Google plans Snapchat-esque stories for mobile search results


Assuming you have a basic understanding of social media and haven't been living under a rock for the last year, you're going to be familiar with "Stories" -- full screen displays of content that you can swipe or tap through, which are available for a limited time. Snapchat got the ball rolling, Instagram got on board, Facebook followed suit, and now Google is getting in on the action, following the initial report it would back in August. According to a Google blog post, "AMP Stories" are in the works, and soon they could completely shake up the look of your search results.

"AMP" stands for Accelerated Mobile Pages -- optimized web pages displayed on your smartphone via Google search results, and as the name would suggest, they load fast (in around a second) and use ten times less data than non-AMP pages (although they have created some controversy -- their URL prefix can make link sharing a pain, and some publishers have annoyed Google by offering stripped-back content on these pages instead of the full experience). Now, instead of seeing the usual text links, you'll see image- and video-orientated stories, much like the ones you see on Instagram et al.

The difference, of course, is that these stories aren't coming from your old college friend who's bought a new guitar, or from an ex-colleague who's shakily Snapchatting their commute, but from publishers with cash to spend on the format. Back in October, Recode reported that Google planed to pay said publishers to commit to its version of stories. CNN, Conde Nast, Hearst, Mashable, Vox Media and The Washington Post are just a few of the brands Google has partnered with for this developer preview, with examples of stories including swipeable top 10 lists, explainers and animations. The Washington Post used the format to create a timeline of North Korea's participation in the Olympics.

AMP Stories will appear in search results over time, although you'll find them now if you go purposefully looking for them -- you might see a carousel of stories content from a partner publisher if you search directly for them. It's not yet clear how Google will surface these stories, nor how publishers can be certain they'll be included in search results. And they'll want some certainties before they invest time and resources into the format, as all AMP stories will have to be created from scratch. Google will have to make sure it offers the right tools to publishers to encourage take-up of AMP Stories, because they'll be the ones that'll ultimately determine its success.

Source: Google Developers

via Engadget RSS Feed "http://ift.tt/2EDo6gd"

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Evernote cuts staff as user growth stalls

Image
Note-taking app Evernote has fallen on hard times of late, culminating in its latest spate of job cuts impacting 15 percent of its workforce (54 employees). CEO Chris O' Neil -- an ex-Googler who took the reins in 2015 -- announced the firings at an all-hands meeting earlier today, reports TechCrunch . In a message on the Evernote blog , O' Neill admitted he'd set "incredibly aggressive goals" for the company in 2018. He continued: "Going forward, we are streamlining certain functions, like sales, so we can continue to speed up and scale others, like product development and engineering." The layoffs follow an exec exodus just weeks ago and the company's recent brand refresh (complete with a refined logo and wordmark). But critics are more concerned about its product, especially the free tier, which they claim lacks the perks to...
Read more

The best air conditioner

Image
By Liam McCabe This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter . When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, it may earn affiliate commissions that support its work. Read the full article here . After six summers of researching, testing, and recommending window air conditioners, we've learned that quiet and affordable ACs make most people the happiest—and we think the LG LW8016ER will fit the bill in most rooms. This 8,000 Btu unit cools as efficiently and effectively as any model with an equal Btu rating, and runs at a lower volume and deeper pitch than others at this price. Little extra features like a fresh-air vent, two-axis fan blades, and a removable drain plug help set it apart, too. The LG LW8016ER is a top choice for an office or den, and some people will find it quiet enough for a bedroom, too. If our main pic...
Read more

We won't see a 'universal' vape oil cartridge anytime soon

Image
Pre-loaded cartridges of cannabis concentrate are currently among the most popular means of consumption, and for good reason. They're discreet to use and easy to handle, a far cry from the dark days of 2016 when we had to dribble hash oil or load wax into narrow-mouthed vape pens by hand. But, frustratingly, an ever increasing number of oil cartridge manufacturers employ one-off design standards so that their products won't work with those of their competitors, thereby locking customers into proprietary ecosystems. We've already seen this with nicotine vaporizers -- which has a seen a massive rise in "pod systems" in the last few years, each outfitted with a unique canister and battery built to be incompatible with those of their competition. Is it too late for the burgeoning cannabis industry to set a universal standard for their product designs? ...
Read more