If you work with video content, you probably already deal with subtitles or captions. But if you’re still on the outside looking in, there are some major reasons you should be considering. Whether it’s to abide by local laws, grow an international audience, or to increase engagement, these localization services are necessary and here to stay. Why?
1. Most people watch mobile videos without sound
It’s true. Facebook alone reports that 85% of its videos are watched without sound. Why is this? For one, it can save precious bandwidth. But more importantly, it’s more convenient for those in very noisy or quiet environments. In noisy areas, you can’t hear the sound anyway, while in quiet places like an office or public transportation, you don’t want to disturb others. Marketers and publishers have already begun responding to this trend, filling their videos with captions to keep users engaged.
2. Reach a bigger audience
There are hundreds of languages in the world. If you aren’t providing subtitles, think about how many viewers you are shutting out. Adding subtitles can be one of the easiest ways for your content to go global, reaching millions more viewers.
3. Increase user engagement
There is just a 3 second window to engage viewers with your video. If they aren’t interested in the first 3 seconds, they’re gone. One report showed that there was immediate 14% lift in engagement when simply adding captions to videos on social media. Facebook reported that adding captions to their videos increased video lift by 12%. Additionally, adding captions or subtitles to videos online drastically helps with search engine optimization (SEO). Captioned videos are indexed by both Google and YouTube by searching the metadata, increasing views and helping your content move up in search rankings. With video content averaging 150 words per minute, imagine how much more information you can add to your search results.
4. 80% who watch captions are not even hearing-impaired
It is estimated that there are over 700 million people worldwide who are hearing-impaired. In many countries, it’s mandatory by law to provide closed captions within various mediums. However, they aren’t the only ones that benefit from captioned videos. The BBC reports that 80% of those who use captions have no hearing impairments. So why are they watching with captions? Many said they watched muted videos with captions to not bother their sleeping partners, while others use them to watch videos that feature speakers with strong foreign accents. Others are non-native language learners themselves who benefit from following along with the text.
No matter the reason, adding high quality captions or subtitles creates a more immersive experience and improves engagement for viewers. That’s where subtitle and caption services like Subty.net come in handy. Get in touch to find out more!
(Sponsored post)
