Why Music and Sound Design Are Important For Explainer Videos?

Is sound design important for an explainer video? Well…Have you ever watched a film on mute with joy?  Played a video game without sound effects? Could you imagine “Star Wars” without the characteristic Jedi Knight music…? Or “Jaws” without the catchy two notes that made film music history?…Both are a proof of how effective music can be for a film! And what is true for big Hollywood movies is also true for all kinds of videos. In the following we will take a closer look at this topic and explain why sound design is so important for an explainer video.

The importance of sound design for an explainer video

Explainer videos have the task of conveying a complex message to the audience. In a captivating way and with a lot of storytelling. The goal is to create an emotional bond and to address the “pain points” of the customer. And what role does the music play in this?

Well, music makes it possible to enliven scenes with a certain atmosphere, to structure the plot and to influence the perception of a video. It therefore serves as a supporting element for generating emotions and can reinforce messages. This is because musical melodies activate special neurons in the brain that affect our emotional centre. The sound effects, in turn, give the video a realistic action: since certain activities produce very specific sounds that are institutionalized in our brain, we expect to hear this sound when we see it. But why is this so important?

In an explainer video it is always our goal to convince the viewer in the shortest possible time. The target group should be able to identify with our product. And how do we best achieve this? Exactly, through this emotional connection and identification, which is strengthened by music and sounds.

How effective music really is can be shown with the following example. Before watching the video, turn off your sound first.

Despite impressive animation, as a viewer you can’t build up much of a bond to the content. But what is it like when we add a little sound? Watch the previous video one more time with sound.

It’s a whole different league, isn’t it? You are truly taken on a visual journey and feel a lot of nostalgia. It’s only through the music that images and scenes become a coherent plot.

And then there’s the voice over. Is that important? It depends on the subject, of course, but in general the voice over allows to reinforce the visual action and to give meaning to the images. Especially with complex products, a narrative voice can be helpful to better guide the audience to the product.

It is important to choose professional speakers whose timbre matches the topic, the target group, corporate image and the actual product. In the end, a narrator gives the video a certain personality and should therefore be in line with the overall concept. In this way, the audience can identify with the respective product even better.

How do we choose the appropriate sound design?

As already explained, music enables a stronger bond between target group and brand. However, this is only possible if the target group can identify with the music. To do this, consider the demographic aspects of the target group, but also the corporate image, the product and the campaign’s goals. For a younger target group with a new, trendy product, the music should also generate a little ” spice”. For an older audience in a serious industry, on the other hand, a cheerful “All my little ducklings” soundtrack would not be entirely appropriate. Fair enough, right?

If you work with a professional agency, an experienced sound designer will certainly set the right tone and compose individual music that fits the theme. But if you create your own explainer video, you might want to keep the following two pages with Royality-Free Music in mind:

Premium Beat offers a database of high quality music of different genres. You will find both finished songs and shorter loops.

Audio Jungle offers ready made music starting from $10, but this can vary depending on the artist. At AudioJungle you will find both audio tracks and sound effects (SFX) in good quality.

Explainer video with no sound – is that possible?

A high-quality clip without any sound is hardly imaginable and generally not recommended, since only music can create an emotional bond. But as everywhere in life, there can be exceptions. At this point it is most important to determine the distribution channel. On Facebook, for example, about 85% of viewers watch videos without sound. Especially for smaller companies with very limited budgets, this option can be considered. Subtitles should then not be dispensed with. Even at a trade fair event it can often be very loud. Therefore, it can make sense to work with subtitles rather than a voiceover.

Is sound design important for an explainer video?: Our conclusion

It doesn’t necessarily have to be an orchestra à la John Williams, but a little music is essential to build the necessary emotional bond with the audience and give the central message a stronger meaning. We at Cleverclip also work with a professional sound designer who proves time and again what music and sound effects can do in a video. Interested in more news, tips and tricks on the topic of communication? Then subscribe to our blog or take a look at our blogcast!