What Percentage of People Watch Videos With the Sound Off (And How to Fix Your Captions So They Actually Get Seen)
- Jerad Larkin
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
What percentage of people watch videos with the sound off, and does anyone really do that?
Short answer: yes. A lot of people do.
If you’re creating Instagram Reels, TikToks, YouTube Shorts, or any kind of short-form video for real estate, this matters more than most agents realize.
Quick Answer
A large percentage of people watch videos with the sound off, especially on social media. That means your captions are often more important than your audio, and if your captions are positioned incorrectly, they can get cut off by the platform UI and never be seen. Let’s break down what’s happening, why it matters, and the simple fix almost nobody is doing.
Why So Many People Watch Videos With the Sound Off
When I ask rooms full of real estate agents if they watch videos without sound, almost every hand goes up.
Here’s why:
People scroll in public places
People scroll at work
People scroll late at night next to someone sleeping
People scroll while multitasking
Sound is optional. Visual clarity is not.
Social platforms know this. That’s why captions are no longer optional. They are the primary way many people consume your content. If your captions are hard to read, cut off, or hidden, your message is gone.
The Caption Problem Nobody Talks About
Most agents know they should add captions.
The problem is where those captions live on the screen.
Here’s what happens all the time:
You add captions in CapCut, Instagram, or another editor
They look fine in the editor
You export the video
You upload it to Instagram or TikTok
The platform adds buttons, usernames, captions, and UI elements
Your captions are now covered or cut off
You didn’t do anything wrong. The platform did what it always does.
But the result is the same. Your captions are unreadable.
Why This Hurts Your Reach and Engagement
If people are watching with the sound off and your captions are cut off:
They do not understand your message
They scroll past faster
Watch time drops
Engagement drops
The algorithm stops pushing your video
That’s not an editing issue. That’s a visibility issue.
And visibility is everything when you are trying to build authority, trust, and brand awareness in real estate.
The Simple Fix That Makes a Huge Difference
This is the pro tip I share all the time. Move your captions up. Just a little.
That’s it. Not higher for style. Not centered. Just high enough to clear the platform overlays.
What I Mean by “Move Them Up”
When you’re editing your video:
Do not place captions at the very bottom of the frame
Assume the bottom 15–20 percent of the screen will be covered
If you move your captions up slightly, they will:
Stay visible across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube Shorts
Be readable even with sound off
Improve watch time and retention
This small adjustment alone can dramatically improve performance.
Platform Overlays Are the Real Enemy
Every platform adds its own overlays:
Instagram Reels
Username at the top
Caption and buttons at the bottom
Comment, share, like icons on the right
TikTok
Caption and hashtags at the bottom
Action buttons stacked on the right
YouTube Shorts
Channel name and subscribe prompts
Comment and engagement buttons
Your editor does not show these.
The platform does. So you have to edit with the platform in mind, not just what looks good in the timeline.
Best Caption Placement for Short-Form Video
Here’s the safe zone I recommend for most videos:
Center-lower third of the screen
Not touching the bottom edge
Not hugging the very center either
If you’re using CapCut or another editor, imagine an invisible box at the bottom and keep captions just above it. This works across platforms and saves you from re-editing later.
Why This Matters for Real Estate Agents Specifically
As real estate professionals, we rely on:
Authority
Clarity
Trust
Repetition
If someone cannot read what you are saying, none of that happens.
Your video might be answering a perfect question:
Pricing strategy
Market updates
Buyer or seller education
AI tools
Marketing tips
But if the captions are cut off, the value never lands.
Sound-Off Content Is the New Default
The mindset shift is simple:
Do not assume people hear you. Assume they read you.
That means:
Clear captions
Clean placement
Large enough text
High contrast
No clutter
Your voice still matters, but captions carry the message.
My Rule of Thumb When Editing Videos
Before I post any video, I ask myself:
“If I watched this with no sound, would I still get the value?”
If the answer is no, I fix it. That one question has improved my engagement more than fancy edits or trending audio.
Final Takeaway
A lot of people watch videos with the sound off.
If your captions are too low, they will get cut off by the platform and your message will be lost. The fix is simple: Move your captions up slightly before exporting.
It takes seconds and can dramatically improve watch time, retention, and engagement across Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Questions? Contact:
If you want more practical marketing tips, video strategies, AI tools, and real estate resources, I share all of that regularly.
Jerad Larkin Chicago Title Colorado
📞 303.630.9430
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