A study shows that video content on social media is becoming of major importance; more than half of consumers account engagement with a brand after watching a video online. 93% of businesses also confirm that their customer base increased because of video content posted on social media. On YouTube alone, research shows that 60% of the views are generated from users who prefer searching for content in languages other than English. With the rise of social media, brands and content creators across the globe have extended their vision to accommodate an international audience by incorporating subtitles and captions in online video content.

Subtitling vs Captioning: What is the Difference?

Subtitling and captioning are more than words that appear on a screen, in fact, they each serve a unique purpose in the production of audiovisual material. Though used synonymously on several occasions, the two words are as different as they come. Subtitling can be described as a form of audiovisual translation’ whereas captioning is ‘a form of audiovisual transcription’. In simpler terms, when subtitling, the dialogue is displayed as text in a language other than the original audio language used. On the other hand, captioning was originally created to cater to the deaf and/or hard of hearing to allow them to experience the video content. For this reason, captions, unlike subtitles, will most likely indicate people clapping, music playing in the background, or the banging of a door. In dialogues, for instance, captions even help the viewer identify the speaker. 

Example of captions. (Image source: able.co.nz)

 Example of subtitles. (Image source: arabic-for-nerds.com)

Captioning: Open Captions and Closed Captions.

The history of captions dates back to the early 1900s, however, open captions were more popular back then as compared to the past recent years. Open captions are usually embedded in the video during the production process and cannot be turned off while closed captions (CC) can be turned on and off by the viewer. In as much as captioning was intentionally started to serve a specific audience, a recent survey in the US by Verizon Media shows that 80% of caption users are not deaf or hard of hearing. 69% of the participants confirmed that they would rather turn off audio and watched a video with captions when in a public setting. Others claim that captioned videos allow a better comprehension of the content. These kinds of audiences play a key role in determining whether or not to include captions in your videos.

(Image source : streamingmedia.com) 

More on Subtitling ...

Subtitling is more than just an aspect of translation; it is an art because a lot goes into the production of subtitles. Subtitling, unlike dubbing or other forms of translation, accommodates a wider (foreign) audience and increases engagement rates in video content. It allows room for diversity and even caters to people trying to learn a new language. Here’s but a few things to be considered when subtitling;

The reading speed of the viewer – Subtitling requires the observation of time and space, and, as much as professionals follow a specific set of guidelines, it is key to conform the structure to meet the needs and expectations of the target audience.

Language variations – Expressions may be used differently across languages and some English words may not have equivalents in other languages. It is key to identify the context to use when translating content across the globe. Variations in culture, age/formalities, and gender across languages should also be observed when subtitling as different languages have unique elements on the same.

Subtitling and captioning are not just a practice for filmmakers and content creators in the industry. Both are essential features to be embraced as significant video marketing tools for brands, businesses and organizations at large. Getting to decide what to go for and what works best may prove to be difficult since both are impactful instruments in the world of social media. Furthermore, automated translating software have been reported to produce several grammatical errors and generate results that do not reflect the context and structure that was intended. To avoid an unfortunate situation, it is best to have your audiovisual content professionally handled by translators.

 Are you seeking subtitling services for your audiovisual content? Newbridge uses a very efficient automated bidding process to ensure that every translation project is assigned to a professional translator who can provide an ideal combination of quality and competitive bid. This way we ensure that our clients get high quality services combined with the best translation rates for every project.

For more information on this and other services, kindly send us an email @admin@newbridge-africa.com or call us on 020 2331648

Sources:

https://www.rev.com/blog/subtitles-vs-captions

https://www.3playmedia.com/2018/03/06/captions-vs-subtitles-do-you-know-the-difference/

https://www.streamingmedia.com/Articles/News/Online-Video-News/80-of-Video-Caption-Users-Arent-Hearing-Impaired-Finds-Verizon-131860.aspx

https://blog.ai-media.tv/blog/captions-vs-subtitles-difference

https://www.daytranslations.com/blog/2017/11/7-subtitling-facts-10038/

https://www.productionhub.com/blog/post/increasing-your-audience-numbers-using-video-film-translation-636914503035270985