The Top 10 3Play Media Blog Posts of the Decade
Updated: May 1, 2020
Just like that, the year is finally coming to an end! It’s been an exciting and eventful year, and we’ve been able to publish a wide variety of blog posts.
Over the decade, we’ve grown our blog tremendously and wrote on topics about captioning, laws, SEO, user engagement, and all things around accessibility.
We’ve even had guest bloggers like disability rights lawyer, Lainey Feingold, and Instagram influencer, Sue Zimmerman.
It’s been a great decade, to say the least, and we’re excited to ring in the new decade with even more content. What better way to celebrate the new year than to reflect on the top 3Play Media blog posts of the last ten years?
Let’s dive into the top blog posts of the decade!
1. How to Create an SRT File
Our top blog post of the decade provides step-by-step instructions on how to create one of the most popular caption and subtitle file formats, an SRT file.
Also known as a SubRip Subtitle file, an SRT file originated from software called SubRip, which extracts subtitles and timings from videos.
In this post, you’ll learn what the four essential parts are of an SRT file:
- The number of the caption frame in a sequence
- Beginning and end timecodes for when the caption frame should appear
- The caption itself
- A blank line to indicate the start of a new caption sequence
In addition, no matter if you’re a Mac or PC user, we give specific directions with visuals to make creating an SRT file a breeze!
Learn how to create an SRT file➡️
2. What’s the Difference? Subtitles for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (SDH) v. Closed Captions
Can subtitles and captions be used interchangeably? Although they’re thought of as synonyms in many places around the world, they actually have two different meanings.
Subtitles assume the viewer can hear but doesn’t understand the language, while captions assume the viewer can’t hear.
In this post, we shed light on subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing, or SDH, which combines the information of both subtitles and captions. They can be in the source language of the video and include non-speech elements, like speaker IDs and sound effects. They also assume the viewer cannot hear, but they can be translated into other languages so that video content is accessible to deaf and hard of hearing viewers who speak other languages.
Discover the main differences between SDH and captions➡️
3. How to Force Closed Captions to Appear on Your YouTube Videos
YouTube is one of the top video players on the internet, and when you upload your video, you’re able to reach billions of viewers.
This blog post is about making sure all of your viewers can watch your videos with captions on YouTube. It’s super simple!
We even describe three reasons why you should force closed captions on. Some of them include:
- Poor audio quality
- Speaker with a thick accent or unclear speech
- Accessibility
You can learn more and get clear instructions on forcing captions on your YouTube videos in this post!
Learn how to force closed captions on YouTube videos➡️
4. How to Create a WebVTT File
We have another blog post on a popular subtitle and caption file format that made it to the top posts list! Clearly, this was a popular topic among our readers.
In How to Create a WebVTT file, we explain what a WebVTT file is. Similar to an SRT file, the WebVTT file was based on the SubRip format, however, it allows description and metadata information to be added within the frames.
The two required components of a WebVTT file are the WebVTT being at the beginning of the transcript and a blank line in between each caption frame. There are a few optional components as well.
Once you learn the components, you can move on to the step-by-step directions on how to create a WebVTT whether you use a Mac or PC.
Read the step-by-step guide on creating a WebVTT file➡️
5. NAD v. Netflix: ADA Lawsuit Requires Closed Captioning on Streaming Video
This past decade has been a historic moment for accessibility lawsuits. With the rise in online businesses, more brands are being sued for having inaccessible websites and content.
It’s imperative that all digital products and information are accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.
In June 2011, the National Association of the Deaf (NAD) sued Netflix for failing to provide closed captions for streaming video, thus violating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Title III of the ADA states that places of public accommodation (i.e. movie theaters, libraries, restaurants, etc.) must provide accommodations for people with disabilities. The ADA was enacted in 1990, long before the internet was as prevalent as it is today.
Although the ADA doesn’t explicitly state that places of public accommodation include online business, the NAD v. Netflix case sent a strong precedent that the ADA doesn’t only apply to physical locations, but to online content as well. That means that all video content must provide closed captions for viewers.
Read the full blog➡️
6. DIY Workflow for Captioning & Transcription
There are three main ways to create captions and transcripts: a closed captioning and transcription vendor, automatic captions, or doing it yourself. While going through a vendor ensures high-quality and accurate captions and transcripts, it may not always be an option for everyone.
It’s important to know that if one decides to go the DIY route, that it can be both time and labor-intensive. However, if you decide that this is the route for you, in the blog post, DIY Workflow for Captioning & Transcription, we compile all the tools and resources needed for DIY in-house captioning.
There are two main ways to create captions yourself:
- Using YouTube’s automatic captions
- In-house captioning workflow
We even provide some resources from universities and organizations doing closed captioning and video transcript in-house along with best practices to make sure you’re creating the best captions possible!
Learn how to start a DIY workflow➡️
7. Did You Know These 10 Celebrities are Deaf or Hard of Hearing?
There are over 48 million people in the United States living with hearing loss. But, did you know? Many of your favorite actors, politicians, athletes, and musicians are apart of the group of people who are d/Deaf and hard of hearing.
This post was well-loved among our readers because there are even celebrities who benefit from a more accessible web including Bill Clinton, Halle Berry, and William Shatner.
Read the list of celebrities with hearing loss ➡️
8. What’s the Difference Between CEA-608 (Line 21) Captions & CEA-708 Captions?
If you want to learn the main differences between CEA-608 captions and CEA-708 captions, then you’ve come to the right place! Another one of our top 10 blog posts, discusses the distinction between the two.
CEA-608 captions were the old standard for closed captioning for the purpose of analog television. CEA-708 captions, on the other hand, are the new standard for digital television. Since digital television has risen in popularity over analog television, most captions have been transitioned over from 608 to 708.
You can learn the difference between the two caption types by the:
- Appearance
- Transmission
- Language, and
- Position
While both CEA-608 and CEA-708 still appear in digital television, it’s apparent that the standards are moving to a more updated format.
Learn the difference between CEA-608 and CEA-708 captions➡️
9. 9 Tips for Your YouTube SEO Strategy
As the second-largest search engine in the world, it’s no wonder why video creators are racing to get their content published on YouTube. 80% of video search results are YouTube videos. However, with so many videos uploaded every minute, how does your video stand out amongst the rest?
In this post, we give you actionable tips on how you can transform your video SEO with captions and transcripts.
Search engines aren’t able to watch videos, they only understand text. That means if you don’t have captions or transcripts, search engines won’t know what your content is about.
A full, accurate transcript allows search bots to crawl the text and find relevant keywords. So when someone searches a particular keyword that’s found in your video, your content is more likely to rank higher in search engine result pages (SERP).
Transform your video SEO➡️
10. 5 Podcasts Doing Transcripts Right
One popular medium of this decade is podcasts. With its increasing popularity, we’ve learned that it’s also enjoyed with transcripts. Transcripts help to make podcasts more accessible, searchable, shareable, and digestible.
In addition, they help to boost SEO. Similarly to video, search engines can’t hear your audio; they only understand text. By accompanying transcripts with your podcast, search bots are able to index your content and rank it accordingly.
In 2011, the podcast This American Life (TAL) decided to transcribe their episodes. They found that their unique visitors increased by 6.28% and the number of inbound links increased by 3.89%. If you’re a podcast host, you definitely don’t want to miss out on all the benefits transcripts can bring!
Discover the 5 podcasts reaping the benefits of transcription ➡️Ready to get certified as a video accessibility expert? Whether you’re a novice or advanced in accessibility, 3Play Media’s free certification course gives you all the tools and resources needed to make well-informed decisions so that you can create a more accessible world! 💡
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