Have you noticed how many Facebook videos come with subtitles these days? You may think it’s fine to post your video without subtitles at all, but you’d be surprised to see just how far your video reach will stretch if you do include them! So, why do Facebook users stop for videos with subtitles? Here are just a few reasons:
- Videos with subtitles are more accessible for those who cannot hear
- Viewers can get an idea of the video content while they scroll with their audio off
- They can watch the whole video without disturbing others around them
- Some viewers simply prefer to watch a video without sound
So, perhaps now you should consider adding subtitles to Facebook videos! If you’re worried about the complexity of the task, don’t be! Here we will walk you through the process of adding subtitles to your next Facebook video!
Create your video post
Before you upload anything, you need to have a video to upload. Make sure it meets the Facebook format guidelines too and then you will be ready to go! Begin by clicking on the “photos/video” option when you create your post and select the video you wish to share.
Prepare the video for publishing
Before you add any subtitles, make sure you have completed the following steps:
- Create your title – Make sure it’s clear and engaging with the audience. Keep it short, sweet and straight to the point!
- Write a full description for the video – This gives people a broader idea of what to expect from the content, as well as crediting outside resources.
- Tags – This will impact where Facebook shows your video and where it will fit in the Facebook Algorithm
- Add a custom thumbnail – A custom thumbnail allows you to tell people exactly why they should watch the video
And now you’re ready to add subtitles!
Click “Subtitles and Captions” to the right of the pop-up window. Enter the language you would like the subtitles to be in. You will have to upload a new copy of the video each time you want it to appear in an additional language. You will also need to add a new title and description accordingly.
Once you have selected the language, it will give you the option to write your own captions, have auto-generated captions, or, in some cases, upload pre-written captions. Be aware that uploading pre-written captions can make it difficult to match it up to the video speech. If you have image-only video, however, you may want the subtitles to provide further explanation.
Although it may be convenient to choose auto-generate captions as it will save you time, be aware that it is still an evolving technology. This means the captions generated may slip up, which could potentially change the context of the video. It may take a couple of minutes for the video to upload if you choose auto-generate, so have patience. Once you receive that golden tick, click the pencil to opening up the editing screen.
When you open the editor, your video will appear with the play bar below. To the right, you will see Press play, and listen carefully while you read along. If you spot a mistake, you can pause the video, click the text and type the correction. Do this to the end of the video, then save the draft and your video will be ready to go!
Time to publish!
The final step is to publish the video, but this is no longer a simple, one-click operation. There are now several options:
- Schedule it to post later
- Publish it immediately
- Create the video as a new release
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