Wikipedia is a great resource of human knowledge. However, when it comes to transcription there is not much you can learn from Wikipedia. Only a short definition of transcription as a service is on the Wikipedia.
So this blog, right here, is where you can learn what Wikipedia can’t tell you about transcription.
First, let’s try and define transcription as a business service.
Transcription is the business of converting spoken words into written text.
Transcription Process
More accurately,Transcription is the process of typing out electronically recorded content into editable text.
The process of transcription is also called transcribing. A transcriber or a transcriptionist is one who carries out transcription.
The transcription process begins with taking a recorded speech or conversation, playing and listening to the recording and simultaneously typing out the content into a word processor, for example MS Word or WordPerfect.
What is recorded content?
A recorded content could be in audio or video formats. It could even be in a written format, what that matter. For example, a written record in PDF may be typed out again on MS Word so that the content becomes easily editable and more accessible.
Why make records editable?
It is important to have records and contents that are editable. Being editable means being reusable over and over again. Re-usability is important to save time and cost in the future. It doesn’t make sense for businesses to start from scratch again and again to produce content, whether that’s for internal or external use. That is why it’s important to have standard editable templates for contents that are used and re-used on a daily basis.
Transcription makes possible for editable and re-usable content. Especially now that content is consumed in a variety of ways using computers to smart phones to now, watches, it is more important than ever to transcribe your content into editable and reusable content.
What are non-editable and/or non-reusable contents?
Contents that cannot be directly used in other platforms other than their original platforms can be said to be non-editable and/or non-reusable contents. These include audio and video recordings, PDFs and images.
How so? Because an audio recording of a speech, for example, cannot be published on a magazine (online or offline) unless it’s typed out. While the content remains constant or unchanged, it’s the medium or platform of the content you are changing. In this example, you are changing the medium from audio to written/text. Written content is easily changed or modified, while an audio may take a lot of time and money, and require special skills to modify and change.
Transcribing the audio, however, is a cost-effective solution to make the content editable and reusable. The flexibility of using and re-using content is a priceless gift in the age of social media and online marketing. Businesses should take advantage of transcription agencies to make their content flexible and reusable.
Please feel free to contact us if you want to learn more about how to convert your content to suit the platforms they are used at.
