YouTube is rolling out a series of updates to make content more accessible, which includes bringing automatic live captions to all channels.
Previously, this feature was only available in beta for select channels with over 1,000 subscribers.
Live automatic captions enables livestreams to display dialogue on the screen as it’s being spoken.
The captions will also be available if a recording of the stream is made available as a VOD (video on demand), making it a quick and easy alternative to manually transcribing streams.
In addition, YouTube is launching an update that will make content more accessible on mobile, and introducing a way to make video transcripts searchable.
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Here’s more about the changes coming to YouTube captions and transcripts.
YouTube Live Automatic Captions For All
YouTube is making live automatic captions available for all creators.
With this expansion all creators can now have access to this feature regardless of subscriber count.
While streaming, creators can go into their live control room and enable or disable live automatic captions on a per stream basis.
This allows creators to make their content accessible to more viewers, which can potentially expand their live audience.
For now this feature is available in English with plans to add more langagues in the future.
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Auto-Translated Subtitles Coming to Mobile
Today on desktop users can auto-translate available caption tracks in their CC menu to another language.
YouTube plans to expand the auto-translated subtitles option to mobile.
By bringing this feature to mobile, users can access a wider variety of content in a language that they understand.
Again, this can all lead to more channel viewers and subscribers.
Related: Using Google Translate to Autogenerate Content?
Searchable Transcripts
In a mildly confusing update, YouTube is making video transcripts searchable on desktop.
Transcripts were already searchable, however, just like text on any website is searchable by hitting Ctrl+F on your keyboard.
Perhaps this is intended to expand accessibility to the less tech savvy YouTube viewers out there?
The transcripts feature has been available on desktop for a long time. I go through them often when covering YouTube videos and have never had trouble searching for text I need to find.
YouTube is now building a search function right into the transcript box, further enhancing the experience for users.
In searchable transcripts users can view and search transcripts for information that’s most relevant for them.
This allows a viewer to find the most interesting information without watching the entire video — which YouTube frames as a good thing?
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YouTube plans to bring searchable transcripts to mobile as well.
There’s no word on whether YouTube transcripts will ever be searchable in Google, which would expand the video discovery exponentially.
Related: YouTube SEO for Beginners
New Channel Permissions For Subtitles
YouTube is adding a new subtitle role to channel permissions subtitle role.
With this subtitles role creators will be able to delegate the ability to create captions or subtitles for the videos to someone that they trust.
This update makes it easier for creators to hire someone to transcribe their videos. Although there’s always free, auto-generated captions if you don’t have the resources to devote to manual transcription.
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Source: Creator Insider
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