In the video content creation space, the trends and best practices become rather dizzying. Your videos should not only be accessible but also inclusive. But did you know you can use closed captions to make your videos more engaging? It’s one of the tools that are often overlooked. With closed captioning, viewers can watch relevant parts of the video like background noise and music. You can also describe the auditory portion of the video in a written format.
Content Summary
Why are closed captions so important?
How to use Audext to caption videos
Which caption format is right for my video?
Final thoughts
Why are closed captions so important?
Increases accessibility
In today’s digital age, closed captioning is an important part of our daily life. It allows the deaf to have an immersive experience of the videos without having to hear the soundtrack. Moreover, viewers can understand the sarcasm and who is talking on the screen. Without closed captioning, the information can get lost.
In the US, the disability Act requires that educational videos must have captions. If you leave them out, you could be neglecting a larger part of your audience.
Good for SEO
A closed caption to your videos will help improve your marketing goals. If you want your videos to rank high on SERPs, you should back them up with captions. With video captioning, you make your content accessible, and the users remember the information easily.
Google uses closed captions to index pages and gives your videos a double-tap. It’s the best way to outrank your competition.
Improves watching time of videos
If you capture the attention of the viewers, they will watch the videos till the end. By keeping them engaged, you improve the average watching time. Of course, captions improve flexibility by allowing viewers to watch the content that suits their lifestyle.
Another perk offered by the service is consuming content from silencing devices. This can be helpful if there’s a sleeping person or a meeting nearby.
Helps to learn a foreign language
The internet offers the easiest way to connect with the audience. You can be sure there will be some native students watching your videos. With closed captions, you ensure effective communication to individuals. It’s what you need if your viewers are non-natives.
How to use Audext to caption videos
If you want to increase the reach of your videos, transcription software is a sure bet. With Audext you can convert audio file to text – each word will be tied to the audio moment. This tool will also identify speakers and structure the text to suit the need of the speakers.
First, you should log in to Audext on the dashboard. You’ll see a new transcription tab – click on it and select your video file. After that, choose the name of those speaking on the video and select the language of the video file. Within a few minutes, Audext will transcribe your video to text. You can now edit the transcription and create the perfect captions for your videos.
But there’s a caveat when using the software. Audext may have a rough time understanding the voice on your background, so you should ensure it’s not choppy. Make sure there’re no sounds or background noises.
After the process, you can download the file in TXT or Doc format and save it in Google Drive.
Audext saves time since you don’t have to write the whole text from start to finish. Furthermore, it doesn’t require any technical expertise. The only thing you ought to check is the quality of the video.
Which caption format is right for my video?
There are lots of captions formats out there, so you can select the one that suits you most. The easiest caption formats to use are SCC, WebVTT, SRT, and SMPTE-TT. With SRT formats, you can create files using TextEdit (mac) or Notepad (Windows).
If you’re looking for complex formats, you can choose CPT.XML, XML, cap, and asp. The best caption will depend on the format a player intercepts. Most videos will work fine with any of the above formats.
While using transcription software will get the ball rolling with transcription software, the process requires a bit of legwork every time.
Final thoughts
If you’re looking for efficiency in your videos, closed captions are the rule of the game. Besides broadening your reach, your content becomes more engaging and memorable. With Audext, you get everything you need to convert audio to text. It’s fast, cost-effective, and guarantees accurate and secure results.
Be sure to follow this guide, and your closed captions to your videos will be at their best!
