Google is testing a new feature that shows videos from Instagram and TechTalk within their dedicated library in the Google Mobile app.
The move will help Google keep users looking for social video entertainment from leaving the entire Google platform.
The same feature expands in a test launched earlier this year, where Google for the first time introduced a series of short videos within Google Discover, the custom feed in Google's mobile app.
This short video library differs from Google Stories, which was launched in October 2020 through the Google Search app for Android and iOS.
These stories, formerly known as AMP Stories, consist of short video content created by Google's online publishing partners, such as Forbes, USA Today, Vice, Now This, Bustle, Thrillist and others.
The short video library focused on collecting social videos from other platforms, including Google's short video project Tangi, TechTalk's Indian competitor Trell, and You Tube.
Videos via Instagram and TechTalk were available through the short video row, and are transferred when you click to the web version of the social platform, not its original mobile app, even if it's installed within your device.
The end result is likely to be that Google users will remain within Google, as all it takes is to click on the back arrow to return to search results after watching the video.
Google has been indexing video content for years and partnered with Twitter in 2015 to index search results, however, it's not clear to what extent it has any formal relationship with Instagram or TechTalk.
A Google spokesman confirmed that the feature is currently being tested via mobile devices, and explained that this means that the limited feature is still in the early stages.
The short video library won't find every search query yet, but over time, as Google expands the product, the tool can index better video content from social media platforms, unless the platforms choose to prevent Google from doing so.
The company said: The feature is currently available in a limited way through Google's mobile app and over the Internet.
0 Comments