How to nail the perfect soundtrack for B2B marketing videos: A blog series
We’re excited to present a four-part blog series that will be dedicated to finding awesome soundtracks to the top four B2B video categories: Explainers, Promos, Company culture videos, and Customer testimonials.
This blog series is a collaboration with Cincopa, a powerful video hosting solution.
Star Wars, The Godfather, Indiana Jones, Lord of the Rings. When someone mentions these iconic, generation-defining movies, what do you immediately think of? We don’t know about you, but we instantly think of their soundtracks. Every one of these movies has a score that has become a key part of modern pop-culture; tunes that are hummed all over the world decades after the movie’s release, even by those who’ve never even seen it.
Savvy marketers have taken notice. Even those operating within formal B2B ecosystems, who are notorious for sometimes being averse to spunky, fun, and eye-catching marketing tactics, have begun taking a page out of Hollywood’s playbook.
When working on marketing initiatives, and especially choosing music for videos, successful B2B marketers now place a heavy premium on finding the right soundtrack. Similar to crafting a stellar script and finding the best animators, a strong accompanying soundtrack is equally – if not more – important, especially when the video’s topic can be… How should we put it? A little boring.
Luckily, you’ve come to the right place. Epidemic Sound has tens of thousands of high-quality tracks in a wide variety of genres.
But it doesn’t end there.
We’re excited to present a four-part blog series that will be dedicated to finding awesome soundtracks to the top four B2B video categories:
From cheesy to cinematic: the evolution of B2B videos’ soundtrack
For years, B2B video production was deemed as a luxury; and, even when approached, B2B videos were often lacking ‘that extra oomph’.
Together with the robotic voiceover acting and shabby animation, what really stands out when watching older B2B videos is their generic, and at times cringe-worthy soundtracks. It was not uncommon to come across a video produced by a major enterprise corporation that featured cheesy elevator music. Or, worse yet, the kind of sounds you’d hear at an arcade...
Flash forward to today and basically every single B2B company dabbles in video marketing. And, thanks to an uprise in affordable solutions and platforms, there is virtually no excuse not to produce a high-quality final product.
“The best B2B videos are those that successfully blend the elements that are core to winning B2C videos: high production value, efficient storytelling, punchy copy, and, of course, a great soundtrack.”
Whether in-house or outsourced, there is a multitude of cost-effective ways to shoot, record, edit, and showcase B2B videos. Most importantly, there is a near-infinite selection of cinema-quality soundtracks that will give any video a distinctive, one-of-a-kind quality.
B2B vs B2C video soundtracks: one size does not fit all
They may share some common characteristics; however, B2B videos can vary considerably depending on the niche audience they are meant to appeal to. Explainer videos showcasing a marketing-oriented solution will have a wildly different tone than those displaying a platform aimed at combating cybersecurity threats, for example.
The former will typically feature a bright, happy, and - when the team tasked with producing it is given the creative freedom - fun aesthetic. On the contrary, cybersecurity explainers will have a markedly different feel. Tapping into legitimate viewer concerns, these videos are typically using more suspenseful music, often incorporating more ominous copy and voiceover work. The selected soundtrack video should accentuate the unique vibe and tonality of each video.
Feeling confused? Try drawing inspiration from movie or TV soundtracks. If the B2B video you’re creating is meant to promote a platform such as, say, Gong.io – explore tracks similar to what you’d find on Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Modern Family, or, if you want to be a bit more adventurous; It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
Looking for this kind of vibe for your audio? Check out Retro Riviera in Epidemic Sound’s library.
If you’re tasked with creating a video that will showcase a cutting edge cyber-related solution, it might be worth drawing inspiration from futuristic, sci-fi movies, such as The Matrix trilogy, or the more recent Blade Runner 2049:
Want this sound for your video? Listen to Into Space.
In need of some further inspiration? Think of the type of bands whose music is featured in television and cinema. Radiohead, for example, has become an almost cliche go-to for high-quality dramas:
Need this type of audio for your next project? Check out Indie Cinema.
Their trademark blend of instrumentation and electronics culminates to create a solemn, moody sonic experience that will fit seamlessly within cybersecurity videos. For lighter, more upbeat videos, try drawing inspiration from Portugal. The Man. Bursting onto the global music scene thanks to its groovy, fun hit "Feel It Still", the American Rock/Pop group’s music routinely pops up during comedy shows (such as the aforementioned Brooklyn Nine-Nine):
Is this the sound you’re going for? Showreel in Epidemic Sound’s library will do the trick.
Keen on learning more about how to choose the right audio for B2B marketing videos? Check out all four of the blog articles here: explainer videos, promo videos, customer testimonial videos and company culture videos.
For more than 50,000 tracks and 200,000 unique sound effects and variations, browse Epidemic Sound's catalog.
