Google You Tube – Shoppy

The Opportunity

Our work with Google’s YouTube team defined the competitive landscape of shopping features to identify strategic opportunities for future platform developments. 

Our Approach

We ran a market comparison study that mapped workflows from the POV of viewers & creators. The client stakeholder team were concerned that the allocated budget would allow only for desk research. However, user research was the optimal choice for this study’s objectives, so we used auto-ethnography from viewer-researchers as a method, which reduced recruitment and moderation costs, and allowed for user research and the creation of detailed journey maps.

There was a very complex data set to capture, which included different content formats, platforms and production methods. However, intO’s screencast method (via the Lookback tool) drove resource efficiencies when briefing and guiding Creators through task completion in a contextually relevant way – and across divergent time zones. 

This was a very busy period for client stakeholders, and there was little time available in diaries to allow for direct reporting, but our weekly read-outs and transparent live-time reporting allowed the Google UXR team to remain fully updated, asynchronously. 

Business Impact

This market context research analysed and visualised YouTube’s competitive environment in the context of shopping features, informing a better understanding of the key players, their products, strengths, weaknesses, and overall positioning. Ultimately, this intelligence is vital for making informed decisions that drive successful product development strategies and a competitive advantage.