How Adding Subtitles to your Youtube Videos Can Get You More Views

Why Subtitling Matters More Than Just Captioning on YouTube

YouTube creators often caption their videos to reach more viewers. But is simply adding captions enough to attract people worldwide? Many users are non-native English speakers. Some cannot understand English at all. For these viewers, captions in English may not help enough. Subtitling, especially in multiple languages, helps your content reach a larger, more global audience.

The Key Benefits of Subtitling Your YouTube Videos

Subtitles make videos more accessible and help you build an international presence. Here are the benefits explained:

• Increase Your Audience: Subtitles let people who speak different languages enjoy your content. Research shows about 75% of YouTube watch time comes from outside the United States (YouTube, 2023).
• Improve Search Visibility: Videos with subtitles in several languages can rank in search results in those languages. This means your videos get found by more people worldwide.
• Boost Engagement: Viewers are more likely to watch longer and share videos they understand, even if the audio is not in their native language.
• Accessibility for All: Subtitles support viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing. They also help people who watch videos in noisy places or with the sound off.
• More Inbound Links and Keywords: Subtitles in multiple languages can bring in more inbound links and help you rank for keywords in other languages, broadening your reach.

People are more likely to choose a video with subtitles over one without, especially if they cannot understand the spoken language. Videos with subtitles also perform better on both desktop and mobile devices.

Should You Translate Your YouTube Videos into English?

If your video is not in English, translating it should be a top priority. English remains the most-used language on the internet. Translating your videos into English can:

• Expose your content to a global audience
• Increase your number of views
• Help users worldwide understand your message

The more languages you add subtitles for, the bigger your potential audience.

When to Add Captions to Your Videos

Captions can help in many situations:

• When Speakers Have Accents: English captions help viewers understand different accents or unclear speech.
• For Language Learners: Many people use captions to learn and practice English.
• To Aid Comprehension: Captions make it easier for viewers to catch every word, even in videos without strong accents.
• Improve User Experience: Viewers might be in a quiet or loud place and appreciate being able to read captions instead of listening.

Clear captions encourage viewers to stay longer and return for more content.

Are Auto-Caption Programs Enough?

YouTube's built-in auto-captioning can help, but it is not always accurate. Here are some key facts:

• Auto-captioning tools often struggle with accents, background noise, or fast speech.
• Errors in auto-captions can confuse viewers and hurt your video's professional image.
• For live streaming, auto-captions may contain many mistakes.
• Speech recognition software like Dragon can improve, but still may not be perfect, especially with a large vocabulary.

For best results, use expert transcription services that offer manual proofreading. This ensures your captions and subtitles are accurate and easy to read.

How to Subtitle and Caption Your YouTube Videos

Adding subtitles and captions can seem hard, but breaking it down can help. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Transcribe Your Video

• Transcribe the spoken words accurately.
• Use professional transcription services for best results.

Step 2: Translate the Transcript

• Translate your transcript into the languages your viewers speak.
• Services offering text translation and audio translation can handle this for you.

Step 3: Sync Subtitles and Captions

• Line up the text with the correct time stamps in your video.
• Upload the subtitle files to YouTube for each language.

Step 4: Review and Edit

• Check for errors in timing, translation, and grammar.
• Consider getting a professional review for perfect accuracy.

Sample of Subtitles and Captions in Action

See subtitles and captions in use in the video below: If you want to test subtitles with your own YouTube videos, you can download YouTube videos here.

How GoTranscript Can Help with Subtitling and Captioning

GoTranscript offers complete solutions for YouTube creators. Their services cover every step:

• Professional subtitle creation in over 50 languages
• Fast and accurate closed captioning
• Reliable automated transcription options for quick turnaround
• AI transcription subscription plans for regular creators
• Affordable transcription rates and clear captioning pricing
• Simple options to order transcription or order captions online

With GoTranscript, you can make your YouTube content accessible, accurate, and engaging for viewers in any language. Subtitling is more than just adding text—it is opening your channel to the world. Using reliable subtitling and translation services is the best way to grow your YouTube audience today.