Reports of Autoplay Video in Google SERPs

[engine]

There are reports of Google testing autoplay videos in the SERPs, and it's the right hand knowledge panel. Since it was first reported i've been looking out for it, but, as of yet, haven't seen autoplay. I've seen videos in the knowledge panel, but no autoplay.

It would be no surprise that it hasn't gone down well with people.

Have you seen any autoplay videos?

[thesempost.com...]

[Robert Charlton]

This is a test. This is a test. This is a test. If this had been an actual emergency.... All reports I've seen of this suggest that in the case of an actual implementation of this "feature", we all would be wanting links to the alternate search engines of our choice. I know I would.

Obviously (?) Google is aware of the overwhelming sentiment against autoplay... with autoplay sound on the desktop being the most immediately offensive... but where autoplay mobile with the user paying for bandwidth likely being worse.

I add a question mark after "obviously", though, because Google is run by engineers, so it's all about actual data, and it's also all about speed... delivering the desired result in the quickest possible time.

I can imagine the discussions at the Google search quality meetings [search.googleblog.com...] ...Are there personalized situations where the statistics are so overwhelmingly obvious that the next user-action would be to play the video, so obvious that it would be stupid for Google not to test it? What's the most prudent way to approach the tests, in little bitty baby steps, to take the least possible risk?

Anyway, I haven't been able to make it autoplay yet, though I've seen a small video window (with the spinning loading icon) appear for some searches for the LEGO trailer Jenstar's article suggested... but no autoplay.

As a side note, it might be worth mentioning that I'm seeing YouTube, on a desktop, tending to autoplay videos in a sequence much more than I previously remember them doing so.

[chrisv1963]

Autoplay = auto in video ads = auto more money for Google?

[engine]

Yes, I did say it was a test. I see videos but they don't auto-play for me, even with different browsers. I guess i'm not part of the test, which may be over by now.

Either way, auto-play is incredibly irritating, especially more so when the default is to audio on. Certain news sites do this with their reports. Grrrr.

I do hope this test self implodes and it never sees the light of day again.

[MrSavage]

Where are the defenders on this one?

Is Facebook or Amazon listening to this? Hello?

I said a few days ago that we're almost at the point of calling Google search a website and not a search engine. With more ads, video let's say, it's just another ticked box. Amazing.

Not content creators themselves, but dang they have the best bots in gathering and presenting content as if it was their own. With AI running things, most employees now likely have a bit easier of a time sleeping. Not an easy time sleeping, but just easier. "It's not us, it's them (AI)" helps employees sleep at night.

Frankly I'm excited to get an auto play ad. This will be fantastic! The more aggressive, the quicker the web will turn to something/somebody else. We just need an alternative that isn't stupidly named or as ugly as F.

[EditorialGuy]

Where are the defenders on this one?

Is there anything to defend? According to the OP, it's just a test, and it may well be over by now.

If I got worked up by every test that Google runs, I'd be popping Lisinoprils like M&Ms.

[keyplyr]

Have you seen any autoplay videos?

Not yet, but would likely block those ads if I did. This goes against common sense.

BUT - if this becomes the next big thing, I'll adapt :)

[browndog]

I ran those searches on my own laptop yesterday and I saw the video but it didn't play.

If autoplay starts on a page I'm viewing, 85% of the time I will leave and look elsewhere for my information.

[MrSavage]

The defender(s) has/have spoken!

Just a test. Certainly. Everything is just a test. Just kidding, we didn't mean that. It was a test. We are not monitoring every aspect of your (global population using Google serach) interaction with these "tests". I will say, having a testing group in the billions must help steer the ship in way that literally nobody else on the planet has access to.

As webmasters, we live with the hypocrisy. The public really has no clue on such matters.