Did you know that almost 85% of social media videos are watched on mute? In other words, if you’re not using subtitles for your video content, you’re probably missing out on this considerable chunk of viewers. Subtitling might seem like a task to tick off in post-production, but seen from a viewer’s perspective, it’s an integral part of the overall experience.

Although many creators are leveraging AI subtitles these days, there are still plenty of common errors that you might encounter. Throughout this blogpost, we’ll bring these to light and discuss how to avoid them. So, are you ready to scale up your YouTube game?

What Are the Benefits of Adding Subtitles? 

Subtitles can be either a written translation of the dialog in a foreign language or simply a text version of the dialog in the same language to enable viewers to understand the dialog and narrative of video content, especially when the audio quality is compromised, or the viewer prefers to view the content in silence. But why should this matter to you, a YouTube content creator?

• Improved Accessibility: Subtitles make your content accessible to viewers with hearing impairments and non-native speakers of the language in your video.
• Increased Engagement: Subtitles help retain viewer attention and improve the comprehensibility of your content.
• Boosts SEO: YouTube scans subtitle files for keywords and uses them to improve your ranking on the platform.
• More Watch-time: A study reveals that 80% of viewers are more likely to watch your videos till the end if it has subtitles in it.

Top Subtitling Mistakes to Avoid

While subtitles can be a worthy addition to your YouTube videos, there are some common mistakes that could hamper their efficiency. Here are the top five mistakes to avoid:

1. Inaccurate Captioning

Regardless of the nature of your content, spelling and grammatical errors in your video subtitles can shatter your video’s credibility. Accuracy in captioning is often undermined, leading to inconsistencies, spelling errors, or slight changes that alter the original meaning. 

But accurate spelling is integral to ensuring your video is understood by viewers. It’s particularly important if you are delivering educational content where accuracy is paramount. So, always make sure to proofread your captions before publication.

2. Errors in Syncing

Synchronization issues between the subtitles and the audio are quite common. Incorrect timings disrupt the flow and can confuse your audience resulting in a diminished viewer experience. Delayed or advanced subtitles can confuse your viewers and spoil the viewing experience.

So make sure that your captions sync perfectly with your audio to maintain viewer engagement.

3. Overcrowding Text

Overcrowded text in your subtitles can be overwhelming for your viewers. Subtitles shouldn’t be stuffed into a single frame; it’s always better to keep it concise. Avoid going overboard with too much text.

Watch your video with subtitles first before uploading it on the platform to make sure it syncs perfectly. On the other hand, if you use Dubverse SUB, it automatically breaks subtitles and gives you consumable subtitles for each frame.

4. Relying on YouTube’s automatic captioning

While YouTube offers automatic captions for videos, they are hardly accurate. Generally, the automated captions are only around 60-70% accurate — not good enough for viewers, especially when several AI subtitle generators offer up to 99% accuracy. Moreover, it does not support other languages besides English. 

5. Neglecting the Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Not including sound cues like [laughter], [applause], or [music] can leave out a portion of the audience that relies on these textual hints to understand the context of the scene.

6. Too Fast or Too Slow Subtitles

When subtitles appear and disappear too quickly or slowly, it becomes challenging for the viewer to keep up. Adjust the timing to match the average reading speed.

7. Inaccurate Representation of Context

A common pitfall is providing inaccurate or misleading descriptions. Subtitles should accurately convey what’s being said or performed in the video without deviating from the original narrative.

When translating, subtitles often miss out on cultural references, idioms, or puns, leading to an inaccurate representation of context. If your video contains slang and cultural humor, localize your content in accordance with your target audience, not just translate. Take the global nature of the platform into account when creating videos.

8. No Subtitles in the Native Language

Subtitles play a vital role in creating an inclusive and immersive viewing experience, especially when dealing with different accents, pronunciations, and background noise that might impede clear audio comprehension. Subtitles in the native language bridge any potential gaps in audio understanding, helping viewers easily follow and grasp every word and detail. 

9. Not Considering the Medium

Subtitling for a movie, advert or social media video all require different approaches. Mismatched font, size, colors or subtitle placement can hinder the viewer’s experience drastically. Remember, the medium of the video plays a crucial factor in how your subtitles should look.

How to perfect your subtitling process?

1. Proofread your content for spelling and grammar.
2. Sync your subtitles with the audio for a smoother experience.
3. Keep your captions clear and concise.
4. Take professional help or use AI-powered subtitle generator tools to get accurate subtitles.
5. Add subtitles in your target audience’s language.
6. Ensure accurate descriptions for maintaining the original narrative.
7. Localize your content to reach a broader audience.

Use Dubverse SUB for Subtitles for YouTube Videos

Dubverse SUB is one of the most popular AI subtitle tools for YouTube creators because of its accuracy, speed and efficiency. Anyone can use it. 

Just Upload your video > Select languages > Hit ‘Let’s Sub’

And you’re done! Get accurate, time-coded subtitle files within minutes for over 30+ languages.

Why Dubverse SUB is the Best AI Subtitles Generator:

Speed, Accuracy, and Scalability: Unlike other tools, Dubverse generates English subtitles directly with a few clicks, preserving the message and tone. This process reduces subtitle creation from over a day to just 15 minutes. 

Easy-to-use Advanced Studio: You can easily find and replace words, making it convenient for tweaking character names and more in the studio.

More Languages:  You can generate subtitles in 30+ Indian and global languages to cater to different audience preferences and expand your reach beyond borders. 

Integration with YouTube: Dubverse seamlessly integrates with YouTube, eliminating the need for switching tabs or copying URLs. You can directly connect your channel to the platform, fetch both listed and unlisted videos, and select videos for subtitles. 

Ready to give Dubverse SUB a try? Sign up for free and give it a shot!

Wrap Up

Subtitles are an integral part of any video content to boost engagement, expand reach, and improve video SEO. Research shows that adding subtitles to your videos can increase view times by 12-14%, representing a significant boost for your engagement metrics!

This is why it is important for YouTube creators striving to maximize their online presence and impact to avoid common subtitling mistakes for an enhanced viewer experience.