More than 60% of YouTube viewers are non-native English speakers. Videos with subtitles are 80% more likely to be watched in full. Creators value their audience and time spent with their content, therefore the popularity of closed captions and subtitles is growing as they are proving to keep viewers engaged for longer.

Subtitle translation is the art of translating one video language into another through written text subtitles.

But unfortunately, not all transcripts are created equal. If you choose a low-quality video transcription software option, you could end up with inconsistent content that isn’t legible at all. Also, machines aren’t able to identify idiomatic expressions or intertextual references; no software can understand humor, sarcasm, irony or emotions, so human translation is key when subtitling.

In order for subtitles to work effectively, Word Avenue uses highly efficient and trained linguists able to comprehend the complexities of translating different kinds of content. We work with subtitle translators specialized in the genre of each project. They will ensure to keep a structurally sound translation to ensure video sync as well as to retain the meaning of the original text within the foreign subtitles.

Key aspects that Word Avenue guarantees:

Spotting, timing and speed: We will ensure that subtitles are correctly timed and placed, and are legible at the right pace and will not go extremely fast. The in and out times of subtitles must follow the speech rhythm of the dialogue, taking cuts and sound bridges into consideration. Word Avenue’s team will make your text fit and remove the information that’s not as important or that is redundant, breaking one subtitle from the other at the right place.

Localization: Every content needs to be translated taking into account the uses of the language and the cultural background of the target audience. For this reason, at Word Avenue we work with subtitlers who are native speakers. It is not only translating the words, but making sure that the intention of the message is well-received.

Type of channel: We will adapt the lenght of the subtitles depending on whether the content is meant to be broadcasted on TV or on social media channels like Youtube or Instagram.

Don’t miss our post on our blog on WHY SUBTITLING YOUR VIDEO IS ESSENTIAL.