How can you use transcripts and captions to make your YouTube videos more accessible?

Transcripts and captions- A simple way to reach the masses among the diversity of the world. Transcripts are a subtle way of addressing and communicating while captions are flashy, attention-grabbing, and have a pinch of elements to also get searched by algorithms. While content is the winner for all brands whether personal or business, a language can often be restricting when communication needs to happen globally. Transcripts are a game changer in this manner as all forms of content become relevant to people of all ethnicities and diversities.

As a marketer who also fights Multiple Sclerosis brain fog, I can see multiple benefits to including transcripts and captions with your videos. Captions and transcripts help those who have trouble consuming video content through audio alone and they also have SEO benefits, making them a win-win.

You can consider SEO keywords and ensure that the transcripts are short, clear to the point and emphasises customer's pain points. Good to include customers' names, testimonials if neccessary. Imagine how your solution help to solve their problems, issues that they are facing. Do take note of music, voiceover, visuals, moving objects as well as these are important elements to capture audience attention. Last but not least take not of call to action and keep the video short form or at least under 30 seconds to 1 minute if possible depending on the objectives that you would like to achieve like awareness, publicity, education etc.

Using transcripts and captions enables your video to be accessed by people who might have a hearing disability. It is also useful to non-native speakers of the language for whom the accent might be unfamiliar. Finally, it also helps the search engine optimisation for the video as it adds context

Personally, I'm a huge fan of subtitles. Especially when it comes to internationally displayed videos, subtitles make the videos more accessible. The reach that can be achieved is so much more than if you don't have subtitles. Availability to switch between subtitles is another feature that should be more common.

YouTube is a great app because it WANTS you to be successful. We all post on YouTube for one thing: to get our content seen. With transcripts, you're opening yourself up to a whole new avenue of watchers (and readers!). Transcripts can help end users absorb your content much quicker and add great value to their experience. Looking for the part of the video specifically about SEO? Find 'SEO' in the transcript and get straight there.

SRT files are the best and most accurate way to make closed-captions accessible. Live captions or auto-captioning isn’t enough. It’s also an important note that asking a person with a disability to “turn the sound off” so automatic captions play doesn’t mean it’s accessible.

I think Captions and Transcript enhance YouTube video accessibility by making content inclusive to a broader audience. For eg, I have a YouTube Channel and most of the time my videos ranks in countries like Indonesia, where English is not used as much its used in India. By adding captions, it gives time to audience to understand this. Moreover, Captions display spoken words as text on-screen, benefiting those who prefer to watch videos without sound or in noisy environments. Notable examples of accessibility improvements in the industry include YouTube's automatic caption generation, which creators can edit for accuracy.

Transcripts and captions, while often overlooked, play pivotal roles in video content. Transcripts offer a comprehensive textual record of your video, making it accessible and searchable, while captions enhance the user experience by providing text overlays that can be tailored to the viewer's preference. Whether closed or open, these tools are invaluable for ensuring your video content is inclusive and engaging for all audiences.

We’ve found that the automated captions YouTube offers are fairly accurate. However, one tip is to consider using Vimeo. For paid accounts it auto generates an SRT file that is more accurate and can be downloaded. Then you can do basic edits in a text editor as needed and then upload the SRT file to your YouTube video.

Transcripts are a must for accessibility and can be really helpful for SEO. On top of that, you can also leverage video transcripts as source of truth and build content pieces based on information. So you can leverage that information and break it down into a small series for your blog, or even snackable assets for social media.

People learn and consume content in different ways. By adding transcripts and captions to your videos, you're providing people with more options as to how they interact with your content. Some people may prefer to read a transcript in order to properly process the information. They may find that easier than storing audio cues. There are times when people are unable to watch videos aloud, by being able to read the captions or a transcript, they can still consume your content. You are making your content more user-friendly, which means you're more likely to retain your users.

Based on personal UX, whenever I stumble upon a captivating video, but it's a lengthy one, YouTube transcript enables speedy navigation. Let's say I'm looking for a specific information buried within the video. I can simply scan the transcript, spot the relevant keywords, and click on that part of the text. In a flash, I'm transported to that precise moment in the video. Experiences like this feels good and keeps your target audience hooked.

Accessibility is the #1 reason to add captions, and to make them as clear as possible. Taking nothing away from that - some marketers may be further persuaded by studies showing a ridiculously high percentage of users view videos with the sound off. Some studies say it is up to 90% of your audience watches some or all of your videos without sound. Whether it be people in offices or classrooms, on noisy subway cars or other transportation, on their mobile device in public, or those without the ability to hear at all... make it easy for them to consume your content.

“Once you overcome the one-inch tall barrier of subtitles, you will be introduced to so many more amazing films (read content)” I’m writing this at the risk of being philosophical but more that accessibility subtitles/captions/transcripts help your content reach a wider set of audience and similarly you can consume content from anywhere across the world. While transcriptions and captions on youtube needs further refinement but at the end of the day it is a step towards inclusivity helping one expand their horizon of knowledge. As a public relations professional, I feel blessed to have video transcriptions and captions as it makes my life easy in finding the key pointers from a video.

Last year, Netflix revealed two interesting facts about captions: 40% of their global audience uses them all the time, and 80% turn them on at least once a month. Studies show younger people watch TV with captions more than older people. This trend shows us audiences prefer them on whether they have a disability or not; they actually feel more immersed in the content with captions on. They understand every sentence, see the spelling of unusual character names, etc.

Most of us agree that adding captions and transcripts to your videos adds much-needed flexibility to your viewers in terms of the ways in which they can consume the content. Apart from making your videos accessible, it also allows you to reach a wider audience. For instance, if someone is in a situation where they cannot listen to the video but watch it (meetings, commute, etc.), captions are great for them. Further, having spent a considerable time in the content world, I feel repurposing content is a great way to make the content reach more people. And captions from videos and transcripts are wonderful ways to repurpose a video into an article, a blog post, or even a carousel for social media.

In my experience, captions or text overlays on videos is essential when working in a global organisation. To effectively communicate and reach a wider audience, you need to consider caption options to overcome language barriers. YouTube has a great function to add .srt files whereby you can upload them for a subtitle overlay in a video. Users have the option to switch them on or off - a must have to get your message to the masses!

Marketing teams often underestimate the role transcripts and captions play in the accessibility, reach, and engagement of video content. Having transcripts and captions helps make content available to a broader audience, including those with disabilities and non-native speakers. Captions also help enhance user experience for someone like me who prefers playing videos without sound. I think embracing these accessibility features will not only help YouTube creators broaden their audience base and but will also help them in improving their channel’s brand reputation, showcasing a commitment to inclusivity and user satisfaction.

If you choose to use an automated tool always review the transcript! It’s easy for ai. tools to misinterpret words and what it writes can completely change the meaning. Adobe introduced a new tool that allows you to remove filler words like “um” and “ah” which is incredibly beneficial when reading a transcript.

I used the Capcut app, it is very simple to use and I have two types of transcriptions. The first is where I use 100% of the text, always trying to use emojis to make reading more enjoyable. The second when only the most important word in each sentence.

Creating transcripts and captions has options. You can DIY, hire pros, or go robo. DIY needs manual transcription, formatting, and upload – more control, but time-consuming. Pros cost but deliver quality. Robots are fast but not always accurate, especially with noisy audio or accents. Pick your adventure! 🎥💬💡😄

Transcripts/captions need to be proofread after being automatically generated. It shows professionalism. There is nothing more damaging to a brand's reputation and frustrating from a viewer's point of view than reading text that has grammar/spelling mistakes, or even worse, convey a meaning that is the opposite of what's being said.

Creating transcripts and captions are beyond easy now, thanks to AI! My favourite software for captions is the app Captions. It automizes the caption process by automatically adding subtitles – takes up to a minute to do it for a short-form video. Be careful so you put the caption in the right place of the video, for example: Screen sizes vary among different social media platforms, so make sure your captions are "in" the screen (and not outside). Also, stick to the same caption design across your videos. Though you can purchase more functions through the premium version, their free version works like wonders!

There are many accessible tools that you can use to transcribe your videos. We use captions and also a tool called Rev. Both tools do require you to go through and optimise though. We use grammarly along side these tools to perfect our captions :-)

Creating transcripts and captions for YouTube videos varies in approach. You can manually transcribe the audio, ensuring precision but it's time-consuming. Alternatively, hiring a professional service guarantees quality but comes at a cost and wait time. Automated tools, using speech recognition, offer quick results by uploading your video, but accuracy can waver with background noise or accents. Each method has its trade-offs, so choose based on your priorities.

I use transcripts often, especially when I want to repurpose a video or Teams recording as another piece of content. It’s an excellent way to create additional content that compliments your video production - a blog for example. In my role, I think I couldn’t live without transcripts!

For a professional-level transcript, not every word spoken by the speakers should be recorded. Slight editing is required to ensure fluency. In some cases, if the producer wishes to present two subtitle tracks at the same time, special attention should be paid to the parsing of phrases.

We love a tool called Captions (an iOS app) especially for YouTube Shorts. It allows you to record your video and adds the captions to it. You can then edit and customise the captions accordingly. The captions can be in branded colours and stand out in line with your content.

On YouTube, adding transcripts and captions is a straightforward process. You can either upload a transcript file or use YouTube's automated captioning tool. It's important to review and edit automated captions to ensure accuracy.

As the YouTube maestro, I'm the conductor of captioned content, weaving accessibility into my videos like a pro. It's all about making sure my viewers can dance to the content beat, one caption at a time!

For YouTube you need a .vtt file to upload transcripts/captions. And it's better if it is a ready to go version, as YouTube studio editing is painful in my experience. Sonix provides AI automated transcription with time codes, and it works quite well.

Adding captions and transcripts to your YouTube videos can significantly improve accessibility and the overall user experience. Plus, it’s a good move for SEO.

Uploading Transcripts and Captions: 1. Sign in to your YouTube account. 2. Open YouTube Studio and select the video you want to add transcripts and captions to. 3. Click on the "Subtitles" tab. 4. To add a transcript, click on "Add Language" and select your language. Then paste your transcript text. 5. To add captions, you can either upload a caption file (in .srt or .vtt format) or manually enter captions in the YouTube caption editor. Remember to review and edit your transcripts and captions to ensure accuracy, as automated methods may have errors.

Make sure that transcripts and captions are reviewed manually. Technology can't provide accurate text as yet, and it can be difficult for the hard of hearing and, even, for anyone while on a train, etc.

Don't rely too much on auto-generated captions, invest some time to review manually, align the words with time stamps and make changes to the original script. If the original script is optimized then it will help you to create subtitles in multiple languages using auto-translation.

I agree, it’s not just about adding transcripts and captions, but also optimizing them for clarity, readability, and SEO. Your audience will appreciate well-crafted content that’s accessible and engaging.

Optimizing transcripts enhances viewer engagement and user experience. To achieve this, add time-stamped links in your transcripts that allow viewers to jump to key points and highlight popular segments of your video, identified using YouTube analytics. Additionally, consider leveraging YouTube's chapter function to segment your transcripts and captions, making them easier to scan and navigate.

Proofread your captions twice. First, when it's just been generated. Then the day after. You'll always find things to correct. Remove unnecessary words (link words, repetitions) - what is important is the meaning.

Optimization of transcripts can be done using AI, ONLY IF you are reviewing the final product manually. For sure, if you have a small team and/or limited resources, using AI to optimize a lengthy video transcript and captions can be life saving, but you will still need to have a human reviewing the final product, as there are some nuances that AI tools, at least at this moment, are not able to transmit as perfectly as a human would. Remember that you also need to take into consideration all audiences so your content is inclusive, something AI also has trouble with.

Here are 3 actionable steps that you can take: 1. Manually review your transcripts and captions, especially if you are using an automated captions tool to create them. 2. Identify relevant keywords related to your video content and incorporate them naturally into your transcripts and captions. 3. Enhance the structure of your transcripts. Proper formatting improves the readability of the text and helps both viewers and search engines understand the content better. You'll not only make your content more accessible and engaging but also enhance its SEO performance, potentially reaching a larger and more engaged audience on YouTube. 🤗

There is a saying that goes "garbage in, garbage out". Before even filming the project ensure the audio is audible and clear.This goes a long way in improving the quality and accuracy of your captions.

To optimize transcripts and captions for your videos, consider the following: 1. Accuracy: Ensure transcripts and captions are highly accurate to convey the intended message. Use automated captioning tools with manual review for best results. 2. Formatting: Use a consistent and readable font style and size. Ensure captions are well-timed and synchronized with audio. 3. Keywords: Incorporate relevant keywords into transcripts to improve SEO and discoverability. 4. Descriptive: Add descriptions for non-speech elements, like background music or sound effects, to provide a complete experience. 5. Conciseness: Keep captions concise and to the point, as space is limited and viewers may not have time to read lengthy captions.

1. Accurate Transcripts: Make sure the written version of what's said in the video is correct. 2. Time-Stamps: Add time markers to the text so it matches the video's timing. 3. Good Formatting: Format text nicely with clear fonts and correct punctuation. 4. Keywords: Use relevant words that people might search for to help your video appear in search results. 5. Speaker Names: If there are many people talking in the video, say who's speaking. 6. Check and Correct: Go through the text carefully to fix any mistakes, like spelling errors. 7. Translate: If you want more people from different places to understand, translate the text into other languages. By doing these things, your videos will be easier to understand.

Many people find podcasts and webinars tedious, even if they value the information relayed in them. So don't neglect transcripts. Your audience will appreciate you for it.

The cultural and regional aspect of using transcripts and captions matters: When creating content for a global audience, think beyond language preferences and consider cultural nuances and sensitivities. For example, idiomatic expressions, humor, or references may not translate directly, and captions may need adaptation to ensure they resonate with viewers from diverse cultural backgrounds. Understanding these subtleties can make your content more inclusive and relatable to a broader international audience, and demonstrate a deep commitment to accessibility and user engagement.

Parsing transcripts is a great use case for generative AI tools--which makes something like ChatGPT an ideal way to incorporate summaries of key points in videos into content marketing and even sales emails. That also makes them easy for other people to quickly share meaningful context about your videos in blog posts, social feeds, etc.

While a lot of people see and use transcripts and captions for accessibility and reach, I see it as important for all. Personally, I use it to quickly consume information when I don't have the luxury of time. I just swoop to the transcript session, read and get the heck with the next lesson or video. In essence, they have become valuable to easing people's life in today’s world of information overload.

Do not miss the regional aspect and the industrial jargons in the captions and transcript. It can come in handy for your global audience. If you are one who shares lengthy videos, these transcripts and captions can improve your user experience manifold. Put timestamps with topics and headers so that your users can search for them easily.

Experienced content managers strategically utilize transcripts and captions to boost SEO and global reach. By embedding keyword-rich transcripts, videos rank higher in search results. Localizing captions accesses international audiences without new content creation. A savvy tip is repurposing transcripts into blog posts or social snippets, maximizing content's lifespan. While automated tools are beneficial, human-reviewed captions ensure accuracy, reflecting brand integrity and optimizing viewer engagement.

To make transcripts more accessible, don't forget to include context for sounds when it is relevant. For example 'Footsteps in background' or 'bell ringing' gives readers insight to what is happening in the scene.

Aside from the value they offer within the accessibility space (which are immense), their value for SEO can be valuable in reverse as well. Think of the transcripts and captions at the beginning of the process, while you are scripting your video rather than at the end. Search what your users are interested in around the topic (try answerthepublic.com) and use those questions as the base for your video script which will then translate into your captions and transcript. By starting with SEO (which transcripts & captions help reinforce with Google) at the beginning, you can ensure users find your content. As your video, your transcript and captions are all telling Google the same thing- your video is the answer to their question.

People process information differently – some are more visually inclined, preferring text for quicker comprehension, while others might silently watch videos (especially during commutes or in classes). For those with hearing loss and residual hearing, captions are a valuable aid, making spoken words more accessible and understandable. Adding captions doesn't hurt, those who don't need them will ignore them, while those who rely on them truly appreciate the extra effort.

The best content creators will see opportunities to recycle content for other channels. Transcripts are a great way to help supercharge that. Prioritising transcripts from podcast or video unlocks a wealth of new content possibilities. That 30 minute podcast becomes several blog posts that can drive traffic to that podcast or a lead magnet. Consider using tools like otter.ai to get accurate transcripts to then use in written content.