Google tests to show videos from TikTok and Instagram in search results

Google is running a test in its mobile search app and mobile web in which videos from TikTok and Instagram are processed in the search results. Those come in the ‘short videos’ section. Whoever clicks on it will be taken to the mobile websites of those services.

Insta & TikTok in Short Videos Google

Image via TechCrunch

The Short Videos box already contained results from Google’s own Project Tangi, TikTok competitor Trell and YouTube Shorts. Instagram and TikTok have been added to this for a number of days. Google confirms to TechCrunch that this is a test with a limited group of users and that it is not yet certain whether TikTok and Instagram will remain integrated in the results.

According to Google, the feature was currently being piloted on mobile devices.

“The feature is currently available in a limited way on the Google app for mobile devices and on the mobile web,” the company informed.

The new dedicated carousel for Instagram and TikTok videos expands on a test launched earlier this year.

In that test, the company introduced a carousel of “Short Videos” within Google Discover (previously known as Google Feed) ? a personalised content feed that proactively serves relevant content to users.

The “Short Videos” carousel focuses on aggregating videos from other platforms, including Google`s own short-form video project Tangi, Indian TikTok rival Trell and YouTube.

“The expansion to include Instagram and TikTok content in this carousel was first reported by Search Engine Roundtable,” the report mentioned.

“Short videos” is distinctly different from the “Web Stories” feature in Google Discover page, which functions very similarly to Instagram Stories and Snapchat.

Google Search to soon show 'short video' results from TikTok, Instagram and YouTube » TechnoCodex

This is the latest in a long line of additions to Google search results, which have long since gone beyond just websites. Nowadays, depending on the search term, you can find summaries of Wikipedia pages, sports results, news articles, frequently asked questions, tweets, videos, links to social media profiles and more.

Not only is it up to Google or Instagram and TikTok to remain so integrated into the Google results. If the two services themselves, respectively owned by Facebook and the Chinese ByteDance, do not want to, then it will also stop.