Accessibility issues : A significant number of users watch videos with the sound off, either due to personal preference or their environment. Without subtitles, their engagement with the content cannot be full. Additionally, viewers with hearing impairments are completely excluded from the experience if a video lacks subtitles.
Limited reach : Although English is widely spoken, the global market is made up of over 7,000 languages. To truly reach a global audience, brands need to think beyond just one language.
Poor comprehension : Non-native viewers or speakers watching complex and technical content often have difficulty understanding a video without subtitles. This reduces the overall effectiveness of the video.
The growing popularity of short videos is reshaping marketing strategies, and brands must adapt to keep pace with audience expectations. This is where subtitles come into play. They are an optimal tool to meet these challenges and ensure that videos are accessible, understandable and engaging for diverse audiences.
The not-so-hidden benefits of subtitles
Here's how:
Increased engagement and viewing time : Data shows that germany whatsapp mobile phone number list videos with captions are watched for longer , making viewers more engaged and more likely to follow calls to action.
Increased accessibility : Subtitles make video content accessible to a wider audience, including users with hearing impairments (and there are more than 430 million of them worldwide).
Better comprehension : Studies show that video is 95% more effective at conveying information than text alone, and subtitles further enhance comprehension. This is especially beneficial for videos on complex topics or for non-native speaker audiences.
SEO Benefits : Search engines can't "see" videos, but they can index the text they contain. Subtitles create searchable content, which increases the video's visibility and helps it rank higher in search results.
How to add subtitles to marketing videos
Subtitles can be added as an overlay in a video editor or as a standalone .SRT file to display on playback. Creating quality subtitles is pretty easy. So if you want to create masterful subtitles, remember:
Subtitles should be easy to read and keep pace with the video.
Subtitles should be long enough for viewers to read, but not so long that they distract from the visual effects.
Subtitles require a legible font that works well across all devices and matches your brand style. An advanced video subtitle and captioning app can offer a variety of editing features to help customize your captions.