Google search is now able to point you to the exact parts of a video that are most helpful. The new feature, which launched yesterday, works by pulling timestamp information from a YouTube video’s description. The feature currently only works for YouTube videos in English language searches, but Google says it’s working to bring the functionality to more video publishers.
According to Google, search results now will provide links to key moments within the video — if, that is, YouTube content creators have provided the necessary timestamp information to Google. “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,” Prashant Baheti, product manager for Google Search, wrote in a blog post Tuesday announcing the new feature.
The links to specific points in YouTube videos will appear in search results in English. Google is working with video publishers including CBS Sports and India’s NDTV to mark up their videos and make them more searchable. According to the company, “To ensure coverage and a good user experience, the feature is currently limited to a small set of providers.” Google has launched a form for content creators to apply to be part of the program.
The feature should be especially helpful for finding the information you need in video tutorials, which YouTube is an amazing source of. The current problem is that actually extracting the information you need from these videos can be a bit of a struggle. Whether it’s a multistage video tutorial where the information you need is buried deep in the second half or a channel that insists on reminding you to like and subscribe at the beginning of a video, Google’s new tool should make it easier to get to the nugget of information you need.
The only problem is that the feature currently relies on timestamps provided by content creators, meaning its usefulness could vary based on how much information people provide.
