YouTube has recently been adding a lot of nifty features to improve the user and creator experience. We recently saw the company add a real-time subscriber count to YouTube Studio on desktop. Now the company is testing a feature to automatically detect and display a list of products or related products featured in videos.
Youtube testing product detection in videos
The company reportedly tested an earlier version of the feature in 2020. However, the duration of that test was short. Furthermore, YouTube even stopped the tests midway. Now, according to a official update, the company is rolling out the feature to more users, expanding it to “users who watch videos in the US”
Coming to the feature, it will automatically detect a list of products or related products in a video. Upon detection, the platform will display the products. "Among the recommended videos, for viewers scrolling under the video player." The company further adds that "The goal is to help people explore more videos and information about those products on YouTube."
In this way, after the function is implemented, all of us who watch videos on YouTube will be able to explore some products that appear in videos of our favorite youtubers, even if the creators do not provide them with the links. In this way, those who watch videos will have the opportunity to buy the products directly from YouTube, just like Instagram users.
So, if we go to see the review of a mobile phone or accessory, YouTube will detect that product and show us more related videos and the possibility of buying it directly from the video channel par excellence. What a great idea, how had they not thought of it before!
As of March 22, the feature is in the initial testing phase. It may not reach all users any time soon. But, with YouTube actively testing the feature in the US, we're expecting a global launch later this year in 2021.
This is what is expected from YouTube, between now and the end of the year, among other improvements and new functions, which we will see as they are released.