YouTube now lets creators crowdsource subtitles, add translated titles and descriptions

Today YouTube is releasing a new set of tools to help its creators make videos more understandable to viewers in other countries.

Creators can now let their community of viewers contribute subtitles. In addition, YouTube will also provide access to title and description translations and connect creators with translators through a new YouTube-hosted marketplace. Videos with translations are more likely to be discovered by people outside of a creator’s region, YouTube said. As an example, the company cited data from early tests where partners saw an increase in viewership as a result of the translations.

“Take VICE. Their channel more than doubled the daily watchtime on translated videos from Spanish and Portuguese speakers. In fact, watchtime from Spanish users tripled,” the company said in a release.

YouTube’s announcement comes on the heels of its ad-free subscription service launch. For $9.99 a month, YouTube Red offers users access to all of its videos as well as some premium content. The translation services stands to help YouTube subscribers discover more content on the site, potentially proving its value to customers.