In line with the original Google Zeitgeist, which shows us popular keyword searches over the years, Google Video now offers a 'movers and shakers' list which illustrates what's hot on Google Video. Although the product hasn't been around for a long time, it's already filling up with so many different types of content that Google have come up with a clever way to rate the top 100 videos of the moment. Using another Google algorithm based on what users are watching on their screens, the 'movers and shakers' list is the daily zeitgeist which identifies videos which are popular and also the speed at which they gain their popularity. Organised by topic (movies, sports, comedy) or by country (almost 40 different countries catered for) the easy interface allows means you're only one or two clicks away from viewing what people are watching.
Although still in beta mode, Google Video looks set for full launch with the onset of pricing structures which will surely branch outside of the US. Distinctly different from Google's primary revenue streams (AdWords and AdSense), Google has gone for the tried and tested business model of legal downloads in the mould of iTunes, where you can view a short snippet of long features before being prompted to buy the full version. For instance, after viewing the first two minutes of the sixty-three minute long 'National Lampoon's Down and Dirty' (a popular US stand up showcase) you can purchase the full version at the price of $0.99 for a day-pass or $12.99 for the full download to keep.
Google has always been relatively quick about joining the dots between its various products and it's not hard to see where Google Video could tie in nicely with other products like Google News. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, where events were unfolding at such a rate that huge numbers turned to the internet for the most up-to-date coverage (as opposed to traditional media) it's not hard to imagine where footage from major news stories could make it to the top of Google's 'movers and shakers' list.
Importantly, it also gives a new medium for aspiring film students and any spare-time novice with a video recorder to publish their uncanny and often hilarious takes on modern life, where a notorious viral propelled on Google's Top 100 could be the catalyst to an unlikely industry opportunity or career change. In fact, the 'submit your video link' has recently been upgraded and has made it easier to upload videos. And with Google reaching out to its user base to send in videos representative of specific themes (requesting funny 'break-up' videos in the wake of National Break Up Day) we should expect the numbers of videos to grow and grow.
So it seems at the moment that Google are content to keep their Video arm fairly upbeat and recreationally focused at the moment, establishing feelers with the entertainment industry to identify revenue streams. Accordingly, the Top 100 lists are currently full of spoof clips, silky football tricks and sheer random amateur footage just now (fat children experiencing painful dives into swimming pools, etc) but we can surely expect the Video Zeitgeist to move with the times and provide a more rounded take on what people are really watching over coming months and years. One to watch then, in more ways than one...
