The importance of subtitles – Major content creators have consciously realized the role that subtitles play in content promotion. As such subtitling has taken the media industry by force. Subtitles besides providing an “awesome” video watching experience, also provide content promotion through search engine optimization (SEO).Given the popularity of subtitling (and internet), subtitling services have mushroomed in the previous decade. This article is in place to guide you through the jungle of subtitling services. Here are seven pointers to help you guide in choosing Video subtitling services

1.    Accuracy – FCC requires captions to have four qualities - accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and on-screen placement. These qualities can apply to subtitles as well. Subtitling services usually quote accuracy on their website – usually in the high 90s. However, always look for work samples to make sure accuracy is up to the tee. 

2.    Language support – Subtitles were created to help people who do not speak a language to understand content and context better. In essence, a subtitling service should (thus) support translation of subtitles into all of the major global languages. This ultimately helps your cause in gaining a strong audience base in a distant country. Be on a lookout for subtitling services that helps you achieve this potential. 

3.    Professional transcribers – the accuracy of subtitles provided by machine ranges between 70-80%. This level of accuracy defeats the primary purpose of subtitling. Subtitling provided by human transcribers is accurate in the range of 98-99%. Be sure to choose subtitling services that hire professional human transcribers to create the subtitles. 

4.    Cost – Subtitling, however, can come in as an expensive ordeal. Cheap subtitling services usually employ machine transcription to provide subtitles – however, as mentioned previously the accuracy takes a toll. Unnecessarily expensive subtitling rates can take a heavy hit on managing the expenses. However, there does exist a “sweet-spot” between costs and accuracy. Be sure to utilize your expenses diligently.

5.    Turnover time (TAT) – In regards to TAT, one has to be conscious that turnover depends on the quantity of content. Also, necessitating quicker turnovers adds to the cost. Make sure that a subtitling service is flexible enough to adjust to the TAT demands made by the client.

6.    Confidentiality – Human subtitling introduces some privacy concerns. As such, make sure subtitling services pay due diligence towards your privacy concerns. Services should operate under strict NDA policies along with encryption services between a server and a client (SSL, SAM, etc.) Subtitling services should allow for easy removal of files from their servers at any time.

7.    Reviews and work samples – All things considered, review and work samples, essentially, should be the guiding force behind the decision making of choosing certain subtitling services. Work samples of premium subtitling services can be easily accessible through the website and one should consider accuracy, synchronicity, completeness, and on-screen placement of the subtitles in those work samples. Reviews act as an icing on top of all the qualities mentioned above. Good reviews from clients account for pleasurable experience during the subtitling process. 

Summary – Choosing proper subtitling agency will help guarantee accuracy, low rates, the meeting of deadlines, and confidentiality thus boosting your confidence.