When it comes to social media platforms, the idea is to connect people together through convenience and accessibility. It’s the reason why so many businesses have flocked to social media to try to spread word of their products and services — the opportunities offered by social media are simply too good to ignore.
That said, there are still situations where social media can be hard to get into, especially for those who have disabilities. For example, with something like TikTok where short and sweet videos are how people connect with each other, it's not always easy to follow what's going on. Such is why Twitter (News - Alert) is making closed captions available for all videos.
Why are closed captions so important?
For those who have no trouble following video content offered by social media channels like TikTok, it’s easy to overlook the importance of closed captions. However, for those who have problems hearing what's going on, closed captions are a means of accessing content they couldn’t access before. It’s the kind of situation that helps open TikTok to an entirely new demographic.
The reason why closed captions is so vital is that it helps more people connect with each other online. It’s also an excellent foundation for ambitious entrepreneurs to reach out to their demographic through accessibility.
The importance of accessibility in today’s digital world
In this day and age, convenience and accessibility go hand in hand. More and more people are content with the idea of purchasing everything they need from the comfort of their home, which is why eCommerce is booming. Company owners can make a push for industry success by creating their products and services as convenient and accessible as possible.
If you’re looking to design a website that has the best interests of your target demographic at heart, you can check the accessiBe WordPress review for a software platform that can get the job done. Even if you might not appreciate the importance of accessibility, all you have to do is look around to see just how much it can affect people.
How closed captions will affect TikTok
Considering that the primary demographic for TikTok is the younger crowd, it's understandable to think that closed captions might not be much of a game-changer. However, you'd be surprised at how much the simple addition of captions can do to change how people consume media content. TikTok videos are relatively short, and they can be hard to follow even for those who don’t have audio or visual disabilities.
It’s a subtle change that can make a significant difference as time goes on, as closed captions are there to help you further understand what you’re watching. It adds another layer of accessibility to videos, something that people are naturally inclined to enjoy.
With TikTok finally making strides toward closed captions, there will be even more opportunities for accessible features in the future. There could even be the inclusion of audio description for those who might have trouble seeing the content. Only time will tell what TikTok does next.
