In the ever-expanding world of YouTube since 2005, grabbing and keeping viewer attention for long enough is the new name of the game to get more profit out of this world.
Digital creators are now smart enough, the keep investing time in high-quality visuals, scripting, and editing, but one underrated tool that truly elevates a video’s impact is sound effects in the background of a video.
These little audio or sound tracks not only beautify the screen experience of viewers, but they are also a great way to profit more from your video editing or digital creator career.
Let’s break it down, but before I uncover the ways people are using it, i suggest you to visit this sound effects website after reading this post for more sound related content to freely use in your work.
The Power of Background Audios in Videos
The sounds playing in background or according to the scene in the video are not just limited to sound effects, but these are way more than you can imagine.
There is a long research study held in theTechnical University Amberg-Weiden which concluded that sound effects in a video are directly related to the psychology of humans.
Researches from this university proved that human mind get bored very quickly when they are watching something l;ong enough as the human brain only get retention or focus to something that is one minute long.
Through this practical research these scientist proved that when we add some variations of scenes with sound effects,. The human retention rate through that specific video get drastically increased.
As some youtubers get to know this valuable piece of research, they started applying this in their videos, and this doesn’t only benefitted these creators only, but this is also a one reason for the popularity of YouTube as a video content creator platform.
1. Creating Emotional Responses
One of the most common ways YouTubers use sound effects in their videos is to trigger an emotional reaction in the minds of their audience. These reactions are multiple; can range from laughter to shocking feeling and to empathy.
- Comedy YouTubers, like Drew Gooden or Ryan Trahan, frequently use cartoonish sound effects like “boomer whistles,” “scratches sounds,” or “crash bombastic sounds” to enhance the beauty of their jokes.
- Lifestyle or vlog creators often include light, upbeat sounds (like sparkles or whooshes) to convey positivity and energetic feeling in their videos to sometimes motivate their audience viewing their video content.
These amazing background sounds not only cue the viewer on how to feel, but this also help in making the content more emotionally engaging to dive the viewer more into details of it.
2. Emphasizing on the Edits and Cuts of Video
Sharp edits and cuts are a hallmark of modern YouTube videos. Adding quick sound effects to these edits not merely limited to makes them more noticeable by detailing, but also helps maintain the overall pacing of the video.
For example:
- A “whoosh” voice blown during a video scene transition.
- A “pop” or “click” sound effect in the background when highlighting on-screen text or graphics accordingly.
- A “thud” sound when something visually funny or dramatic happens in the scene.
By syncing and playing with sound effects in their video editing, YouTubers of this era are noe able enough to make their videos feel more dynamic and polished, which keeps viewers watching the content for longer with more focus.
3. Guiding and Playing Viewer Attention
Sounds in edits gives ability to the video editor to directs attention just as much as visuals do. When there’s a specific point creators want the audience to notice on a specific thing like an on-screen joke, a surprising moment, or a reaction shot, a well-placed SFX acts like a spotlight.
Educational or commentary YouTube creators (think Veritasium or Internet Historian) often use subtle audio cues like mouse clicks sounds or subtle chimes voices to guide the viewer’s focus to important information or changes happening or going to happen in a video topic.
This isn’t limited to only making the content in a video to digest easier or follow, but also helps significantly lowering the viewer drop-off from the video.
4. Building a Solid Brand Identity
Some famous and successful video creators develop their own sound effect libraries that become part of their brand. Think of it like a catchphrase, but for your ears and mind only.
- MrBeast, for example, uses recurring sounds behind according to video frame that viewers begin to associate with his flavored content’s of high-energy and style.
- PewDiePie has long used a branded collection of memes and signature sounds effects that fans instantly recognize due to their brand authority built in their minds.
By using the same types of sound effects repeatedly in video background, branded creators are able to build a unique and brand audio identity that becomes familiar and addictive to their audience naturally and effortlessly.
6. Encouraging Viewer Interaction
You may believe it or not, but its a truth that some sound effects are strategically placed to encourage audience interaction throughout the video. For example, during a call-to-action (“Don’t forget to like and subscribe!”), YouTubers often add satisfying button-click or bell-ringing sounds.
These bell sound during encouraging viewers to subscribe to the YouTube channel are came into trend after great research held by youtubers who research on their own and public the knowledge for the sake of knowledge.
Final Verdict
In the actively growing and becoming more competitive world of YouTube as people adapting it as a full time career, now if you want to play in this and grow yourself, you need to give attention to details of yo
