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You’re Losing Views Without Captions—Here’s Why (And How to Fix It)

You’re Losing Views Without Captions—Here’s Why (And How to Fix It)
Written by
Parler
Category
PlayTV|Video Content Creators
Published on
March 10, 2025

Okay, so let’s dwell on manual captions for a moment.

I mean, have you ever watched a video with the volume muted and got caught up trying to become an expert lip reader?

Yeah, same.

And apparently, that’s most of us. Something like 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. Why? Because we’re on the train, at work, in bed next to someone who will definitely judge us if we blast a TikTok at full volume. Therefore, if your videos don’t have manual captions, you’re pretty much hopelessly banking on people deciding to unmute—which, let’s be realistic, they aren’t. This is why you simply need to have manual captions. After all, it doesn’t solely benefit the hearing-impaired, which is reason enough to put captions. They also keep people watching longer, boost engagement, and—bonus—make your videos way easier to find on Google.

So if you’re still not using captions… why? No, really. Why?

People’s Attention Spans Are Trash (Captions Help)

And, listen closely. Our attention spans have eroded sharply. Perhaps this gives you three seconds to make them stop scrolling.

Captions permit some anchor for the audience to mentally grab hold of until their brains decide your content is worth the time they consider most precious.

That’s why videos with captions have 12% more watch time. It’s science. Or psychology. Or both.

And listen: while it may be true that not everyone is unable to follow a quick-talking, distorted, heavy-accented speech. Well, if your captions don’t do the job of clarifying what you are saying, they will just assume you to be speaking in riddles and click on to the next.

And what if the video heavily promotes information, like in an exposé or tutorial? Good luck keeping people engaged without captions.

Silent Viewing is The New Normal (Adapt or Be Ignored)

Remember when autoplay videos on Facebook started playing on mute? At first, it was weird. Now? That’s just how every platform does it—TikTok, Instagram, LinkedIn, all of them.

People expect muted videos now. It’s the default setting. And if your content doesn’t make sense without sound? Well, guess what? People are gonna keep scrolling.

Captions fix that. They let people watch your content anywhere—loud subway, quiet office, next to their sleeping baby, hiding in the bathroom pretending they’re not avoiding responsibilities. Anywhere.

Also, let’s talk algorithms real quick. TikTok’s algorithm loves captions. Instagram, too. Text on-screen = more engagement = better reach. Platforms reward you for using captions, so if you’re ignoring them, you’re literally working against yourself.

Accessibility Matters (Also, Lawsuits Exist)

Here’s a fun fact: Over 466 million people worldwide have hearing loss. If you’re not captioning, you’re excluding millions of potential viewers. Millions.

And businesses? If you’re posting anything remotely professional—ads, webinars, educational content—captioning isn’t just a “good idea.” It’s required. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) straight-up mandates captions for business-related video content. Ignore that, and you might find yourself in some legal trouble.

And even beyond legal stuff—why would you want to exclude people? Like, for real. Why make your content harder to consume when you could just… make it easier?

Oh, and let’s not forget non-native English speakers. If your content has captions, more people can follow along, meaning a bigger audience for you.

It’s almost like captions are… important?

SEO (a.k.a. The “More People Will Actually Find Your Video” Section)

If you want more people to watch your content, you need to show up in searches. And guess what? Google reads captions.

Search engines can’t “hear” your video, but they can read your captions and subtitles. That means if your captions include keywords that people are searching for, your video is way more likely to show up.

No captions? Your video is basically invisible.

Captions = better SEO = more views = more engagement = more people who actually see your stuff.

So, Uh… How Do You Add Captions Without Losing Your Mind?

Alright, so you’re convinced. You need captions. How do you actually add them?

Step 1: Pick Your Caption Style

  • Open Captions: Always on, baked into the video. Great for social media.
  • Closed Captions: Viewers can turn them on/off. Best for YouTube & professional content.
  • Subtitles: For translations. (Yes, different from captions.)

Step 2: Choose Your Captioning Method

  1. Auto-Captions (YouTube, TikTok, Facebook) – Quick, but expect hilarious misinterpretations.
  2. Manual Transcription – Super accurate, but hope you like typing for hours.
  3. AI Tools (Rev, Descript, Kapwing, VEED) – Faster, fairly accurate, and saves you time.
  4. Professional Captioning Services – 99%+ accuracy, but your bank account might cry.

Best bet? Use AI tools, but always double-check. Auto-generated captions are great until they turn “I love my hat” into “I drug my cat.”

How to Add Captions on Different Platforms (Because Each One is Annoyingly Different)

  • YouTube: Use the auto-caption tool, then edit (because YouTube loves to mess up names). Or upload an SRT file.
  • Instagram & TikTok: Use built-in caption stickers, or apps like CapCut.
  • Facebook: Upload an SRT file or use Facebook’s auto-caption tool.
  • LinkedIn & X (Twitter): Upload SRT files for professional content.

Or, if you just want to make it easy—burn captions into your video. Problem solved.

How to Make Captions That Don’t Suck

Look, bad captions can be worse than no captions. Here’s how to do it right:

  • Don’t YELL AT PEOPLE IN ALL CAPS (unless you’re actually yelling).
  • Keep them short—two lines max per frame. No one wants to read an essay while watching.
  • Choose a font that’s actually readable (Arial, Open Sans, etc.). No fancy script nonsense.
  • Make sure they stand out—contrast matters. Light text on a bright background? Useless.
  • Sync them properly—nobody wants to read dialogue before it happens.

Real-World Proof That Captions Work

Still not convinced? Fine, here’s some data:

  • A TikToker added captions and saw a 35% increase in watch time.
  • A brand tested ads with and without captions—captioned versions had 40% higher conversions.
  • Huge creators like MrBeast, Gary Vee? They caption everything.

Final Thoughts (a.k.a. Just Start Captioning Already)

Look, captions aren’t optional anymore. They make your content better, more accessible, easier to find, and way more engaging.

On PlayTV, we know that silent viewing is the new normal. That’s why we make it easy for creators to add manual captions that boost engagement, increase watch time, and make content accessible to everyone. Whether your audience is scrolling on mute, in a noisy environment, or just prefers reading along, captions keep them locked in. Plus, with built-in tools for seamless captioning, your videos aren’t just seen—they’re understood.

Don’t let your message get lost. Upload, caption, and amplify your reach with PlayTV today.

So here’s a challenge: Add captions to your next video. See what happens. Bet you’ll notice the difference.

And if you don’t? Well, at least you made your content more inclusive. That alone is worth it.

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