An image speaks a thousand words, however when it comes to video, words are just as important. Subtitles have become more widely used through social media in recent years and for many good reasons. In 2020, a viewer is 80% more likely to watch the entire video when captions are available (verizon Media). So why is this the case?
The most obvious reason is that if your audience is deaf or hard of hearing they will need subtitles to understand your content. 11 million people in the UK are deaf or hard of hearing which could represent a large percentage of your audience and in the interest of accessibility and inclusivity it is important to make your content accessible to everyone.
Another reason to include subtitles is that 85% of users on Facebook watch videos without sound. There could be many reasons for this such as they are in a public place or they are listening to music at the same time. Whatever the reason, you will miss out on a massive percentage of your audience if you don’t add captions.
Another reason to consider is language. Some of your audience may not speak English but if you can provide subtitles in another language you are expanding your audience and increasing inclusivity. So, when possible it is a great idea to add subtitles in multiple languages.
There are many reasons your audience will watch a video with captions but here are a few more reasons why you should add subtitles.
Comprehension
Everyone learns in different ways and some people retain information better if they can follow the audio with subtitles. Some people prefer to watch tv shows and films with subtitles even if they are native speakers with no difficulty hearing. There is also an argument that some people will retain the information better when reading text, so the option should always be there.
Higher engagement
As mentioned in the introduction, 80% of viewers will watch a video to the end if subtitles are used compared to 61% of people watching a video to the end without subtitles on social media. This is a vast improvement and the longer the video is watched the quicker it will move up the search engines on platforms such as youtube.
Better social reach
Instapage discovered that videos with captions on Facebook had a 16% higher reach than those without. They also found that the captioned videos received 15% more shares and 26% more call to action click throughs. The response from the viewer was improved in every way.
Better SEO
Adding subtitles will improve your SEO as search engines like google can read your subtitles and search for keywords. This will help drive your video to a larger audience.
So, in conclusion, there is nothing to lose when adding subtitles but so much to gain. Adding subtitles will increase the performance of your video on social media in every way so give it a try and see the results for yourself.
If you are considering creating social media or any other form of video or animation content, contact Fable Studios. Fable Studios is a Creative-led, boutique video and animation studio who create tailored brand stories that endure in your audience’s mind. We combine your objectives with audience insights and inspired ideas to create unforgettable productions that tell the unique story of your brand. Find out more about us at www.fablestudios.tv
Let’s get started…
Fable Studios is your partner in the world of video content.
We’re here to help you unleash the incredible brand-building potential of video to meet your challenges, engage your audience and grow your business.
Let’s get started…
Fable Studios is your partner in the world of video content.
We’re here to help you unleash the incredible brand-building potential of video to meet your challenges, engage your audience and grow your business.
