Creating accessible video content is a priority at Flikli. Part of ensuring accessibility is considering the pacing of your captions. But how slow should your captions be to provide a comfortable reading speed for all? Let’s dive in.
Understanding Reading Speeds
Reading speed can vary widely among individuals. Research suggests that the average adult reading speed is around 200 to 300 words per minute (WPM). However, when it comes to captions, a slower pace is usually recommended.
Industry Standards
Many broadcasters and accessibility guidelines suggest a pace of around 160-180 WPM for captions. This speed allows viewers enough time to read the captions without feeling rushed, improving comprehension and enjoyment of the video content.
Consider Your Audience
While 160-180 WPM is a good starting point, it’s important to consider your specific audience. Children, for instance, read slower than adults, so a pace of around 120 WPM might be more suitable for kids’ content. Similarly, content aimed at those new to the language or with reading difficulties may benefit from slower caption pacing.
The Role of Visual Context
Remember, viewers aren’t just reading captions, they’re watching your video too. If there’s a lot happening visually, slower captions can help viewers keep up without missing key visual elements.
Caption Length and Duration
In addition to pacing, consider the length of individual captions. A good rule is to limit captions to one to two lines, with no more than 32 characters per line. This makes them easier to read or scan while watching the visual content. Lastly, each caption should appear on screen for a sufficient duration, ideally around 1-6 seconds.
At Flikli, we carefully consider caption pacing to create videos that are accessible and enjoyable for all. Trust us to deliver video content that is crafted with all viewers in mind.
Get in touch with Flikli to learn more.