People today are getting used to seeing various TV programs, pre-recorded videos, movies, and live events with captions. Captions are those lines of text that appear at the bottom of the TV screen or computer monitor.
There are several types of captions, but today we will discuss closed captions, their importance, and who use them. Human captioners and closed captioning software are capable of providing captions.
Today, the technology is beneficial to almost all types of audiences and various situations, such as providing contextual details to a video or clarifying the dialogue.
Uses of closed captioning services
A diverse set of businesses benefit from using closed captioning services. With closed captions, more people can enjoy the video and understand the creator’s message.
- Accessibility. Closed captions allow more people to access your videos. People with or without hearing disabilities will enjoy your content, including language learners and people in a loud environment. Many students use close captions as their learning aid.
- Search engine optimization ranking. Text allows the videos to rank higher. Without captions, viewers will likely miss your videos as search engines are not optimized for video materials.
- Enhanced comprehension. The combination of hearing the audio and reading the closed captions increases the viewer’s understanding of the content. Moreover, captions hold their attention longer.
- Boost views. It is prevalent for online viewers, particularly those using smartphones, to scroll through their device with the sound turned off. When there are captions, they will likely view the video to see what it is all about.
Users of closed captioning services
A wide range of industries uses closed captioning for the visual content they use for branding or marketing.
- Creative departments. The creative teams that produce visual media for products and websites will reach a broader target audience through captions.
- Marketing teams. Likewise, marketing teams that employ video production as part of their marketing strategies can benefit from closed captioning services to ensure they can reach more of their target and potential audiences
- Video content producers. Many companies produce different types of video content for various clients. Hiring closed captioning services providers extend their services, which can be more favorable to their clients.
Closed captioning services and their features
The service providers might focus on real-time captioning, which is used for live programs, such as live TV broadcasts, sports events, summits, concerts, conferences, and lectures. Other providers only accept pre-recorded captioning. The service has more time to do the captioning work, ensuring higher accuracy and clarity.
Although closed captioning is often seen as white text over a black background, it is now possible to customize the look of the captions according to the client’s needs. Today they can adjust the style, size and font color of the captions.
Clients can download the transcript of the closed captions after a live event. It is standard practice to submit a complete transcript of the captions of a pre-recorded video.
Closed captioning service providers follow the deliverables imposed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other regulating bodies.
With diverse audiences accessing a range of informative and entertaining videos, the demand for closed captioning services increases. When looking for a service provider, inquire about their experience and their list of clients to have an idea of their expertise.