Subtitled videos are great tools for reaching a wider audience. They allow viewers to grasp information more quickly than visuals alone and can be understood by people with hearing or speech impairments. One way to add subtitles to a video is to use software that automatically creates them. Although it might save time, examining them for flaws is crucial before utilizing them.
Accuracy
Subtitles are a translation of a video’s audio into text that is displayed on the screen. They are often used by viewers who cannot hear the audio of a video, such as deaf or hard-of-hearing people. Subtitles convey dialogue and narration and include important non-dialogue information, such as identifying the speakers or sound effects. Adding subtitles to your video is easy, but how add subtitles to video is accurate is important. They may only sometimes be correct if you use automated captions from a service. You can check for errors by uploading a subtitle file. Then, you can click on words that are transcribed inaccurately. A different choice is to utilize a program that will automatically transcribe your films and let you alter them. Some have a low-confidence word feature that highlights likely incorrect words. By doing so, you may fix any errors before exporting your movie. The resulting subtitles will be accurate and easily readable. You can customize the font and scrolling speed to match your brand’s style.
Fonts
When adding subtitles to a video, choosing a font that will be easy for your audience to read is important. While still readable, the typeface should be manageable so that it detracts from the video’s substance. Also, avoid highly contrasting colors, which can be hard on the eyes. There are many different fonts, but some of the most popular include Arial and Verdana. Arial is a common choice because it is the default font on most Microsoft products and is available in various styles. Verdana is a condensed font that considers computer pixel orientation and works well for subtitles on small screens. Another option is Helvetica, a timeless style that can add a modern touch to any video. News organizations often use it, and it has been used in countless movie titles. Its strong appearance also pops out, making it an excellent choice for video captioning.
Styles
Adding subtitles to your video is an easy process, but it can make a huge difference in the reach of your videos. Whether you do it yourself before exporting or use an auto-transcription tool, it will make your videos more accessible and help you reach a wider audience. Captions convey dialogue and narration while indicating the type of music and any other audio effects like door slams, thunderstorms, or dogs barking that may be part of the video. They are a requirement for some media, such as television and film, to meet accessibility standards.
Often, captions are shown as white text on a black background but can be in various styles. Fonts are often manually hinted to improve legibility on screens of different sizes and resolutions. Although they can occasionally be moved to the top of the screen, they are usually located toward the bottom. The size of the text is also important to ensure that it can be read without distracting or obscuring the video.
Time Codes
When transcribing captions for videos, it is important to keep track of time codes and timestamps. It ensures that the subtitles are properly synchronized with the audio and video. A subtitle inserted too early or too late can make the video easier to understand. Software that provides captioning services can help you choose the best subtitle format. They can also assist you with formatting the files in the proper format for your video. For example, they can help you create captions in the SubRip Text (SRT) file format or WebVTT. You can also use a free subtitle editor, such as Kapwing. It allows you to upload a transcript and create captions in different languages. It also provides a list of keyboard shortcuts to speed up the process. You may decide what kind of text you want to use as a caption before determining how long it should be. You can also have the editor automatically set timings, saving you much time. This option can be especially helpful for long videos.
Placement
Subtitles allow audiences who cannot hear to follow the video. They also help content creators reach a larger audience. Whether you want to improve comprehensibility, boost SEO, or increase viewer retention, subtitles are essential to any video. Subtitles can be generated automatically by the video platform or uploaded manually and synchronized with the video. Depending on the video platform’s rules, they can be closed or open captions. When a video plays, click the Caption tab on the left to select the caption mode you want to use. Enter text and change fonts, sizes, colors, and outlines. You can also choose from various caption layout options and animations, including the word-by-word effect popular on TikTok and other social media platforms.