Eighty percent of viewers are more likely to finish a video if it has subtitles or closed captions.
Want to add subtitles to your own videos? The way to do that is with an SRT file.
This post will explain what an SRT file is, why you should use subtitles, and how to easily create SRT files for your videos. Let’s go!
What Is an SRT File?
An SRT file (also known as a .srt file or SRT caption file) stands for SubRip Subtitle file. It's a plain text file that contains subtitles that can be added to any video. SRT files usually get added to a video as part of the post-production process after the video is made.
The purpose of SRT files is to allow you to display text that matches the dialogue or audio. As people speak in the video, subtitles will pop up on-screen so viewers can read along.
An SRT file is simply a raw subtitle file. It gets created separately from the video (usually through a transcription service) and then later embedded into the video. When you see subtitles on YouTube, Netflix, Facebook, or any other video platform, it means the video creator added an SRT or similar subtitle file.
Anatomy of an SRT File
SRT files have a particular format that is structured like this:
Let's break down what each component means:
Line Number
The line number simply identifies each separate line of subtitles. The first line will be labeled "1," then "2," and so on. There's nothing fancy here. It's just an easy way to organize all the lines of dialogue.
Timestamp
The timestamp notes when the text should appear and disappear on the screen. The first number is the starting time, and the second is the ending time. It also makes sure that the subtitles are in sync with the video.
The most common format is hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds. In the example above, the first line of dialogue will appear 200 milliseconds into the video and disappear 2.6 seconds into the video.
Start and end time are separated by an arrow consisting of two dashes (--) and a greater than sign (>) looking like this: -->
Subtitle Text
The final piece of the SRT file is, of course, the actual subtitle text. These are the exact words that will be displayed on the screen. Naturally, the text should match exactly what is said in the video during those timestamp times. You don't want to confuse viewers, so make sure you avoid any discrepancies.
Benefits of SRT Files and Subtitles
Subtitles are excellent for regular videos, but they can also be of incredible help for business-oriented videos, like webinars. Adding subtitles to videos and webinars through SRT files makes your content more effective in various ways.
Subtitles allow viewers to absorb and retain more by reading along as speakers talk, which can be quite helpful for webinars that contain complex information. Viewers can follow along and understand the material better. The combination of auditory and visual stimuli helps reinforce the content and make it easier for viewers to remember key points.
Additionally, SRT files provide compatibility across video formats since they're just plain text. You can add them to standard formats like MP4 and MOV files without any technical difficulties. This flexibility guarantees that your videos remain accessible to a wide audience, regardless of the platform or device they are using.
SRT files also enable easy translation. By simply translating the text within the SRT file, you can offer your videos in multiple languages without altering the original video content. This capability is invaluable for reaching a global audience, breaking down language barriers, and making your content accessible to non-native speakers.
But perhaps the most crucial benefit is that they expand accessibility. A wider audience will be able to enjoy videos and webinars, including:
Sound Off Listeners
Did you know that 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound? People might be in noisy public places, or they could be watching videos quietly to avoid waking their families at night. Subtitles help these viewers understand what's happening without needing sound.
Non-Native Speakers
Subtitles are very useful for viewers who speak English as a second language. It's much easier to follow along with tricky accents or unfamiliar words when the text is available to read.
This benefit extends to native English speakers as well. When a video contains a lot of technical jargon, subtitles provide a helpful reference and make it easier for viewers to understand and remember the information.
People with Disabilities
According to statistics,1 in 8 people has hearing loss. For the deaf and hard of hearing who rely on subtitles and closed captions, this practice provides accessibility. Overall, SRT subtitles demonstrate an inclusive approach that expands audiences beyond what you may reach otherwise.
If you want more tips on how to host a successful and engaging webinar, check out our Webinar Guide.
How to Create an SRT File
Now that you're familiar with the benefits of adding SRT files to your videos, the most important part still remains to be covered: how do you create an SRT file in practice?
In the section below, we're going to explain three different options for generating subtitle files:
Manual Subtitle Creation
For short videos, you can create SRT files manually. Listen through the video, transcribe all the dialogue into a document, and then start organizing it into the appropriate format. Here’s how:
Step 1: Open a text editor like Notepad and Type "1" on the first line to start your first caption sequence.
Step 2: Add time codes for the first caption. Remember to use the format: hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds --> hours:minutes:seconds,milliseconds
Step 3: Write your subtitles. Now you can take the transcription of your video and start breaking it into captions.
Remember that each line should be less than 32 characters, and you can only have two lines per caption.
At the end of each sequence of captions, press Enter to leave an extra blank line. Then type "2" to begin a new sequence.
Step 4: Once you’re done compiling your subtitles, save your file. Be sure to save it as a .srt file.
While manual subtitles give you the most control, they can become tedious and time-consuming for longer or high-volume videos.
Professional Subtitling Services
Many companies and freelancers offer fast, affordable human transcription and subtitling services. You send them your video file and within 24-48 hours, they'll return a perfectly formatted SRT file.
The advantage of paying for a professional service is accuracy, but the downside is that it can get pricey if you have a lot of video content.
Automated AI Subtitling
With advancements in AI, software solutions can now automatically transcribe videos and generate subtitle files without any human involvement. The big advantage is speed. AI can transcribe your audio way faster than a human.
However, automated solutions may not always be completely accurate due to complex vocabulary or poor audio quality. Be sure to double-check any SRT files that you've generated with the help of AI software.
If you only need to automate subtitles and create an SRT file we recommend using Simplified. Their tool is completely free for up to 30 minutes of video footage and allows you to easily edit parts without having to work in a clunky text file.
You can even choose to download your entire video with subtitles displayed on your video or just download the SRT file itself:
Find Subtitle-Compatible Webinar Platforms
As video continues to thrive online, subtitled video content is becoming the expectation rather than a nice addition.
At Softailed, we specialize in helping businesses find the best software for their needs. If you're looking for a webinar platform that supports subtitles, you're in luck because we've reviewed the best webinar software for features.
We’ve done everything to make our reviews as thorough and unbiased as possible. We evaluated more than 30 providers and assigned each a score using a weighted calculation model. Our goal is to give you the information you need to make the right choice for your business.
If you want to see how the leading webinar platforms stack up, head to our list of the overall best webinar software.
Filmmaker turned into marketer and tech geek. Sounds sad, but I absolutely love it. I manage webinars and virtual events to help companies reach new heights and stun their audience.
