LinkedIn has emerged as the premier social network for building business relationships. The ways brands present themselves and promote their offerings on the platform can make a lasting difference. Video is the most converting medium for relaying information on LinkedIn.
However, with 92% of video views happening silently on mobile devices, and 83% watching with the sound off in general, having your message resonate with your audience as they scroll silently can be tricky. Silent viewing is often an unspoken social courtesy exercised while commuting to and from work, when in the office, or when among friends, family and colleagues. The trend is therefore likely here to stay, so brands and companies need to adapt their videos to meet it.
Closed captions offer a way to ensure the intended message isn’t up for interpretation. As a result, YouTube captioning and captioning on platforms like Facebook and Instagram have become increasingly popular.
It’s an excellent idea for users to add captions to their LinkedIn videos. Video is typically an audio-visual communication channel; remove the audio, and the messaging is lost. Adding captions to LinkedIn videos will help you engage social audiences effectively even when they watch silently. Plus, it’s also essential for individuals with disabilities, such as hearing loss, to be able to view your content with equity.
How to Add a Captioning File to LinkedIn Videos
LinkedIn Help has dedicated a page to adding closed captions to LinkedIn videos which outlines these steps:
- Locate the share box at the top of your LinkedIn HP (homepage).
- Select a video to share from the pop-up that appears on the screen.
- Choose the video that you wish to share on your desktop.
- Click the pencil (edit) button on the top right to view the video settings on the video preview.
- Next, click on ‘Select Caption’ to add your SRT file (the captioning or subtitle file) to LinkedIn video.
- From here, the captions or subtitles will be connected to your LinkedIn video when viewed.
The step-by-step instructions tell you how to add captions to LinkedIn videos, but it doesn’t explain where to source the SRT file from or how to ensure that your LinkedIn captions are accurate. That’s where professional transcription services come into play to help caption a LinkedIn video. Companies like Verbit deliver accurate transcripts for LinkedIn videos that professionals can trust.
Verbit’s captions target 99% accuracy to support Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines to make sure those who rely on the captions are provided with equity. Verbit achieves this benchmark by using AI technology to produce the captions initially. Then, Verbit’s system assigns professional humans to edit the AI’s captioning work to ensure it’s accurate and synchronized to the video.
Here are some essential terms that relate to LinkedIn video captions that you might want to consider or understand when using the platform:
- Open vs Closed Captions for LinkedIn Videos
If captions are available on a video, there is usually an option to turn them on and off. Open captions refer to when the captions are essentially burned onto the video and are always displayed on the screen. These are ideal for videos in feeds where the volume is usually off. Closed captioning, often seen as a CC (closed captioning) button on the video, allows the viewer to turn the captions on or off. In other words, with closed captions, your viewers can decide whether they wish to watch with the captions or not.
- How are Video Subtitles Different from Closed Captions?
Subtitles are not intended for viewers who are Deaf or have hearing loss. They only address spoken text by translating it into another language. They typically don’t include sound effects and other audio element descriptions. Closed captions should be your go-to if it’s accessibility you’re after, as they contain the additional information individuals with hearing loss or those who are watching silently need, such as sound effects and speaker tags. According to FCC regulations, all public broadcasts must include closed captions. They are usually written in white text with a black background and can be placed anywhere on the screen.
- What is a LinkedIn SRT File?
A LinkedIn SRT file, or SubRip subtitle file, is a text file with critical info for captions or subtitles. For example, it includes the start and end time codes of the text. These files, which can be delivered to you by most captioning providers, ensure that captions are perfectly aligned with the audio, including the sequence of when they appear. With Verbit as your partner, you can easily create and download an SRT file to have ready when you’re uploading your LinkedIn videos.
- When Do You Need LinkedIn Video Subtitles?
If you’ve ever watched a foreign film on a movie streaming service, you understand why subtitles are needed. However, if you wish to engage followers or audiences in different locations worldwide and generate lots of buzz, you should use LinkedIn video subtitles. Subtitles convey what was said out loud in the video, but have it written out in a different language so foreign audiences can follow along.
Verbit subtitle and closed caption services are compatible with various file types, notably FLV, MP4, MPEG-2, MPG, MP3, FLAC, OGA, OGG, DSS, M4A, WAV, WEBM, and WMA, 3GP, AAC, AVI, and others. Plus, multiple formats are supported, notably DFXP, SAMI, SRT, SCC, and VTT. If you’re still unsure on how to add subtitles to a video, Verbit can consult you further on this process.
- Do Closed Captions Increase LinkedIn Video View Times?
Studies, including one by Discover Digital Networks, tested a large sample size of videos and found that those with LinkedIn video closed captions enjoyed 7% more views (on average). Another detailed study by PLYMedia noted a 40% uptick in time spent watching the content with subtitles. Captioned videos not only see increased engagement, but viewers are more likely to watch the video through to the end with them.
Adding captions can make a LinkedIn video more enjoyable. Instapage, a landing page solution company, found that captions increased a video’s reach by 16%. This also led to a 26% higher clickthrough rate (CTR) on calls to action (CTAs).
Finally, Statista estimates that 168.38 million Americans use LinkedIn, with hundreds of millions using the social network worldwide. Given this social media platform’s popularity and the diversity of individuals on the platform, video optimization and video accessibility are essential. Therefore, it’s necessary to consider how you’re distributing your LinkedIn videos to make sure as many people as possible can engage with your messaging.
Start Using LinkedIn Video Captions
With a deeper understanding of all of the different individuals – including those who opt to watch silently – can benefit, businesses can greatly benefit when choosing to add captions to LinkedIn video. Without the text, your videos are sure to lose their effectiveness among specific viewers. Imagine watching an important presentation without volume – making heads or tails of it would be impossible. With videos being costly and time-consuming to produce, professionals should look to optimize each precious resource for maximum effectiveness in today’s business environment. Using professional LinkedIn video captions isn’t costly, and could be the best investment you can make for your marketing or brand awareness campaign.
When you add captions or subtitles to video, LinkedIn users get an enriched experience and a greater audience pool will be able to connect. All viewers benefit when they have the choice of watching with the captions on your LinkedIn videos, especially those with hearing loss.
Contact Verbit today for more information on how to produce captions, subtitles and transcripts of the videos you’re posting on LinkedIn and other social platforms. Your brand will benefit from taking these strides to be more inclusive and reach people where they are in their viewing preferences. In the meantime, watch this video in which one company, Rose Li & Associates, discusses how captions are benefiting their audiences.