Why You Need Subtitles on Your Social Media Videos

Read Time: 6 minutes

In the realm of social media marketing, the significance of incorporating subtitles in videos cannot be overlooked. Videos have become one of the most effective ways for businesses and creators to connect with their audiences. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube, have made it easier than ever to create and share videos, but incorporating subtitles can take your video marketing strategy to the next level. With the rise of autoplay videos, adding subtitles can help capture the attention of viewers and encourage them to engage with your content. They also make your content accessible to a wider audience, increasing the reach of your social media presence and driving more engagement.

In short, subtitles are a crucial component of any successful social media marketing campaign that utilizes video content. Let’s look at some reasons why subtitles are such a powerful tool in 2023.

Accessibility

Adding captions has become an indispensable tool for making videos accessible to a wider audience. They can help individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing understand the message conveyed in the video, as well as benefit viewers in noisy environments or those who prefer to watch videos without audio.

Have a look at these mind-blowing statistics:

50% of Americans watch content with subtitles most of the time.
62% of Americans use subtitles more on streaming services than on regular TV.

It’s worth noting that 57% of viewers watch content in public, and this figure jumps to 74% for Gen Z, making subtitles even more crucial for reaching and engaging with your audience.

By incorporating subtitles into your videos, you can ensure that your content is accessible to a wider audience and promote engagement across all social media platforms. With Powtoon, adding subtitles to each slide is effortless. All you need to do is click on the text icon on the left side of the screen, select “add subtitles,” type in your text, and you’re videos are ready to shine!

Perfect For Viewer Multitasking

In today’s fast-paced world, people are always juggling multiple tasks and responsibilities. With subtitles, viewers can catch important information and keep up with the content even while multitasking. So, when you upload a video on social media make sure you incorporate them into your videos. They’re the secret sauce that can make your content more appealing and help you convey your message even more clearer.

No More Language Barriers

Language barriers can be a major obstacle in communication, both in person and online. However, subtitles can be a lifesaver when it comes to bridging the gap between different languages. By adding them to videos, creators can help their content reach a wider audience, breaking down language barriers and making their messages accessible to everyone. There are countless examples of how subtitles have helped videos be accessible in different languages, from Youtube and Facebook videos to foreign films and TV shows to online tutorials and educational content.

Increases Retention

Not only do subtitles break down language barriers, but they can also help with retention. By reading along with a video, viewers can reinforce their comprehension and retention of the material. It’s like having a personal study guide right on your screen! Subtitles can also help keep viewers engaged, preventing their attention from wandering and ensuring that they don’t miss any important information. Whether you’re creating educational content, marketing content, or entertainment, adding subtitles can help improve retention and engagement.

Better Engagement

Speaking of engagement. Are you tired of your social media videos failing to grab your audience’s attention? Look no further than the power of captions! Not only do captions make videos more accessible to a wider audience, but they also help make bite-sized social media videos like TikTok and Instagram videos more attention-grabbing. Research from PLYMedia shows that videos with captions receive 40% more views than those without. By catering to viewers who prefer to watch videos without sound, captions ensure that your message gets across loud and clear. From viral TikTok and Instagram videos with hilarious captions to visually stunning animations with easily readable captions on Youtube, the possibilities are endless.

Improves SEO

Subtitles can also improve the search engine optimization (SEO) of your media content. This is particularly important for social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram and Youtube, where videos are often shared and viewed by millions of users. Captioned videos have become an increasingly popular option on social media as they make it easier for Instagram users to understand and engage with video content.

From an SEO standpoint, subtitles can also make videos more easily searchable on these platforms. By adding captions to Facebook videos or Instagram videos, the content is made more accessible to search engine crawlers. The captions provide additional metadata for search engines to index, which can help the video rank higher in search results. This means that videos with subtitles are more likely to be discovered and viewed by a wider audience, ultimately leading to increased engagement and visibility for your media content.

Increases Brand Awareness

Subtitles offer a unique opportunity for organizations and creators to promote their brands in their videos. By including their name or logo in the subtitles, they can increase brand awareness and recognition among viewers. This is especially important for social media videos, where attention spans are short and competition is high. The consistent presence of a brand’s name or logo in the subtitles can help establish the brand’s identity and make it more memorable. Additionally, subtitles can be customized to match a brand’s style and color palette, further reinforcing brand recognition.

A Cost-Effective Solution

Subtitles have become a cost-effective solution for businesses and creators who want to reach a wider audience through video ads or other media content. Subtitles are not limited by language barriers, allowing media content to reach global audiences without the need for costly translations. Rather than investing in expensive dubbing or translation services, video captioning can be achieved through a simple transcription process. Transcription services can provide accurate and high-quality transcriptions that can be easily added as subtitles to videos.

If you’re looking to add captions to your marketing videos, Powtoon Studio has you covered. With this feature, you can manually add captions to your videos directly on the platform. Easily customize the timing, font, and color of your subtitles, ensuring that they are consistent with your brand’s style.

How Does It Work For Different Platforms?

LinkedIn Videos: Creating LinkedIn videos with Powtoon is a simple and efficient process. With Powtoon’s customizable templates, you can quickly create engaging videos that are tailored to your audience. To add captions to your LinkedIn videos, you have two options: you can either edit them directly in Powtoon Studio or upload the video with a separate SRT file later. With Powtoon you can customize the subtitles for your videos so that they match your brand’s style and messaging. If you choose not to add subtitles directly in Powtoon, make sure to attach an SRT (SubRip Subtitle) file to your video before sharing it on LinkedIn. This will allow viewers to read the closed captions while watching your video, making it more accessible to those with hearing impairments or who prefer to watch videos with subtitles.

Facebook Videos: Ready to make Facebook videos that engage and entertain your audience on social media? Powtoon’s Facebook videos can help increase traffic and enhance your online presence. With the added benefit of subtitles, your videos will become more accessible, making it easier to reach a wider audience. Our platform allows businesses to create snackable video content that will ignite brand obsession and help drive conversions. Add your subtitles manually directly in the Powtoon studio or upload a separate SRT file later on Facebook. To add your file, upload your video to Facebook, click on Edit Video, and navigate to the “Captions” tab. Then, simply click to Upload SRT File and upload the file you created. Set the default language to the one you’ve written your captions in and Save.

Tip: You can even add captions to a past Facebook Live Video.

Youtube Videos: Creating engaging YouTube videos on Powtoon is easy and fun. With its user-friendly interface and customizable templates, Powtoon offers a variety of features that can help you create professional-looking animations, explainer videos, How-Tos, and more. Adding subtitles to your YouTube videos is also a breeze. Just add them directly on each Powtoon slide. If you forgot to add in your subtitles in the Powtoon Studio you can always go back and add them later. You can also choose to do it directly on Youtube. Just sign in to your Youtube account and select “Subtitles” from the left menu. Choose the video you want to edit, select your language, and click “Add” under subtitles. Alternatively, you can also add subtitles and captions during the upload process.

Reach a Wider Audience With Powtoon

Regardless of the type of videos you create or the social media channels you use to share them, it’s crucial to keep your audience in mind. One effective way to improve accessibility, engagement, and reach is by adding subtitles to your social media videos. With Powtoon creating professional-looking videos and adding subtitles is easy. Sign up for Powtoon today and start creating videos that leave a lasting impression!

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Hannah Elishevitz

Hannah is a marketing intern at Powtoon. To her, nothing is more exciting than trying out new things. She has a passion for cooking, painting, great books, and sports. Making new friends and claiming new skills is her specialty. She is a big believer that everything happens for a reason and hopes to make people smile wherever she goes.