As the use of digital media grows, so does the demand for captioning videos, television shows, and movies. It is essential to acknowledge that our communities are diverse. We need to be welcoming and accommodating to everyone living in our society. It would be pretty unfortunate if, in the 21st century, some organizations still fail to provide video, Tv, and movie captions for their productions. Let’s jump into why captions are essential for television, videos, and films.
What is captioning?
It’s not unusual for spoken words to be misheard. Misunderstandings, however, are rarer when the speaker is using sign language. Captioning is a service that provides a spoken explanation of what the person signing is saying so that deaf and hard-of-hearing others may follow along.
A captioner typically uses special equipment to type out what we see on the screen. The text written appears above or below the video player on most devices so that you can read.
Why is captioning important?
Captioning is and has always been necessary, but with the advancement of technology, the popularity of video, and the increase in the number of deaf and hard of hearing people, it is now more critical than ever. The following reasons make captions of higher importance now than ever before.
Technology advancement
Captioning is becoming more popular as people become more reliant on technology. Many visually impaired people use tablets, computers, and smartphones to get information about anything they want. All kinds of media content must be easily accessible for blind people because it will help them have one more channel of communication with other people in their lives.
Besides being a tool for the deaf and hard of hearing, captions have become essential for streaming content. According to a study by Frank N. Magid Associates, over half of all American adults prefer captioning when watching television.
The general trend towards online streaming is also driving demand for captions because video content is now delivered online. 66% of respondents in the same Magid survey said they watch movies and TV shows on their computers or mobile and hence find captioning comes in handy in helping them understand whatever they are watching.
Most people know about the importance of captioning for television shows and movies to understand what is being said. Many people don’t realize that captions are available in various formats, making them useful for more than just entertainment purposes. Captions are also used with personal computers, smartphones, and tablets.
It’s no secret that video content has become an essential part of the modern marketing landscape. After all, video content is highly engaging and far more likely to go viral than any other form of media.
Content creators and marketers can also use captioned videos in various ways: to promote brands and products, educate and inform prospective customers, and even recruit new talent. Having videos that can be well understood by everyone increases the chances of getting better results in a marketing campaign.
Increased use of videos as a mode communication
With the advent of social media, videos as a mode of communication have gained momentum. People like to watch videos, share them and like them. With the increase in the use of smartphones with video recording capabilities, people can shoot videos on the spot.
As per the statistics, about 1.2 billion users are already active on Facebook via mobile devices, about 80% of its user base. YouTube views are up by 70% year-over-year overall, and mobile video views are growing even faster. More than 50% of YouTube’s video views come from outside the U.S.
With the increasing use of videos across smartphones, marketers are moving towards visual communication. SEO Companies in India use videos to promote products or services. People engage better with video content than text because it is more engaging and helps them understand better, thereby converting better.
Video has become an integral part of e-commerce marketing strategies. According to a study, 60% of consumers are more likely to purchase based on videos they’ve watched. The popularity of live video streaming is also increasing. Facebook launched Facebook Live in 2016 to provide users with an easy way to create and share live videos.
Even institutions like schools, churches, and government parastatals are now using videos to pass pieces of information quickly and more accessible. Schools have even started conducting online classes transmitted via video and audio transmission apps. Captions continue to ensure that whatever message was intended to be passed is fully transmitted and received.
Growth in population for the hearing impared
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 360 million people are deaf or hard of hearing. The population is continuing to grow at an alarming rate, and it’s projected that by 2025, this number will increase to 425 million.
Since technology is so advanced, educating people with hearing disabilities has never been easier. That’s why online communication has become so popular among this group. The deaf and hard of hearing population is growing at a rate of 3% per year. This means there are more deaf people than ever before, so companies are finding ways to adapt their products to work for this growing population.
Any business can adapt to better serve the deaf and hard of hearing community. Among the ideas on how companies can accommodate deaf and hard of hearing customers, providing closed captioning for online videos tops the list.
Final thoughts
The importance of captioning services is to help people with hearing impairment and those who are learning a new language. At GoTranscript, we offer the most affordable pricing plans for all kinds of TV shows, movies, or videos. Sign up now to get your video ready in the next 48 hours!
Captions are an essential part of any video content. It helps in making the video content accessible to everyone. Captioning services are used in different sectors like TV, education, entertainment, etc. GoTranscript is the leading provider for offering these services to clients all over the world.
