Creating marketing videos is a powerful way to engage your audience and attract new customers. However, to truly make an impact, you need to make your content accessible to a wider audience. This is where adding subtitles to a video comes into play.
Let’s provide an analogy here. When you’re creating video lessons, they need to be able to understand the material even if they can’t listen to the audio, don’t speak a particular language, or anything else. The same is true for marketing videos. Subtitles make it easier for your target audience to access and understand the content you are trying to share.
In this comprehensive guide, we will explore 7 effective methods on how to add subtitles to a video, along with step-by-step instructions for each method. Moreover, we will also provide essential tips to enhance your subtitling skills. So, let’s dive in!
3 Benefits of Adding Subtitles to a Video
- Increased Accessibility: Subtitles provide an easy way for people with disabilities, like hearing impairments, to access and understand the content. They also make it easier for viewers to follow along with dialogue, even if they are unable to listen closely or stay in a noisy environment.
- Improved Engagement: Adding subtitles is one of the easiest ways to make videos more engaging, as they allow viewers to quickly catch up on the content if they are multitasking or if their attention is distracted.
- Wider Reach: Subtitled videos are more likely to be shared on social media and other platforms, as they are easy to consume by viewers from different parts of the world who may not understand the language used in the video.
7 Ways to Add Subtitles to a Marketing Video
1. Use Desktop Video Editing Software
If you are looking for an attractive subtitling solution, this is the way to go. The best video editors often have multiple features and customization options regarding subtitles. You can adjust colour settings, text formatting, and even create animation effects with most desktop options.
- Install the software on your computer
- Upload the video file into the editor
- Search for ‘Titles’ or similar feature in the editor’s toolbar
- Choose a title style
- Create a new text layer or title for each subtitle
- Type the text and adjust the timing to synchronize with the video
- Change font size, colour, and position of the subtitles on the frame
- Preview the video to check for accuracy
Pros: excellent option for professionals, allows full customization of subtitles.
Cons: time consuming and requires a paywall subscription or one-time purchase to use
2. Take Advantage of Online Tools
When paying for a desktop video editor comes with plenty of good things, not everyone can afford one. Fortunately, there are many online solutions for creating video captions. All you need is an internet connection and the video file. Most tools are free and have friendly user interfaces, making it easier for beginners to use them effectively.
- Look for an online video subtitle editor
- Upload the video file
- Some online tools allow you to choose to add subtitles manually, select an .srt file, or generate them automatically
- Adjust the settings according to your needs
- Preview the video to check for accuracy
- Export your video
Pros: quick and easy, often free
Cons: not suitable for intricate subtitling styles, limited features
3. Utilise Mobile Apps
If you’re always on the go, using a mobile subtitle adder may be the best choice for you. Some of them are free while others require a subscription. Most apps support multiple subtitle formats and allow users to add, edit, or automatically generate subtitles.
Download the app from either the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Add your video from the library
- Select the subtitle file or generate it
- Choose the language
- Edit, preview and save your video
Pros: quick and simple, suitable for mobile users and social media videos
Cons: not as versatile as other solutions, often require subscription.
4. Leverage Automatic Subtitle Generation
Automatic subtitle generators are computer algorithms that analyse a video’s audio and generate subtitles based on this information. While the subtitles may not be 100% accurate, they can accelerate the subtitling process significantly. You can always edit them manually afterward if necessary. They also support multiple languages and sometimes even allow you to extract subtitles apart from the video.
Look for an automatic subtitle generator online
- Upload the video file or paste the URL
- Let the algorithm generate subtitles
- Check for accuracy and edit as needed
- Export and share
Pros: automated process saves time, support for multiple languages
Cons: subtitles may not be accurate at times
5. Add Subtitles on YouTube
As most videos are now published on YouTube, the platform provides its own subtitling solution. All you need is to have an account with the platform to use this tool. You can add subtitles directly as you watch the video or upload a supported subtitle file format. The text is auto-synced with your video, so you don’t have to worry about timing.
- Sign in to your YouTube account
- Go to YouTube Studio and click on ‘Subtitles’ on the left
- Select the video you want to add subtitles to
- Choose ‘Add language’ and pick the language for your subtitles
- Click on ‘Add’ button to finish
- Review before publishing
Alternatively, YouTube provides a file upload option and automatic translation for multiple languages.
Pros: great for YouTubers, free
Cons: limited customization, you can’t extract subtitles from the video, subtitles can only be added to videos uploaded to YouTube.
6. Create with Facebook
Did you know that 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound? And even when people do watch with sound, many of them still prefer to read subtitles. Captions are automatically generated for Facebook videos, but you can also add your own. The platform has its own tool specifically designed for video subtitling.
- Select the uploaded video
- Click on the three-dot-menu on the right side of the video and choose ‘Edit Video’
- Go to ‘Captions’ and click the ‘Upload’ button (or ‘Write’ if you want to paste your own)
- Upload the caption file (or write it)
- Check and edit your captions
- Save the changes by clicking the ‘Save’ button
Pros: add captions in real-time, subtitle customization, multiple language support
Cons: suitable for Facebook only, limited editing tools
7. Use Google Drive
You can play the video file directly in Google Drive and add subtitles to it. The platform supports .srt and .sub files, or you can add them manually. Google Drive also allows you to add multiple subtitles languages and even export them.
- Go to drive.google.com
- Right-click on the necessary video file
- Select ‘Manage Caption Tracks’
- In the appeared window choose ‘Add New Caption Tracks’
- Select the language and click ‘Upload’
- Edit the text as needed
Pros: easily accessible, no need to use any additional software
Cons: limited customization options, only works for videos stored in Google Drive
5 Tips to Add Subtitles to a Marketing Video
1. Make your own style
Don’t just add plain subtitles to your marketing video. Instead, use a bit of creativity to make the subtitles visually appealing and entertaining. There are many content creation tools available to help you craft and style the text in a unique way. Viewers will not only see the subtitles, but also get an idea of what your brand is all about.
2. Use clear language
The language you use is as important as the visuals of your subtitles. Keep it short and clear to make sure viewers follow the story without getting lost in long, complicated words and sentences. Avoid jargon and industry-specific terms unless you explain them in the video.
3. Make it look natural
The video captions should flow with the video, not jump around or look choppy, and have smooth transitions. Avoid cutting words or phrases in half and make sure the timing matches the audio.
4. Check for grammar and spelling errors
Subtitles are meant to be easily readable. Therefore, it’s important to search for any grammar and spelling errors before adding them to your video. Double-check everything and make sure all the captions are accurate. This will help ensure that viewers have a smooth viewing experience without any confusion.
5. Pay attention to font size and colour
The font size and colour of your subtitles can make a big difference in how viewers perceive the message. Pick legible fonts that are neither too small nor too big. As for the colour, make sure it stands out against the background of the video. You can also use colour to emphasize important words or phrases.
Engage Your Audience with Clear Video Captions
There you have it! You now know how to add subtitles to a video using various methods. When done correctly, subtitles can have a huge impact on how viewers perceive your video content. They make it easier for people to engage with your brand and understand the message you are trying to convey. So, use this advice and create subtitles that will help your marketing videos stand out from the crowd.
