Voice-over or subtitling - which should you use?

Within social media and all over the internet, more videos are being watched now than ever before.

Since we seem to engage more with video than any other type of content, businesses and individuals are taking advantage of this trend which is, safe to say, set to continue growing.

However, one of the most difficult tasks with video is knowing how to appeal to your audience; what is the best way to reach out to them, to tell your story?

One of these big questions is when to get a voice-over produced for your video and when to choose subtitles.

This handy guide goes over the specifics, and will hopefully help you make your decision easier. 

It’s not a competition between the two and we aren't going to fall on one side or another. As each video project is different, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer. Whilst some work better with voice-overs, others are more effective with subtitling. 

Consider the purpose of your content

First and foremost, think about your audience, where the video will be shown, in what format and its objectives. Are you making a promotional video showing off a brand-new product or service? Are you making a video lesson where the content is pivotal to the learner?

Marketing videos

With marketing videos,the aim is normally to capture the attention of the viewer which is why so many companies choose to go with voice-overs. Since it offers a different type of engagement, voice-overs are common in this arena because they can be more personable and persuasive.

Often, customers buy into the people and the brand more than a product/service so voice-overs are incredibly effective.

How-to videos

On the other hand, you could argue the educational content is far more important, so subtitling could do a better job. This being said, there are exceptions because you don’t want to put whole essays on the screen in subtitles.

When there is too much information on the screen, the viewers can get confused and demotivated, so there’s an argument for voice-overs on these occasions.

Placement of the video

Although this is similar to the previous consideration, you also need to think about where your video will be used. If it’s going onto your website, for example, you know that your target audience are the ones you need to focus your attention on.

If you’re creating an e-learning course, you might need to cater to different languages and this is where subtitling comes in handy. After this, you might also upload the video to social media, or websites like YouTube and Vimeo. 

Your budget 

Out of all the consideration, this is one of the biggest because it will decide exactly which way you can go. Subtitling is the cheapest option of the two since it requires a simple source file for each language you require for the video. If you plan to go for voice-overs in different languages, you will have to budget for translation and native voice actors.

Once again, you have to consider the purpose of your content here as well as where it’s going to be used. Rather than seeing these considerations as separate decisions, they should all come together to point you in the direction.

If you absolutely need voice-overs but you’re working on a small budget, there are some things you can do to keep the cost down. Rather than immediately looking for professionals in every role, see if there is someone in your business who can record the voice or even just transcribe or translate to save costs. But that of course isn’t going to match the quality of a voice-over agency.

Turnaround time

So, how much time do you have to complete your project? If you’re creating an e-learning course, you might have longer to perfect the course as you would when creating an advertising campaign.

With voice-overs, they don’t have to take as much time as people think and a 10-20-minute project can sometimes be completed in just two-three days. To minimise errors and returning work for changes, prepare the script beforehand, send all requirements and specific pronunciations before recording. 

With subtitling, you may be able to complete the source file within 24 hours (depending on the length and complexity of the video content).

Target market

Finally, we touched upon your target market previously but this is another essential ingredient of the decision-making process.

At all times, you need to keep the target market in mind and this includes their needs in terms of language. Deaf and hard of hearing will require SDH subtitles, while foreign markets will need translated subtitles or dubbing in their language. 

Pros of subtitling

• More cost-effective than voice-overs.
• Subtitles increase organic search visibility and help with SEO.
• Viewers have more control and can turn on/off subtitles and change language.

Cons of subtitling

• Your audience may not expect to see subtitles in the video content and that may put them off.
• Multiple speakers or long conversations can sometimes lead to confusion.
• Captions can sometimes cover important parts of the screen if not planned correctly.

Pros of voice-overs

• More engaging and arguably more professional than subtitling.
• Much clearer for the audience to follow with multiple speakers.
• Opportunity to speak to audiences of a different language.

Cons of voice-overs

• Dubbing could lead to mismatched lip movements which distracts the viewer.
• Can be more expensive and time-consuming than subtitling.
• It may take time to find the voice over artist that matches the tone and voice you need.