If you’re producing video content for your business – whether a promotional film, an employee training video or a product demonstration – it’s a good idea to include subtitles, because so many people watch with the sound muted.
And if you’re showing that video to an international audience, you’ll want to ensure those captions are translated.
Most of the major platforms – such as YouTube, Instagram and TikTok – now offer automatically generated captions, translated in the viewer’s language. But be beware – these have some serious limitations:
❌Auto-generated captions can include awkward or incorrect translations, and often miss cultural references and nuances such as intent and emotion
❌ Users need to manually activate them, so they may be missed
❌ You can’t choose where captions are positioned
❌ They can look messy – lacking punctuation and out of synch with what’s appearing on screen
The alternative is to add your own captions, either using the editing tools provided by platforms such as YouTube or by using a third-party editing tool such as Kapwing. Some of these tools also offer auto-translations, though this doesn’t solve the problem of mistranslations or lack of punctuation.
The best option for brands which want to look professional and ensure they’re getting their message across accurately is to have their videos professionally translated – and this is where we can help.
My team of interpreters can provide you with bespoke translated subtitles in more than 130 languages that will:
✔️ Get your message clearly and accurately
✔️ Use accurate technical terminology
✔️ Include translations for sound effects, diagrams and illustrations
✔️ Be localised to include culturally appropriate phrases and expressions.