Translating video subtitles is an important step in making your content accessible to multilingual audiences and accessing international markets. Our translation and language agency Alphatrad can transcribe and translate all audiovisual subtitles.
Subtitle Translation: What is a .SRT or .VTT file?
Multilingual transcription allows you to display subtitle options in multiple languages within a single video. These different display options make your content accessible to a wide range of speakers.
During multilingual transcription, you can create SRT or VTT files for each language. These universal formats can be integrated directly into editing software and synchronized to thousandths of a second with the speaker's timecode, making the editor's job easier.
In an SRT file or SubRip subtitle, each line of text is associated with a timestamp that indicates the exact time the text appears on screen.
While the SRT format is the most versatile, the WebVTT (Web Video Text Tracks) or VTT format splits the text into different blocks and provides specific styles of subtitles, as well as support for Unicode languages.
Other lesser-known formats are also available.
TTML (Timed Text Markup Language): Useful for replacing text data with video, this format is often used in the TV, streaming, and VOD industries. SSA (SubStation Alpha): This format is a more advanced version of SRT. Often used for subtitles in karaoke videos. ASS (Advanced SubStation Alpha): This is an advanced version of the SSA format with more advanced features. STL (Standard Triangle Language): The STL or EBU-STL format (European Broadcasting Union – Subtitle Data Exchange Format) is often used for subtitles in the radio and television fields.
Why you need to translate subtitles
If you want your audiovisual content to be accessible to multilingual audiences, you should consider translating subtitles. This applies to promotional videos, e-learning content (webinars, online courses, conferences, tutorials, etc.) or videos and films from the film industry and media sector.
Access to international markets
Subtitle translation is essential if you want to export content across borders, such as media content, movies, educational programs, promotional videos, etc. This is a way to get around language barriers and get your content out to a wider audience. This is also an important step in making your content accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Maximize your digital visibility
Research shows that 91% of businesses use video, especially YouTube, as a marketing tool. However, on this channel, using automatic machine translation of subtitles does not always guarantee good or optimal results. Therefore, translating videos with subtitles can maximize brand visibility in the global market through various communication channels (TV commercials, corporate websites, social networks, blogs, e-commerce platforms, YouTube channels, etc.) This is the way to do it.
Create links to your audience in their native language
Translating videos with subtitles is also a must if you want to reach a global audience. Potential customers are more receptive to audiovisual materials with subtitles if the content is in their native language. This helps attract attention, generate engagement, and increase customer retention.
strengthen brand image
Using subtitles to provide reliable, high-quality translations of your videos is also an effective way to stand out from your competitors and improve your brand image. This shows the company's ability to adapt and promote internationally.
→ What you need to know: Subtitle translation prices vary depending on the service, language, and customer requirements.
Subtitle translation in over 100 languages by Alphatrad
Alphatrad has a network of 3,500 experienced professional translators who provide subtitle translation in over 100 languages.
Our transcriber creates multilingual transcriptions of audio and video files in various formats (SRT, VTT, ASS, TTML, SSA, STL, etc.) and facilitates the video editing process. Our translators are tasked with translating transcripts into their native languages, providing reliable, high-quality translations tailored to the target audience and cultural characteristics of the destination country.
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Frequently asked questions about subtitle translation
Translating video subtitles using free online translation software is a solution available to everyone. You can also automatically translate videos on YouTube. However, only by using a professional translator can you guarantee reliable, high-quality results. The service provider must be a native speaker of the target language and have experience translating subtitles.
While translation involves translating content from one language to another, transcription provides a text version of an audio or video file.
English is one of the most spoken and taught languages in the world. Therefore, translating subtitles to English will maximize your visibility and allow you to watch videos in languages spoken by many people in different countries.
