Have you ever watched a brand video that gave you legit goosebumps… and then realized it wasn’t even the music doing the heavy lifting? It was that tiny “whoosh,” the soft clink of a coffee cup, or the heartbeat thump that made you feel it in your chest. That’s the ridiculous power of sound effects for video editing. Visuals are cool and all, but if you really want people to stop scrolling and actually care about your brand, you need to add sound effects to video.
Your brain is basically addicted to sound. A picture might be worth a thousand words, but slap a perfectly timed “swoosh” or a distant dog bark on it, and suddenly your viewer is emotionally invested. Video sound effects sneak past our defenses and go straight for the feels. There’s actual science that says we remember stuff with strong audio 20-30% better. Think about your favorite ads. That Intel “bong-bong-bong-bong” thing? You hear it once, and it’s burned into your skull forever. Or the Netflix “tudum” sound — you hear that, and you’re already reaching for the popcorn. That’s not an accident. Brands use background sound effects to make you feel excited, cozy, luxurious, or pumped — whatever vibe they’re going for. By checking the SFX guide, you can learn this magic, too.
Some sound effects pack more emotional punch for brand videos.
Sounds, like rustling leaves or distant traffic, ground your scene in reality and add layers to the video sound. These background sound effects create atmosphere without overwhelming the visuals.
These are everyday noises that are recreated in post-production (footsteps on gravel or fabric rustling). They're perfect for adding depth because they make actions feel tangible. In brand storytelling, a crisp page-turn in an educational video can emphasize knowledge-sharing.
Whooshes, fades, or echoes guide the narrative flow. These video sound effects smooth edits and build tension, like a rising hum before a big reveal. For emotional depth, musical stings heighten key moments in video production.
Think branded chimes or nature-inspired whispers. Remember THX “deep note” or the HBO static — it’s instant recognition.
Here’s where video sound effects do the most work in brand videos:
You may not be a sound engineer, and the last thing you want is to spend three days learning how to just add a “whoosh.” The good news is that you can get 90% of the emotional punch with literally 10-15 extra minutes of work. Here’s how to do it with the best practices:
You can actually find plenty of free SFX sound effects on the web. Download 50-100 sounds at a time, dump them into a folder called “Magic Noises → Whooshes,” “Magic Noises → Impacts,” “Magic Noises → Foley,” etc. It takes five minutes, and you’ll never run dry.
While using tools like Movavi or Lightworks for editing, you can layer sound effects in seamlessly. You don’t need some fancy, overpriced video editor to make your stuff look and sound pro. Honestly, just use whatever you already know and feel comfortable with — that’s more than enough.
Drop in your voiceover, dialogue, and background music first. Get levels nice and balanced. This is your foundation. Everything else is seasoning.
In most editors, right-click → “Add Audio Track.” Make two or three empty tracks labeled “Hard SFX” (impacts, clicks) and “Soft SFX” (ambience, whooshes). Keeps you organized and sane.
Import your sound effects folder. Drag the sound onto the timeline and then zoom in (scroll wheel or + key) until you can see individual frames. Line that footstep up with the exact frame the heel hits the ground. Line the “cash register ding” up with the moment the product pops on screen. Precision here is what separates “cute” from “damn, that felt expensive.”
The rule of thumb most editors live by:
Two-frame fade-in, four-to-eight-frame fade-out on almost every sound. Abrupt starts and stops are the #1 giveaway of amateur audio. Fades = instant polish.
If you want that premium, “this was definitely made just for us” vibe, you can fire up the Movavi Screen Recorder, record it in a quiet room, trim the silence, and drop it in. Nothing feels more premium than the actual sound of your actual product.
Mute the video and just listen to the audio. Does it still tell a story? Then unmute — does it feel richer? If you get even the tiniest smile or “ooh” out of yourself, you nailed it.
If you’re putting time into lights, cameras, and pretty B-roll but skipping video sound, you’re leaving half the emotion on the table. A couple of well-placed sound effects for video editing can turn “meh, that was nice” into “whoa, I need to send this to my friends.”
Download some free sound effects right now, throw a whoosh on your next cut, and watch the magic happen. Your audience will feel the difference even if they don’t know why.
