In short: Add captions to UGC videos. They let people who cannot hear the video follow it, the W3C’s web accessibility guidelines treat captions for prerecorded video as a basic (Level A) requirement, and TikTok introduced auto captions to help people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Two things matter in practice: get the words right, because automatic captions make mistakes, and keep the text out of the areas the apps cover with buttons. Say in the brief whether you want subtitles burned into the picture, a clean version, or both.
Why captions matter
The W3C’s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) require captions for prerecorded audio content in synchronized media at Level A, the basic level. The W3C says the intent is to enable people who are deaf or hard of hearing to watch such media. The World Health Organization projects that by 2050 nearly 2.5 billion people will have some degree of hearing loss, and lists captioning among the things that can help people who are hard of hearing. WCAG is a technical standard for web content, not a rule for every ad, so whether a law applies to your video is a question for your adviser.
There is a second, practical reason. This part is our view, not a statistic: people watch short video in places where they cannot play sound, and a video whose message is in the captions still works there. TikTok’s creative tips for advertisers say to include closed captions to make the video accessible and to overlay concise, informative text.
Burned-in subtitles, closed captions and caption files
These are plain definitions, since the terms are often mixed up.
| Type | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Burned-in subtitles | Text that is part of the picture | The same look everywhere |
| Closed captions | Text the viewer can switch on or off | Accessibility, platform tools |
| Caption file (SRT) | A separate text file with timings | Editing, translating, re-timing |
TikTok introduced auto captions on 6 April 2021: creators can turn them on in the editing page, the speech is transcribed and shown on the video, creators can edit the text, and viewers can turn captions off. A burned-in version stays on, so it needs to look right on its own.
Automatic captions need a check
YouTube’s help page says automatic captions “might misrepresent the spoken content due to mispronunciations, accents, dialects, or background noise” and tells creators to review them and edit any parts that were not transcribed properly. It also notes that automatic captions may not be ready at the time you upload a video. Product names, ingredient or fabric names and numbers are where errors do the most damage, and a wrong claim in a caption is still a claim; see cosmetic claims in UGC and sustainability claims in fashion UGC.
Where to put the text
Every app draws buttons, the username and the caption on top of the video. Keep subtitles in the middle of the frame, away from the bottom and the right edge, and keep them to one or two short lines. The margins the platform guides give are in UGC video specs. If one video has to work on several platforms, the safest position is the one that avoids all of them.
What to put in the brief
- Whether subtitles are wanted, and whether they should be burned in or delivered as a caption file.
- The style: font size, one or two lines at most, high contrast, kept inside the safe area.
- The correct spelling of the brand, product and shade or size names.
- The language, and whether a translation is needed.
- Whether you also want a version without text, so you can add your own.
- That captions must not make claims the brief does not allow.
Review checklist
- Do the captions match what is said, word for word where it matters?
- Are brand and product names spelled correctly?
- Is the timing in sync, and does each line stay long enough to read?
- Is any text hidden by the app buttons?
- Do the captions contain anything the brief does not allow?
The full review method is in how to review UGC videos.
For creators
- Generate captions with the app or an editing tool, then read every line yourself.
- Fix names, numbers and product terms by hand.
- Follow the brief on burned-in or separate captions, and keep a clean copy of your edit.
- Keep the text style plain; it should help the viewer, not compete with the product.
On Usicri
An approved, paid video comes with a license that lets the brand edit it, including to subtitle it and to add its own logo or text (section 5 of the Terms of Service). If the subtitle style matters to you, say so in the campaign description so creators can match it; if it does not, the brand can add its own after approval. See open campaigns.
Captions also help the page around the video: see UGC video SEO.