Dubbing: The Secret Weapon Behind Netflix's International Popularity

Netflix is undoubtedly one of the most popular streaming platforms today. According to a statista report, Netflix currently had 232.5 million active subscribers in the beginning of 2023. Considering the popularity of Netflix, global digitalisations and people’s preferences in TV shows and online services, there is no surprise that dubbing and subtitling played a key role in Netflix international success.

First Things First: What is Netflix Dubbing?

With so many new terms that modern marketers have to learn to stay at the top of the market, some still confuse subtitling and dubbing.

Dubbing in Netflix is a part of post-production in videos and films. Simply put, it is a process where video makers replace the original audio (sounds, dialogue, etc) with new audio in a different language. Dubbed voice video is adapted to the original script.

International dubbing Netflix post-production videos contains several layers. Then these layers are mixed and processed with the external sounds. The final version of the video should perfectly match the original video’s context and cover cultural differences.

Netflix uses many ways to dub their videos. Dubbing has long been a complex process that required skilled specialists.

Why Dubbing is Crucial to Netflix's Success?

You may wonder why dubbing exactly was the tool for Netflix's international success. Why didn't they just use subtitles and choose to change the voice on Netflix films and shows?

Well, dubbing brings much more value to the table:

Creates High Accessibility and Attracts a Wider Audience Base

Netflix dubbing makes foreign films and shows become more accessible. It allows Netflix to attract a broader audience by offering shows and films in more than 190 languages, therefore making the platform available for people in hundreds of countries.

Covers Cultural Nuances and Boosts Personalisation

Dubbing also became an incredibly valuable tool in marketing since it covers cultural nuances and dialects that are usually lost during translation. Dubbing allows for personalisation and authentic experience by letting the target audience to watch the show or a film in their native language. For example, there are Netflix shows dubbed in English, Spanish, Korean, and Italian - options are almost endless.

Text to Speech Software part of Netflix’s Strategy

As we mentioned, Netflix dubbing is a crucial and important part of the company's marketing strategy. It involves adapting the content of the platform and marketing efforts to cover cultural nuances and preferences of the new target audience.

Netflix Dubbing Scalability

Netflix has become popular thanks to producing and distributing high-quality original programming video content, such as “ The Crown” or “Orange is the New Black.” Netflix international dubbing was required a company to  a complex and long process, and the company invested invest a lot in international expansion and localization, so now it provides offers content available in over more than 190 countries worldwide.

As a small part of the ambitions of the company, Netflix now produces content in various languages, such as Spanish, French, German, and more, using Netflix voice over. This allows the platform to ensure a strong online presence, allowing the company to build a solid presence in the international market. Alongside the original programming, Netflix also provides a vast choice of licensed content from other studios and networks.

Netflix says they continue to improve the process:

“A translator, a subtitler, a dubber within the constraints of the technology of dubbing or subtitling — they have to be able to be true to that culture, to that language, and to the creative intent, and that’s the beauty of the work,” Rokni said. “That’s one of the things we’re learning, and hopefully, we’ll get better and do better.”

Some Facts About Netflix Impact on the Dubbing Industry

Creating Demand

Netflix's strategy was originally designed to create a high demand for foreign content in the audience’s native language. People have long been using subtitles to watch foreign shows, serials, or even Christmas movies. Dubbed movies on Netflix offer almost the same service but in a more authentic and diverse way.

According to Peter Friedlander, vice president of Netflix says: “The industry that was once considered obsolete is now replenishing. We at Netflix are trying to revive the lost art of dubbing.”

Captioning Quality

Thanks to Netflix-driven boost in the captioning industry, the domain has significantly improved the quality of dubbing and subtitles. According to the study, the consumption of dubbed voice content grew by 120% compared to last year. Trying to create an impeccable service in the dubbing industry, Netflix reviewed and developed a brand-new mechanism to effectively manage each point of the process.

Dubbing and Captioning Process

One day one of the Netflix employees shared a blog highlighting the importance of establishing a proper process of dubbing and captioning for international success. Netflix kicked off the process by hiring an experienced team that can consider even minor details. This allowed seamless Netflix dubbing so users get the full experience in their native language.

Conclusion

Netflix is the leading video streaming platform that currently has 232.5 Million Subscribers as of Q1 2023. Being the leader in the subtitling and dubbing industry, Netflix has been able to expand its business into more than 190 countries all across the world with Netflix voice over.

Initially, Netflix was able to scale the platform due to the two key major markets; Korea and India. However, now it offers a vast range of languages, opening new markets, attracting more target audiences, and growing brand awareness every day.

The scalability of such world giants has become available thanks to the development in the tech industry. Although Netflix already has its own dubbing and localization team responsible for the entire process, modern businesses that can't or don't want to invest in in-house team creation, can use a range of tools for fast and cost-effective movie and video creation. And Rask AI is becoming an ultimate choice for most today.