Using Lyric Videos As Promotion Between Releases

Videos have long been a staple of music markeiting, and thanks to the rise of the lyric video, they're now easier to create than ever. Here Emily O'Connell explains how they can be utilized to promote music between releases.

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Guest post by Emily O'Connell of Bandbasher

Every single band that has ever stepped foot in a studio has tried to make a music video for at least one of their songs. Nowadays that’s easier than ever for artists–as well as their fans. Thanks to YouTube, a new type of music video is as popular as the original: lyric videos.

Anybody with a basic movie-making program on their laptop can smash one together in less than a day’s work. However, with a little bit more work – some well-done graphics and interesting effects – even this type of video can hype fans up for an artist’s new content.

Fans are always looking for their next music high and when they know a new release is on the horizon, anything they can get their hands on helps them survive until the music arrives. Lyric videos – when done correctly – can provide this high.

It is extremely important for artists to understand just how popular a lyric video can become. Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” lyric video racked up 200 million views in three months. Released before the official video, it helped hype up fans waiting for the official music video and keep them interested in the love song. A lyric video can be the perfect thing to build excitement before the next big release.

But good lyric videos serve a number of purposes beyond just promotion.

One of the biggest battles when new music comes out is what the band is actually singing about. What are the lyrics to this song? You know the saying: you’re not at a Fall Out Boy concert unless the crowd is singing six different versions of the same song.

Lyric videos allow fans to follow along with the lyrics so they can sing along at the top of their lungs when they go to a concert or are driving in their car.

Another use for lyric videos is to give fans some insight on what a new album or song will be about. Themes are extremely important to artists when they are writing and even more so to fans who connect with the music, and are going through the same thing. A lyric video thus increases fans’ interest in your album.

Below is an 8-step process to making a lyric video in iMovie:

Open iMovie and hit create to start a new project.
Name the project. Once you’ve done that an empty timeline will open and you can start creating your video.
Using the insert tool, pull in footage shot previously. You can also use a picture or blank background.
Again, using the insert tool, pull in the track that will be the foundation for the video and line it up with the beginning of the first video or picture you’re using.
Add in text, using the insert tool, to match the words from the track to the words on the screen.
Once you have finished the text, watch the video to ensure that the final product is what you were aiming for.
Save the video.
Upload the video to whatever site you choose, where fans will be able to watch it and get excited about the upcoming track releases!