Step 1: Start with a script or transcript of the video.
Just as actors or a narrator follows a script to know what to say, your captions will follow a script as well. This can simply be word-for-word what is being said in the video or it can be more or less detailed to fit with what’s happening during the video. Overall, the script should be targeted to your target audience and relevant to their interests.
Step 2: Upload your video to a platform or editor.
Whether it’s on Facebook or YouTube, your video needs to be uploaded in order to add captions. You could also use a tool that is designed to create captions for videos, such as Kapwing or other video editing software. Most of these tools, including YouTube, offer a speech-to-text feature that will populate captions for you. Although, those captions are not always accurate, so it’s important to double-check what’s created and edit as needed.
Step 3: Add your captions to your video.
While you have the option of automatic speech-to-text features, you can enter in your captions manually for more accuracy. When you begin to upload a video to Facebook or if you’re in a video editor, there is a section that allows you to type in what you would like the captions to say, and you just need to place it during the right time sequence. However, you must keep your spelling and timestamps in mind as you add the captions. That way it makes sense, it’s on time and it follows the video. This can be very time consuming with longer videos. Some tools even give you the ability to transcribe a video by uploading a document that contains the caption text.
Step 4: Post and share your video.
With the captions uploaded to your video, you are now ready to post it on social media, add it to your website and share it with your audience.
Why You Should Add Captions to Videos
More than 87% of marketers use video content in their online strategies; however, on social media sites like Facebook, most users view videos with the sound off. That’s why it’s important for marketers to include captions with their videos, so viewers are able to understand and fully comprehend what is being shown.
Captions are more than just subtitles of what someone is narrating or saying in the video. They are also there to describe what is being shown or what the audio depicts. This can be very important to viewers. Plus, some videos, such as how-tos or demonstrations, may not use narration to explain a process. This is where the captions come into play. The captions provide commentary when there is no substantial audio. For instance, many five-minute how-to videos simply have music playing while all of the steps and directions come up as captions as the person is acting it out.
Including captions with your videos is also beneficial for the hard of hearing and deaf. The captions explain what is being said and indicate the tone of the video that audio would normally do, allowing those with hearing difficulties to experience the video as intended.
If your company would like to join in on the video craze but needs help with writing and making a creative video, contact BPM today!
