Facebook is the third most visited website. Optimizing advertising on the popular social media platform can yield strong results. In fact, 62% of people are more interested in a product after watching a video about it on Facebook. Also, social media content with native video gets 48% more views and an uptick in shares.
It’s no wonder that marketers are increasing video content online to boost brand awareness and conversion rates. However, creating successful video content means considering accessibility. Accessibility and other factors, such as video length and the addition of Facebook video captions must be explored by savvy advertisers as they look to optimize their content on the social platform.
The Right Length for Facebook Videos
Each day, the majority of US adults watch more than five hours of video on average, but their time is valuable and their attention spans are short. It’s, therefore, crucial to make Facebook video content short and impactful.
Facebook recommends uploading videos no longer than fifteen seconds to account for mobile device use. Given that people are 1.5 times more likely to watch videos on a mobile device than a TV or computer, it’s wise to generate content that performs well on smartphones. Viewers are willing to watch to the end of a fifteen-second video more often than they would be with longer content. Also, at fifteen seconds, videos qualify for Facebook in-stream placement. Although Facebook supports longer content, users should only make lengthy videos for a good reason.
When making fifteen-second videos, capturing viewer attention right from the start- ideally in just three seconds- is vital. Facebook also advises advertisers and content creators to drop their brand name early on and plan for most views to occur without sound.
Captioning for Facebook Video Accessibility
Many Facebook users look at video content on their phones in public. It’s therefore much more likely that these views happen without sound, so including Facebook video captions is a must. When advertisers, therefore, don’t include captions with their videos, they’re missing out on reaching a greater pool of viewers.
Captions are also an essential aspect of accessibility. Hard of hearing or Deaf viewers require captions to consume content. Given that 15% of American adults report trouble hearing, captioning can help content better reach 37.5 million people in the US alone.
Making videos accessible not only increases the potential audience but helps content creators adhere to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA applies to “places of public accessibility,” which can include online content. The requirements for private businesses are not always clear. Yet, companies should take steps to provide appropriate accommodations, including captioning, to become more inclusive and meet the diverse needs of their video consumers.
Using a captioning solution like Verbit’s, which offers 99%+ accuracy, can help content comply with the international standards of the World Wide Web Consortium. Verbit’s captions are generated using Artificial Intelligence and the fact-checking of professional human transcribers to give video creators more peace of mind on the captions’ accuracy. This dual AI + human intelligence approach allows for continuous improvement of the captioning accuracy. Verbit also offers Facebook Live captions, which are generated in real-time, to prevent viewers from missing out on engaging live content being streamed to the platform.
Facebook Subtitles Help Content Go Global
While captioning alone already provides greater accessibility for many users, Facebook video subtitles can ensure that content reaches a broader audience. For example, US businesses that add subtitles to their marketing videos can connect with non-English speaking markets more effectively.
According to the 2020 census report, about 8.3% of people in the US do not speak English “very well.” That percentage translates to millions of people who could benefit from Facebook subtitles locally, in addition to billions of others across the globe.
When to Publish Your Facebook Video
Posting videos to Facebook on the weekend tends to generate the highest performance. Facebook is still perceived to be a leisure-first platform, which is frequented by many during their weekend “downtime.” Other video content providers tend to believe that people are more likely to be looking at their devices during lunch, from about 12pm to 1pm. They, therefore, choose to publish new content during lunchtime.
It’s also important to note that it can be difficult to generalize on the best time to post because different target audiences vary in terms of their schedules. Not to mention, videos may be designed to reach individuals located in different time zones. Posting a video at noon EST means that people on MDT will see that post at 2pm, a time when studies indicate fewer people will be looking at Facebook. It’s important to pull relevant data, understand where the majority of the target audience is located, and make informed posting decisions based on what is uncovered.
Determining the best time to post will often require gathering an understanding of both the primary time zone and the behaviors of the target audience. Marketers can easily adjust and schedule their videos to post at times that align well with consumers’ patterns and behaviors.
Read Comments and Consider Valuable Feedback
It’s also important to consider that many businesses and video content creators may not be aware of instances where their content is not accessible. One exciting aspect of social media is that it offers the opportunity for the audience to provide direct feedback. If consumers enjoy the content, they can share it with others. When a viewer has a problem with a post or finds your video inaccessible due to colors, font sizes, missing or inaccurate captions and more, they can express their opinion directly on the page. The ability to comment also holds video distributors more accountable.
Paying attention to valuable feedback and comments can highlight where content missed the mark and needs to improve. The comments will also illustrate the type of videos that are most effective in connecting to the target audience.
Creating accessible Facebook video content is essential for modern companies. With more company leaders committing to diversity and inclusion initiatives, the stakes are higher to ensure video content meets the needs of every viewer possible. Accessibility initiatives can also create a ‘feel good’ aspect that can give companies a competitive edge.
To learn more about how to utilize Facebook video captions and subtitles effectively to make video content more accessible, contact Verbit.