Importance of subtitles and closed captions

There are many reasons to create subtitles for our video. All of them relate to making sure our video is accessible to a wider audience, whether it be those who are deaf or hard of hearing or viewers whose language is different from the language spoken in the video.

Legal requirements to add subtitles to your video

Some countries have made it a law to make your video content as accessible as possible, including to those with a disability.

In the UK, under The Public Sector Bodies (Websites and Mobile Applications) (No. 2) Accessibility Regulations 2018, all public sector (government organizations) video content made after September 23, 2020 needs to be accessible, including web- or app-based videos. This also applies to charities that are mostly public sector-funded. Interestingly, it does not apply to the websites or apps of public sector broadcasters such as the BBC.

This is good to know, particularly if you make video content...