Add Captions to YouTube Videos and Get More Views

Did you know that 75% of people watch some videos on their mobile devices without sound? We were a little shocked to learn this statistic! 

We put so much effort into crafting the perfect voiceover or dialogue for our YouTube content. It feels a little a crazy that some people prefer to watch videos on mute. 

But, don’t worry - this doesn’t mean you can’t engage with your audience on a deeper level. You can! Your YouTube audience can enjoy your content fully with captions.

Sound good? Keep reading, because adding captions in your YouTube videos is easier than you might think!

Why You Should Add Captions to Your YouTube Videos

Beyond the stats on silent video viewing, there are several compelling reasons to add automatic captions or manually generated captions to your YouTube content. Let’s explore a few of them. 

Boost Engagement and Watch Time

Captions can significantly improve viewer retention rates and overall engagement on YouTube.

When viewers can read along with the dialogue of YouTube videos, they're more likely to stick around until the end of the video. This is especially true for complex or technical content, where captions can help clarify key points and make the information more digestible.

Expand Your Global Reach

Adding captions in multiple languages means you can make your videos accessible to a broader international audience. Even if viewers don't speak your native language fluently, they may be able to follow along with the captions and still enjoy your content.

As an added bonus, captions can help boost your search rankings in different languages and geographic regions.

Related: Before your first upload on YouTube, read this! 

Meet Accessibility Standards  

Captions aren't just a nice-to-have. They're essential for making your content accessible to deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. Automated captions can help you avoid getting sued too. That is if you started a YouTube channel for your business!

Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), many businesses are required to provide closed captioning for their video content. Failure to do so could land your channel in hot water.

Even if you're not legally obligated, however, adding captions is a simple way to demonstrate social responsibility, and ensure that everyone can enjoy your videos. 

How to Add Captions to a YouTube Video: Step-by-Step Guide

Now that we've covered the "why," let's dive into the "how." There are a few different methods for adding captions to your YouTube videos. For the sake of simplicity, we’ll focus on how to do this with English captions. However, many of the steps are similar for other languages - you just might need to change the tools you’re using to get accurate transcription. 

Method 1: Using YouTube's Auto-Caption Feature

YouTube's built-in auto-caption tool uses speech recognition technology to automatically generate captions for your videos. Here's how to enable and edit auto-captions:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio and navigate to the Subtitles section. 

2. Select the video you want to add captions to.

3. Under "Languages and captions certification" select  your "Video language" In our case we chose English United States.

4. Then, go the "Subtitles" section where you can choose "Upload file," "Auto-sync," or "Type manually." and choose "Auto-sync"

5. Once the auto-captions are generated, you can edit and review to correct any errors.

6. Make any necessary edits to the caption text and timing, then click "Done"

7. Finally, after your captions are good to go, click "Save" on your YouTube video so the closed captions will rollout to the video player. 

Note: While auto-captions can save time compared with creating your subtitles by hand, they're not always 100% accurate. 

It's important to review the generated text carefully and edit as needed. Pay attention to proper nouns, technical terms, and any words the automatic captions didn't quite catch.

Method 2: Upload Your Own Caption File to YouTube Studio

If you prefer more control over your captions, you can create and upload your own caption file. YouTube supports several file formats, including an SRT file, SBV, and VTT.

Here's a basic process:

1. Create your caption file in a supported format, making sure to include accurate timecodes for each line of text. You can use a tool like Castmagic to do this. Our speech recognition software can generate automatic captions in minutes. We support 60+ languages, and allow downloads in SRT file, text, CSV, VTT, and custom formats.

2. Sign in to YouTube Studio and select the video you want to add captions to.

3. Choose your language, and then once again, navigate to the Subtitles section.

4. This time you'll click "Upload File" and choose "With timing" or "Without timing." Most people will choose "With timing" for easy navigation for viewers.

5. Click continue, and you'll be prompted to load your SRT file or other file type. Click here to see all supported closed caption files from YouTube.

6. Once you've loaded your caption file, you can review your captions one final time for accuracy and click "Done".

7. Just like the auto-sync option, after your captions are good to go, click "Save" on your YouTube video so the closed captions will rollout to the video player. 

When creating your own captions, aim for concise, easy-to-read text that's synchronized with the audio. Break lines at natural pauses and keep each caption to around 60 characters if possible. 

Method 3: Adding Real-Time Captions During Live Streams

If you're hosting a live stream on YouTube, you can add real-time automatic captions to make your broadcast more accessible. There are a few different ways to set this up: 

1. Use YouTube's built-in live caption feature, which automatically generates captions as you speak (The caveat is that this requires a good-quality microphone).

2. Integrate a third-party captioning service, like Streamtext or 3Play Media when streaming live YouTube videos.

3. Provide a closed captioning URL in your live stream settings, which allows viewers to access a separate caption feed.

Whichever method you choose, be sure to test your setup before going live to ensure smooth delivery of captions.

Also see: How does YouTube count views from your audience? 

Tips for Creating High-Quality YouTube Captions

Creating effective captions is both an art and a science. Here are some best practices to keep in mind: 

Best Practices for Caption Formatting

- Keep captions to 1-2 lines of text, around 32 characters per line (this makes it easier for your audience to read along as they watch videos).

- Synchronize captions with the corresponding dialogue or sound.

- Include relevant sound effects and music cues in brackets (e.g. [laughter], [upbeat music]).

- Use punctuation to indicate pauses, questions, and excitement.

Common Caption Mistakes to Avoid

- Captions that are too long or poorly timed with the audio.

- Spelling and grammatical errors that distract from the content.

- Attempting to provide an exact translation rather than a localized caption for different languages.

- Failing to check and edit captions before publishing.

Streamline Your YouTube Caption Workflow

If the process of manually creating and uploading captions for every video seems daunting, don't worry -- there are tools that can help streamline your captioning workflow.

As we alluded to above, one tool you can use is Castmagic. Our caption generation software leverages AI and natural language processing to quickly and accurately transcribe your videos.

Using AI Tools for Caption Generation

With Castmagic, you can simply upload your video or provide a YouTube URL, and the tool will automatically generate captions in over 60 languages. The platform uses advanced speech recognition and speaker diarization to provide highly accurate transcriptions. Even for videos with multiple speakers or background noise, we can transcribe your audio so you can generate and upload an SRT file, VTT, CSV or text file to YouTube Studio. 

Once your captions are automatically generated, you can easily review and edit them within the Castmagic interface. The tool integrates seamlessly with your YouTube workflow, allowing you to export your captions in a variety of formats or publish them directly to your video.

Related: Learn how YouTube Studio helps you manage your channel.

Managing Captions Across Multiple Videos

If you're managing captions for a large volume of videos, organization is key. Consider setting up a system for naming and storing your caption files, so you can easily find and update them as needed. 

When uploading captions to YouTube, be sure to keep track of which version of the file is currently published. If you make updates to a caption file, you'll need to re-upload it and re-publish the captions on your video.

Maximizing Caption Impact for Better Video Performance

Adding captions to your YouTube videos is a great first step, but there are a few additional ways to leverage captions for better video performance: 

SEO Benefits of Well-Crafted Captions

In addition to making your videos more accessible, captions can also help boost your search rankings. When you provide a text transcript of your video content, YouTube can index that text and use it to understand the topic and context of your YouTube videos. This can help your video show up in relevant search results. 

To optimize your captions for search, be sure to include relevant keywords in your captions where appropriate. Don't stuff your captions with keywords, but do use them naturally when discussing your video's main topics. 

Measuring Caption Performance 

Once you've added captions to your videos, keep an eye on your analytics to see how they impact your performance. Some key metrics to track include: 

- Watch time and viewer retention: Do viewers stick around longer on videos with captions?

- Engagement: Do captioned videos receive more likes, comments, and shares?

- Views from search results: Do you see an increase in views coming from YouTube or Google searches related to your caption keywords?

You can also try running an A/B test with captions on and off to see how they directly impact your video's performance. Compare metrics like views, watch time, and engagement on the two versions to gauge the effectiveness of your captions.

We're betting you will find that YouTube videos with subtitles will perform much better than the YouTube videos that don't have closed captioning.

Repurposing Caption Files

Once you've created captions for your YouTube videos, you can repurpose that text in a number of ways. Here are just a few ideas of how you can transform your subtitles into other content: 

- Create a blog post or article based on the video transcript (Castmagic can generate a great first draft of the text for you!)

- Use quotes from the captions in social media posts to promote the video 

- Provide the caption file as a downloadable transcript for viewers

- Use the captions to create subtitles in multiple languages

Thinking of your closed captions as a valuable piece of content in their own right can help you get more mileage out of the work you put into creating them.

Outsourcing Caption Creation

If you don't have the time or resources to create captions in-house, you could also consider outsourcing the task to a professional captioning service.

Some folks just don't trust automatic caption software to do this for them. So they look to professionals to transcribe their videos manually.

If you choose to go this route, look for a provider with experience in your industry who can deliver accurate, timestamped captions in the format and turnaround time you need.   

Prices for captioning services vary, but you can expect to pay around $1 to $3 per minute of video. While there is a cost involved, outsourcing can be a good option if you need to scale your captioning efforts or ensure top-notch accuracy.

Manually transcribing YouTube videos can be especially helpful for complex industries where jargon is often misheard and therefore not generated correctly.

For example, YouTube videos in healthcare might have several phrases that are not used in everyday language that speech recognition software, well, might not recognize.

Interactive Transcripts

Some video platforms, including YouTube, allow you to provide interactive transcripts along with your captions. An interactive transcript lets viewers search within the text and click on a word to jump to the corresponding point in the video. 

Adding an interactive transcript can make your videos more navigable and engaging, encouraging viewers to watch even more of your content. It's also a great option for videos on educational or how-to topics, where viewers may want to skip around to different sections.

Captioning Compliance for Businesses

Thought we mentioned it above, we really want to drive this important point home - If you're creating video content (or just audio for that matter!) for a business or organization, there may be legal requirements around captioning and transcription. In the United States, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) mandate captions for certain types of video content. 

Familiarize yourself with the captioning laws that apply to your industry and content type, and make sure you're following best practices for compliance. This may include providing captions for all pre-recorded uploads and live video content, as well as archiving caption files for a set period of time.

Following these regulations and prioritizing accessibility is about more than keeping your business out of legal trouble with viewers. With the simple addition of subtitles within your YouTube videos, you can create inclusive video content that engages all members of your audience.

Harness the Power of Captions with Castmagic

By now, we hope you're convinced of the power of captions and feel equipped to start adding them to your own YouTube videos. Whether you opt for auto-captions from your video's audio, DIY uploads, or an AI-powered tool, the important thing is to just get started!   

Keep in mind - when it comes to captions, quality is key. Take the time to review and edit your captions, paying attention to formatting, timing, and accuracy. Well-crafted captions can make a big difference in how viewers perceive and engage with your content. 

If you're ready to take your YouTube captions to the next level, we'd like to invite you to sign up for a free trial of Castmagic and see how easy it is to automatically generate high-quality captions for all your videos. Just upload your video files or link your YouTube account, and let Castmagic's AI-powered transcription do the rest.  

With plans starting at just $19 per month for up to 300 minutes of captioned content, Castmagic offers affordable and flexible options for YouTube creators and businesses of all sizes. Plus, with support for over 60 languages and seamless YouTube integration, you can streamline your captioning workflow and focus on creating great videos.

Click here to get started for free now!

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are captions important for YouTube videos?
Captions make your videos accessible to a wider audience, including deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers. They also improve engagement, boost SEO, and help with comprehension.

How do I add captions to my YouTube videos?
You can add captions to your YouTube videos in a few ways:
1. Use YouTube's auto-caption feature
2. Upload your own caption file into YouTube Studio for your videos
3. Add real-time captions during live streams

How accurate are YouTube's automatic captions?
YouTube's automatic captions are generally pretty good, but they can make mistakes with proper nouns, technical terms, and unclear audio. It's best to review and edit auto-captions for accuracy.

What caption file formats does YouTube support?
YouTube supports several caption file formats, including SBV, VTT, and SRT files.

How can I create my own caption files?
You can create caption files using a text editor and entering the text and timecodes manually. For an easier option, try using an AI-powered captioning tool like Castmagic. Tools like ours use speech recognition to transcribe your audio automatically.

How much do professional captioning services cost?
Professional captioning services typically charge around $1 to $3 per minute of video content to manually transcribe your audio, and edit the output for accuracy. 

Are there any legal requirements for captioning videos?
In the US, the ADA and FCC mandate captions for certain types of video content. Make sure you're familiar with the laws that apply to your industry (and within your country).

How can I optimize my captions for search engines?
To optimize your captions for search, include relevant keywords where appropriate. Just make sure to use them naturally and avoid keyword stuffing.

Can I repurpose my caption files for other content?
Yes! You can use your video transcripts to create blog posts, social media content, downloadable transcripts, and subtitles in other languages.

How can Castmagic help with captioning my videos?
Castmagic is an AI-powered captioning tool that generates accurate captions quickly and easily. You can try it out for free to see how it streamlines your captioning workflow.