Expert Reveals the Impact of Captioning on Video Engagement Rates

By Matthew Harrison, Managing Director at Accuro

Video content is incredibly popular, with studies showing the majority of the world’s population consume videos on a daily basis. Therefore, businesses driving to target a wider audience and boost engagement must include video captions, and here’s why… Matthew Harrison, Managing Director at Accuro has shared expert insights into the positive effects captions have on video enhancement rates, from increased accessibility to brand awareness and boosted sales

“Whether you’re a content creator on social media platforms or play a part in creating large-scale TV and film content, adding captions is something you should be doing as standard. The audio cue and dialogue in your content can be typed out by humans, automatically generated using AI, or added to your video using a combination of technology and human editing.

But why are they necessary? One of the main reasons is that they improve accessibility for wider audiences, including non-native speakers and those with hearing impairments. Captions can also help you comply with WCAG, EAA, and ADA standards, giving your content greater credibility. But that’s not all – adding this simple visual aspect to your videos improves reach, boosts engagement and provides a seamless user experience.

Some of the positive effects of captioning on video engagement rates include:

Accessibility for all generations

If you think it’s just the older generations who benefit from the option of subtitles on video content, think again.Studies have shown that more and more Gen Z users are watching videos on low volume or with no sound, which means they might even value captions just as much as the Silent Generation, who may struggle with hearing. Creating content that anybody can engage with, regardless of age, disabilities or struggles, is an important part of building an inclusive audience.

Reaching a wider audience

Without captions, your content has a limited audience of native speakers and those without accessibility struggles or disabilities. By including captions that users can use to follow the audio cues in a visual format, you can expand your reach to viewers all over the world without creating unnecessary barriers.

Creating better audience engagement, resulting in increased watch time

If people can watch without sound but still understand the content in its entirety, thanks to real-time captions, they’re more likely to be engaged with it. This leads to longer watch times and enhances the overall user experience.

Ultimately, captions are essential across many industries, including TV and film production, content creation, education, training, and broadcasting. Anybody creating video content can benefit from the positive effects of captioning”.