Captioning your video can boost the number of views on a video by up to 40%. It has also been proven to enhance engagement with your content. These captions arise from the transcription that provides the text needed to add as captions. Before you can transcribe YouTube videos, you’ll require a crash course on transcribing or are a YouTube veteran.
Whether you are transcribing the videos for the first time and, therefore, you will appreciate the ever-growing value of transcribing YouTube videos.
Many YouTube channel owners assume that YouTube is meant for videos and should remain exclusively that. Unknown to many of them, YouTube has become one of the most competitive video content platforms. The platform receives more than 500 hours of video each minute, meaning that you have to compete with many other channels.
Furthermore, the YouTube algorithms playing in the background confer an advantage to transcribed videos. Consequently, those who transcribe their videos rank higher, resulting in improved viewership.
Transcribing YouTube videos is not easy. Many channel owners do not consider it a part of their strategy because considering that YouTube is exclusively a video-based channel.
However, a few statistics and highlights will help you to make a better decision.
Why Transcribe YouTube Videos?
Let’s admit that captioning videos is tedious, expensive, and an inconvenience. For instance, you do not want interference when uploading Live videos on YouTube. It is a real-time recording with no option for captions. Still, the bigger picture or strategy should include transcription.
Why should you go through this trouble? Here are a few reasons to consider:
1. Make the Video Accessible To People with Hearing Impairment
Videos make it easier to package your message. However, the use of audio without captions means that only the people who can hear will consume your message. Thus, transcription provides the text used for captioning so that people who cannot hear will read through the lines.
Alternatively, the text is uploaded for them to read as the video plays. Such a strategy will make your video accommodative to people with hearing challenges.
2. Meet Legal Requirements on Access to Information for All
The world is keen on inclusivity. Therefore, countries and regulators are pushing video platforms to make it easier for everyone to consume information on YouTube and other channels. Once the video is transcribed, everyone can read through the captions to make sense of your data. Thus, no authority or lobby group will accuse you of discrimination.
3. Reach Consumers Outside Your Language Area
Transcription opens up space for translation. You can have captions or accompanying text in multiple languages. The subtitles will help you to capture traffic coming from other language jurisdictions.
Notice that you are not uploading another video in another language. It is a trick to reach more people while maintaining consistent messaging.
4. Provide an Option in Sound Sensitive Environments
Video consumers are not always in an environment where they can watch with the volume on. Captioning helps the viewer to follow the narrative without the challenge of sound interference. Hence, your video remains relevant and useful in all circumstances.
5. Improve Your SEO Ranking
Transcribing a video and uploading the text alongside your video will significantly boost your ranking on search engines. Beyond the title of your video, search engine spiders capture the content. The keywords make your content visible, increasing online visibility and a chance to sell more.
How to Transcribe Your YouTube Videos
Transcribing YouTube videos is one of the ways to transform your online marketing strategy. While it is an advantage, it requires some work.
Luckily, some options help with the transcription of your YouTube videos, some of which are free. The degree of accuracy and your involvement during transcription will vary based on the method you choose.
Here are some of the video transcription options:
a) Use Automated YouTube Transcription Option
Log into your YouTube channel and visit the video manager tab. From the dashboard, you select the video you wish to transcribe. Click on the edit button, an action that will direct you to the subtitles and NCC section. The page gives you an option for English Automatic transcription. Then, an automatic transcription will appear on the left of your screen on the YouTube window.
Remember, the video comes with time captions that apply automatically as the video plays.
While YouTube and technology are trying to improve their captioning accuracy, it is still low of 70%. This means that almost one in three words will be captured wrongly.
The automatic captions will do with some editing to improve accuracy. Still, this is the quickest and most convenient way to transcribe as well as caption YouTube videos.
b) Use Google Voice
Using Google Chrome browser, log in to Google Docs. Click to create a new document and go to the ‘tools’ tab at the top. A drop-down option appears with the ‘voice typing’ option. The tab appears on the left of your screen. Click on the option ‘to speak.’
The words you speak will automatically appear as typed text on the open document. You may also play the video as Google automatically transcribes.
Google Voice also has accuracy issues. It means that you have to spend some time editing the text. Still, it is easier and faster to get a transcript of your video. The transcript will be available for uploading or captioning once your video is complete.
c) Download the Auto-Generated Transcript and Edit It
On the YouTube video manager portal, click ‘English automatic’ on the right of your screen. A transcript will appear on the left of your screen. On the ‘Actions’ section, you have ‘Vtt,’ srt, and ‘sbv.’ Click on ‘srt’ to reveal the entire transcript.
The script comes with timing codes for each sentence. Select the transcript and paste it on text processing software like MS Word.
Use the downloaded transcript to edit out the numbers signifying the time code. It would help if you also edited any phrases or words that are not accurately captured. It will take a shorter time to complete the transcript. Once the transcript is edited, you have the text to use for captioning.
d) Transcribe the Video Manually
Transcribing a video appears tiring. However, it will be more comfortable and more accurate when you do it yourself. You’ll eliminate YouTube ads from transcripts, something that is impossible when transcription is automated. Upload the text and use the YouTube feature “English Automatic’ to set the time code. Alternatively, you can add the subtitles or captions manually as the video plays.
As mentioned above, manual transcription is more accurate. Each word captured in your video will be represented accurately on the captions. It is also a chance to include artwork or other forms that enhance YouTube video captions.
e) Hire a Professional Transcriber
Transcription is tiring and could take a lot of your time. If you are not familiar with the video manager options, a professional YouTube transcriber will help. Hire an experienced transcriber to work on your video.
Professional transcribers do the work at a fee. However, they deliver better quality because they are attentive to details. The transcriber will also allow you to focus on other tasks or business processes instead of diverting attention to transcription.
Hence, you have the option of hiring a transcription company or a freelancer. A company has structures that guarantee quality transcripts. On the flip side, you have to pay more.
The other option is to hire a freelancer. They are available remote working sites.
Remember, professional transcribers, charge based on the intensity and quantity of your work.
Transcribe YouTube Video: The Cost
It is advisable to view the cost of transcribing a YouTube video on three fronts.
Once you decide to transcribe the video or use auto-generated transcripts, you will be making sacrifices on accuracy.
When transcribing the videos manually, you spend time and have to invest in the right infrastructure like laptops and headphones. Once you opt to hire a transcriber, you have to pay.
With this in mind, how much will it cost to transcribe a YouTube video?
The reality is that there is no set price for YouTube video transcription. Each transcriber or the option you choose will come with a unique cost.
However, there are guiding principles that will help you to establish the right price for transcription. They include:
i) Length of Your Video
A lengthy video is taxing to transcribe. It comes with more time codes and will take more time to complete.
Whether you are doing it using automated tools or manually, it will take a longer time. Naturally, it will translate into a higher transcription price.
ii) Ordinary vs. Technical Content
The themes for some videos are so ordinary that anyone can transcribe them. They do not include technical language that would be confusing or difficult for an ordinary transcriber to understand.
Such videos also take a shorter time to transcribe, mainly because they do not require any technical knowledge.
iii) Urgency
Urgent transcription files are more expensive than ordinary tasks. The idea is that the transcriber has to leave any other project to focus on your file. As a result, you pay for the inconvenience.
The solution is to seek transcription services early. This move will give you have ample time to negotiate a reasonable price.
iv) Freelancer or Transcription Company
None between the transcription company and the freelancer is more expensive than the other. Individual circumstances determine the actual price.
Freelancers are more expensive because they deal with specific topics or work on urgent projects that cannot wait for procedures involved when hiring companies.
A transcription company, on the other hand, maybe cheaper because it handles bulk orders. The ultimate transcription price will depend on due diligence when searching for a transcriber.
v) Automatic Vs. Manual YouTube Transcription
The most significant debate today is the use of technology in transcription. Notably, each option comes with unique advantages and disadvantages that will define your transcription experience.
The biggest challenge with automated transcription is the level of accuracy. Some platforms and apps do not capture the words accurately because of pronunciation challenges. With 70% accuracy, you still have to do some of the work manually.
Manual transcription, on the other hand, is tedious and takes time. Whether you do it or hire a professional transcriber, it remains the most accurate method to transcribe your YouTube video. It also allows you to add other elements like the artwork to enhance your captions.
Closing Remarks on Transcribe YouTube Videos
YouTube video transcription enhances your online marketing strategy. It will also make your work more engaging and boost your SEO strategy. With numerous transcription options available, you can generate your transcripts and add captions to your videos with ease.
Hire Bunny Studio transcription experts to get the best YouTube transcripts. We have technical as well as general transcribers to handle your videos. Talk to us today for the best YouTube video transcription services.
