The Growing Importance of Video Translation in the Digital Era

Last Updated On: July 18, 2023 by The Migration Translators

The digital era has seen huge changes in the way people communicate. For one thing, people are communicating like never before with other people all around the world. Businesses are promoting their products and services all around the world, too, and looking for translators to do the necessary work needed so that potential customers understand what they are offering and how to purchase their products.

Videos are becoming almost compulsory in marketing. There are huge advantages to using videos to explain how products work and why they should be purchased. Like any other type of communication across language barriers, videos must be translated into the target languages if they are going to be effective. Obviously, the images and video content by itself go a long way to aiding comprehension, because even without voice-over or subtitles, watchers can get a broad idea of what the video is all about. But having the video supplemented by professionally translated audio content is a far superior option.

What is video translation?

Video translation is the use of professional video translators to convert the audio content of videos from the source language to another language or language. Many videos that are translated into other languages are done so for marketing purposes, but there are also instructional videos, technical videos, and videos used in conjunction with manuals made to explain how appliances or equipment are used. There are, of course, also videos used for entertainment, as well as documentaries, all of which need translators to do the hard work of audio translation if other people are to use and enjoy what the videos are conveying.

Video translation can be done in different ways. It might involve subtitles in the chosen target language, dubbing, which is when the translation is done in a more sophisticated way so that when the speakers in the video speak, they are muted. At the same time, the translated speech is heard instead. You can see that dubbing is taking place because the words heard don’t match the movement of the lips! There is also voice-over as a technique. This is used especially for manual type or instruction videos and documentaries. Someone explains over the top of the video content what is happening in the video in the target language.

Why Video Translation is Important?

Videos can sell a product better than using just audio messaging or still images. It can also explain how to put together a kit set piece of furniture or set up a new appliance better than a dry audio explanation or a black-and-white text manual. Video translation is necessary if the video is to be used in any language other than the source language, wherever the video was first made. 

Video translation, then, basically enhances user experience and makes the video messaging available to a much wider audience than if the video is only available in the source language.

Video translation used for marketing purposes is subject to the same pressures as any other form of marketing in that local cultural nuance and colloquial preferences and usages often dictate the use of localization experts when videos are submitted to video translators. Localization is an extension of translation that takes into consideration who is the actual intended audience and what differences they may have in their use of language and cultural preferences compared to standard language users.

Conclusion

Video translation as a niche industry has undoubtedly seen massive growth in the digital era. If you wish to maximize your marketing strategy and use videos to help you attract a wider potential market, then you will undoubtedly need to use professional video translators to convert your videos so that they are suitable in other languages.