The meaningful messages in your Facebook videos deserve to be heard. However—and here’s a taste of reality that most content creators ignore—most viewers (myself included) keep their phones on mute. Although it may not seem much of an issue, this viewing habit can challenge content creators trying to get their message across. And that’s where professional transcription companies are worth their weight in gold, transcribing and enhancing your Facebook video’s online presence in more ways than one.
In this article, you’ll learn how:
- 85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound. This makes transcripts, captions, and subtitles important for reaching viewers who prefer or need to consume the video content on mute.
- Video transcripts bring multiple benefits, such as improving accessibility, boosting SEO performance, increasing engagement, allowing for content repurposing across different formats, and more.
- Even in ideal conditions, video-to-text automated solutions can only achieve about 61% accuracy. They’re unsuitable for professional or technical content that requires precision.
Why Transcribing Facebook Videos Matters
It’s been proven that not everyone wants to watch Facebook videos with the sound on. According to statistics, 85% of Facebook videos are watched with sound off.
Why? I don’t know. They can be scrolling through Facebook at 3 AM in bed, or they’re part of the deaf or hard-of-hearing community. Regardless, transcripts can make your content accessible to everyone.
In addition, transcripts are incredibly versatile. Beyond accessibility, they’re healthy for SEO. Search engines can’t yet watch videos. However, they can surely read and understand transcripts. Not quite literally, yet that’s how search engines like Google or Bing – and even YouTube – determine whether your content is SERP-worthy or the opposite.
Engagement also tends to skyrocket when you put captions to your videos, which is possible thanks to transcription. Again, the majority of Facebook videos are watched on mute. So, without captions, your carefully crafted video message might as well be a silent movie – minus the dramatic piano accompaniment.
More Reasons To Transcribe Facebook Videos
Here’s a Las Vegas-style buffet of reasons to wonder why you never transcribed your Facebook videos (if you’re a content creator).
Considerations | Description |
Global Reach | Transcripts can be translated into multiple languages, expanding your audience internationally. |
Content Repurposing | Convert video transcripts into blog posts, social media quotes, or infographic content. |
Learning Aid | Viewers can better retain information when they both see and read the content. |
Mobile Optimization | Easier consumption of content on-the-go when reading is more convenient than listening. |
Compliance | Meets digital accessibility guidelines and legal requirements in certain jurisdictions. |
Analytics Enhancement | Transcript content helps in tracking keywords and improving content strategy. |
Comment Generation | Viewers can easily quote specific parts of your video in comments, increasing engagement. |
Methods to Transcribe Facebook Videos
There are plenty of methods to transcribe Facebook videos. However, they aren’t created equally. Let’s tackle the primary ones.
Automated Transcriptions Services
Ah, the allure of artificial intelligence. Services like Notta AI and Rev’s automated option promise quick, cheap transcripts. However, one thing to note about AI is that it’s prone to hilarious misunderstandings.
The process of automated services is mostly straightforward: upload your video file into their platform (or sometimes feed the URL of an uploaded video), wait a few minutes, and voilà —your transcripts are created! These services typically cost between $0.10 and $0.25 per minute, which is quite budget-friendly for larger projects.
However, here’s where it gets interesting (and sometimes hilarious). Automated services often turn heavy accents into complete gibberish, with “G’day mate” becoming “Good eye might.”
Background noise also becomes a nightmare, too, with coffee shop ambiance creating chaos in your transcript. Technical jargon? Forget about it; medical terms can turn into medical emergencies. And if you have multiple speakers, good luck figuring out who said what.
I once saw an AI turn an Aussie’s “razor blade” into “rise up laid” – not exactly the professional image you’re going for.
Manual Transcription or The DIY Chronicles
Conversely, manually and personally transcribing your Facebook videos is like learning to play a new instrument—it takes motivation, dedication, practice, patience, and the right tools.
You’ll also need transcription software or, at the very least, a word processor, a foot pedal for playback control (your spacebar will thank you), quality headphones (those $5 earbuds won’t cut it), and a typing speed of at least 65 WPM.
The process involves listening to short segments, typing them out, and rinse and repeat until completion. Pro tip: Use keyboard shortcuts and text expanders for common phrases – these are like life hacks for transcriptionists; however, don’t rely on them too much.
However, time is the biggest consideration here. A one-hour video typically requires four hours for an experienced transcriptionist and six or more hours if you’re starting. Trust me; I’ve trained transcriptionists for the longest time; that’s why I know.
If you’re skeptical, try transcribing a three-hour conference video alone. Your fingers will have PTSD from that experience.
The Freelance Frontier
Platforms like Upwork, Fiverr, Indeed, etc. let you connect with transcriptionists worldwide. Rates vary from $0.50 to $1.00 per minute for native English speakers, while international freelancers might charge between $0.30 to $0.50 per minute. Specialized content like medical or legal transcription can cost more.
However, success depends on careful vetting when hiring freelancers. As much as possible, request samples of previous work, start with a small test project, thoroughly check reviews and ratings, and take every promise with a grain of salt.
It’s also essential to establish clear deadlines and expectations upfront and always use escrow services for payment protection.
If you’re lucky, you’ll find freelancers who are so good that you’d think of hiring them as your full-time employees, while the opposite is also true. I once hired a freelancer who claimed to be a “professional” though they delivered a transcript that read like it was written by a cat walking across a keyboard.
The takeaway from that experience is always verifying skills before committing to larger projects.
Professional Transcription Companies
Think of professional transcription companies as the five-star restaurants of the transcription world. We employ trained professionals (remember when I mentioned I train transcriptionists?), maintain strict quality standards, and offer guarantees that actually mean something.
As much as possible, opt for companies that offer 100% human-driven services, accuracy rates above 99%, and multiple rounds of quality checks—as Ditto Transcripts does. Also, look for those offering speaker identification, custom formatting options, timestamp integration, and rush delivery when needed.
While I can’t speak for everyone else, our transcription process includes secure file upload, assignment to qualified transcriptionists, initial transcription, quality review, final proofreading, and delivery to the client.
Should You Settle For Automated Transcripts Provided by Facebook?
In most cases, if you want the best results, you should not settle for automated solutions for Facebook videos, including the ones provided by Facebook.
Automatic speech recognition (ASR) can provide a general idea of the content, yet it has many limitations that may compromise the usability of the transcripts.
Studies show automated transcripts can only achieve 61% accuracy, even in THE BEST CIRCUMSTANCES. This means that automated transcripts are bound to contain errors, misinterpretations, or inconsistencies that could be problematic for certain types of content.
For example, accuracy is the most important factor in educational videos, tutorials, interviews, or legal proceedings, ensuring the information is correctly conveyed.
In those cases, it is highly recommended that you opt for professional human transcription services. These services can convert and provide a more reliable transcript that captures nuances, technical terms, and complicated discussions with better precision.
We Can Provide You The Most Reliable Facebook Video Transcription
Professional companies, like Ditto Transcripts, are better at transcribing important Facebook videos, and Ditto Transcripts is your best option. We check all the boxes.
We’ll take any video or audio file and produce transcripts that are 99% accurate all the time, made by 100% human transcriptionists. This ensures that inaccuracies do not affect your overall engagement strategies.
We offer manual video transcriptions and captioning of Facebook videos, YouTube Videos, Instagram stories, TikTok, recorded Zoom meetings, and other social media posts. We handle a wide range of spoken content in different industries and offer translation services with the same level of standards.
You can also count on our experience; Ditto has been an industry leader since 2010. We achieved this by offering world-class transcription services no other provider can match. Our services include:
- More than 99% accuracy on all types of content transcription
- 100% US-based, human transcription
- Fast turnaround times
- Different and affordable rates to fit different budgets
- Stringent security measures that meet different regulatory requirements
- No long-term commitments or contracts (pay as you go)
- Industry-leading customer service
- Flexible features for varying requirements
- Professional translation services for Arabic, French, Spanish, German, and more
So what are you waiting for? Reap the benefits of additional reach and retention by transcribing your Facebook videos with Ditto’s professional transcription services.
Ditto Transcripts is a Denver, Colorado-based transcription services company that provides fast, accurate, and affordable transcripts for individuals and companies of all sizes. Call (720) 287-3710 today for a free quote, and ask about our free five-day trial.