Imagine you're watching a foreign video or movie without subtitles or captions. Even with appealing visuals, you may miss crucial plot details. More significantly, this experience can leave you feeling disconnected and unsatisfied.
Using subtitles and captions is crucial in videos, including corporate content. Subtitles in advertisement, training, and presentation videos help deliver messages more effectively than relying solely on voiceover and visuals.
Moreover, subtitles and captions improve video SEO on social media. Whether incorporated into internal videos or marketing content, subtitles and captions become a vital element in a video. We'll walk you through seven essential tips for effectively subtitling and captioning your videos.
What Are Corporate Videos?
When humans' focus spans get shorter, videos become one of the most efficient tools for delivering and communicating messages. Meanwhile, video content created by businesses or organizations is often referred to as corporate videos.
Businesses create and use corporate videos for various purposes, typically conveying specific messages, showcasing products or services, and promoting the brand or company. They also come in many forms and serve a range of functions.
Commonly, corporate videos are used for marketing, product promotions, internal communications, training, and investor relations. Some companies also use corporate videos for recruitment purposes.
You may have seen corporate videos like product promotions and explainer videos on social media. Typically, they have captions to explain their content briefly. Moreover, most have subtitles to make the videos accessible to anyone.
7 Tips for Captioning and Subtitling Corporate Videos
Many businesses and marketers still struggle to create captions and subtitles for their videos. We recommend you use subtitling tools like Subly to ease the process of creating video subtitles and captions.
Subly helps you generate subtitles automatically in more than 30 languages and dialects. Alternatively, you can opt for the expertise of professional transcribers to generate subtitles and captions with an impressive 99% accuracy level.
Furthermore, consider the following seven tips for captioning and subtitling your corporate videos. Let's explore the list!
Tips #1: Choose Your Subtitle Type
When considering subtitles for your videos, it's essential to determine the type of subtitles that best suits your content and audience. There are two primary types: open subtitles and closed captions.
Open subtitles are permanently embedded into your video, meaning audiences can't turn it off. This type of subtitle is suitable for longer videos and content you want to make universally accessible.
Meanwhile, closed captions are user-selectable. Viewers can turn them on or off as they prefer. Closed captions can also benefit viewers in noisy environments or those who want to watch your video without sound, such as in a public place.
Consider your target audience and video content when choosing subtitle types. You can also look into your competitors' content to get inspiration and learn from them.
Tips #2: Use Clear and Concise Language
Clarity and conciseness are vital aspects to consider when creating video captions and subtitles. Clarity ensures your subtitles are easy to read and understand. In this case, your voiceover script may define your language and word choices.
If your subtitles follow the voiceover, use concise and compelling language in your narration script. Consider your target audience, and ensure your language style resonates with them. Also, avoid complex jargon and technical terms unless they are essential to the content.
In terms of conciseness, keep your subtitles and captions brief and to the point. Strive to convey the essence of what's being said in as few words as possible while retaining the message's accuracy and context.
Tips #3: Ensure Subtitles Accuracy
Subtitle accuracy is paramount to effectively convey your message and maintain the credibility of your content. Start with a high-quality transcription of the spoken content in your video.
Ensure that transcribers are proficient in the language spoken in the video and can accurately capture nuances, accents, and terminology. After transcribing, thoroughly proofread the subtitles for any errors, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
If you use AI-generated subtitles, check and recheck the output. Manually proofreading and editing your subtitles and captions are necessary to ensure accuracy and fluency.
Tips #4: Edit the Timing and Synchronization
Editing the timing and subtitle synchronization involves adjusting each subtitle block's start and end times to align with the video's dialogue and pacing. This step ensures the subtitles provide a seamless and comfortable viewing experience.
Thus, subtitles must appear and disappear on the screen at the right time to match the spoken words or relevant audio cues. Ensure the timing is precise so viewers can read the subtitles comfortably without feeling rushed or waiting.
Moreover, synchronize your subtitles with the video's visuals and audio. If there's relevant on-screen action or changes in the audio, such as music or background noise, the subtitles should reflect these elements. Proper synchronization ensures the subtitles don't lag or get ahead of the video's content.
Tips #5: Edit Your Subtitle Style
Editing captions and subtitles ensures both aspects blend accurately with your video content. Subtitle style refers to the visual presentation of the subtitles. Customizing the style can significantly impact how viewers perceive your content.
After transcribing, timing, and synchronizing your subtitles, continue editing their styles by:
- Choosing a legible font that suits the tone of your video.
- Ensuring the font size is large enough to be easily read on various screen sizes.
Moreover, use colors that provide a strong contrast with the background. Typically, white or yellow text on a black or dark background ensures visibility and readability. Place subtitles at the bottom of the screen, where they are less likely to obscure important visuals or faces.
Editing subtitles and captions style requires you to adjust those elements to match the overall aesthetic of your video while prioritizing readability and viewer comfort. A well-designed subtitle style can enhance the professionalism and accessibility of your video content.
Tips #6: Adapt to Video Style
Adapting your subtitles or captions to the style of your video is essential for maintaining consistency and enhancing viewer engagement. Set the tone, voice, and visual style to resonate well with your brand image and target audience.
First, identify your video tone and language: Is it formal, casual, informative, or persuasive? Your subtitles should reflect the same style to ensure coherence. For example, if your video is a formal podcast, use subtitles with a professional tone and language.
Then, match the visual style of your subtitles to that of your video. If your video has a specific color scheme or design elements, incorporate these into your subtitles to create a unified and appealing look.
Be aware of cultural sensitivities when adapting subtitles and captions. Avoid using humor, idiomatic expressions, or references that might not translate well or could be offensive in different cultural contexts.
Maintain consistency in subtitle style throughout your video, such as using the same font, color scheme, and positioning for all subtitles. Consistency helps create a polished and professional appearance.
Tips #7: Provide Additional Context
Sometimes, you need additional context to give further explanation about your video content. For instance, if your video features multiple speakers, provide clear speaker identification within the subtitles.
You may have seen labels like [Speaker 1], [Speaker 2], or the speaker's name to indicate who is talking. This additional context helps viewers follow the conversation well. Moreover, consider including descriptions of significant sounds in your subtitles to give a fuller experience for viewers who may be deaf or hard of hearing.
Most importantly, sometimes, your videos include technical details. Provide additional explanations or clarifications within the subtitles when necessary. You can mention the terminology along with a brief description. Providing subtitles and explanations ensures that all viewers can follow the content.
Many businesses understand why subtitles and captions are essential in their videos. This trend is also a sign for your organization to stay relevant and competitive.
With accurate subtitles or captions videos are more effective in delivering messages, whether to educate employees or convert potential customers.
The above points are things to consider when subtitling and captioning your videos. Ensure all the subtitles are perfectly typed and synced to make viewers comfortable while digesting your content.
