Google launches free YouTube Video Builder beta for time-strapped creators

Creating content for YouTube can be a simple matter of pointing a camera at your face and yammering away for a while -- but it can also be rather more complicated than this.

Not everyone has the time -- or talent -- to create impressive videos, and this is precisely why Google has released a beta version of a new YouTube Video Builder tool. It's a simple, free utility that helps you to create short videos by animating static images and text, and Google is promoting it now companies and individuals are finding new ways to communicate during the coronavirus crisis.

Google says that YouTube Video Builder is aimed at businesses who don't have resources to create videos from scratch. The company is pushing this as "an efficient, low-resource way" to produce what it describes as "supplemental, lightweight videos" with or without video creation experience.

The company goes on to explain:

It's a free beta tool that animates static assets -- images, text and logos -- with music from our library. You can choose from a variety of layouts based on your message and goals, customize colors and font and quickly generate a short YouTube video (6 seconds or 15 seconds).

Because businesses of all sizes are strapped for time and resources and in-person video shoots are no longer practical in many countries, we are accelerating the next stage of Video Builder availability. With this tool, any business who needs a video can create one that helps connect with their customers and keep them informed -- whether through an advertising campaign, website or email.

Check out the video below to see the tool in action:

If you like the look of what you see, you can sign up to take part in the beta of YouTube Video Builder here.