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Subtitles 101: Delivering Subtitles via Feed Follow

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Michelle Fletcher
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Overview

Vevo supports subtitle delivery only via DDEX ERN feed (version 4.3 or higher). Subtitles cannot be uploaded or managed directly in Vevo Backstage.

Once delivered, subtitles are ingested by Vevo and published to YouTube as part of the video asset.

Key Requirements

Before delivering subtitles, please ensure the following requirements are met:

  • Delivery method: DDEX ERN 4.3+ feed only
  • CMS uploads: ❌ Not supported in Backstage 

  • Supported subtitle file formats
    Vevo supports standalone subtitle files only in the following formats:

    • TTML (.ttml)

    • SubRip (.srt)

      (Subtitle files must be delivered as standalone files and referenced in the DDEX feed.
      Generic .xml files or XML wrappers that contain TTML are not supported and will fail ingestion.)

  • One File per <Text> Resource 
    • Each subtitle file must be delivered as its own <Text> resource in the ERN XML.
      Only one subtitle file may be referenced per <Text> resource.
      Do not include multiple files or multiple languages within a single <Text> resource.
  • One subtitle file per language code per video
  • Language codes: Must use Vevo’s approved language code list (see Language Codes section below)

Failure to meet any of these requirements may result in subtitles failing ingestion.

Ingestion & Publication Behavior

Once a subtitle file is:

  1. Delivered via feed
  2. Successfully ingested by Vevo
  3. Published to YouTube

The following rules apply:

  • ❌ Subtitles cannot be removed via feed once published
  • ✅ Subtitles can be replaced by redelivering a new file with the same language code
  • 🛠️ Urgent removals: If a subtitle must be removed entirely, the label or content provider must contact Vevo Content Operations at content@vevo.com for assistance

Supported Subtitle Formats

Vevo currently supports the following subtitle file formats:

  • SRT (.srt)
  • TTML (.ttml)

Both formats follow the same language code requirements and ingestion behavior.

Language Codes

Each subtitle file must include a language tag using a code from Vevo’s approved language code list.

Important notes:

  • Language codes are mandatory
  • Codes must match the approved list exactly
  • The same language code format applies to both .srt and .ttml files
  • Only one subtitle file per language code is allowed per video

Approved Language Codes

Vevo uses a proprietary list of valid language codes for subtitle delivery.

You may:

  • Reference the attached Valid Language Codes for Subtitles file when preparing your feed
  • Or request confirmation from Vevo if you are unsure whether a language code is supported

(We recommend linking to the language code list as a separate attachment for ongoing reference.)

Delivery Method

Subtitles must be delivered via DDEX feed and included as part of the Resource section of the ERN message.

They are treated as Text resources and delivered alongside the video resource.

Key Rules

  • Multiple subtitles may be delivered for a single video
  • Each subtitle must be a separate Text resource
  • Each Text resource must reference:
    • Its own file
    • Its own language code

DDEX Resource Implementation

Subtitle files should be included in the ResourceList as Text resources with the type SubTitle.

Example: Subtitle Resource (SRT)

<Text>
  <ResourceReference>A4</ResourceReference>
  <Type>SubTitle</Type>
  <ResourceId>
    <ProprietaryId Namespace="PADPIDA2013042401U">TITTT2000002_ar</ProprietaryId>
  </ResourceId>
  <TechnicalDetails>
    <TechnicalResourceDetailsReference>T4</TechnicalResourceDetailsReference>
    <TextCodecType>SRT</TextCodecType>
    <File>
      <URI>resources/00602465536775_T4_vidtrk.srt</URI>
      <HashSum>
        <Algorithm>MD5</Algorithm>
        <HashSumValue>F2D5F6ABAB3C8FC11AF2AAFB12E6CB8A</HashSumValue>
      </HashSum>
    </File>
  </TechnicalDetails>
  <LanguageOfText>ar</LanguageOfText>
</Text>

Required Elements Explained

  • Type: Must be SubTitle
  • TextCodecType: Indicates subtitle format (SRT or TTML)
  • LanguageOfText: Must match an approved language code
  • File URI & Hash: Required for ingestion and validation

Backstage Visibility

In Vevo Backstage:

  • You can see which languages have subtitles associated with a video
  • You cannot:
    • Upload subtitles
    • Delete subtitles
    • Manage subtitle versions

All subtitle lifecycle changes must be handled via feed redelivery.

Common Errors to Avoid

  • Missing LanguageOfText
  • Using unsupported or incorrect language codes
  • Delivering more than one subtitle per language
  • Attempting to upload subtitles via Backstage UI
  • Delivering subtitles on ERN versions below 4.3

Need Help?

If you have questions about:

  • Supported language codes
  • Subtitle formatting
  • Feed implementation
  • Redelivery behavior

Please contact content@vevo.com for help! 

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