Captions that hold attention: style, timing and placement

Key Takeaways

Two to four words per line works best

Keep captions inside the platform safe zone

Highlight the key word, not every word

Captions are not decoration; they are part of how the clip is watched. Many viewers scroll with the sound off, and even those with sound on read along.

Style for readability

Use one bold, clean font and keep it consistent across clips.

Choose high contrast: light text with a soft shadow or a dark outline.

Limit highlight colour to one accent so emphasis still means something.

Timing

Show each phrase just before the word is spoken and remove it as soon as the next idea starts. Captions that lag behind feel like an error.

Placement

Keep captions in the middle-lower third and away from the edges, where platform buttons and descriptions cover them. Preview the clip in the app before you publish.

> **Key Tip**: Always proofread auto-generated captions. Names, numbers and brand terms are the most common mistakes.

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Captions that hold attention: style, timing and placement

Key Takeaways

Style for readability

Timing

Placement

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