YouTube is testing a new feature that automatically detects products within videos and displays them in a list with related products.
This week, YouTube announced another experimental feature on its platform. The test, visible to US users watching videos on YouTube, displays products that are detected in some videos – as a list with other related products.
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This list will be automated – with AI detecting products in videos – and will appear between recommended videos as viewers scroll past the video player itself.
YouTube’s announcement mentions that that “the goal is to help people explore more videos and information about those products” on its platform, but it’s also interesting for a number of other reasons. It certainly begins a new era for product placement.
For example, it gives YouTube the ability to help increase sales of specific products mentioned in videos – which is great for creators and the brands they work with. In the future, it could also be used to power other e-commerce features on the video platform.