How You Can Give Everyone in Your Audience a Voice

video marketing for non-english speakers

Video is a global tool that has the power to impact mass audiences. Depending on who you want your video to reach, your company may need to consider expanding its video marketing strategy. An aspect some companies are increasingly considering is accommodating non-English speaking viewers because many are realizing that this demographic is an untapped market. According to a recent study, about 60% of YouTube viewers are non-English speakers. Learn more about multilingual videos to understand the advantages your company can experience from them.

Non-English speakers residing in the United States are on the rise. Foreign language speakers in the U.S. have grown by nearly 15 million people (32%) since 2000. Roughly 21% of the U.S. population speaks a foreign language at home, and about 41% of them said they don’t speak English very well. Even though the United States predominantly speaks English, some businesses may see these percentages as an opportunity to connect to this demographic by implementing multilingual video marketing strategies.

Video Strategies for Non-English Speaking Audiences

Add Subtitles

Incorporating subtitles is the most cost-efficient way to provide information to non-English speakers, especially if you’re just starting out with marketing to this audience. Subtitles can either be embedded in your video or may possibly be offered by the specific video platform you’re uploading it to. The most appealing aspect of this type of translation is that it’s much more economical than other options. Video production companies know the best practices and are well-versed in adding subtitles to videos.

Voice Translation

Voice translations allow you to create videos that are tailored to a distinct audience. This entails hiring professional voice over talent to dub over the original video. This option demonstrates your company’s eagerness to ensure its viewers will experience a high-quality video that they can understand in their own native language. There are many options for voice over translation and talent that may seem tempting to use because they’re less expensive, but oftentimes these resources don’t have the best translation services, and you won’t understand if the translation is correct or inaccurate. Experienced advertising agencies have done their research and have typically cultivated a collection of great resources that can help find professional talent who can translate and read the script skillfully in the specific language or dialect you need.

Multilingual Videos

If a large segment of your target audience is of a certain ethnicity, it might be worth the time and money to create a video specifically for them, utilizing the language they speak. Often, companies will create an English version and a version in another language, both different video concepts, but complementary to one another as a cohesive campaign. If you decide to go this route, keep in mind the messaging for your non-English speaking audience. Your English-speaking video should not be translated into the other language; you should tailor the content and message to your non-English speaking audience to ensure you’re reaching them and speaking in ways they can understand effectively. While it might cost more to create a different video specifically for this audience, if they are a large part of your audience segment, it is well worth it to reach them on a personal level.

Companies should evaluate their goals and select the option that suits its specific needs and target demographics. The budget and scope of the project all factor into which route your company should take, whether it’s subtitles or voice translation. Collaborating with a video marketing agency will help guide you in the right direction and ensure these techniques will be implemented in a professional manner.

Make your voice heard, no matter what language you speak. Appleton is an award-winning, full-service video and film production studio located in Orlando, Florida that is experienced in providing translation services. Appleton has translated videos and marketing pieces for numerous languages, from Mandarin and Chinese to German, Spanish and Portuguese. Appleton works with local, national and international clients to deliver compelling visual stories that speak to audiences in the most influential way — through their emotions. Your video and film production goals are worth a conversation: contact us at 407-246-0092 or info@appletoncreative.com.