Captions and on-screen text for social video

Keep it readable

• Short lines: a few words each, not full paragraphs.
• Big, bold type with a shadow or a box behind it.
• High contrast: white on dark, or black on a light box.

Mind the edges

Apps put buttons, names and captions over the bottom and right side of vertical videos. Keep important text away from the very bottom and the far right. SupaSwirl places captions in the lower third and headlines near the top for this reason.

Timing

• Show the hook in the first 3 seconds.
• Keep each caption on screen long enough to read twice.
• End with the call to action on screen, or on an end card.

Check every word

Automatic captions are fast but not perfect, especially with brand names. Read them once before you finish; in SupaSwirl every line can be edited.