Hangouts on Air’s new Showcase app helps broadcasters further promote their products and services

Today, Google announced the availability of its new Showcase app for Hangouts on Air that lets hosts promote content related to their conversation like websites, YouTube videos, Google+ profiles and content from Google Play via an onscreen panel displayed on the right-hand side of the video feed. For example, the cast of Dawn of the Planet of the Apes recently held a Hangout and used the Showcase app to share links to trailers and movie tickets.

In addition to films, recording artists can use Hangouts to promote their music, while giving viewers options to purchase their songs, as well as follow their social media exploits. Not just for entertainers, Showcase has the potential to help entrepreneurs organize live informercials to help promote their products and services, similar to what you might see from a place like the Home Shopping Network.