Video is arguably now the most critical and explored way to spread a brands’ message and appeal to consumers. Not just video, but mobile-first video is vital for business leaders who want to connect to modern viewers, who are one with their devices.
In fact, 75% of individuals report they consume video most frequently on their mobile devices. This reality, coupled with the fact that 92% of individuals also are viewing without sound, makes it more difficult for marketers to get their messages across.
To reach the broadest audience, smart marketers are designing videos in ways that reflect these trends. As a result of the peak in silent viewing, many marketers only consider brand and marketing videos ready to go once they’re captioned.
The Growth of Video for Business Use Cases
Statistics indicate that 43% of companies are spending between $100 – $1,000 for every video they’re creating, and 23% are paying $1,000-$10,000 for each video. Given the many use cases for video and the investment going into it, video initiatives must reach and connect with as many people as possible.
Video investments will only continue to grow as its being used by:
65% for presentations
57% for video ads
47% for explainer videos
43% for social proof videos
37% for infographic videos
22% for video polls
The Trend of Silent Viewing
Whether commuting, waiting at a doctor’s office, watching next to a sleeping baby or partner or because of preference, many viewers can’t or don’t want to watch videos with the sound. Without captions, marketers undoubtedly miss out on a significant pool of viewers who will likely skip their videos since they can’t comprehend them or engage with them silently.
On social, people largely play videos without sound:
85% of Facebook videos
80% of LinkedIn videos
40% of Instagram videos
These numbers illustrate the vital need for businesses to make video captioning a priority. The benefits are also undeniable, so marketers and business leaders should take note:
Benefit #1: Customers Retain More With Captions
Studies show that captions can increase the effectiveness of a marketing video, even when the viewer is listening. A few benefits include a 13% rise in brand linkage, a 10% increase in ad memory quality and an 8% rise in ad recall. The numbers clearly illustrate that captions help marketers spread their message to their audience.
Benefit #2: Video Completion Rates are Higher with Captions
Verizon conducted a study that found that people are 80% more likely to watch an entire video if it includes captions. Additionally, 37% of viewers watching captioned videos will turn the sound on because the captions spark their interest. This statistic makes sense because viewers watching a video with no sound and no captions often will not understand its purpose. With captions, viewers have a chance to identify content that applies or appeals to them, even when viewing without the sound.
Benefit #3: Captions Help Brands with SEO
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a vital part of marketing, but people may not associate it with video content. In reality, video advertisements can improve SEO rankings, but only if the search engine can identify text. Therefore, adding captions to videos is a great way to increase the benefits of video content.
Benefit #4: Captions Make Your Videos Accessible to Individuals with Disabilities
Captions are essential to the 37 million individuals who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing currently living in the United States. Not offering this accommodation can violate laws such as the Americans with Disabilities Act, but captions are crucial for other reasons as well. For instance, customers who are Deaf or hard-of-hearing may abandon websites if the video content denies them access. Losing this demographic means missing out on their $9 billion in discretionary income.
Professional Brands Need Professional Captioning
Captioning video content only benefits a company when the captions are accurate. Free captioning providers may offer automated services, but if the end result is riddled with errors, the company promoting the video can lose credibility and alienate frustrated audiences.
Using a professional captioning service like Verbit means that the end result will meet high-quality standards and promote accessibility. Verbit offers cost-effective, instantaneous captioning on both live videos and recorded marketing videos to make them inclusive and accessible to diverse audiences. Contact us for more information.