Google has officially announced its new service “Helpouts” yesterday for those who don’t mind paying for expert advice through video chat.
Users can get help from the experts on different topics including like healthcare, cooking tips, musical instrument lessons, makeup tips and even marriage counseling. Depending on the topic, the video tutorial can last for a few minutes or even for several hours with pricing set for each tutorial by individual experts with the lowest price being $20.
Wall Street Journal leaked the information about the new expert tips marketplace after it received an e-mail about the new product. The new service, which was announced in August, has been made live now with limited partners including Sephora, One Medical and Weight Watchers. However, Google has opened up its doors for anybody who wants to offer Helpout services after vetting them through a full background check.
The video chat services will be offered for up to $20 per hour or more with Google taking 20 percent of the money paid for each session as a transactional fee, except for Helpouts related to health care. The search giant is also offering a money-back guarantee to users who are not satisfied with their video consultation.
“Most of the world’s useful information still resides in people’s heads,” and Helpouts “opens the door to that information as well”, said Udi Manber, Vice President of Engineering at Google during a small press briefing with reporters in San Francisco notes Reuters.
With more and more users routing to social networks like Facebook to get recommendations and advice from their friends about music, movies, restaurants and other topics, Google’s Helpout service will definitely attract users to get the best expert help for their problems and issues.
