Google Lens coming to YouTube Shorts

Google is bringing Google Lens features to YouTube Shorts, which operates a lot like the circle to search feature. When you are viewing a YouTube Short, you can pause the video, then circle the portion of the video you want Google Lens to do its search on, then a dialog box will overlay the video with search results that match the image based query.

What Google said. Rob from the YouTube team said in this help thread:

“We’re excited to begin rolling out a new beta that brings the magic of Google Lens to YouTube Shorts. In the coming weeks you’ll be able to use Lens to search what you see while watching Shorts. For example, if you’re watching a Short filmed in a location that you want to visit, you can select a landmark to identify it, and learn more about the destination’s culture and history!”

What it looks like. Here is a screenshot from a video announcement YouTube posted over here of this feature in action:

Here is the video:

How it works. Here is how to make it work, note that it might not be fully rolled out yet:

• Go to the YouTube mobile app, then open the Shorts player by either tapping the Shorts tab or a Short you see on Home
• Pause the Short by tapping on the screen
• Select “Lens” in the top menu then draw, highlight, or tap on anything you’re watching to search via Google Lens 
• You’ll see visual matches and search results overlaid on the Short (and from there you can easily quickly jump back into the content you were watching)

No ads – yet. There won’t be any ads in the results, yet. Google said, “During the beta phase of Lens in Shorts, you won’t see ads shown in the search results. Also, the Lens experience isn’t available for Shorts with YouTube Shopping affiliate links or with paid product promotions.”

Why we care. Technically, this feature is another way people can discover your content and your website. While you cannot advertise in these experiences just yet, you may be able to after this goes out of beta. That being said, this looks like a nifty new feature that brings Google Lens to the second largest search engine – YouTube.

#Google #Lens #coming #YouTube #Shorts