Captivate and Connect: Enhancing Social Media Engagement with Closed Captions
- Vikas Kumar
- June 28, 2023
- BLOG, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT
- Digital Marketing, Digital Marketing trends
- 0 Comments
Overview
Closed captions are textual representations of audio embedded in a media file. They make video accessible to the deaf and hard of hearing by providing a time-to-text track to supplement or replace the audio.
The text that is spoken in the video is displayed in the captions. Open and closed captioning, or captions, are intended for audiences who are unable to hear the audio, whether due to hearing loss or simply because the viewer is unable to play the sound. As a result, the captions supplement the speech with additional information pertinent to the story.
It can include non-vocal audio and aid in the identification of different speakers, for example. Open captions cannot be switched on or off, whereas closed captions can. To make the content as accessible as possible, social media video captions are typically open captions.
Evolution of Closed Captioning
Closed captioning emerged in the early 1980s as a result of FCC directives that made it increasingly necessary for most broadcast television programming. Accessibility laws have evolved to mandate closed captioning for Internet videos, and closed captioning is widely used across devices and media. Subtitles were originally developed for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, but studies show that the majority of people who use subtitles regularly today do not experience hearing loss.
The popularity and more “mainstream” use of subtitles is largely due to their ability to improve user comprehension and remove language barriers, especially for those who speak English as a second language. It also helps compensate for low audio and background noise, making content accessible to users in noise-sensitive environments (work, libraries, gyms, etc.).
Benefits of Using Closed Caption in Social Media
Limitation/Drawback of Using Closed Captioning
Closed captioning allows people with hearing impairments to enjoy television and movie content. It does, however, have some drawbacks.
- Off putting:
It may not be appealing to all users because closed captions take up a lot of screen space, which can distract and detract from the overall visual experience of watching a video or programme. This is especially true for viewers who do not need closed captions because they can obstruct the image and disrupt their viewing experience.
- Maintaining Reading speed:
To read captions, user must maintain a suitable reading pace. This can be difficult because the captions must include information such as character names, background names, and other specifics. For Netflix, each subtitle event must last at least 5 or 6 seconds, or 20 frames for a 24 frames per second video. Each subtitle event may last up to seven seconds.
- Lack of synchronization:
The captions and the video’s audio must match up. People may have trouble understanding what is being said if the subtitles and the audio are not in sync.
Best Practises to Use Closed Caption in Social Media Platform
Conclusion
Closed captions are essential for reaching a wider audience, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing, as well as those who watch videos without audio or at low volume. By including closed captions in the videos, user can ensure that everyone can enjoy and learn from the content.
Closed captions have additional advantages, such as improving SEO and providing viewers with additional context. They can also help understand how people are reacting to the videos.
Author: Suryansh Verma