Captions & Transcripts: A Practical Guide for Video/Webinars

Captions vs transcripts (quick definitions)

• Captions: time-synchronised text of the spoken audio (and essential sounds).

• Transcripts: the full text of the audio, usually unsynchronised; can include headings, links, and speaker labels.

• Subtitles: translations for speakers who understand the audio language but need another language on screen.

Target standard: WCAG 2.2 AA → captions for video with audio; transcripts for audio-only and recommended alongside video.

Style & accuracy guidelines (what “good” looks like)

• Accuracy ≥ 95% for polished content; correct names, numbers, and technical terms.

• Include non-speech sounds when meaningful: [laughter], [applause], [door opens].

• Speaker labels when not visually obvious.

• Line length ~32–42 characters; reading speed ~140–180 wpm.

• Timing: captions appear on time and linger long enough to read.

• Use sentence case, proper punctuation, and consistent spelling (UK where appropriate).

Workflow: pre-recorded video (fast and reliable)

1. Rough auto-captions

   • Generate with your platform/tool (YouTube, Vimeo, or a speech-to-text service).

2. Human edit

   • Correct names, jargon, and punctuation. Add missing non-speech cues.

3. Export formats

   • Save .SRT (widely supported) and keep a .VTT if your player benefits from styling.

4. Transcript

   • Export the text, add headings for sections, and link any resources mentioned.

5. Publish

   • Upload captions to the player, place the transcript on the page below the video, and add jump links to key sections.

Workflow: live webinars (practical)

1. Live captions

   • Use a live captioning service or your webinar platform’s live CC.

2. Recording + edit

   • After the event, edit the auto-captions for accuracy and add speaker names.

3. Transcript

   • Produce a cleaned transcript from the recording. Summarise sections (Agenda, Key takeaways, Q&A).

4. On-page publishing

   • Post the video with final captions and the transcript for SEO and accessibility.

Caption style guide (copy/paste)

- Accuracy: aim for 95%+
- Case & punctuation: sentence case, standard punctuation
- Speaker changes: prefix with NAME: or [Host], [Guest]
- Non-speech sounds: [music], [laughter], [applause], [door opens]

Transcript template (edit and paste below videos)

# Transcript: <Video Title>

Intro (00:00–00:30)
- Speaker: <Name>
- Summary: <1–2 lines of what viewers will learn>

Section 1: <Topic> (00:30–03:20)
SPEAKER NAME: <Concise, cleaned speech text in paragraphs.>
SPEAKER NAME: <Continue. Add links where helpful.>

Section 2: <Topic> (03:20–06:40)
SPEAKER NAME: <…>

Q&A (06:40–10:00)
AUDIENCE: <Question>
SPEAKER NAME: <Answer>

Resources
- <Link to slides or docs>
- <Link to product page

Platform tips (YouTube/Vimeo/HTML5)

• YouTube: upload .SRT; enable community contributions only if you QA them. Add chapters to align with transcript headings.

• Vimeo: upload caption files per language; set a default; verify timing after encoding.

• HTML5 video:

  <video controls>
    <source src="video.mp4" type="video/mp4">
    <track kind="captions" src="captions.en.vtt" srclang="en" label="English" default>
  </video>

• For branded players, ensure keyboard support and a visible focus on controls.

Publishing for SEO & UX

• Put the transcript on the same page as the video (not a download).

• Use headings and jump links (e.g., #key-takeaways, #qa) for scannability.

• Add a brief abstract/summary above the video for featured snippet potential.

• Mark up the page with VideoObject (if available in your CMS) and consider FAQ schema for Q&A segments.

Common pitfalls (and quick fixes)

• Auto-captions left unedited → always review for names, numbers, jargon.

• Captions covering titles/lower-thirds → nudge position or styling via .VTT/player settings.

• Transcript as an image/PDF → use live HTML for accessibility and indexing.

• No on-page context → add a 2–3 sentence summary and key takeaways.

Copy-paste checklist (Markdown)

Quick QA routine (10 minutes)

1. Watch with captions on: check timing, names, numbers, and non-speech cues.

2. Skim transcript: is it clean, chunked with headings, and link-rich?

3. Keyboard test: can you play/pause/seek, toggle CC, and tab through controls?

4. Mobile spot check: portrait and landscape; ensure captions don’t obscure critical visuals.

How Adjustable helps

After you add captions and transcripts, Adjustable improves how users consume your web content:

• Contrast and text-size controls to read HTML page transcripts comfortably.

• Reading aids that help with long sections and complex topics.

• Quick install, immediate UX uplift—ideal for Marketing Managers and Website Owners.

Try Adjustable

FAQs

Are auto-captions enough?
They’re a good start but often miss names and technical terms. Always edit.

Do I need both captions and a transcript?
For video with audio, captions are required for AA; a transcript is highly recommended for accessibility and SEO.

How long should captions be on screen?
Long enough to read comfortably—generally 1–6 seconds per caption, depending on line length.

What about multiple languages?
Publish separate caption files per language, and provide transcripts for each locale if you target those markets.

Next steps

• Caption your top videos and publish transcripts on the same page.

• Add chapters and FAQ sections to boost discoverability.

• Install Adjustable to improve readability and comfort across your content hub.

• Read next: Alt Text That Actually Helps Users, PDF & Document Accessibility, Accessibility & SEO.