7 Genius Music Promo Video Ideas & Templates

“If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a video is worth a million.” 

It’s no secret that videos have become the most popular form of content consumption today. By 2022, online videos are projected to make up more than 82% of all consumer internet traffic.  ​Studies also show that 54% of consumers want to see more video content from a brand or business they support... and as an artist — you are indeed both a brand and a business. 

Numbers don’t lie and figures like this illustrate exactly why you can not overlook video content as part of your music marketing strategy. If your goal as an artist is to get your music heard by the world, then you definitely need to get on board with current trends and begin complimenting your music promotion with music promotional videos.

It’s understood that artists are often too busy being artists and are more concerned with creating music rather than creating videos and promoting them (rightfully so). However, promo videos will only build hype around your music and making them is actually not as lengthy or difficult as you may think. 

Even the least tech savvy person can make an amazing promo video with the right knowledge and tools — which is exactly what we are going to provide you with today. Throughout this read, you will find information on how to create a quick, easy, and effective promo video to incorporate into your current music marketing plans. We are even going to share some clever ideas to use in your videos that your social media audience will notice and enjoy. Take note! 

If you read my spill above about how important video content has become in the marketing world, hopefully you can understand and relate that same importance to the overall music industry. Promo videos serve musicians and brands in a number of different ways. They provide a glimpse into the artist's life, giving a brief indication of who you are, what you do best, and your personality or brand image. 

You may make a promo video to impress a potential client or label, or maybe you want a promo video for social media to build excitement around your next big music release. No matter what the overall message is behind your promo video, at the end of the day you want it to catch your audience's attention and draw them in to learn more about you. 

Despite common belief, not every promo video has to be a sales pitch or have a definite call to action. Yes, any video you make and share will have some underlying intent to sell your brand and music to the audience, but it should be done in an organic and genuine way. Great promo videos should seek to start conversations and have a personal feel to them — this creates a connection with the viewers and thus promotes your brand naturally, without blatantly asking or forcing something on them.

Coming up with these kinds of promo video ideas can be somewhat overwhelming, especially for those artists who haven’t yet dived into the digital marketing pool…. but it doesn’t have to be! Once you begin understanding the role you want your promo video to play, mapping out the strategy behind it will come with ease. 

When it comes to the different promo videos you can create, your options are almost endless. However, because there is so much you can do, it often becomes hard to narrow ideas down. Which is why we are going to share 7 promo video ideas that are a proven hit among any audience. It’s important to think outside of the box when crafting your promo video, so feel free to put your unique spin on any of the ideas mentioned below! 

If you played a show in the past where the audience took any pictures or videos... boom! You have promo video content already. Turn the footage taken by your fans into a compilation and this will not only highlight the event and show-off your performance, but it will excite your fans to be a part of your promo video. 

Now that you have some ideas for your next promo video, all there is to it is to do it! Choose an idea, and give yourself a short amount of time to create and complete the promo video. When you give yourself a set time frame, you’ll find that you actually get things done instead of dragging your feet and procrastinating on the project.  

Typically, it shouldn’t take more than an hour to create a high quality promo video. You also by no means have to be a tech or editing wizard in order to create a great promo video, there are a TON of apps out there that can help you create high quality promo videos with cool effects, filters, features, and more. 

Some of these are free and some can be costly, but if you aren’t looking for anything crazy fancy — most all smart phones are equipped with built in video and movie makers that will work just fine. Below are some apps that are easy to use and extremely cheap for the quality of the results they provide. If you’re looking for a video maker app, we highly recommend these below:

• iMovie for Apple (free)

• Film Maker Pro for Android (free) 

• Animoto ($5 per month)

• Place It ($14.95 per month)

• MotionDen (first 5 videos for free/$29 per month)

• Lumen5 (free) 

These are just some of the many promo video making apps on the market. Feel free to do your research or ask around to see which others may work for you better. No matter what app you choose or what idea you go with, the most important thing is that you are actually making a video. Content is so important nowadays and you need to be consistently posting on all of your social media accounts in order to stay relevant in the public eye. 

Aside from everything mentioned above, there are some additional details to keep in mind when crafting your promo video. These tips and tricks will make your promo videos easier to make, better in quality, and more effective when promoting them online. 

• Consider adding text to your videos, many people watch videos with the sound off! 

• Keep your promo videos short. Always under 2 minutes but 10-30 seconds is the sweet spot

• Anything you post is a representation of you and your brand. Don’t post anything that could potentially harm your career down the road. 

• Don’t overspend on your promo videos. They can be made free or for very little charge.

• Start taking footage everywhere you go. Short clips or pics behind stage or in the studio can be compiled into an awesome promo video later on. 

• Keep your promo videos entertaining. It is supposed to be fun and personable, not too serious.

• Post promo videos on all social media platforms, not just one or the other. 

• Make sure your content is of decent quality. It doesn’t have to be shot with a professional camera, just avoid any shaky footage or blurry images.

• SEO is key for reaching new audiences. When customizing your video or creating captions/hashtags/description, include keywords relevant to your brand and utilize Google Trends to find what topics people are currently searching for.

• Get inspiration from other artists or accounts whose promo videos perform well.

• Use social media insights to see when the best days to post are. If you have a business account on Instagram, you can go to your settings to find out what times your followers are most active. I’ve personally found that posting on Wednesdays at 3pm gets the most interaction. 

Now that you know why music promo videos are so important for artists, and you have some ideas, inspiration, and easy to use apps — what are you waiting for? Start making your promo video today! If you have any questions for us about promo videos or any additional tips that may help others, feel free to leave a comment below.