Today, video content dominates internet traffic, and Dailymotion is one of the key participants in this sector. The video-sharing website has been active since 2005 and is now available in over 183 languages.
Dailymotion, as one of the leading video streaming companies, is constantly improving its features and tools to accommodate both viewers and publishers. The option to add captions or subtitles is one of its most useful features.
However, unlike other streaming sites, this website does not automatically generate captions, therefore users must manually add them to their video. Continue reading to learn how to easily add captions or subtitles to Dailymotion videos.
Why do I need captions and subtitles for my Dailymotion videos?
Before we get into the details, let’s talk about why having subtitles on Dailymotion videos is a good idea.
Captions and subtitles are both provided to help viewers better understand the conversation in a video. However, there is a distinction between them in that the captions include transcriptions of background sounds and noises as well.
The first reason subtitles are vital in a video is that they provide accessibility for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Subtitles not only make the video more accessible to a larger audience but also assist users to comply with rules in some jurisdictions.
In Spain, for example, private enterprises with more than 100 employees are required to be accessible. As a result, by including captions or subtitles in the clips, users are assisting Dailymotion in adhering to these rules.
Aside from people’s hearing abilities, people should also include subtitles in their videos because people talk in a variety of languages. And it would be even better if the videos have subtitles in multiple languages.
Because there are over 7000 languages on the planet, translating the captions on the video will allow users to reach a far larger audience. Eventually, users need to make sure that they know where the viewers are located, and what languages they use and include subtitles in those languages on their videos.
Adding captions and subtitles to uploaded videos
As previously said, Dailymotion does not support auto-generating captions, thus users must individually add the subtitles to the clip. All they need is an SRT file that they created specifically for their video.
- Once a user has the SRT file on the computer, they need to launch the browser and proceed to their Dailymotion account. After choosing one of their videos, they should go to the “Advanced Edit” section.
- The “Add subtitle” option should be available by now. When the user clicks it, a dialogue box will appear and the SRT file can be uploaded here.
- The next thing to do is click “Upload” on the bottom left side of the screen and select the subtitle language.
Note: Remember that choosing the appropriate language is critical. If the user makes a mistake here, the subtitles will be considered meaningless, and they may not be able to reach the intended audience.
- When everything is in order, the user must select the SRT file and click “Save”. After This step is complete, the user should be able to see the subtitles in the video immediately.
It should not take long from the time the user uploaded the SRT to the time they see the subtitles in the video. If the subtitles do not appear in the video, check the SRT file for any errors.
To avoid errors, the subtitles must stick to the SRT standard. This can be accomplished simply by opening the file in a subtitle editor. If it works in the subtitle editor, it should work fine when exported and uploaded to Dailymotion.
Adding captions and subtitles to pre-uploaded videos
People usually add subtitles directly to their videos to avoid having to manually upload the subtitles to various video-sharing platforms one by one. One disadvantage of this strategy is that the subtitles will only be available in one language.
Regardless of its disadvantage, many video creators are still using this method, especially if their audiences mainly use one specific language. Fortunately, thanks to various online and offline solutions, adding subtitles directly to a clip is now a pretty simple process.
The procedure of adding subtitles to a video differs based on the software or platform used. However, it typically consists of three steps: inserting subtitles, adjusting the timecode, and reviewing the final result.
As technology progresses, people may now use their phones to add subtitles straight to a video. Apple users can use iMovie, the phone’s default video editor, whereas Android users have a plethora of options in the Play Store.
Creating the proper subtitles for your Dailymotion videos
Learning about how to add captions and subtitles to Dailymotion videos is not enough, though. It’s also important to learn what factors to consider while making the subtitles. These considerations are critical to prevent producing low-quality and misleading subtitles.
To begin, any video creator should avoid using automatic subtitling solutions in all circumstances. The transcription results provided by these services typically contain errors, causing viewers to get confused.
As a result, they must understand how to create a correctly formatted SRT file. Different SRT editors may use different formats, but they all include the following: subtitle number, subtitle display timing, and subtitle text.
To create subtitle sequences, break the words into two roughly equal sections. This equates to approximately 40 characters for the upper line and slightly less for the bottom one.
More importantly, pay close attention to punctuation and keep the text in sync with the speech of each character. If the actors speak quickly, it is possible to cut a few words, but it is crucial not to distort the essence of the dialogue.
Users may also need to prioritize the words of certain participants over the dialogue of others in the case of a highly complicated debate between numerous people. Avoiding showing any subtitles is also possible during critical actions.
Conclusion
Adding subtitles or captions to Dailymotion videos can be a complicated and time-consuming process. This is why users should consider a simpler alternative that will provide even better results for their videos. People may have their videos not just subtitled but also translated by some of the greatest professionals in the industry with GoTranscript. Their years of experience ensure a better result than DIY methods or even auto-generated subtitles.