Transcription Services for PR Teams: How to Make the Right Decision


Transcription Services for PR Teams: How to Make the Right Decision
Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

10/2/2023

Communication is integral to the effective execution of any public relations (PR) exercise, including for image enhancement or for awareness creation. Audio and video recordings of PR activities or events like public speeches, interviews, and virtual seminars have become crucial to such communication.

Transcription services are vital for efficient PR communication. Inhouse manual transcription can take 4 to 5 times the length of the recording, but using professional services can save a significant amount of time. 

With transcription services for PR teams, you can quickly convert your recordings into text that can be repurposed for more effective messaging as a press release, online blog, closed captioning, promotional print/ digital publication, and more.

While you would like to select a good transcription service for your PR-specific needs, you may face challenges impacting transcription accuracy, like poor audio quality, clients that use specialized vocabulary, data security, interviews in foreign languages, etc.

What Is the Need for Transcription in a PR Firm?

By transcribing your PR video or audio recordings, you can benefit your firm and clients in the following ways:

1. Accurate Archiving

If you want to preserve your virtual meetings, radio/ TV ads, and other PR content in an easy-to-reference format, transcription is the way to go. You can quickly look up specific information, topics, or quotes in the archived text documents based on relevant keywords or phrases. Easier referencing makes transcription an invaluable resource for accurate future analysis, planning, data extraction, report generation, and research. 

2. Content Editing and Repurposing

Transcribing audio or video recordings creates text documents that are easier to work with during review or editing. Also, it enables you to create more value for your recordings by repurposing the content for online sharing, promotional publications, press releases, and more.

3. Increased Accessibility and Inclusion

Transcription can help you to expand the accessibility of your PR content. To reach more people with hearing impairment in your campaigns, consider adding readable closed captions on your videos and text versions on your website. Transcripts are also easier and faster to translate into a language your target audience understands, such as English to Spanish.

4. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Courts do accept transcripts as admissible evidence. So, transcribing your video meetings with clients, telephone conversations, or promotional content for legal uses, such as copyright infringement lawsuits, is always a good idea. Human-based transcription services can also help your PR organization comply with regulations like website inclusivity/ accessibility and data protection laws.

5. Collaboration and Workflow Efficiency

Transcribed content is easier to share in digital and print formats. It makes transcripts useful for in-person and remote post-production collaboration, including for qualitative research. Most PR teams appreciate the workflow efficiency achieved with better-organized, accurate text files.

6. Proper Language and Accurate Messaging

Professional transcription services allow your PR firm to correctly capture your clients’ industry jargon if included in the recording. It helps to preserve the accuracy of the original messaging when the transcript is shared with the intended audience.

When dealing with poor quality or complex audio/video, you may incorporate readable text or subtitles to make the content more accessible for viewers to follow from the beginning to the end.

Also Read: Who Needs Transcription Services in the Media Industry?

Key Factors to Consider When Selecting the Best Transcription Service for Your PR Team

1. Accuracy and Quality

Accuracy and quality matter in transcription as they ensure the precise representation of spoken content, maintaining credibility and clarity. Well-trained transcriptionists will correctly transcribe speech with technical terms, intricate accents, noisy backgrounds, crosstalk, and more.

2. Confidentiality and Security

Your firm’s or client’s recordings may sometimes contain sensitive information whose handling is subject to data compliance. Get data security guarantees from your preferred transcription service, including signed confidentiality agreements and website/server encryption.

3. Turnaround Time

Obtaining high-quality transcripts with prompt turnaround time offers cost savings and improved productivity. Skilled human transcriptionists can deliver accurate results within a few hours, a couple of days, or as per your requirements, enhancing efficiency in your workflow.

4. Customization and Specialized Features

You should be clear that what you are looking for is a verbatim transcript, including false starts or stutters, or even a non-verbatim version. Additionally, what format would you prefer for your transcript? If you have a recording, you can easily upload it by pasting the URL of the source/ host website.

5. Cost and Pricing Models

A per-minute pricing model is your best bet when you want value for your money. Transcription rates can vary by factors such as the number of speakers in the recording or audio difficulty (such as with or without background noise).

6. Customer Support

Choose a transcription service with a support team available during regular office hours. Customers typically require transcription services that meet their specific needs, such as accurate and timely conversion of audio or video content into written form.

The best transcription service is one that aligns with their requirements. It is crucial for customers to choose a transcription service provider that understands and caters to their unique transcription needs.

7. Reviews and Reputation

You can decide if the service is good or not by the established reputation of the transcription company based on factors like total minutes transcribed since inception, client testimonials on their website, and customer ratings and reviews.

Selecting a good transcription service provider that offers precise, prompt, and secure transcriptions is crucial for empowering PR professionals. This choice will allow you to enhance your efficiency, ensure brand consistency, and effectively convey your clients' narratives to a global audience. 

Also Read: How to Choose the Best Transcription Service for Your Business

Why Choose GMR for PR Transcription Services

With about 12,970 customers and transcribing nearly 8.5 million minutes since 2004, GMR Transcription is the ideal solution for your PR transcription needs.

Our highly skilled US-based transcriptionists possess exceptional English proficiency and professional training to deliver 99% accurate transcripts in your preferred format.

We prioritize data security, signing confidentiality agreements, and storing files on encrypted, secure servers. Take advantage of our same-day and next-day turnaround options, allowing you to seamlessly incorporate our top-quality transcripts into your workflow without the need for any revisions.

Contact us today to save money and time on transcription services for PR teams. 

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Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy

Beth Worthy is the Cofounder & President of GMR Transcription Services, Inc., a California-based company that has been providing accurate and fast transcription services since 2004. She has enjoyed nearly ten years of success at GMR, playing a pivotal role in the company's growth. Under Beth's leadership, GMR Transcription doubled its sales within two years, earning recognition as one of the OC Business Journal's fastest-growing private companies. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids.