You likely know, intuitively, that music can make or break a YouTube video.

‍

A video with no music or sound, in most contexts, simply isn’t going to have much impact.

‍

A video with tonally inappropriate music, or obnoxious music, is going to ruin whatever credibility it might have had otherwise.

‍

But finding the right music is tough. And making sure that music is cost-effective can be even tougher; no YouTube content creator wants to blow their entire budget on a single popular song, especially if you’re only going to use it for a few minutes in the video.

‍

One solution is to use royalty free music. But what exactly is royalty free music and how do you use it as part of your YouTube video content strategy?

‍

What Is Royalty Free Music?

‍

‍

Royalty free music is music for which you do not have to pay royalties.

‍

Simple enough, right?

‍

Royalties are ongoing payments made to a content creator in exchange for continuing to use it in other content that is being consumed. For example, an advertiser might be required to pay royalty fees each time their commercial airs on TV. In many contexts, this is a mutually beneficial relationship. Music producers make a little bit of money for each time the ad runs, and advertisers are only on the hook for fees proportional to how much utility they're getting from the song.

‍

However, paying royalties doesn't make sense on smaller scales. The money making potential of a YouTube video is often much smaller than that of a nationally syndicated commercial. Paying steep royalty fees could easily undermine the profitability of your video content production. On top of that, the complexities of tracking views and paying royalties can bog down your whole operation.

‍

For these reasons and more, it's often preferable to use music that does not require you to pay royalty fees.

‍

Note that royalty free music is distinct from music that uses Creative Commons Licensing (CCL) or public domain music. These latter categories include music that you can use for free, even for commercial purposes. Obviously, there are advantages to using totally free music, but depending on your goals, it might also make sense for you to pay a one-time fee to get access to premium royalty free music.

‍

The bottom line here is that there are many different types of inexpensive music to choose from, most of which are not associated with royalties, and nearly all of which are preferable to the more expensive alternative.

‍

So how exactly are you supposed to use royalty free music in the context of your YouTube strategy?

‍

YouTube Studio Options: The Audio Library

‍

YouTube Studio has a built-in Audio Library you can use to search for (and integrate) music, audio effects, and other sounds into your video. It might be the easiest way to find royalty free music, since it's already integrated into YouTube and it makes it very clear which tracks are royalty free.

‍

Using this platform, you can search and filter based on a variety of parameters, including track title, genre, mood, artist name, attribution, and duration. You can also mark some tracks as your favorites, so you can continue using them in videos in the future. This is especially good if you want musical or audio continuity between videos on your channel.

‍

Pay especially close attention to genre and mood. If you choose a piece of audio that doesn't match the mood or tone of your video, it could clash with the content you're creating. Just because a song is royalty free doesn't mean it's worth putting in your video, and sometimes these songs can be genuinely detrimental to your intended goals.

‍

Although YouTube Studio is extremely convenient, and has lots of options, it's Not the only way to find royalty free music.

‍

Other Options

‍

There are many websites and platforms online that are specially dedicated to helping people find free and inexpensive music that they can use in other projects. Typically, these platforms allow you to search through large libraries of content, filtering based on a number of parameters. With each entry, pay especially close attention to whether this track is public domain, free to use for commercial purposes, or is royalty free.

‍

In many cases, you'll need to pay a one time fee to get access to the music, or you may be required to provide attribution to the creator in your video. As long as you're clear on the rules, there shouldn't be any problems integrating the audio into your YouTube videos.

‍

How Can You Tell If a Song Is Royalty Free?

‍

How can you tell if a song is genuinely royalty free?

‍

Most mainstream platforms, including YouTube Studio, have already done the hard work for you. As long as you're on a platform that you genuinely trust, you can be reasonably certain that any track marked as royalty free is genuinely royalty free. Any track listed for sale or available for public use should have any caveats or disclaimers attached to it.

‍

In other words, as long as you're using a trusted source, what you see is what you get. Your source will also likely provide you with instructions for how to provide attribution appropriately.

‍

You can also verify the status of a song by looking for it on SoundExchange or the U.S. Copyright Office website. This is an extra step that may not be necessary, but could grant you peace of mind if you're concerned about potential legal issues or fines in the future.

‍

YouTube will also give you a heads-up if it detects any copyrighted material in your video, including audio. You'll have an opportunity to swap out the track or make other modifications so that you're no longer violating copyright law.

‍

Best Practices for Using Royalty Free Music

‍

If you want to use royalty free music as part of your YouTube video strategy, these are some of the most important best practices to follow:

‍

·         Use a trusted source. Don’t use a random MP3 that your buddy sent you just because he insists that it's free to use. Don't trust the free music you find on an obscure Russian website. Don't browse your personal music collection and make an educated guess about music might be royalty free. Instead, use a trusted, reliable source. There are literally dozens of reputable, mainstream platforms that offer royalty free and Creative Commons music, and all of them do an excellent job of maintaining their internal archives.

‍

·         Double check the details. When looking for music, always double check the details to make sure you understand how this music can be used and what the requirements for using it are. Are you sure that this track is free to use even for commercial purposes? Are you sure you aren't going to owe any royalties? Are you required to provide attribution to the original creator, and what format should that attribution be in?

‍

·         Provide attribution. Speaking of attribution, always air on the side of caution and provide it. In fact, you may want to provide attribution in multiple ways, such as when the track is playing, at the end of the video, and even in the video description. This way, you can practically guarantee that you've provided ample credit to the original creator – and it helps the creator get some visibility as well.

‍

·         Match the mood. Some YouTube creators choose music almost arbitrarily, looking for noise that they can use to fill in content gaps or looking for music for its own sake. However, it's important to remember that music can make or break the tone of your video, and that it's important to find music that can genuinely match the mood you're trying to create. You may need to browse through many different tracks before you find a perfect fit. This is part of the work of making a good YouTube video.

·         Dig deep. It's not hard to find generic music tracks that are free, easy to use, and compatible with a wide range of video content types. But there's a significant downside to using this low-hanging fruit: most creators frequently tap into it. If you pay attention, you can find nearly identical music tracks across a wide variety of YouTube channels and videos. If you simply use the same tracks as everyone else, your videos are going to come off as repetitive and generic. Instead of jumping at the first decently close fit, you should strive to dig deeper into the archives and find something that's even more uniquely compatible with the video you want to create. Not only will you find a closer match to the content you're creating, but you'll also distinguish yourself from your peers.

‍

Are you looking to build your YouTube channel from scratch?

‍

Or are you hoping to grow the YouTube channel you’ve already established?

‍

You’re in the right place.

‍

At Vid.co, we have the video production experts and creative minds necessary to help you create and execute the perfect YouTube video strategy.

If you’re ready to get started with a free video marketing consultation, contact us today! 

‍