7 Things To Be On The Lookout For While Choosing Subtitling Services

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 Youtube 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 services 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.