What the reader needs

A product video may include spoken claims, feature names and conditions that matter to the viewer’s decision. Provide accurate captions and review them against the audio. Automated captions can be a useful starting point, but names, currencies and specialist terms need attention. Ensure the text represents relevant speech and meaningful sound information rather than a simplified promotional rewrite. Viewers who use captions should receive the same important limitations as viewers who hear the narration.

How to review it

Create a caption review pass separate from the visual edit. Check timing, readability, speaker changes and any numbers mentioned. Make sure captions do not cover essential interface information in the final player. When narration changes, update the captions instead of retaining the earlier file. Keep a version record so the published video, caption track and accompanying article agree. Test playback with sound off to see whether the explanation still makes sense to someone encountering the product for the first time.

Imagine this

Hypothetical example

A product film mentions a planned service, but an automated caption drops the word “planned.” The editor corrects the track and checks the surrounding description. The final video communicates the same feature status in speech, captions and the written article.

Make it practical.

Use this checklist as you read. Checks are not stored.

References & further reading

Further reading: W3C WAI: Captions and subtitles ↗

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