14 DAY TRIAL // Google is expanding the use of Instant Previews, thumbnails of the pages in the search results which make it easier and faster to find the one you want, with the introduction of video previews. The feature doesn't work for all video providers yet, but when it does, it enables users to see short segments of the videos to determine if it is what they want.
Google Search has always wanted to get you to what ever you are looking for as fast as possible. Providing just the right results is one part of the equation.
Unfortunately search engines are not smart enough to know exactly what you want, which is why users often sift through the results to find the ones that are best. But this can be improved as well, a very effective way is with Instant Previews, which now work for videos as well.
"When it comes to videos, people want to spend less time searching and more time watching. That’s why we added an enhancement to Instant Previews—the ability to preview videos," Amit Singhal, Google Fellow, wrote.
"Click once on the magnifying glass next to the title of any video search result in universal or video mode. For some videos, you'll now be able to play through a set of four short segments from the video to see if it’s what you’re looking for (video providers have to opt to make the previews available, so you won't find it for every video yet)," he explained.
The feature works just like regular Instant Previews, but go straight to the video content and even enable you to play it inside the search results page. This makes it a lot easier to spot poor quality results, or to see whether the video really is relevant to your search or not.