It happened a while ago. A friend told us he couldn't keep up with his e-learning course because he wasn't a native speaker of the video language. The video didn't have closed captions or subtitle translations in his language.
He said, “Oh, now I see why translation is a big deal.”
Whether this story is real or not doesn’t matter. How does it make you feel? Disappointed, right?
By adding subtitles, you're not just catering to viewers who need them; you're helping everyone follow along, whether they're in a noisy environment or trying to grasp complex ideas.
Let us introduce you to the simplest and most effective way to add subtitles to your videos, no matter the subject or genre.
Why Subtitles Matter
Instapage ran an A/B test comparing captioned versus non-captioned videos on Facebook. The results? Captioned videos had a 16% higher average reach. Reactions were also 17% higher on average, while shares dropped by nearly 15% without captions.
Now, think about YouTube, where millions upload both short and long videos. On this platform, 54% of consumers in the UK, US, Australia, and Canada say they watch non-English content “very often” or “sometimes,” up from 43% at the start of 2020.
Surprising? Not really. If captions and subtitle translations didn’t draw viewers in, would YouTube keep refining its captioning and subtitling features?
(Though, let’s be honest: The reliability can be hit or miss. Take a French documentary, for example, and try subtitling it into English and German. For results that truly connect with your audience, using a localization platform is the way to go.)
Here are the top 3 benefits of video captions and subtitle translations:
➊ Enhancing Accessibility
Subtitles are essential for making content accessible to the hearing impaired and non-native speakers. This inclusivity can significantly increase your video's reach and impact.
➋ Increasing Engagement
Did you know that videos with subtitles have higher viewer retention rates? Subtitles help keep viewers follow along, especially in noisy environments or when the audio is unclear. This leads to better comprehension and a more enjoyable viewing experience.
➌ Expanding Global Reach
Subtitle translations break down language barriers, allowing your content to be understood by viewers from different linguistic backgrounds. This can open up new markets and expand your audience significantly.
Take Myzen & Museum TV. For them, we translate subtitles from French to English, Polish, and Korean. In just 6 months, we completed over 200 projects, each running at least 25 minutes, with some up to 65 minutes.
Basic Steps in Subtitle Creation
🡲 Transcribing Your Video Content
This step involves converting spoken words into text. Localization technology platforms like OLabs make this process simple by providing AI-powered transcriptions.
🡲 Timing and Syncing Subtitles with Video
Once you have your transcription, the next step is to sync the subtitles with the video. This means aligning the text with the appropriate timecodes so that the subtitles appear in sync with the spoken words.
🡲 Formatting and Styling Subtitles
Good formatting and styling are crucial for readability. Choose a clear font, appropriate size, and contrasting colors to ensure your subtitles are easy to read. With OLabs, you can customize your subtitles to match your video's style and enhance the viewing experience.
OLabs: Your Ultimate Localization Tool
What is OLabs?
We created OLabs to make subtitling and dubbing easier for content creators. How? By combining AI with human expertise on a single platform, backed by over 100 robust APIs. With OLabs, you get high-quality translations and dubs faster and more affordably than traditional methods.
Key Features and Benefits
AI-Powered Subtitling: Use AI to enhance accuracy and efficiency in creating subtitles. The AI handles transcription, timing, and syncing, reducing manual effort.
Editing and Customizing Subtitles: Easy-to-use tools for making adjustments and aligning subtitles. You can tweak and perfect your subtitles with minimal effort.
Syncing Subtitles Automatically with AI: Streamlined process for perfect timing. The AI ensures your subtitles match the video dialogue accurately.
Flexible Output Formats: Export subtitles in various formats like SRT, TTL, VTT and DOCX ensuring compatibility with different platforms.
Why Use AI in Subtitling?
OLabs' AI nails subtitle accuracy and sync. It handles the whole process, meaning less manual hassle, more precision. What do you get? Spot-on subtitles. They just... make watching better.
Did we make you think no human touches your content? If so, it is our fault. AI translations really shine when our translators refine them. That's why our human experts are key. They're not just part of the process. They're essential.
Imagine Media, the home of TV series. In just one month, we translated subtitles from Arabic to English for over 70 episodes, each running at least 30 hours. Our partner provides their audience with precise AI-generated subtitles, enhanced by our translators' expertise.
But we don't stop there.
OLabs provides editing tools that allow you to tweak and customize your subtitles. Whether it's adjusting timing, changing text, or modifying styles, OLabs makes it easy to create professional-quality subtitles.
For one of our partners, a large media company specializing in digital video, we provided English and Arabic subtitles for a TV series with over 100 episodes, totaling more than 12,000 minutes. Our partner used Ollang's AI subtitling with HITL (Human-in-the-Loop) solution for this project. See more details here.
AI Dubbing for Video Translation
Let’s begin with a comparison.
Traditional dubbing involves human voice actors recording dialogue in different languages. While high quality, it can be time-consuming and costly. AI dubbing, however, uses artificial intelligence to generate lifelike voices, offering a faster and more cost-effective solution.
OLabs provides both options, allowing you to choose the best method for your project.
If you choose AI dubbing with HITL, our editors perfect your video by addressing issues like overlapping, speed, and vocal characteristics. You can still edit your dubbed version after delivery or request revisions from us.
If you're unsure whether AI dubbing, studio dubbing, or AI dubbing with HITL is best for your project, feel free to contact us at info@ollang.com.
Subscription Plans for Every Need
We recommend our subscription plans for solo creators and small companies. Start your 21-day free trial to experience how OLabs can benefit your business.
If you're part of a larger company with a high volume of content, reach out to partnerships@ollang.com to explore tailored solutions.