Do you want your YouTube video to get views?
I know, that might be kind of a silly question. You’re a video editor. Of course, you want your audience to watch your videos.
What type of video content creator makes videos without the goal of getting people to watch them?
But if you’re making YouTube videos without music, there’s a good chance the engagement on your video will be low.
So, how do you increase engagement? 🤔
Simple.
Add music to a YouTube video.
Here’s why you should consider adding a song to your video content.
Why Add Music to a YouTube Video?
If you’re old enough to remember the very early days of YouTube, you know that the videos uploaded to the platform now are significantly different from the OG videos. While funny and entertaining, most of the OG videos were not as well-edited as the types of videos you see on the platform today.
For video editors and content creators, it’s kind of an unspoken rule that your videos need to have a certain level of engagement to keep the audience hooked. You know, that “wow factor” that keeps them from clicking on the following video.
There are various ways you can level up the “wow factor” in your video. Music is one of them. In fact, 81% of marketers say videos with music perform better compared to videos without music.
Think of music as an auditory hook. When you add music to a YouTube video, you’re helping to keep your audience engaged with your content.
Plus, music helps set the tone of the video, enhances the quality of your video, and can be a brand identifier.
With all these benefits, why would you not want to add music to a YouTube video? 😎
Where to Find Music for a YouTube Video?
Adding music to a video adds a little sparkle to your content. And you might be tempted to use music you’ve already purchased in your videos.
Helpful tip, though. Just because you’ve bought a song from Apple Music or Spotify doesn’t mean you can use it for content creation purposes. There are licensing and copyright laws you need to know about. Some purchased songs can be used for content creation, and others cannot.
If you’ve checked the licensing of a song and find it doesn’t allow for commercial use, it doesn’t mean you need to scrap your project! You can find free music for a YouTube video online.
Websites like Artlist, Alibi Music, and Soundstripe offer royalty-free music. You may or may not need a subscription to their platforms to download royalty-free music. But when you use royalty-free music, the music you download is commercially available, and you won’t get in legal trouble for adding sweet tunes to your video.
If neither of those websites has the music you want, a simple Google search of “royalty-free music for a YouTube video” will give you tons of search results. It’s almost a sure bet you’ll find the right music for your video! 🧡
How Can I Add Music to a YouTube Video?
Adding music to your YouTube video is easy, but you’ll need video editing software.
Sure, you can use the tools right inside of YouTue Video Editor to add your favorite music. Or, you can do it the quick and easy way and use SubMagic. 😉
Not to toot our own horn, but SubMagic is the best video editing tool. You can add music to your YouTube video in seconds, I promise!
Once you’ve chosen your music and downloaded it to your device, let’s look at how to add music to a YouTube video using SubMagic. 🚀
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How to Add Music to a YouTube Video Using SubMagic
Adding music to your video content has never been easier. And with SubMagic as your video editor app, you can create new content faster than ever before!
Here’s how.
1- Record Your Video or Collect Your Video Clips
This probably goes without saying, but to make a video, you need to have recorded content.
You can use videos you’ve recorded yourself or content from other sources. Once you have your content ready, it’s time to move on to Step 2.
2- Find Your Music
If you haven’t already found the perfect soundtrack for your video, now’s the time to do it. Think about the overall vibe you want your video to give your audience.
Is the mood creepy? Happy and upbeat? Calm, cool, and collected?
The answers to these questions will help you find the appropriate music for your videos.
Don’t forget you can find royalty-free music online. Or, if you’re musically inclined, you can create your own. Just make sure you have a recording of your music saved to your device before editing your video. 🧡
3- Open SubMagic
With your video and music ready, it’s time to open SubMagic and let the magic begin (see what I did there? 😉).
On the SubMagic webpage, click “Login.” Or, if you don’t have an account yet, start your free trial. Yes, free. Even better, right? Simply click “Try for free” and follow the prompts to set up your account.
Side note: You’re going to love SubMagic, I promise! 🧡
4- Upload Your Video
Once logged into SubMagic, you’ll need to upload your videos. To get started editing a new video, click “Create.”
Then, click on the box that says “Click or Drag/Drop to upload one or multiple videos at a time” and choose which video files you want to upload. Alternatively, you can drag and drop your files from the desktop or file manager.
After you’ve chosen your files, rename your project and click “Upload.”
Depending on how fast your Internet connection is and your file size, you may need to wait a few seconds for your video to upload. The cool thing about SubMagic is that it’s back with AI technology that automatically analyzes your video at upload to generate captions.
Think of all that time saved!
5- Click on “Publish”
Great, your video is ready for edits and music! To add music to your video, click the “Publish” tab. Don’t worry. You can come back and add cool features later. 😎
6- Add Your Music
Now, click on the “Add your music” button.
Now you’ll be prompted to upload your music. Click on the box that says “Click or Drag/Drop your music” to search your file manager for your song. Or drag your music from your desktop and drop it into the box.
Helpful tip: Once your music is ready, click on the file and make sure the box surrounding it is orange.
Then click “Apply” to add your music to your video.
7- Adjust the Volume of the Music
Is the music too loud? Do you want just a subtle background soundtrack so your audience can still hear the original audio?
Toggle the volume bar to adjust the volume.
8- Finish Editing Your Video
Now that your music is added to your video, explore the rest of SubMagic’s features to edit your video.
Using SubMagic, you can:
Use the editing software to add extra effects to your video. Cool effects help increase engagement, plus your audience expects fantastic content.
With your vision and SubMagic as your video editing tool, you’ll generate cool YouTube content that goes viral like nobody’s business! 🔥
9- Export Your Video
If you’re ready to share your video with your YouTube audience, click the “Export” button in the upper right-hand corner of your screen to download your video to your device.
And, for the multitaskers who might be doing two things at once, if you walk away from your computer or phone while the video is exporting, no worries! You’ll receive an email from us to let you know your video has been successfully exported.
When it’s ready, click “Download” to save your video to your device.
10- Share to YouTube
Now that you have a YouTube video with music, it’s time to share it with your audience. Go to YouTube and upload your video to your account.
Don’t forget to use the #submagic hashtag in your video description to share the word about the greatness of SubMagic. 🧡
3 Tips for Adding Music to a YouTube Video
Once you know how to add music to a YouTube video with SubMagic, creating great content is easy!
Here are three tips to keep in mind about adding music to your video content.
Tip #1: Choose Your Music Wisely
Music is fantastic, but the wrong kind of music can ruin your video. Think about the themes you want to portray in your video, and then think about which type of music would best represent those themes.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of royalty-free music and sounds online. That’s almost guaranteed you’ll find the right song for your video.
Tip #2: Use Keywords to Find Music for a YouTube Video
As previously mentioned, there are thousands of royalty-free music you can download to use for your projects. Searching for the right tune can be overwhelming.
But it doesn’t have to be. Use keywords and hashtags to search the music libraries for the songs you want. Using keywords and hashtags will give you results similar to the music you are searching for— and, who knows? You might even find something better than what you planned to use!
Tip #3: Adjust the Audio Levels to Get Your Music Just Right
Depending on the kind of video you create, like a faceless video, for example, you may want your music to cover the original audio. If this is the case, ensure the volume is up on your song before exporting your video.
But, if you want soft background music, a song that is too loud will drown out your original audio and make it difficult for the viewer to pay attention or hear what you’re telling them. Play around with the song’s volume until you adjust it just right.
Frequently Asked Questions About Adding Music to a YouTube Video (FAQ)
Can I Use Any Music for My YouTube Video?
Unfortunately, you cannot use just any song for your music video. You’ll need to find commercially available music to comply with copyright laws. Trust us. You do not want to get into legal trouble!
There are plenty of royalty-free music sites online. Check out sites like Pixabay or the Free Music Archive for your music.
Can I Create My Own Music for My YouTube Video?
Yes! You can create and use your own music for your video if you’re a musician. Once you’ve recorded your music, you can add it to your YouTube video.
What Happens if I Use Copyrighted Music in My YouTube Video?
You’ll receive copyright strikes in your YouTube account if you use copyrighted music in your YouTube video without permission. Copyright strikes can lead to demonetization (which is bad if you want to make money with your videos), removal of your content, or, worse, the termination of your YouTube channel.
Do I Need to Credit the Music in My Video?
Depending on the licensing terms, you might need to credit the artist for the music you use in your video. Check the licensing agreement to be sure if you need to give credit to the creator.
Crediting the artist is good practice, though, and it never hurts to give someone whose art you enjoy a shout-out!
Do I Need Editing Software to Add Music to a YouTube Video?
Yes. You can use the video editing tool on YouTube to add music to your video. Or, you can use SubMagic to add music to a YouTube video.
Speaking from a personal opinion, SubMagic is the better choice to edit a YouTube video. With SubMagic, you can add sound effects, add B-Roll, insert images and gifs, add transitions, and more! Check it out and sign up for a free trial!
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