Visual searches are increasingly popular for their convenience and efficiency. See an influencer wearing shoes you just need to have? All it takes is a quick visual search to get a list of shops selling the same looking shoes.
Businesses that aren’t already considering and optimizing for visual search should start now if they want to increase conversions and gain a competitive advantage.
In this guide to visual search, Ignite Visibility’s SVP of Marketing, Danny Conlon, will give some advice on how to optimize for visual search and some of the main platforms you’ll want to target.
What You’ll Learn
- What is Visual Search?
- Visual Search Technology Tools
- Why Marketers Need to Pay Attention to Visual Search
- How Marketers Can Optimize for Visual Search
My Expert Insight on Visual Search
Visual search is more than just a trend. It’s a newer technology that in my opinion, is here to stay and will shape the future of search engines.
Visual search will become crucial to your overall SEO strategy as usage increases. It will also complement your overall SEO strategy by increasing your traffic through this type of search.
Think it’s just for ecommerce businesses? Think again! Other use cases include:
- Healthcare: Visual search could assist in searching for certain skin conditions or bug bites.
- Real Estate: Homebuyers could use visual search to find properties similar to ones they like.
- Auto Industry: Car collectors can use visual search to find certain car models or parts.
The list goes on!
The bottom line is, businesses should be focusing on creating images that are high quality, relevant, and well-tagged to gain a competitive edge.
Let’s get more into how visual search works and some specific strategies to optimize for it.
What is Visual Search?
Visual search involves users uploading images into certain types of search engines, usually in an attempt to either learn more about what’s in the image or find a product included in the image.
For instance, someone might take a photo of a plant and look it up online to find out what species it is or where it comes from.
Visual search works when search engines receive the image, recognize it, and look for other images online that are either the same or similar. The results could include images of objects that match the object or even consist of components of it, such as coconuts in the above example of a palm tree search.
If a user searches for a product, details like product names, pricing, and links to product pages could also appear.
Visual search takes “window shopping” to a whole new level. It’s a bridge between the physical and digital worlds. For business, it presents valuable new opportunities to connect with customers at the moment of inspiration, turning visual curiosity into meaningful engagement and maybe a sale or two.
Specifically, visual search uses a form of artificial intelligence (AI) to interpret images and compare them. For instance, a visual search engine might use machine learning to learn about an image’s content and look for contextual examples. Computer vision is another potential component that can help these engines visualize images.
How Visual Search Works (Behind the Scenes)
Think of visual search as your own personal digital detective, capable of identifying and analyzing images in seconds. While the technology behind it is complex, the user experience is seamlessly simple.
The foundation of visual search is built on three behind-the-scenes pillars:
- Image Recognition: When you upload a photo or point your camera at an object, the system breaks it down into digestible data. It analyzes everything from colors and shapes to textures and distinctive features in a way similar to how our brains process visual information.
- Deep Learning Networks: These artificial neural networks act like a human brain that has studied millions of images. Through extensive training, they have learned to recognize patterns and connect similar visual elements. They continuously improve their accuracy through each interaction, becoming smarter and more precise over time.
- Object Detection: This component identifies specific items within an image, even when multiple objects are present. It can tell the difference between a chair, a lamp, and a table in a single photo of a room by drawing virtual boundaries around each item.
Not only does it break down the image, but it also considers factors like:
- Visual similarities
- Product categories
- Brand associations
- Price ranges
- Available
- Style matches
While visual search is working hard behind the scenes, the user experience is extremely streamlined. It also follows a three-step flow:
- Capture: Users snap a photo of an item they’re interested in or upload an existing image.
- Identify: Within seconds, the visual search system processes the image and matches it against a vast database of products and images.
- Results: The system then presents its findings to the user, complete with purchasing options.
Between the complex behind-the-scenes work and the easy user interface, visual search creates a comprehensive shopping experience that connects inspiration and acquisition. It makes it easier for consumers to find exactly what they’re looking for without needing the words to describe it.
Key Players in Visual Search Technology
These visual search engines use a combination of AI and complex algorithms to understand, recognize, and compare images when bringing back results to users. They ultimately give both consumers and marketers the chance to enhance the search experience.
With a better understanding of what visual search is and how to do a visual search, let’s explore some of the main types of visual search tools out there.
Google Lens Visual Search
One of the most popular visual search engines is Google Lens, which makes it easy for users to upload images via mobile devices to conduct a search. Users can look for objects, text, landmarks, products, and other items using any image.
Some of the specific features of Google’s visual search include:
- The ability to identify plants, animals, objects, and locations
- Real-time text translation, such as when trying to translate a sign in a foreign country
- QR code and barcode scanning
- Shopping links for products in images
Pinterest Lens
Another popular visual search tool is Pinterest Lens. This engine targets audiences interested in lifestyle, home decor, and fashion, enabling them to upload images to get ideas or inspiration. For instance, a user might upload an image of an object in the home and look for more inspiring interior designs featuring the object.
Features of Pinterest Lens include:
- Object recognition and suggestions featuring the same or similar objects
- Inspirational idea recommendations for everything from fashion and home decor to recipes
- Connects users to millions of images within the Pinterest database
- The Try On feature allowing users to “try on” makeup on images of themselves or preview items in physical spaces using augmented reality (AR)
Amazon StyleSnap
Amazon users can conveniently use the Amazon app to access StyleSnap, which is specifically designed to help users find fashion products based on visual searches. An example would include an image of a person’s dress that would lead StyleSnap to retrieve recommendations for that particular dress or similar styles.
The following are some key features of Amazon StyleSnap:
- The ability to match clothes and accessories using uploaded images and existing Amazon products in its database
- Personalized product recommendations with matching or similar fashions
Bing Visual Search
Bing’s version of Google Lens is Bing Visual Search. It works similarly to Google Lens, with image recognition capabilities that help it match images and compare them with others within the Bing database.
Here are some features of Bing Visual Search:
- Recognition of objects, landmarks, animals, and other items
- Shopping links with price comparisons
- Information about locations, products, and objects in images
Snapchat Visual Search
Snapchat also has its own Amazon-powered Visual Search function that can connect users to products using images taken through the Snapchat app. Specifically, it works by recognizing objects in images and taking users to an Amazon product featuring the same object or something similar.
Features include:
- Recognition of many products that are available on Amazon
- Links to relevant Amazon product pages
- Convenient usage through the Snapchat app for instant visual searches
CamFind
CamFind is a third-party visual search tool that allows users to take photos with their mobile devices, upload them in the app, and find relevant results. Users can look for information on objects, products for sale, and more.
Some features include the following:
- Object recognition and recommendations for similar results or products
- Language translation capabilities
- Voice search option
Syte
For something more exclusively intended for ecommerce, online shoppers may use Syte. The app works with independent sellers to help them connect their products to users looking for certain items.
Syte’s features include:
- Personalized product recommendations using uploaded images
- Integration with retailers to allow them to incorporate visual search functions into their websites or apps
- Optimized product discovery
TinEye
TinEye words like a traditional reverse image search engine. Users can upload a photo to the website and learn about where else the image appears and how other sites use it, or they can find high-resolution versions of the image.
Some of TinEye’s features include:
- The ability to perform reverse image searches using an uploaded image
- Image tracking across the internet
- Lists of similar or exact image matches along with their sources
The Importance of Visual Search for Marketers
If you’re not optimizing for visual search, you’re missing out on a big opportunity to extend your reach and connect with users who might otherwise not find you through traditional search.
Here are some of the main reasons why visual search is instrumental in SEO’s evolution:
1. Changing Consumer Behavior
Online shoppers are beginning to favor visuals over text content. In fact, according to a recent study, more than 50% of consumers stated that visual information is more influential than text in their buying decisions.
Couple this with the fact that more people are using mobile devices when searching online, and it would appear that visual search is more essential than ever.
2. Enhanced User Experience
One of the main advantages of visual search is the ability for users to easily, efficiently, and conveniently search online using instant image uploads. Marketers can work to connect users directly with what they’re looking for, whether it’s information, a product, or something else.
The result is a much shorter customer journey through a seamless experience. It can also improve the physical shopping experience, with 61% of consumers stating that visual search enhanced their in-store browsing.
3. Increased Engagement and Conversion Rates
By optimizing for visual search tools, you can also increase engagement and conversion in a couple of ways. For instance, you’ll be able to reach more people interested in visually oriented search experiences, driving more engagement among those audiences. At the same time, you can connect customers directly with the products they want, leading to higher conversion rates.
4. Enhanced Product Discovery
Visual search has improved how consumers discover products online. Rather than scrolling through endless pages of text-based results, they can now instantly find what they’re looking for with a quick snap.
This is particularly helpful in industries like:
- Fashion: Shoppers can find exact matches or similar styles of clothing that they’ve seen in passing on social media or in real life.
- Home Decor: Finding furniture and decor pieces has never been easier. A quick snap and you’re one step closer to adding it to your home.
- Retail: Brick-and-mortar stores can bridge the widening gap between physical and digital through visual search.
Studies show that approximately most consumers place more importance on visual information than on text when shopping online for clothing and furniture. That stat alone makes visual search a valuable tool for product discovery.
5. Ecommerce Evolution
Visual search is transforming the ecommerce landscape in several significant ways:
- Reduced Cart Abandonment: When consumers can find exactly what they’re looking for quickly, they’re more likely to complete their purchase.
- Increased Average Order Value: Visual search often leads to the discovery of additional products that fit the same vibe as the intended product.
- Improved Inventory Management: Retailers can better understand what products resonate with their customers by analyzing visual search data. This helps them to make better buying decisions and reduces the risk of purchasing items that may not move as quickly.
The retail, automotive, and healthcare industries are a prime example of this evolution. The market value of visual search has consistently increased each year and is expected to continue to do so.
One example is the fashion ecommerce retailer ThredUp, which says image searches result in 85% higher conversion rates.
SEO Implications
Visual search isn’t just changing the way consumers shop. It’s also doing its part to reshape SEO strategies.
Improving visual search SEO lies in image optimization. High-quality, properly tagged images are becoming as important as traditional keyword optimization. Alt text, image descriptions, and image file names need to be detailed, relevant, and accurate.
Visual search also introduced new ranking factors, including image quality, size, and context. To improve your visibility within visual search results, multiple angles of each product are necessary.
The more you can do to optimize your images, the better chances you’ll have to be found through visual search.
How Marketers Can Optimize for Visual Search
Want to successfully optimize for visual search engines? Here are some tips to get you started:
1. Visual Search SEO
An effective visual search strategy is one that embraces good image SEO, which entails using high-resolution images with sufficient compression, descriptive filenames that match the image content, and alt text with relevant keywords describing images that gives search engines more context. Captions are also important for providing more context for users, ensuring the images are relevant.
2. Only Use High-Quality Images
Not only should your images be optimized for SEO, but they should also be of high quality. Always use high-resolution images that a visual search engine will pick up and be able to understand. Images must also be unique to stand apart in results; otherwise, images like stock photos will get lost in visual search results.
3. Add Structured Data Markup
Use schema.org markup on all your multimedia. This data helps search engines to better understand images and their contents. They can also help images show up in rich snippets on Google.
4. Test Out UGC
Try out automating your content generation by encouraging user-generated content (UGC) on social media. An example of UGC would be holding a contest that rewards users for submitting creative ways to use your products.
5. Tag All Your Products
Link images to your product pages using plenty of relevant tags. Shoppable images can also create a seamless ecommerce experience for customers, allowing them to click on photos to go directly to a checkout page.
6. Include Contextual Relevance
Visual search tools also need contextual relevance to understand and index images for visual search. Keep all text around your images relevant, including body content and captions, as this will indicate to visual search engines that your images are relevant to their corresponding content. Additionally, make sure the pages with your images have high-quality content that can help boost your SEO efforts even more.
7. Upload an Image Sitemap
In addition to XML or HTML sitemaps, you should consider creating an image sitemap. Doing so will help visual search engines find and index your images, further increasing your online visibility.
8. Optimize for Mobile
As more mobile users conduct visual searches, you’ll need to optimize for these users through a mobile-responsive design that works with all mobile devices. Your images should be easy to view on small screens with sufficient accessibility, and you should optimize image sizes to facilitate fast load times, which will improve both your site’s UX and SEO.
9. Social Media Integration
You can also encourage your website’s visitors and social media audiences to share your images. For instance, audiences could share your images on platforms like Instagram and Pinterest, boosting traffic and visibility. On your end, you can also include high-resolution, relevant images in social media posts with effective descriptions and tags.
10. Leveraging Visual Search Platforms
There are different visual search tools you can use that make it easy to learn how to do a visual search and ensure people find the right images. For instance, you can leverage Pinterest Lens by making all images pinnable and tagged, while clear, relevant, and description-accompanied images can help you appear in Google Lens.
11. Monitor and Analyze Performance
What is a visual search campaign without monitoring and analyzing the results? Continually checking in on your campaigns and assessing their performance can help you get the most from them as you regularly optimize them.
You can achieve this by using analytics tools to track your images’ performance, determining which are driving the most engagement and traffic to your site. Meanwhile, regular audits can help you gauge how your images are doing regarding SEO, potentially informing new strategies based on changing trends and evolving technology, such as innovations in visual search tools.
Visual Search in Action – Examples and Case Studies
Let’s take a look at how some of the biggest names in the world are using visual search to improve their sales and connect with consumers.
IKEA Place App
The IKEA Place app was designed to help consumers make better buying decisions. With a point and a click, the technology lets users see IKEA furniture in their own homes.
IKEA has also embraced Image Search with an entire webpage dedicated to the technology. Consumers can upload pictures of items they like and be matched with the IKEA version of it.
Target/Pinterest Partnership
Retail giant Target recently partnered with Pinterest to launch Target Storefront. This new app helps consumers connect the latest Pinterest trends to the Target website for easy purchase.
ASOS Visual Search Shopping
Fashion retailer ASOS rolled out a Visual Search option for all iOS app users, helping customers quickly find similar products directly in the app. This visual match encourages shoppers to make purchases immediately.
The year they rolled out one of the first visual search tools for clothing identification, they announced 34% sales growth, which they attribute to their early adoption of new technology.
FAQs About Visual Search
1. What is visual search?
Visual search is a technology that allows users to search using images instead of text. Consumers can upload photos or use their camera to find similar items, get information, or discover products to buy.
2. How does visual search work?
Visual search uses AI algorithms to analyze images by breaking them down into identifiable elements like colors, shapes, and patterns. Then it matches these components to images in its databases, and returns the relevant results to the searcher.
3. What are examples of visual search apps?
Google Lens lets users search through their camera, Pinterest Lens finds similar pins and products, Amazon StyleSnap helps find fashion items, and CamFind identifies objects and provides information. Shopping apps like ASOS and IKEA also incorporate visual search features.
4. Why is visual search important in marketing?
Visual search is important for marketers because it removes friction in product discovery, increases engagement rates, and improves conversion rates. It makes it easier for consumers to find and purchase products through pictures.
5. How to optimize your images for visual search?
Optimizing images for visual search involves using high-quality, clear images with good lighting and multiple angles. Include detailed alt text, descriptive file names, and relevant meta descriptions. Ensure proper image sizing, fast loading times, and mobile responsiveness. Add structured data markup for better image context.
Rank for Visual Search with Ignite Visibility
By harnessing the power of visual search, you’ll take your SEO to the next level and dominate search engines. This type of optimization is particularly important in today’s highly visual online world, as more people look for increasingly convenient ways to find what they want and need through search engines.
Want help with ranking on visual search engines or creating visual content? Ignite Visibility can develop campaigns that get real results, with the ability to provide a host of other digital marketing solutions based on your unique needs.
With our help, you can:
- Create and optimize high-quality images
- Incorporate SEO best practices to help your images and pages appear in visual search results
- Analyze the results of your efforts for continual improvement
Reach out to us today to start integrating a visual search strategy that really works.
