Google launches Showcase in France, a new way to present news to Internet users, in addition to its search, Discover and News. This solution is accompanied by a deal with the press, to remunerate the media partners.
Showcase makes its debut in France. Two years after its debut in Brazil and Germany. then in other countries later, the new showcase offered to the media by Google is now operational in France. This is a new way for the Internet giant to highlight press articles, for the media to earn money and for Internet users to see the news.
What is Google Showcase?
On the public side, Showcase allows above all to present news blocks differently, with several display proposals (templates), depending on what the media want to promote. It can be a main article followed by two bullet points presenting the main elements, or a main article accompanied by two other related papers.
In fact, the new templates with Showcase will occupy a larger screen surface, unlike a more classic skin. On Discover, for example, items are more collected. Will these larger signs harm others? Google thinks not, because Internet users have a practice of scrolling (scroll) well established. Everything goes through a new section in News or Discover.
For the rest, nothing changes. The user can certainly personalize Showcase, but Google warns that the referencing and the algorithm do not change because of this new service. And Showcase must send traffic to publishers: by clicking on a panel, the Internet user is taken to the domain of the site, as if he had gone there by another means.
The project had been in the pipeline for some time. In order to heal the beginnings of Showcase, Google signed commercial agreements with several press publishers, styling dozens of titles. We find in particular Le Figaro, Le Monde, 20 Minutes, La Dépêche, Les Echos, La Provence, Le Parisien, Liberation or Ebra (to which Humanoid belongs).
In all, Google has agreed with 65 publishers and press groups piloting 130 publications. Internationally, the Mountain View company has already launched Showcase in twenty countries, including Spain, the United Kingdom and Italy. The partner media are more than 1,800 to date. Other contracts in France could follow in the weeks and months to come.
Money for the media, against articles
The media’s appetite for Google News Showcase is explained by a very pragmatic element: access to remuneration, directly from Google. This is not without consideration, however. ” We compensate participating news publishers to give readers access to a limited amount of their paid content “reminds Google.
Google puts forward an argument that has also served to lower any reluctance. By “offering” certain articles behind a toll (paywall), the media share an overview of their work (Google specifies that the media choose the papers to “open”), which can then encourage Internet users to take out a subscription to such or such press title. In addition, this free access is in fact covered in part by funding from Google.
This conversion of Internet users into subscribers was not detailed by the Mountain View firm at the time of Showcase in France, even though the device is two years old. These elements are generally marked with the seal of secrecy, such as the duration of the agreements between Google and each media, the amounts involved and certain details.
Google, on the other hand, has put forward other figures to underline the success of Showcase and, indirectly, the benefit that the media can derive from it. The group notes that more than 4.5 million Showcase news panels have been created by media partners and more than 3.5 million clicks to follow media have been made by Internet users.
There remains a somewhat special scenario, undoubtedly rare, but which could be a source of frustration. If advertising should not be present through this channel, what about any infomercials? Theoretically, it could appear — and the mention listed on the website. But Google thinks this is a very unlikely borderline case. The company says it trusts the media. And it is probably not wise to go down that road.