Videos in digital marketing are the most persuasive tool to engage consumers and can attract up to 300% more traffic to your website. Videos accounted for 80% of global internet traffic in 2019 and the number of people watching mobile videos also continues to increase. Consumer experts have found that six out of ten people would rather watch videos online than television, making videos an engaging way to tell your company’s story and to advertise your products.
If you don’t already have a global video business strategy, now is the time to increase your visibility and start reaching a wider audience. As you plan to release video content outside of your country, video localization with high-quality video translation is a necessary step to prepare for the global market.
In this post we will break down video localization in its simplest terms and highlight some of the most crucial things to keep in mind when deciding to localize your own video content. If you are interested in video localization, would like to know more or are interested in getting a quote for video localization services, please don't hesitate to get in touch.
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High-quality video localization
- Create content with an international appeal to capture a global audience
The video localization process includes creating video marketing features to support your online presence in a foreign market. To appeal to a global audience, you have to make adaptations to your content that match the culture of the local market. Language is only a part of the changes needed for your video content. You should also adapt the content in other ways that consider cultural influences and norms.
- Take into account cultural sensitivities
- Adapt for cultural differences
Pay attention to the cultural differences of the specific country you are providing content for--everything from the words used to the cultural norms and references you are making in your content. Educate yourself on the local holidays and seasonal references. Make sure there isn’t anything a local user can misconstrue.
- Translate your content
Creating content for the native tongue makes it immediately accessible to the local market. You can create a new video translation, add subtitles, or translate titles and text over your images.
- Refrain from making jokes or controversial cultural references
Jokes and cultural references might not translate well, could be misconstrued as bias or inappropriate in the local region.
- Check numbers, dates, and measurements
Countries use different measurements for weight, temperature, and distance. Monetary currency, time, and dates are also differences to watch out for when creating and translating video content.
- Translation and subtitles
- Hire an experienced translation agency
Create professional translations by hiring a top-notch translation agency. Professional, quality video translations make a difference and can keep you competitive in your market.
- Limit the on-screen text and allow for expansion
The best standard for creating the highest quality video possible is to limit the number of words on the screen or by creating space for the translation in the script. Remember that most languages expand from English by upward of 20%. Establish a style guide that keeps the language simple, allow subtitling to sync with the on-screen images.
- Create space for subtitles
Don’t block visual elements on the screen by overloading it with text. Keep space for both the text and the video’s visual elements to flow smoothly.
- Placing text and subtitles
When creating your video translation, the most cost-effective and straightforward visual process is to keep your captions and subtitles at the bottom third of the frame. Positioning the text here only covers a small portion of on-screen actions, so the user's eye doesn't have to travel too far from the focal point of the video.
- Limit the number and use of speakers
Limiting the number of speakers in your video keeps the costs down. In addition, when creating your video, consider using off-screen voiceover or limit the use of on-screen speakers to keep the costs down and minimize dubbing issues.
- Reuse your audio narration scripts
To retain a high standard of quality control, save money, and keep mistakes to a minimum, reuse your translations.
- Understand the file formats you need
- Audio formats
There are several different audio file types that exist but only a few that are recommended for online videos. When using a localization agency, make sure to provide them with one of the following file types:
- mp3
- wav
- aif
- Video formats
As with audio, only a few video file types are recommended for use online. If possible, please try to have your video files in one of the following formats:
- avi
- mov
- mp4
- wmv
- flv
- Codecs
You should notify your video localization team of any audio or video codecs specific to your video (these are used to encode and compress video data). If you are not sure how to find this information, ask your video localization team and they should be able to help you.
- On-screen text localization
If your original video has on-screen text that needs to be localized then make sure to inform your localization team of the programs you used to create the original video (Adobe Premiere Pro, Adobe After Effects, etc.). You will also need to provide details of the fonts used for the text as well as other on-screen details such as the use of trademark symbols, etc. To help the process go smoothly, it is recommended that you provide two versions of your videos:
- The original video
- The video where the on-screen text has been removed
- Get your script ready
- Script formats
For both audio and video projects, try to provide an audio script in one of the most common text file formats:
- Excel
- Word
- TXT
(If you don't have an audio script available, some agency's are happy to provide a transcription for the spoken audio before the localization process begins)
- Use of time codes
This is where a time stamp is given to spoken sections in a video (e.g., "audio will be spoken from 00:45 - 01:32 before the next transition"). This is needed only if the audio needs to precisely match the length of the original audio.
- Implementing subtitles
In the even that you want to add localized subtitles, then the script will need to be localized and approved first. Once all parties are happy, the script will be incorporated into the video as subtitles.
- Know your platform
We live in a multi-platform world. It is vital to know which mediums your videos will be shown on because you might need to add supporting information to get your video seen by your target market. For example, when you post to YouTube and Vimeo, you should provide a metadata description.
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How we can help you
If you are trying to capture a global audience, then adapting your marketing content is crucial. We encourage you to help your content go further through quality video translation and localization. At Andovar, we understand this process well thanks to the many successful localization projects under our belt. So let us help you with your video localization needs and create professional content that has an international appeal!
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