site has a wide selection of royalty-free music that you can download and use as long as you attribute it to the artist. The music is divided into genres but there is also a section named film scoring moods that you can use to find music suited to specific themes. This means that you can get corporate video music that communicates suspense or drama. The site also provides a list of the most downloaded songs which you can use to gain insight into what your audience enjoys.
Free Music Archive
This site is run by the US radio WFMU. WFMU radio is a listener-supported radio licensed to East Orange, New Jersey. The music on this site contains different permissions, and the site allows you to filter your searches based on the music licenses.
Since you will be using the music for marketing purposes, remember to uncheck non-commercial purposes. The music you find here won’t be from big artists like Beyonce, but it’s still good music and even better, it’s free.
Envato market
The community uploads tracks on this site and allow users to browse through the collection and download songs. You can either download a single track of a bundle of tracks called a music pack. Envato also has paid corporate video tracks starting from a little as a dollar. The site also has a feature called music kits that allows you to customize your music.
Musopen
The royalty-free music available on this site has a classical vibe to it. On Musopen, you can search your music according to the composer or the instruments used as long as you have an idea of what mood you want the music to create. There is something about classical music that screams sophistication and professionalism.
Audioblocks
This site offers a collection of over one hundred thousand royalty-free tracks which include music, loops, and sound effects. However, this music is not free. You have to pay a subscription fee of 149 dollars a year and get access to unlimited downloads.
For this price, Audioblocks guarantees access to the best music for your corporate video. In addition to this, the music is categorized according to feelings, hence making your search easier. Want an energy pumped tune to market your new product? No worries, Audioblocks has you covered.
Jamendo
This site was mainly created for advertisers. Here you can search for music according to project type. For instance, music for marketing, video games, and so on. You can also search for music according to genre, theme, or duration. This site is a bit expensive compared to its earlier mentioned counterparts. You need to pay $50 for the music license the music. Jamendo also offers a subscription option that allows you unlimited access to a wide selection of corporate video music.
Netlabels
On this site, you can download music for free and use the tunes under the Creative Commons license. The Creative Commons license allows the general public to use music from artists under their copyright. Netlabels also have a category of foreign language music you can use to advertise to global audiences. The site also shows a view count so you can tell which songs are popular and loved by audiences.
How to Select Music For Your Corporate Video
When choosing music for corporate videos, don’t think of it as advertising – think of it as showbiz. What we mean is, don’t select music that is expected but rather go for the tracks that both surprise the audience and stimulate some action on their side. To effectively select the appropriate music for a corporate video, we recommend that you work with an audio expert.
First, use music that should be used in a corporate video
Corporate video music should be simple enough to allow the audience to concentrate on the information or emotion in the video. It’s recommended that you use instrumental music or tunes with looping sections and not actual songs with verses and choruses.
Think of the mood you want to create
The first thing you should ask yourself is what mood you want to create at each moment of the video. Do you want people to be excited about a new product launch? Do you want to market your brand to potential customers? Once you have decided on this, you can go ahead to select the perfect corporate music for the video.
Ensure you coordinate the music with the content
What’s the corporate video about?
The music you select should fit each scene. Before finalizing the video, you should watch the edited version a few times, and keep experimenting with the music until it all fits like a glove. You can also check out other corporate videos that hit the mark with the audience so you can know what music to go with.
Think of your budget and time limitations
While planning on the video make sure you consider your corporate video production budget. Set aside enough money to pay for the licenses when using rotalty-free music. If you want an original composition, you will need to pay an artist. You might also need an editor or a music producer since the whole process can be very exhausting and time-consuming.
Don’t use too many music mixing styles
As much as it is important to create a mood for the audience, do not overdo it. Too much detail can be distracting, annoying even.
The music should be customized according to your audience
Do not select music for your corporate video just because you like it or it’s by your favorite artist. The music should be tailor-made for your audience.
Let the background music stay in the background
In corporate videos, the music works best when it is in the background. Don’t let the corporate video music interfere with the narrative of the video and draw attention away from the information being presented. The volume of the music shouldn’t be too high and overwhelm the audience. Good background music makes a point without jumping at the audience.
Respect the copyright
In summary, copyright is the legal right for an artist to perform or publish their music for a fixed timeline however they want. If you violate this, you can be sued for damages. You can’t just download music and use it for your corporate video, you need to acknowledge its legal aspects. You can start by recognizing the creator of the song and purchasing the licenses to the music, however expensive. For a cheaper price, you can get an original composition from an artist or a band. Make sure that you sign a contract allowing you to use their music.
Final Take
The soundtrack you use for your corporate video should be of the highest quality. Ensure you set aside an appropriate budget for the music and take your time to select tunes that resonate with your audience.
If you are doing it yourself, here is a guide to help you pull off corporate video production. If you would rather hire a corporate video production company, we’ve got you covered as well with this gem: Unlock you business potential with a corporate video production company.
