Using a trending song in your business's video feels harmless — until the platform mutes it, removes it, or (rarely but expensively) a rights holder comes calling. Here's the simple, safe version of music licensing for small businesses.
The one rule to remember
Personal accounts and business accounts play by different rules. That trending audio your teenager uses freely is often licensed only for personal use. Business accounts get a smaller, commercial library — and using popular music in ads requires a separate license entirely.
Your safe options
- Platform commercial music libraries. Instagram, TikTok and Facebook all offer royalty-free commercial libraries for business accounts. Always choose sounds from these when posting as a business.
- Original audio. Your voice, your ambience, your sounds. Always safe, and often more authentic.
- Licensed stock music. Services like Artlist, Epidemic Sound, or the music your editor licenses for you. This is what we use — every video we deliver comes with properly licensed music.
- Trending sounds (with care). Some trends are cleared for commercial use and some aren't; if it's not in the commercial library, assume it's not.
What happens if you get it wrong
- Most common: the platform mutes or removes the video — your work disappears
- Running it as an ad: the ad gets rejected, or worse, your ad account gets flagged
- Worst case: a copyright claim. Rare for small businesses, but the fines are real
The practical takeaway
Great videos don't need a chart-topping song — pacing, captions and story carry them. Music is seasoning. Keep it licensed, keep it subtle, and never let a track you don't have rights to be the reason a great video comes down. We handle all of this for you →