Don’t you just hate it when the thumbnail image for a YouTube clip isn’t an accurate representation of the video it’s supposed to represent?
Well now the company is seeking to rectify that by adding GIF-like moving previews to thumbnails, similar to the previews used by certain ahem… artistic websites… to entice users to click.
YouTube says (via The Verge) it is selecting a clip from the first half off the video that “it believes gives the best idea of what the video is about.”
Yes, we’re pretty sure that’s the tactic PornHub and co. are deploying too.
YouTube says you’ll need Chrome 32 and up or Opera v.19 and up to see the new previews which will appear on the home page, in search results and within the watch page, subscriptions tab and the trending tab.
The previews aren’t yet available on mobile devices and creators aren’t able to choose the clip. Surely that’ll be the next step.
The feature has been in testing since January, so you may have seen it before, but it’s now rolling out to all users.
Are there any other features from alternate video sites you’d like to see YouTube incorporate? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
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Editorial independence
Editorial independence means being able to give an unbiased verdict about a product or company, with the avoidance of conflicts of interest. To ensure this is possible, every member of the editorial staff follows a clear code of conduct.
Professional conduct
We also expect our journalists to follow clear ethical standards in their work. Our staff members must strive for honesty and accuracy in everything they do. We follow the IPSO Editors’ code of practice to underpin these standards.