How To Add Captions to Reels: An Instagram Guide

According to a recent report, hearing loss affects almost 48 million Americans, ranging from mild, moderate, and severe cases. It can significantly impact a person’s physical, mental, and cognitive health. Thankfully, with technological advances, such as closed captions, reels on Instagram are now accessible to all.

When businesses caption reels, the format increases viewership by as much as 80% among general audiences on many social media platforms, including Instagram. Video captions are ideal for users who may interact with content in a public setting. It also helps when the video’s audio is difficult to understand or muffled. Captions focus a viewer’s attention, allowing them to follow the content quickly to its entirety. 

Arguably, this is any marketer’s dream, which can make your job easier. However, you’ll need to know how to add captions to reels. Read on to learn more tips and tricks to improve your presence on social media.

What are Instagram Reels? 

When Instagram introduced reels to their platform in 2020, they promoted it as “a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos.” Reels, undoubtedly, have exceeded expectations — becoming the platform’s fastest-growing feature globally with over 2 billion active users.

Instagram reels, which were initially limited to 60 seconds, allow a user to:

• Record a video without a timer or with one to facilitate hands-free recording
• Include their audio, or select music from the Instagram library
• Select from a variety of augmented reality (AR) filters/effects
• Create seamless transitions across multiple video clips by aligning objects from each clip
• Choose the speed of both the video and audio

The result is the ongoing creation of short-form, vertical videos by users with an average view rate of 2.54%. This far outpaces the average view rate of regular Instagram videos, which is 1.74%. There’s also a significant difference between the interaction rate generated by both features. Reels get at least 22% more, which translates into captive viewership. Reels now have a maximum length of 90 seconds, making this feature an exceptional marketing tool. 

Advertisements on Instagram reels can reach over 650 million users. Unsurprisingly, over 200 billion Instagram business accounts worldwide are hoping to capitalize on this feature. A recent report notes that seventy percent of their users willingly watch ads while viewing their videos. You can expect the same from your clients. You can keep their attention even longer when you add captions on reels.

Why Should I Add Captions to Reels? 

Adding captions to your reels will engage viewers for longer, increasing your brand visibility and awareness. It also ensures you create a more inclusive social experience for all users. 

Users tend to scroll past videos without captions. Think of your interactions when scrolling through your feed. Captions grab attention and help businesses stand out from the competition. What’s even better is that adding captions to reels is simple.

How To Add Captions to Reels 

It’s no longer enough for businesses to rely on static images to promote their products. The statistics show that Instagram reels captivate audiences. Using this feature can increase the number of views along with your engagement rate. Ensure your content is interesting, and you’ll probably have even more followers. 

Another interesting statistic to consider? Seventy-five percent of people view videos while their phones are on mute, highlighting the importance of using captions. Knowing how to add captions on reels will help you optimize your social media campaigns.

Can You Add Captions to Reels?

Absolutely! Now that you know it is possible, here’s how to get captions on reels:

1. Once on Instagram, Select Reels

There are two ways to do this. The first is by selecting the plus icon — the middle icon at the bottom of your screen when viewing your timeline. Clicking on it takes you to another screen that will give you the option of adding one of the following:

• Post
• Story
• Reel
• Live

Select Reel.

The second way to access the tool is by selecting the Reel icon. It’s located to the right of the plus icon at the bottom of your timeline and looks like a clapperboard or movie take board. Selecting this takes you to one of the reels currently being featured on the platform. Select the camera icon on the top right of the screen. 

Either method will take you to the screen where you can start creating your video.

2. Record your Video or Choose an Existing Reel

Start recording by clicking the white circle close to the bottom of the screen. Once finished, insert this video, or one previously created by clicking the icon on the bottom left of your screen.

3. Edit your Video

Editing your video may take some time. You might want to add specific music and audio and transition from one clip to another. You can also learn how to add subtitles to reels during the editing process by using the caption tool feature. Simply click “Preview” to start editing your video.

4. Add Subtitles

First, select the Sticker/Smiley icon while in editing mode. This will allow you to insert auto-subtitles into your reel.

You’ll see a few sticker options, but tap on the one that says “Caption”. You can also use the search bar to find it. Clicking on this automatically includes subtitles or auto-sync captions on reels. However, it isn’t an exact science, and sometimes the feature may transcribe the audio incorrectly. 

This may leave you wondering, Can you edit the caption on a reel? Click on the text and edit accordingly to enhance your video content.

Unfortunately, the caption feature doesn’t work well for every language. You may have to use a third-party app for greater accuracy.

How Sonix AI Can Add Captions to Reels 

This is where Sonix AI comes in. Touted as “the world’s most advanced automated subtitle platform,” Sonix AI can generate and split subtitles with speed for better accessibility. It also fine-tunes time stamps for greater accuracy. All these features can save you time and money.

You can customize subtitles in the font, size, color, and position you want. You can also choose a background that matches your brand colors, which helps your reel stand out from the competition.

Adding Captions to Reels Using the Best Software

There are multiple social media platforms available today, and most businesses recognize the importance of incorporating them into their marketing plan. Instagram reels offer a  highly engaging medium to create interactive content to drive brand awareness and engagement.

Knowing how to add captions to reels is a powerful way to optimize video content. However, it may not always be as accurate as it should be, primarily if you just use the tools within Instagram.

Sonix AI can help eliminate any transcription inaccuracies. Ensuring clear and compelling captions are essential to succeed on a platform saturated with competing businesses. What’s even better? Sonix’s cutting-edge audio transcription service is extremely affordable. Intrigued? Contact us to find out more!