Why You Should Add Subtitles to a Video: The Ultimate Guide

SUBTITLING IS ALL OVER THE PLACE: WHY SHOULD I USE VIDEO SUBTITLING?

Subtitles and captions add a lot to the viewing experience for many individuals. To be a successful content producer, you must be familiar with these alternatives and understand when it is appropriate to use them.

The video contains transcripts of all the important or even crucial dialogues. They capture not only the words being said but also the environment, the tone of voice, and the mood set by the music. They make it easier for those with hearing loss to understand what’s being said, justifying the very need to add subtitles to the video.

These days, videos are the backbone of the media industry. The tasks in every field, from entertainment to education or business, rely largely on it. Videos may be found online and offline in a wide variety of languages, frequently with regional or ethnic variations in the speakers’ accents or diction.

Subtitling a video may be done in one of two fundamentally simple methods. Adding a subtitle would make the video much more accessible. With the subtitles turned on, the audience will not miss a thing.

Closed captions are always visible. However, users have the option to toggle closed captions on and off as necessary. Also, you have the option of open or closed captioning.

Subtitles capture merely the sound of the speakers. So that a wider variety of people may hear and understand the music, they often translate the track into another language.

Subtitles and captions have become more vital with the explosion of online video in recent years. No matter what kind of media player or mobile device a viewer is using, adding a subtitles feature may improve their video experience.

This post will discuss why these features are important for your films and how to implement them across a variety of video editing software.

What are the Advantages of Subtitling Videos?

Now, before we get into the specifics of putting subtitles on a video, let’s talk about why you should take the time to do so. We’ll look at some potential uses for internet video captioning and subtitling.

Add Captions and Subtitles to Your Videos for Added Interest

Subtitles and captions draw more people in and promote equality. They improve user experience, leading to longer video views. The correct captions make it simple for video producers and content developers to promote diversity and increase their audience size. To what end do captions and subtitling influence your videos? Before making a decision on how and when to put subtitles on a video, think about the people who will be viewing your films, where they could be, and how experienced they will be.

It’s not certain that your viewers will always be listening with the volume up

Just how frequently do you check your social media without turning on the sound? You do this often, right? Of course, you can’t always have the sound on while watching movies on your phone or computer, especially if you’re at work or using public transportation, or if it would be rude or improper to do so. Since this is the case for both you and your viewers, it only makes sense to facilitate their interaction with your videos without resorting to loud ear-splitting levels.

Make it easier for those with hearing impairments to use

Previously, we discussed how the original intention of adding captions to TV programs was to aid those who were deaf or hard of hearing. Hearing-impaired viewers want to watch your films, but can’t get the whole experience without subtitles or a transcript. Add closed captions to your videos to help people follow along. Captions are a terrific method to show that you care about diversity and welcome everyone to your content.

Add Captions to Your Videos and Watch Them for Longer

People tend to pay more attention to captions. Somehow, just seeing the text on the screen is captivating, and the audience can’t look away (and watch). Captioned videos are more likely to keep the attention of viewers, even those who can hear the audio just fine and may be viewing your video with the volume turned up.

Now that we’ve established why it’s a good idea to put captions on your movies let’s talk about how to accomplish it efficiently and affordably. We found that not all of our choices were cost-free. Most of them, however, have a free or low-cost option for adding accessible captioning, which may help you build more engaging and professional-looking movies for a wider audience.

What’s the Difference Between Captions and Subtitles?

Captions and subtitles are often used interchangeably; however, there is a difference between the two. To begin learning how to caption or subtitle a video, you must first understand the difference between the two and decide which one you need.

Captions have been used to assist the deaf watch the same television programming that the hearing has done since the 1970s. When watching a video in the 1970s or early 1980s, the subtitles you saw were an integral part of the picture and could not be disabled. Thus, the first captions were known as «open captions», while the later, optionally-disabled ones were referred to as «closed captions». Because of the positive reception that captions received from the deaf and hard of hearing community, their use became mandatory for all U.S. broadcast television in the 1980s.

In contrast, subtitles have been present since the 1930s. During the time when movies were initially being converted to sound, they were first developed. The language barrier was seldom an issue in silent films with little spoken dialogue. When «speaking» first became popular, audiences without a working knowledge of the language of the picture were left baffled; however, this problem was eventually solved by the invention of subtitles.

So, what is the primary difference between subtitles and captions? Subtitles will often just translate spoken dialogue and the lyrics of any songs playing in the background of a film or video, but they may also translate sound effects. Textual explanations of both spoken words and non-vocal sound effects are included in captions made for the deaf. People who don’t speak the video’s original language might benefit greatly from the addition of subtitles.

Subtitle editing techniques

You want the finest video editor for subtitles to add captions to the video, whether you’re a top editor with expertise with applications and programs like iMovie and Premiere Pro or a complete newcomer to video editing. Learn the ins and outs, get step-by-step directions, and find out how to add subtitles to a video without a watermark using either a free or paid video editor for subtitles on your PC or in a web browser like Chrome or Firefox.

How to Pick the Best Video Editor

It’s crucial that you use the proper software to add subtitles to videos. Remember these considerations when you make your decision. Get yourself a video editing software that can put subtitles in your finished product mechanically as well as add subtitles to mp4. You’d be surprised at how difficult captioning is and how long it takes to do it by hand, especially to add subtitles to an mp4 file. Time and effort may be saved with a video editor that includes auto-captioning capabilities.

One consideration in selecting a subtitle tool to add subtitles to videos solution is the degree of personalization available. What are your preferred font sizes and styles? Can just special characters be used? Don’t accept anything less than an ideal solution.

The ease of usage is another crucial factor to consider. It’s already difficult enough to edit videos; you don’t need to spend time learning how to use your video editor software every time you turn on your computer. Look around until you find an app to add subtitles to video that is both intuitive and meets your requirements. Perhaps even allowing you an option of adding subtitles to video online.

Price is the last consideration. We all know how pricey modern living can be, so it’s important to avoid spending more than you need to or making a purchase that isn’t proportional to your needs.

Have a video that you’d like to have subtitles for?

How can you learn how to add subtitles to a video or edit subtitles, and what are the best methods for using the many software programs that exist for this purpose?

This tutorial will show you how to use the lossless video editor SolveigMM Video Splitter to quickly and efficiently save media files with subtitles.

How to Use SolveigMM Video Splitter to Edit Files with Subtitles

1. Get the product from their website and install it on your PC.

2. You may either click the shortcut for Video Splitter on your desktop or go to Start > All Programs > Solveig Multimedia > SolveigMM Video Splitter Home Edition.

3. Launch Video Splitter and load the subtitled file. To load a video, either click the «Add files to the media library» button on the left, drag and drop it into the main Video Splitter window, or choose File -> Add media files… on the menu.

4. Drag file to the timeline.

Subtitle tracks may be selected for editing and previewing purposes by means of the «Select streams» dialog.

Suppose the file has several tracks of the same type (this applies mainly to audio and subtitles). In that case, this dialog allows you to select which of the tracks will be used during the preview (the «Eye» button next to a specific track in the dialog) and which of them will be available for editing (the «Scissors» button in the dialog). Accordingly, only those selected for cutting will be included in the output file; the rest will be skipped. Only one of a group of tracks of the same type can be marked for viewing – that is, only one audio track or one subtitle track. Any number of tracks can be marked for editing, regardless of their type.

Subtitle tracks are automatically selected for editing in Video Splitter. Select the «Scissors» button to deactivate each subtitle track except the desired ones, which you can then save.

To preview another track, just click the eye symbol next to the track’s name if it is grayed out.

Our demo involves copying all subtitles from the video file (with scissors turned on) and playing back the first ASS track in English (eye enabled).

5. Add start and end markers of each interval you want to edit.

You can save certain segments of a video by dragging the slider and clicking the marker button in Video Splitter.

First, place the leftmost marker at the beginning of the fragment; next, place the rightmost marker at its interval end.

6. Hover over the area between the markers.

7. Click on the button with the scissors to mark this interval to be cut. Clicking scissors on that interval again marks it to be saved.

Fragment marked for cutting will be highlighted with red as a result.

8. Specify all intervals to be cut.

9. Push Save button.

10. A Save as… dialogue box appears. Next, give the output file a name and choose where it will be saved. When it’s done, you’ll get a video file containing all of the segments you choose, along with any subtitle tracks that were included in the source material.

We’re going to go right to work on the editing. The proper window will open to show you how far along it is.

Finally, that’s all there is to it! Thank you for reading, and have fun with your editing work.

FAQ

Which Fonts Work Best For Video Subtitling?

When creating subtitles for videos, it’s preferable to select legible typefaces. Calibri, Arial, and Robot are some easily readable font options. In fact, YouTube’s subtitles are written in a Sans Serif typeface, so that’s another wonderful option.

Why Are Subtitles Important For Educators Or Other Parties Of The Kind?

For students without access to professional speakers or a fast internet connection, subtitles are invaluable to understanding. This is of particular use when translating films from a non-native language. In the end, it’s merely a bonus that helps ensure your films are accessible to everyone, whether there is sound or not.

What Are The Benefits Of Using Subtitles In The Workplace?

Subtitles are essential in the workplace since around 30% of professionals have a handicap. Adding subtitles may help people who aren’t good speakers, those whose hearing isn’t up to par during training sessions, or those who just prefer reading to listening. It’s also useful for salespeople since the combination of reading and listening greatly improves comprehension.

Exactly Why Are Subtitling Services So Crucial?

Subtitles are often used by viewers. Up to 85% of videos shared on Facebook are watched without sound. Thanks to these helpful video enhancements, audiences may take in the material with or without the aid of audio. Moreover, they add value to the video in other ways.

In What Contexts Do You Think Subtitles Would Be The Most Helpful?

Subtitles help in many ways, including those listed below. Favoritism of the Market! The video is now more digestible. Subtitles are great for a video’s search engine optimization since not everyone will understand the audio.

The Question Is Whether Or Not Automatically Generated Subtitles Are Preferable To Those That Must Add Subtitles To A Video Manually By A Human.

Automatic video captioning and other transcription services are available on a variety of social media sites. Use this method, and you may get the advantages of video transcription without spending any more money or time and probably suggesting the easiest way to add subtitles to a video.
When using a YouTube service, creating subtitles for videos is a breeze. If you want people to not only watch the whole video but also learn anything from it, you need to supply caption files that are accurate and simple to read.

Conclusion

You’ve now gained a deeper understanding of how to properly add subtitles to your videos. Online services and software are many, and you can even add subtitles on your phone if you require them if you have a Mac or Windows computer.
The process of adding subtitles to a video is much simpler now than it was even just a few years ago. Extra user-friendly subtitle editing is a breeze with video editors like SolveigMM Video Splitter and arguably the best way to add subtitles to video. Subtitles and captions may be added to your movie with the click of a single button.
Adding subtitles is a little but the potentially game-changing effort that may attract or repel viewers. The benefits of subtitles are broad and a great way to assist your viewers and increase video watch time.