Subtitles and captions are often used interchangeably by almost everyone. But although they’re closely related, they each serve a different purpose.
Let’s take a closer look at their definition:
- Subtitles are the translation of the dialogue and narrative content of the video to another language.
- Captions are the transcriptions of the audio from the characters and narrators on the video.
Using Subtitles and Captions
With the rise of video content on the Internet, subtitles and captions are a great way to get your message across multiple channels. We’ve compiled more of their advantages below.
Subtitles
- Exposure to a wider audience
Not only do subtitles increase a video’s global reach. For advertisers, it’s worth noting that search engines can’t read images and sounds; instead, it relies on texts. By adding subtitles to videos, businesses can strengthen their marketing strategy with improved SEO ranking.
- Assists language learning
Subtitles are especially beneficial for people who are learning a second language. Research shows that subtitles help students learn and organize the information in videos as well as focus on language’s form, vocabulary, spelling, and grammar.
Captions
- Aids hearing impairment
Captions are primarily developed for people who are deaf or have hearing deficiencies. Captions include descriptions of background music, sound effects, and tone of voice.
- Improves retention of information
Slangs, thick accents, as well as poor audio quality, make it hard for viewers to comprehend what they are watching. Captions help the viewers follow along and better engage with the video (e.g., remembering the characters’ names.)
- Enable viewers to watch videos in noisy environments
On social media sites like Facebook, videos may play with no sound while you scroll through the newsfeed. Captions let viewers enjoy videos even in places where audio may be limited like in the library or a crowded train.
If you want to amplify your video content with subtitles and captions, it’s time to Lexcode it! Request a free quote for your video translation requirement today!
