How to Add Captions to Videos on Different Video Sites & Tools

Video is the most engaging content to produce. Whether you’re hosting it on your website, sharing it on social networks or pitching it to streaming services, video is a powerful way to connect to audiences and spread your message.

Video accessibility is also an important issue, with many people choosing to add captions (or subtitles) to their content to make it more inclusive. Additionally, more and more laws are being created that require videos to include closed captions for accessibility. Simply adding captions can also increase your potential audience, improve comprehension and encourage sharing.

But how can you add captions to your videos? Luckily, there are plenty of tools you can use to add closed captioning to videos.

 

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How to add Captions to Video Yourself

Sometimes the best option for your business is adding captions internally, particularly if you’ve got a lot of resources or just a few videos to work on. 

While it is a longer process than outsourcing, it’s also a good way to save on extra costs, if that’s your priority. But you don’t have to struggle through the process alone. 

Here’s how to get captions and subtitles in videos by yourself:

1. Transcribe Video

The first step in captioning your videos is creating a transcript. This means not only logging the spoken words in your video, but also making notes of other important audio cues in the video. Unfortunately, there is no quick way to transcribe a video yourself – you have to watch the whole thing, possibly multiple times, to note down all the audio and dialogue. However, you can use an audio transcription service to make things easier.

For both closed captions and subtitles, timing is a crucial element. If the subtitles in your video do not line up with the speakers, it will confuse your audience, so saving time codes is important. Make sure that your transcriptions are as accurate as possible before you move on to the next step.

2. Make an .SRT File

Next, you’ll need to create an .srt file – the most universal file type for adding closed captions to a video. It’s also the only one that sites like Facebook and LinkedIn accept when publishing video. To do this, simply save your typed transcript as an .srt file. Mac users should use TextEdit for this, with Notepad being the best option for Windows users. 

Take a look at our guide on .srt files for more tips for creating your own .srt files for video captioning.

3. Upload Your Video

Lastly, upload your video file plus the .srt file to your platform of choice. Most sites will allow you to review the subtitles on your video before you publish – this is a good point to check that they show up at the right time in the video. Take the extra time to confirm that your captions are accurate and valuable to ensure audience engagement. 

Add Closed Captioning to Videos on Different Video Players & Tools

With Rev’s video captioning services, you can easily add captions or subtitles to your video content.

Working with a specific platform? Here are some guides for captioning your content using different video players and tools:

Online Video Website Captions

Social Media Website Captions

Video Editing Software Captions

Video Conferencing & Meeting Software Captions

Education Platform Captions

Want captions added directly to your videos?

Rev now offers burned-in captions (open captions). Just check the “burned-in captions” box at checkout and you’ll receive a video with permanent, hard-coded captions added straight to your videos. Also available for foreign language subtitles!

Learn More About Video Captioning

If you want more information about the benefits of closed captioning your videos or how to subtitle your videos in foreign languages, check out our blog. We regularly publish new information to help optimize your content.

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