The Future of Subtitling: Trends to Watch in 2025

Key Takeaways:

• In a globalized world, subtitling is important for accessibility, engagement, and international connections.

• The market size of subtitling and captioning solutions was USD 282 million in 2021 and is expected to grow to USD 641.64 million in 2032.

• Surveys show that 60–80% of respondents aged 18–24 prefer turning captions on even for shows in their native languages.

• An ISO-certified media localization company, CCC offers quality subtitling services for your global expansion.

Table of Contents:

• The Importance of Subtitling in a Globalized World

• Emerging Trends in Subtitling

• Why Choose CCC for Your Subtitling Needs?

“The subtitles! I can’t hear without the subtitles!” For some people, it’s just a simple joke, but for many, it’s a true story. For a long time, multilingual subtitling has helped us understand stories of different cultures. But subtitling isn’t just about translation anymore. It’s about accessibility in broader terms. It’s about engagement. It’s about enhancing the viewing experience. The future of subtitling is bright as it isn’t limited to films like it used to be. With advancing technology, we’ve developed platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook. Here, different people use subtitles, and honestly, many of us find it hard living without them!

Now then, let’s talk more about the importance, the trends, and the future of subtitling in this article!

In different industries, from entertainment to medicine, companies are investing in subtitling services. Why? Because we’re living in a world of globalization! Globalization brings us together, building bridges to different cultures. In a globalized world, subtitling is important to build connections.

Generally, subtitling is important for content accessibility. By providing viewers with subtitles, we are promoting inclusivity. And this is not only in the “language sense.” We are also making content accessible to people with impairments. This may be part of the regulatory requirements for accessibility in some places. 

Additionally, we are also making content accessible to people who are in settings that demand silence or make listening hard. What do we mean by this? Being in public transportation, in the office, or in a library, for example. With subtitles, you can be up to date with the latest news and trends around the world wherever you may be.

Subtitling is also one of many audience engagement strategies that can be used. Video content is becoming more popular nowadays. The COVID-19 lockdowns caused a boom in subscriptions to streaming services and usage of social media platforms. Since then, with short 15-second to 1-minute videos becoming a hit, our preference for video content seems to have been rising. Plymedia says that 40% are more likely to watch a video with subtitles than without. To add, 80% are likely to finish a subtitled video.

“One Hundred Years of Solitude” from Colombia. “Queen of Tears” from South Korea. “Pulang Araw” from the Philippines. These are only some of the series gaining popularity today. Imagine having no subtitles. How can international audiences get in on the fun? In addition, there are classic anime, K-drama, and films showing on streaming platforms like Netflix and YouTube. Thanks to subtitles these shows can be enjoyed in almost every country! 

Multilingual subtitling can help businesses thrive. It grants access to new markets by breaking language barriers and increasing engagement. Subtitling for businesses is key if your goal is expanding your international market. But it’s not just about things like videos or the 15-second ads between them. Think about games and interactive systems, too! Things now are as high-tech as ever!

International companies can also benefit from having subtitles in different languages for their internal operations. Training videos, seminars, workshops, etc. conducted for workers of different nationalities will need subtitles for better understanding. With that, it is a valuable contribution to a company’s productivity and performance. 

Subtitling becomes even more important for other sectors. The sectors of education and medicine require reliable subtitles for accurate communication, especially of important information. Educational and informative media should have the right information to deliver quality service to other nations. In today’s world, international cooperation and support are key to creating a better future. With that, subtitles are important tools in helping achieve our ideal society.

There are multiple drivers that influence the changes in the industry. And the recent trends reveal the promising future of subtitling.

We are expecting a steady growth of the industry’s market size in the next 10 years. According to Business Research Insights, the market size of this industry in 2021 was valued at USD 282 million. It is projected to grow to USD 641.64 million by 2032, with a CAGR of 7.7%.

A while ago, we have already mentioned some of the drivers influencing the growth of the industry. To reiterate: accessibility concerns and the rising popularity of videos. Additionally, recent technological advancements, especially when it comes to AI, are also influencing the industry. In fact, it is considered one of the drivers that are causing growth. AI and other technological advancements are making subtitling and captioning more efficient and cost-effective. Tech companies are continuing to develop this technology that can automatically provide real-time subtitles and captions.

Note: If we’re going to be technical about it, subtitles and captions are two different things. Subtitles are translated or localized text inputted for the benefit of foreign audiences. Captions are transcriptions of the audio as they are. These transcriptions include non-human sounds, such as sounds made by objects or the atmosphere. Nowadays, though, captions are used as a general term that includes subtitles.

A lot of young people are also fond of turning on subtitles or closed captions. In surveys by Stagetext and YouGov, 60–80% of respondents aged 18–24 prefer turning captions on. And this even goes for those without hearing impairments, watching shows that are in their native languages! After all, this feature is available on most online platforms, so why not make use of it, right? Some say it helps them follow what’s going on. While for others, it helps with concentration. The need for captions is also because contemporary media prefer a “natural” over “clear” performance. This means that actors would end up mumbling their lines to maintain a kind of “genuineness.” With that, the younger generations will likely rely on captioning for accessibility, as well as convenience. Of course, this behavior toward TV shows and films is unavoidably carried over to professional settings. 

In addition, according to Gwi, 24% of people around the world like watching content from other countries. And Brazil and the Philippines are at the top of this trend. Regarding the dubbing versus subtitling debate in other countries, there continues to be a persistent split. But based on Gwi’s data, one thing’s for sure: In Malaysia, 73% of viewers love their subtitles. That means well over half the population is part of the potential market!

This and other factors make the demand for subtitles and reliable subtitling services, like CCC, as relevant as ever.

A lot of things are at stake when it comes to subtitling. It concerns a company’s reputation and performance. It concerns the communication of accurate information. It concerns the preservation of creativity and culture. With the growing demands and various impacts of technology, you need a service provider that you can trust. And that’s where we come in!

With CCC, you can trust that your content is in good hands. We are ISO-certified professionals in media localization, with expertise in over 50 languages. Be it film, anime, or other forms of media, we can handle it!

With our extensive experience in the field accumulated over 10 years, you know we take subtitling for businesses seriously. After all, creating new stories is not enough. We have to share these stories with the world and build a community. And we’re dedicated to working with you to achieve that.

Whether you’re a bustling company or an independent professional wanting to expand your global reach, contact us now! We’re just an email or a phone call away.