The Impact of Subtitles on Video Marketing
Most users’ news feeds are already filled with short videos with subtitles. That’s because it makes it easier for people to consume the information presented to them in the video. Various studies have shown that adding subtitles to videos can improve video comprehension, attention, and memory.
If you’ve spent any time on social media and digital media. (and I think you have, why are you even reading this?) You already know it’s become the Wild West, with corporations and influencers vying to The attention of millions of viewers, doing everything to get those views. When something as simple as adding subtitles increases engagement by up to 80%, it’s amazing how any video is created without subtitles.
This does mean that subtitles can be the difference between a viewer clicking on a video. In the age of content overload. Viewers are more picky about what they watch and are more inclined to continue watching after watching a silent video preview.
Above all, a good example is YouTube allowing viewers to preview the first 30 seconds of a video. If there are no subtitles that entice viewers to click, they likely won’t click. Because they don’t know what’s going on in the video and whether subtitles are worth their time.
What are the different types of subtitles?
Subtitles are the written expression of the spoken word, and sometimes audio, in any form of film or video. From Hollywood blockbusters to YouTube videos on how to put together an IKEA bed frame.
Subtitles were first used in silent films in the 1900s to add some explanation to the action in order to engage the audience. Once audio became possible in film and television, subtitles became an accessibility tool, allowing the hard of hearing to understand on-screen action. Of course, today there are many different types of subtitles and different reasons for using them.
There are three main types of video subtitles: open captions, closed captions, and SDH (subtitles for the deaf). The type you choose depends on the video’s purpose and target audience.
Captions can increase engagement
For all the above reasons, one of the most important advantages of adding subtitles to videos is to increase engagement across platforms by creating a better viewing experience.
While you’re naturally engrossed in your video, its editing and concept, your audience is likely to watch your content while traveling, on the bus or waiting for a train, or with multiple other screens open at the same time. Endlessly scrolling through their feeds, mostly on smartphones. Skip from one video to another if one isn’t interesting enough or doesn’t give them the information they need. I mean, why keep going to the end if there’s something more engaging next to it?
By adding subtitles, viewers can watch your content immediately without having to save the video for later.
Therefore, videos with subtitles can both stimulate the audience’s curiosity and generate more interest. Greater interest from viewers will naturally enhance a video’s performance on engagement metrics.
Creating captioned videos is one of the easiest and most underrated ways to enhance your content marketing efforts.
Whether you want to engage more with your target audience and build a loyal community, attract new audiences, or gain higher search engine rankings, adding subtitles to your videos can help you achieve multiple goals.
Best Captioning Practices and Tools
You can add subtitles to your video using subtitle software or by working with a professional subtitler. They are creative professionals who know how to perfectly capture the message of a video with easy-to-read subtitles.
Professional captioners can be quite expensive, and there are now many automated software options that can get the job done faster and cheaper. EasySub, for example, can automatically add subtitles to 2 hours of content in 20 minutes.
- Use large font sizes and styles that are easy to read, such as 22 point Arial, Helvetica, Verdana, and Times New Roman.
- Position subtitles at the bottom center of the screen to avoid conflict with other on-screen text or images.
- Avoid excessively long subtitles. Make sure each subtitle is concise (no more than one full sentence on screen at a time). Use up to 42 characters (equivalent to 6 to 7 words per line of captions).
- If you’re posting a video on your website or on YouTube and the video description. This improves the SEO ranking of the video and gives the viewer the option to read every word said in the video.
Important note:
EasySub can automatically make a full transcription of your video for you.
Start Captioning Now
Now that you know why you should add subtitles to your video content and the best practices on how to do it, start using EasySub. Auto subtitle generator can now add subtitles to your videos in over 150+ different languages.