Three reasons why you need to add background music to your YouTube videos

Do you create YouTube videos for your business? Find out why it’s important to choose the right background music for them.

Video is one of the most popular ways to reach people today, whether its through promotional content for a business or as an outlet for creative expression.

But, while visuals are usually the focus of a video, music is a huge part of what makes this medium so engaging. And one of the most subtle and underrated components of an interesting video is the incorporation of background music. Though often overlooked it is clear just how important it can be to set the tone of the video, this is exactly why it is one of the most popular features offered by YouTube video editing services.

If you watch your favorite Youtube creators, their skilful use of background music, different genres from different histories, is likely to be part of what makes their videos stand out. Learning to master this useful tool will make your videos more professional, expressive, and appealing to YouTube subscribers.

1) Music sets the tone and inspires emotion

Can you imagine your favorite movie or television show without any background music? Whether it’s a romantic scene or a dramatic action sequence, the music helps create the energy of that moment.

Music is an excellent shortcut for inspiring an emotional connection between your content and the audience. Whether you want to energize them with high tempo music or make them more contemplative with a slow and subtle beat, the background music can serve as a powerful tool.

Viewers appreciate this layer of engagement from their content. They’re accustomed to being queued up by the background music, whether it’s watching a reality show, a movie, or even a YouTube video.

Music is such a widely used storytelling tool because it works. The background music can create the right tone for your message in an instant, whether that’s positive, playful, mysterious, or energetic. The effect will almost always be subconscious, and enhances your viewers’ experience.

2) Music makes your content more interesting and dynamic

People have short attention spans in today’s oversaturated media landscape. We also respond strongly to music from a very young age.

Background music provides texture and aural interest that will engage your audience and capture their attention. Today’s viewer is highly sensitive to musical cues; they almost expect them. By adding this layer of interest, you keep them present and focused on your message.

Background music can even be an element of humor, for example by adding high-stakes music to a silly experiment or indicating when we’ve reached the punchline of a joke.

Again, see it as an opportunity to add texture, color, and depth to your video. The possibilities for self-expression are endless – you can turn up the drama or the humor or the suspense, and use music to keep your viewer interested.

3) Music takes your video to the next level

Using background music helps to boost the production value and cohesiveness of your video. Viewers want a professional video that flows well and is well-constructed. And background music is the bridge that allows the video to transition smoothly between different ideas or scenes, especially when you have a jump cut.

Background music is also a smooth way to fill in moments that would otherwise be silent, and fill otherwise dead air when you have a visual but no sound.

Sometimes there is only unrelated noise, such as street noise. Instead of an awkward gap, music maintains the energy of the moment and keeps your viewers engaged.

Complete silence in a Youtube video is somewhat jarring and unusual, and can cause your viewer to lose interest and let their mind wander. Background music can even smooth over technical imperfections by disguising microphone hiss or the distracting wind noise in an outdoor shot.

Ultimately background music is not there to take center stage. Its primary function is to enhance the other elements. And learning to master background music for YouTube will result in more interesting videos that will keep your viewers tuned in, paying attention, and fully engaged.

Photo by William Bayreuther