What You Need to Know About Subtitles and the Value They Add to Your Content

What Is a Subtitle?

A subtitle is on-screen text that shows a transcription or translation of spoken dialogue in a video. Subtitles typically appear at the bottom of the screen and aim to help viewers understand what is being said, even if they do not speak the language or cannot use sound.

Subtitles are common in many types of video content, including:

• TV shows
• Movies
• Documentaries
• Video games
• YouTube videos
• Promotional ads

The entertainment industry, as well as education, business, and online creators, use subtitles to reach wider audiences. Adding subtitles along with translation services enables viewers from different backgrounds to enjoy content worldwide.

Types of Subtitles

• Open Subtitles: Always visible and cannot be turned off by the viewer.
• Closed Subtitles: Viewers can turn them on or off and often choose from multiple languages.

Subtitles may provide a direct transcription of speech or offer translations so everyone can understand the content.

Key Benefits of Using Subtitles

Adding subtitles offers important advantages for both creators and viewers. Below, we explain these benefits in detail.

1. Enhance Clarity and Understanding

• Viewers will not miss important information, even if audio quality is poor or speakers have strong accents.
• Subtitles clarify technical words, place names, or unique terms.
• Studies show viewers follow video content better when subtitles are present (Ofcom, 2017).

2. Boost Accessibility for All Audiences

• Subtitles make content available to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
• They help those with learning disabilities or attention disorders keep up with videos.
• In some countries, adding subtitles is a legal requirement for certain types of content (FCC, 2023).

This approach helps you connect with a larger audience while meeting accessibility standards.

3. Improve SEO and Online Discoverability

• Search engines scan text, not audio, to rank content.
• Subtitles add keywords that can boost your video in search results.
• About 90% of people begin online experiences with a search engine (BrightEdge, 2022).
• Nearly 70% never go past the first page of results (HubSpot, 2023).

By including subtitles, your videos are easier to find on platforms like Google and YouTube.

4. Adapt Content for Silent Viewing

• Up to 80% of people watch videos with the sound off, especially on social media (Verizon Media, 2019).
• Offices, public transport, and libraries are common places where users mute videos.
• Videos with subtitles see a 12% longer average viewing time (Facebook, 2017).

When viewers can read along, they are more likely to finish watching your video rather than clicking away.

5. Enable Multilingual Reach and Reuse

• Subtitle text can be translated easily to reach new audiences in other languages.
• You can repurpose subtitle transcripts as blog posts, social media captions, or video descriptions.
• This increases interaction and makes your content more visible around the world.

Breaking language barriers helps you connect with more viewers and grow globally.

How to Get Subtitles for Your Content

There are several effective ways to add subtitles to your videos:

• Manual Transcription: Type the dialogue yourself, but this can be slow and prone to errors.
• Automated Tools: Software creates subtitles using speech recognition, though the accuracy may vary. Learn more about automated transcription.
• Professional Services: Human experts create precise and well-timed subtitles. Companies like GoTranscript offer subtitling services for all kinds of content.

You can compare captioning services pricing to find an option that fits your budget.

Legal and Industry Requirements

Some industries must add subtitles or closed captions to meet legal standards for accessibility. In the U.S., the FCC requires certain programs to include captions (FCC, 2023). Educational and public videos often need to follow these rules to avoid fines.

Common Uses for Subtitles

Subtitles are used widely, such as:

• Webinars, lectures, and seminars
• Interviews and podcasts
• Corporate training content
• Social media videos and vlogs
• Films, TV shows, and documentaries

Both creators and audience members benefit because subtitles make information more accessible and engaging.

Final Thoughts

To summarize, subtitles are written transcriptions or translations of video dialogue shown at the bottom of the screen. They help make content clear, accessible, and discoverable, and unlock global audiences.

GoTranscript provides a range of solutions to help you subtitle your videos and reach more viewers. Explore our transcription services, affordable subtitle creation, and expert transcription proofreading. For global reach, try our audio translation service. Upload your files to order transcription or order captions today, and make your content accessible to everyone.