Have you recently heard of transcription services, but are not sure what they are?
If that’s the case, then keep reading this article because we are going to discuss in detail everything you need to know about transcription services.
What is a Transcription Service? And How Do They Work?
First of all, let’s start with the definition of transcription services.
Transcription service is a service that is providing the customer with a transcription.
The word transcription refers to converting audio files to text format. This is useful for various industries and can be used for both audio and video files.
Why Use a Transcription Service?
There are many reasons why professionals and businesses may need a transcription service. But we have covered some examples below.
Communication – One of the main reasons why businesses use transcription services is for communication. This is when they have audio files that need to be used for communication, but text format is preferred.
Notes for a lesson, presentation, etc. – If a professional or business has a lesson or presentation that they’d like in text format, they also need to transcribe the audio file. And for this, they need to use a transcription service.
Podcasts – Another reason why someone may use a transcription service is that they have a podcast. By transcribing their audio file into text, they can reach a larger audience.
Who uses Transcription Services?
The most common industry in which a transcriptionist is required is medical and legal. However, there are also various other industries and types of people that use transcription services:
- Podcasters
- Corporate
- Businesses
- Financial
- YouTubers
What Type of Audio Files Can Be Transcribed?
In theory, as long as you can play it, you can transcribe it!
All you need to be able to do is type it out. Therefore, it shouldn’t really matter what type of audio file it is.
- Interviews
- Recorded conversation files
- YouTube videos
- Vimeo and other hosting platforms
- MP4 & All other video files
- Mp3 & All other audio files
Are There Security Issues With Transcription Services?
Given that medical and legal industries are the most popular industries for which transcription services are used, it does raise the question about confidentiality.
But, no, there are no issues with confidentiality if you use the right agency.
Here at Espresso Translations, we are also happy to sign any non-disclosure agreements, and so are our translators, as they agreed to it, when working with us.
However, you should always ensure that the agency you work with does have a valid privacy policy and is trusted.
We have worked with some of the biggest brands in the world, like Amazon or Jaguar, so you can be sure that we are trusted.
Check Out Our Transcription Service
If you are looking for the most accurate and best transcription services, check out our service.
We deliver transcriptions where every word is accurate and can do so in unbeatable turnaround time if needed; 48, 24 or even 12 hours if needed.
If you are interested in our professionals transcribing for you, just get in touch using the link below to request a free quote.
And if you are in a rush, don’t worry; our team will get back to you within an hour after you request a quote.
Bonus Tip: How To Keep Your Transcription Cost Low
We also wanted to quickly give you some tips on keeping your costs low when using transcription services.
- Avoid multiple speakers speaking at the same time
- Avoid recording in places with lots of background noise
- Use a microphone that outputs clear volume
- Test the audio before recording to make sure it’s recording clearly
By doing this, it will make it easier to transcribe, which will keep your costs lower. If you would like to learn more about this, we have some blog posts explaining this in further detail with even more tips.
How Long Does It Take To Transcribe 1 Hours Worth of Audio
The Definitive Guide To Getting Services Rates and Prices
Can You Become a Professional Transcriptionist?
If you have read this article and thought it sounds quite fun to transcribe audio, you may want to consider becoming a professional transcriptionist.
The transcription industry has a range of career paths that have some remarkable benefits, such as working from home and decent pay.
We have a list of articles that will explain how to become a professional transcriptionist. All the research you need on how to become a professional transcriptionist is right in front of you.
How To Transcribe Audio or Video
You can also use various methods to transcribe audio or video yourself, which we have explained in a little more detail below.
Machine Transcription vs Human Transcription
When you first research transcription services, you will find many options that offer machine/software transcriptions.
While these boast low prices and quick turnaround times, they have very low accuracy rates. Therefore, they are not really suited for most purposes.
The only purposes for which they may be suited are personal notes. However, if you are looking for transcriptions where other people need to read the text output, they won’t cut it.
It’s also important to note that machine transcriptions don’t recognize accents and literally will type out everything you say, including the Eh’s and Uhm’s.
Plus, they will get homophones mixed up too.
If you would like to get a more detailed comparison of what human transcriptions have to offer, you can check out our blog post too.
Speech To Text Software
One of the types of software used by people who just want to get notes for themselves is a speech to text software.
This is can be found in Google docs or Microsoft Word and will just type out whatever it hears. Of course, this isn’t going to be accurate, but if the transcription is just for you to use for your notes, it may be worth a shot.
Manual Transcription
The best way to create a transcript is to transcribe your interviews, audio and video files manually. Afterwards, you should also proofread them to ensure the highest accuracy.
However, there are also many tools out there that can make the transcription process a lot easier.
We listed all of them in one of our blog posts which you may want to check out: Best Online Transcription Tools.
Final Thoughts
That’s it! We hope you have enjoyed our article on what are transcription services.
Hopefully, this has also helped you if you are looking to hire a transcriptionist agency or become a transcriptionist yourself.
If you have any other questions, you can also contact us here.
Read More on Transcription Services
Want to read more on transcription services? We have a large library of articles that you’ll enjoy during your research. Check them out below.
How Do Transcription Services Work
What Is Transcribing? Everything You Need To Know
How To Become a Legal Transcriptionist: A Complete Guide
