Text overlay has become an indispensable tool for engaging audiences and effectively delivering messages. By strategically integrating text into your videos, you can dramatically enhance the impact and reach of your content. This guide is your roadmap to mastering the art of text overlay in videos.
What is text overlay?
Text overlay refers to the practice of placing text directly onto images or videos. It's a technique widely used to add context, highlight important information, or simply add aesthetic appeal to visual content.
Why is text overlay important?
In the realm of marketing and online media, text overlay is a key component in creating engaging, informative, and shareable content.
In short, text overlay makes viewers stop and watch, especially in a sound-off social world.
For example, if someone sees this image without anything on it in a social media post, they won’t know what to do with it.
If someone sees that same image with text overlay like this, it gives the whole post so much more meaning.
Further reading: Scroll-stopping social media videos: Does music matter?
Best practices for text overlay in videos
Designing text overlay isn't rocket science, but involves more than just placing text over an image—especially if you’re a brand.
Designing effective text overlays It requires consideration of font styles, sizes, colors, and background contrast to ensure readability and visual harmony. Key practices include using legible fonts, maintaining a balance between text and image, and ensuring the overlay complements the overall design.
- Keep it clear and concise: The primary goal of text overlay is to convey a message effectively. Use short, impactful phrases that viewers can quickly read and understand. Avoid overcrowding your video with too much text, as this can overwhelm viewers and dilute your message.
- Ensure readability: Choose fonts and colors that stand out against the background of your video. High contrast between text and background enhances readability. Stick to simple, legible fonts and avoid overly decorative styles, especially for smaller screens like mobile devices.
- Strategic placement: Position your text overlays where they won't obstruct key visual elements in the video. Ideally, place text in areas of the screen that naturally draw the viewer's eye, such as the center or lower third. Be mindful of the “safe area” so that your text doesn't get cut off on different devices and platforms.
- Timing is everything: The duration each text overlay appears on screen should be long enough for viewers to comfortably read and process the information, but not so long that it becomes a distraction. If your video has a fast pace, consider using shorter and more dynamic text snippets.
- Complement your branding: Text overlay offers an opportunity to reinforce your brand identity. Use your brand’s font styles and color palette for your text overlays to maintain consistency across your content. This not only enhances the professional look of your videos but also strengthens brand recognition.
5 examples of ways you can use text overlay
Whether you're crafting content for social media or your website, text overlays are a potent tool in your video-making arsenal. They not only enhance the visual appeal but also reinforce your message, ensuring it resonates with your audience. Here are 4 creative and effective ways to incorporate text overlays into your videos:
1. Show titles
Present your video using text overlay. Write out the title of a webinar, blog post, press release etc. Tell your viewers what they should expect.
2. Emphasize key points
Use text overlays to highlight important information or main ideas in your video, ensuring viewers grasp and remember the critical messages.
3. Create context and narration
Provide background information or a narrative thread through text overlays, guiding viewers through your video content in a cohesive manner.
4. Showcase testimonials or quotes
Elevate the credibility and impact of your video by featuring customer testimonials or influential quotes using text overlays.
5. Display Calls-to-Action (CTAs)
Encourage viewer engagement and action, like visiting a website, signing up for a service, or applying for a job, with clear and compelling CTAs.
How to create videos with text overlay
Creating videos with text overlay has become increasingly popular for various applications, from social media content to professional presentations. Thankfully, there are numerous tools available that cater to different needs and skill levels. Here are some notable options:
- Storykit: An excellent choice for creating videos with text overlays at scale, especially for storytelling and branding purposes. Storykit offers a range of templates and tools that make it easy to create engaging and professional-looking videos.
- Adobe Premiere Pro: A professional-grade video editing software that offers a wide range of features including advanced text overlay options. Ideal for those seeking high-quality results and have some experience in video editing.
- iMovie: A user-friendly option for Mac and iOS users. iMovie provides basic text overlay features, making it suitable for quick edits and personal projects.
- Canva: Known for its graphic design capabilities, Canva also offers video editing features, including text overlay. It's a great choice for those who prefer a more intuitive, drag-and-drop interface.
- InShot: A mobile app that's perfect for quick, on-the-go video edits. InShot is straightforward and offers a variety of text styles and animations, making it ideal for social media content.
