Google has released a new search feature that would enable users to pin down key moments in YouTube videos.
While videos have long shown up in search results — in addition to photos and even podcasts — Google will now begin to turn up specific moments within videos so that searchers can quickly glean the info that they’re looking for within longer clips. Notably, though, Google will rely on YouTube creators to provide timestamps in video descriptions to appropriately direct viewers.
“When you search for things like how-to videos that have multiple steps, or long videos like speeches or a documentary, search will provide links to key moments within the video based on timestamps provided by content creators,” Google’s product manager for search, Prashant Baheti, explained in a company blog post. “You’ll be able to easily scan to see whether a video has what you’re looking for, and find the relevant section of the content.”
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The initial rollout is available in English, and is being tested by major publishers the world over, including CBS Sports and Indian news company NDTV. Google also notes that the feature could be a boon for the visually impaired or those with learning disability who use screen readers — assistive software that provides text-to-speech conversions.
Creators and publishers can express their interest in having the feature enabled for their videos via an Early Adopters Program form right here. More information about creator requirements is available here.
