To help mobile users find short-form videos, Google is testing a feature that’ll help videos from Instagram and TikTok appear in searches.
SEO specialist Brian Freiesleben pointed out the new feature brings up a deck called Short Videos with some queries from mobile users. Right now, Google already gives a deck of aggregated video search results for both mobile and desktop users. While it’s been accused of favoring YouTube videos, which Google owns, this feature instead only displays Instagram and TikTok videos.
Freiesleben and TechCrunch were able to get the new feature to show up when searching for the Green Bay Packers. According to his tweet, Freiesleben wrote he noticed “Google pulling in Instagram and TikTok videos into this “short videos” carousel” when looking up the Green Bay Packers.
Google has likely been working on this short-form video feature for months
According to TechCrunch, Google has been working on adding in this Short Videos carousel feature since August. The site ran its own test in August 2020 and found a Short Videos carousel added to Google Discover. There are differences between the one TechCrunch saw in August and the one now. Namely, the differences are its places, meaning the carousel appears in broad search results instead of personalized feeds, and where the feature is pulling the content it displays. The one in August pulled short-form videos from Trell and Tangi. Now it pulls from Instagram and TikTok.
When will the feature see wide release
Google told TechCrunch the feature is currently being piloted with some users on mobile. That’s all the information Google has revealed about the feature.