5 Reasons for Closed Captioning
From providing basic communication for the Deaf or hard of hearing to helping develop reading skills for children or ESL viewers, closed captions are more valuable than many think.
Deaf or hard of hearing
The most well-known reason to use closed captions is for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. According to the 2016 National Health Interview Survey, nearly 38 million people have some level of hearing loss. Captioning makes content accessible for entertainment and emergency purposes.
Studies show that reading comprehension and literacy rates increase when students view content with captions. English is not the first language for approximately 4.5 million students in the U.S. Captions are shown to increase their understanding of key concepts and improve the mastery of a new language.
Closed Captions are often invaluable to those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Still, they are also instrumental in situations where TVs are inaudible or placed in a loud environment, such as in a bar or restaurant. Captions allow everyone to stay informed and entertained.
With the increase of mobile device users, more media is being consumed now than ever before. Closed captions let users understand video content at any time, especially in public when having the audio on is not an option.
Search engine optimization is the most effective way to drive traffic to your website, and captions can help. Transcripts of audio develop the essential keywords for your website and text files. They behave much like captions, which Youtube and Google index to direct traffic appropriately. This process enhances a search engine's web crawling abilities and increases your web presence.
No matter the reason, closed captions are required by law in many cases. Let our Automatic Caption Solutions help bring your content into the 21st Century.