The Purpose of a music video

What is the main purpose of a music video?

The purpose of a music video is to;

• Sell the song, and invoke a reaction so it leaves you remembering the song
• To give the listener a better understanding of the song. (If the video is narrative)
• To entertain (to show off other talents the musician may have, for example dancing or acting).
• To sell CDs and DVDs to viewers. Creating a memorable visual for the song increases its chances to sell
• Marketing for the purposes of exposure and expansion of the artist's profile despite all of these being factors in why a music video is important, some people argue that the end result still has to serve one purpose: promotion. The music video is a promotional tool for the artist. It sometimes serves as a conduit to attention from a label, but more often it is a catalyst for CD sales or artist song downloads.

Why musicians use music videos;

• They are a great way for artists to get their music out to people who would never care for actively looking into new music.
• It's a form of content marketing beyond the music itself; and visuals find their ways easier into the consumer’s brain. This content can be spread along all the social platforms, where the artist has set up a profile and as such, also function like an ad.
  
• It can and should be part of the branding: the video is part of the world of experience that an artist creates. It evokes emotions and sets a specific tone, which can be described with certain keywords that should become connected to the brand.

How will this help me when making my music video?

When making my music video, this will help me as it will enable me to check my video to see weather it has the elements that are needed to achieve the bullet points above. Elements such as will it sell the son, does it entertain the audience and also is the video part of the overall branding of the song.