With the most popular movies and TV shows now being made in various languages, subtitling and captioning have become more prominent discussion points in the language arena.
With films like Parasite and TV shows like Squid Game and Money Heist taking the world by storm in the last few years, it is easy to see why consumers are using subtitles more and more.
Along with this, more people — both with the explicit need for captions and without — use subtitles on all the content they consume, not just foreign language content. Today, we'll discuss the benefits of using captions on all your video content to maximize accessibility, reach, engagement, and clarity.
Rise of Video
It is essential to talk about the rise in video content before discussing the increase in caption usage. According to a study by Cisco.com, video content will make up 82 percent of internet traffic by the end of 2022, rising from 73 percent in 2017. This increase means that video content is becoming increasingly popular, making it more difficult for businesses to stand out.
With the rise in video content, many people in the United States watch all their content with captions. The most apparent reason is being Deaf or Hard of Hearing, but that isn't the only cause.
A 2022 report stated that 69 percent of consumers prefer watching content without sound in public. Subtitles are a crucial part of being able to watch content on the go and at any point throughout the day. With a seemingly endless well of content being produced each month, this number will probably continue to increase.
This isn't just restricted to your favorite Disney+ series. Closed captions have seen more exposure on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Here are some of the key benefits to your company and your viewers:
Accessibility
Accessibility and inclusion are fantastic tenets to operate under. There is no doubt that a considerable number of people have a distinct need for captions to be able to understand and enjoy your content. A great benefit of adding captions to your content is how it expands your company's reach. Being more accessible to those who are Deaf, Hard of Hearing, or non-English speakers are great for the communities involved. It also means your marketing materials are getting in front of more people. For example, according to the World Health Organization, 5 percent of the world's population has a hearing impairment.
Raising Engagement
Using captions is a great way to stand out and meet the viewers where they are, providing precisely what they want from their video content. Depending on your target market, you could miss engagement opportunities by not putting captions on your content. According to a study done by PLY Media, 66 percent of videos without captions are watched until the end, versus 91 percent of videos with captions. It has been proven that video content gets more engagement when there are captions.
Starting Point for Expansion and Growth
As a society, we are online and watching content more than ever. As times change, inclusion and accessibility must change as well. There is a world of opportunity to get your content in front of a new audience. It doesn't have to be new content — it can be repurposed.
Ensuring your material is as accessible, engaging, and straightforward as possible is key to great content.
LanguageLine Solutions® can help. We are experts in captioning and all other forms of language access. Our mission is to help businesses, healthcare organizations, government agencies, and others expand their reach and be more inclusive.
Please contact us today to see what opportunities lie within your organization.
