Which numbers get confused most?

Pairs that sound alike, like fifteen and fifty, and anything said quickly in a list. Those are worth reading rather than trusting.

Should figures be written as digits?

On a small screen, yes for anything above ten. Digits are shorter and faster to take in than the written word.

What about currency symbols?

Include them. A bare number invites the viewer to guess the currency, and half of them will guess wrong.

Does this matter for approximate figures?

It matters more. A rough number written precisely reads as a claim, so if the speaker said roughly, the text should say roughly too.

Before the clip is produced, while the words are still editable.

Should numbers be written as digits or words?

Digits above ten, on a small screen. They are shorter and faster to take in, and they stand out from the surrounding text.

Why do figures matter more than other errors?

Because a figure is usually the reason someone stopped scrolling. A misspelled ordinary word is forgiven; a wrong number undoes the point.

Numbers and Prices in Subtitles

Why do figures need a second look?

Spoken numbers carry information that speech alone does not fully pin down. Thirteen and thirty sound close, a spoken price can be written several ways, and a percentage can attach to the wrong quantity. None of that shows as an obvious error on screen, which is what makes it worth checking directly.

Where figures go wrong

Most clips contain two or three figures. Reading only those takes under a minute and catches nearly all of it.

Kind	Common error	Check
Similar sounding pairs	Fifteen written as fifty	Read them, do not scan them
Prices	Currency missing, so the reader guesses	Include the symbol every time
Percentages	Attached to the wrong quantity	Check what the figure is a percentage of
Approximations	Roughly forty written as forty	If the speaker hedged, the text should hedge
Lists of numbers	One dropped from the middle	Count them against the audio

A checking routine for figures

Before publishing any clip with a number in it, listen to the exact moment the figure is said while reading the text on screen. Do it slowly, with headphones. Check the digits, the unit, the currency and what the number refers to. A figure that is right but attached to the wrong thing, such as a monthly cost shown as yearly, is as misleading as a typo.

If the speaker misspoke on camera, decide whether to correct the text or keep it faithful to the speech. Correcting silently can confuse viewers who hear one number and read another; a short note in the post text is often the cleanest solution.

Writing figures so they read instantly

Digits read faster than words on a phone. Write 3 million rather than three million, and 45% rather than forty-five percent. Keep large numbers short and familiar: 1.2 million is easier than 1,200,000 at a glance.

Keep the number and its unit together on one line. A price split across two lines, with the currency on one and the amount on the next, slows the viewer down at the very moment the clip wants them to notice.

Prices change, clips stay

A clip that mentions a price can stay online for years, long after the price has changed. When prices matter, add the date to the post text, or phrase the point in a way that ages well, such as comparing two options rather than quoting exact amounts.

For sponsored content, confirm the current price with the sponsor on the day of posting.

Different formats around the world

Countries write numbers differently. Some use a comma for thousands and a point for decimals; others do the opposite. Some group digits differently altogether. If your audience is international, choose one format and use it consistently, or avoid decimals where you can.

Currency symbols can also be ambiguous, since several currencies share the same sign. Where it matters, add the currency code.

Keeping sources for your numbers

For every statistic in a clip, keep a note of where it came from. If viewers question a figure, you can answer quickly with the source, which builds trust. If a figure turns out to be wrong, you can find and correct every clip that used it.

A simple spreadsheet listing the figure, the source and the clips it appears in is enough.

Get the figure right the first time

List every figure in the clip. Usually there are two or three, and it takes under a minute.
Check the form as well as the value. Whether it reads as a percentage, a currency or a plain count changes what the sentence means.
Keep the format consistent. Mixing written and numeric styles in one clip makes both look accidental.

Send a clip with numbers in it and read them back. Nothing to pay for the first.

Questions people ask

Which numbers get confused most?: Pairs that sound alike, like fifteen and fifty, and anything said quickly in a list. Those are worth reading rather than trusting.
Should figures be written as digits?: On a small screen, yes for anything above ten. Digits are shorter and faster to take in than the written word.
What about currency symbols?: Include them. A bare number invites the viewer to guess the currency, and half of them will guess wrong.
Does this matter for approximate figures?: It matters more. A rough number written precisely reads as a claim, so if the speaker said roughly, the text should say roughly too.
When do I fix these?: Before the clip is produced, while the words are still editable.
Should numbers be written as digits or words?: Digits above ten, on a small screen. They are shorter and faster to take in, and they stand out from the surrounding text.
Why do figures matter more than other errors?: Because a figure is usually the reason someone stopped scrolling. A misspelled ordinary word is forgiven; a wrong number undoes the point.