As the world gets ever smaller and more connected, the requirement for multilingual material to be produced is ever-growing. No clearer is this increase in demand than within the media industry. With more than half of the world on social media as of January 2022, the way we consume content is evolving and we are no longer limited to entertainment in our native language. It is therefore worth asking the question, how can the media industry benefit from language services, and which service is best suited to which form of media?
Entertainment Media
Perhaps the clearest way in which we have seen the benefits of multilingual media is within the field of entertainment; with subtitling/dubbing (depending on the target country) being the vessel most commonly used to bring non-English TV shows like Dark to a whole new audience. Subtitles especially allow the raw emotion of the native actor’s voice to be heard and the words they are saying to be read and understood by all. Not only this, but the concise nature of subtitles means that the viewer is not missing out on any on-screen action – the dialogue can be read simultaneously.
One of the main aims of media localisation is to make content accessible to more people. To that end, closed captions (read more about the difference between subtitles & CCs here) can be produced to make content more accessible to all who consume media, notably the deaf or hard of hearing. The same goes for audio description for those who are blind.
Advertising Media
However, entertainment is not the only segment of the media sphere that benefits from greater accessibility through language services. Due to the aforementioned global rise of social media, more and more companies are using platforms such as Instagram and LinkedIn to help reach a global audience.
The way products are advertised is changing as a result of this too, with more short video content being produced as a YouTube advert, for example.
The reason for this is that video content is one of the best ways to attract, engage with and inform potential customers. It also helps convince customers that your service is just what they need. Getting these videos right is absolutely crucial because, according to Google, 65% of people most use their phones in “I-want-to-buy” moments. So, video content can help a company stand out from the crowd.
However, this content needs a voice, and that’s where voiceover comes in. A professional voiceover is what can turn a good video into a great one. Rather than a customer having to take time to read through long ad pieces to make an informed decision about a product, voiceovers are much more direct, with the key USPs condensed into a few points, saving the customer time. Not only this, but voiceovers can help build up a level of trust with the customer, and provide a more human perspective – rather than simply reading a load of sales jargon on a page.
As well as this, if the video is being used for a promotional or e-learning video, the voiceover can then be a calm, clear explanation of the processes being shown, giving the stakeholders a more in-depth insight into what the product or platform is about.
You might be thinking – that’s all well and good for English content, but what about other languages? Well, the scripts used can be translated into languages for whichever market you please, and voiceover in that language can be recorded, ensuring that the final content package contains a consistent voice across all intended markets.
How can we help you at Dialogue?
Here at Dialogue, our dedicated project management team are on hand to talk through the steps of the media localisation process, and how they can be of benefit to the media content you produce. If you’d like to learn more about our multimedia localisation services, why not get in touch with us today?