Many videos are published on the internet without subtitles. That’s a huge mistake. Subtitling your content helps you reach a wider audience and make it more engaging. Moreover, most people will prefer watching a video with subtitles. Subtitled videos are also a good choice for those who wish to consume your content on the go and cannot have their sound turned on.
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They Make Your Videos Accessible to a Greater Number of People
Your video content might be the best in the world, but if it isn’t accessible to most of your audience, you won’t get the reach and impact you need. It is why subtitles and captions are so important – they help to overcome the language barrier. Subtitles and captions are designed to provide a written version of the audio track on the screen, typically below or at the bottom of the video.
Originally, these were intended as accessibility tools to assist deaf or hard-of-hearing viewers in watching foreign language films. But since the rise of social media platforms like Facebook, where 85% of videos are watched without sound, subtitles, and closed captioning, they have taken on a whole new function, especially with the help of tools like Sonix. They make your videos more accessible to a wider number of people, and this is why many companies choose to offer subtitles alongside their videos – it allows them to expand their audiences. Technical terms, industry jargon, and brand names can all be explained in captions to enable your audience to understand better what is being said. It means more people can engage with your videos, leading to more views, engagements, and potential conversions.
They Break Down Language Barriers
The video has become a standard feature across social media platforms and for a good reason. Whether it’s a tutorial, commercial or promotional content, video helps create an impactful message that engages viewers. However, many creators forget one thing that could make or break the impact of their videos — subtitles. Subtitles are text alternatives for the dialogue of video footage – such as spoken words by characters, narrators, and other vocal participants.
Closed captions are more complex, encompassing not only talk but also background noises (such as phones ringing) and other audio cues that need to be described. While subtitles and closed captions are similar, they serve two different purposes. Adding subtitles to your videos effectively improves accessibility and reach for those with hearing disabilities. While not all video platforms have the same accessibility requirements, most online streaming and content-sharing sites impose a minimum requirement for subtitles and closed captions.
In addition, subtitles help with retention. Studies have found when people are engaged; they’re more likely to like, share and subscribe to your content. It, in turn, will boost your visibility on search engines since YouTube and other sites index subtitles and closed captions.
They Help With Retention
You’re familiar with subtitles or captions by now. After all, they’re an integral part of foreign films, TV shows, online tutorials, and educational content. They’re also a great way to reach new audiences, making it easier for non-native speakers and language learners to understand your video content. In addition, a video’s captions help viewers retain information even when their audio is muted. It is important for many reasons, including that people often watch videos in public places where it’s unacceptable to turn on the volume.
Captions and subtitles can also make grasping technical language or industry jargon easier. It is particularly helpful when a video explores themes that are beyond the realm of day-to-day topics. Viewers who understand your content are more likely to remain engaged with it. It can lead to higher viewer retention rates, which is good for your business as more people will be exposed to your brand and the messages you’re trying to convey.
They Help You Reach More Audiences
You’ve produced a video, researched, optimized the title and description, and promoted it on social media and online communities. Your content still needs to deliver the views you hoped for. You’re missing a key ingredient: subtitles. Captions are so important because they make your videos accessible to a much wider audience than would otherwise be possible. With the rise of global video platforms, it’s become increasingly common for people to consume content in languages that aren’t their native tongue.
While many people watch these videos with the sound turned on, some prefer to do so without it. It is where subtitles come in – viewers can read the captions instead and catch important information without headphones. It doesn’t just benefit the deaf community – many people learn best by reading, so captions can help them better understand videos. Studies show that videos with subtitles receive up to 80% more views than those without. That’s a huge difference and one that should not be ignored.