Cameos on Google App Shows Q&A Knowledge Graph for Universities
By Jonathan Griffin. Editor, SEO Consultant, & Developer.
Google is now showing a “Top questions answered” knowledge graph panel displaying Q&A videos for the University of California, Davis.
The videos show University staff answering frequently searched questions in video format, recorded from their phone’s camera.
Lily Ray discovered the new knowledge graph usage for the search term “UC Davis” and posted images on Twitter.
The knowledge graph uses videos created using the Cameos on Google App.
While the app initially targeted celebrities, this new use-case by universities opens up further possibilities.
What’s next? Companies and other business services?
Powered by Cameos on Google
The app is not to be confused by Instagram’s “Cameo” app, which allows users to book shoutouts from celebrities. If you use Google to search for more information you’ll find the Instagram app dominating the SERPs for terms such as “Cameo app”.
“Cameos on Google” was launched in August 2018 aimed at celebrities and other public figures who are often-searched-for on Google.
Cameos on Google allows people to answer questions about themselves in video format, and share those answers directly on Google.
The service is an extension of “Posts on Google” that was open for the last few years to a small number of celebrities, sports teams, movie studios, museums, local business, and musicians.
While “Posts on Google” allowed a variety of media formats, “Cameos on Google” only permits video posts.
Google displays users on its app a list of commonly searched for questions. Using the camera on their phone, users can record the answers using their own voice.
The resulting videos then display in the knowledge graph. If you click on any of the videos in the knowledge graph, it will bring up a carousel showing larger versions of the videos, along with alternative questions underneath.
Cameos on Google is currently invite-only
According to the Knowledge Help Panel Cameos on Google is only available with an invite.
If you would like an invite, you should download the app from either the Google Play Store, or the App Store for iOS. From there, you can check out a demo and, if interested, fill out the interest form.
Google will let you know if you are eligible.
It will be interesting to see the direction Google takes this. When it becomes publicly available, it is likely to prove very popular.