Imagine redecorating your living room and discovering a stunning sofa at your friend's house. You're inspired and want to find a similar design with different features.
Instead of tedious searches on furniture websites, simply snap a photo of the sofa and upload it to a virtual search engine. Within seconds, you'll be presented with visually similar sofas from various online stores.
This virtual search (VS) approach is reshaping our digital interactions. Thanks to advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, image recognition technology has reached unprecedented levels.
Now, we can search for information using images instead of text, revolutionising industries like e-commerce, travel, and tourism. To better understand the concept better, this article will delve into visual search, its benefits for brands, and the transformative tools driving this revolution.
Visual search is an innovative technology that allows users to search for information, products, or services using images instead of text-based queries. Instead of typing keywords into a search engine, users can upload or capture an image to initiate a search.
Visual search engines then analyse the visual features of the image, such as colors, shapes, and patterns, to retrieve relevant results. This approach to searching not only enhances user experience but also opens up new opportunities and a short way for brands to turn experiences into conversions.
Nowadays, 69% of young shoppers prefer visual searches and its market size is estimated to reach $28,470 million by 2027. The numbers show that as the concept grows in popularity and revolutionises the customer's interaction with search engines, brands will need to adapt it to provide seamless shopping experiences and higher ROI.
In the ever-evolving landscape of search engines, visual search stands at the forefront of innovation. Gone are the days of text-based queries as we embrace the power of image-based searches. Today, we leap forward into the realm of visual search, revolutionising the way we find information.
To truly grasp the technology behind virtual search, it's crucial to understand how it differs from image search. While these two search technologies may appear similar at first glance, they possess distinct nuances in their operations and the search capabilities they offer.
Visual search technology harnesses cutting-edge advancements in computer vision and machine learning. It empowers users to embark on online searches using images as their primary input.
This means that the search journey commences with a visual—be it a snapshot, a web image, or a photograph. By analysing the visual features and extracting the contextual meaning from the images, visual search engines can deliver a rich variety of relevant search results.
On the other hand, image search, also known as reverse photo search, operates through a content-based image retrieval (CBIR) technique.
Similar to text search engines, image search engines provide you with a plethora of images based on a keyword or image query. In this case, the search journey commences with text and then seamlessly transitions to images.
So, these are the key distinctions between visual and image search:
When compared to text and image search, visual search helps customers find desired products or services five times faster. This alone demonstrates the significant importance it holds for brands in industries such as home decoration, real estate, fashion, and retail.
VS offers numerous opportunities for brands to enhance profitability, increase conversions, and deliver seamless experiences. Now, let's explore how it empowers brands to capitalise on these new and exciting opportunities.
Visual search opens up exciting possibilities for brands to engage with their customers in a more immersive and interactive way.
By integrating visual search capabilities into their online stores, brands can offer a seamless experience where users can simply snap a photo of a product they like and find visually similar items on product pages.
This process eliminates the need for tedious searches, making it easier for users to discover new products and explore different options for the products.
One of the biggest challenges for brands is bridging the gap between product or service discovery and purchase. Brands normally use SEO strategies to bridge this gap and ensure that their offerings are visible, relevant, and compelling to potential customers.
In terms of instantly providing customers with what they want, VS can significantly streamline this path to conversion.
Brands should employ visual search optimisation techniques such as incorporating relevant long-tail keywords into image titles and descriptions, including alt texts for images, and optimising image sizes and file types.
By implementing these optimisation techniques, brands can effectively position their products or services at the forefront of visual search results, resulting in enhanced visibility, increased click-through rates, and improved conversion rates.
VS transforms the online shopping experience, making it more visually appealing and personalised. Instantly finding similar products or services allows for effortless exploration and comparison.
Additionally, visual search can provide targeted recommendations based on the user's preferences, location, and browsing history, leading to more tailored and engaging shopping experiences.
In the current era, a multitude of visual search apps and tools are readily available, each offering distinct functionalities. Let's take an in-depth look at the major visual search tools you need to be familiar with.
Introduced in 2017, Google Lens has emerged as a highly comprehensive tool, catering to a wide range of visual search tasks with remarkable effectiveness. It offers an array of powerful features that revolutionise our smartphone interactions.
From effortlessly scanning QR codes and conducting real-time text translations to seamlessly identifying objects for shopping or providing invaluable homework assistance, Google Lens empowers users with unparalleled experiences.
Furthermore, its intelligent text selection and search capabilities enable users to effortlessly copy and search for text, while the ability to explore and gather information about their surroundings adds an unprecedented dimension to visual discovery.
With Google Lens, users can unlock a world of boundless possibilities, gaining instant access to information through the simple act of scanning or pointing their camera.
Bing Visual Search, developed by Microsoft, is an innovative image search engine that utilises advanced AI and reverse image search techniques. Available as a downloadable app for both computers and smartphones, it allows users to explore the web through their cameras.
This powerful tool offers a multitude of functionalities, including the ability to identify landmarks, trace the source of an image, facilitate product comparisons, and even locate unlabeled items.
One standout feature of Bing Visual Search is its capability to uncover the source behind graphics and designs, allowing users to identify instances of image copying and unauthorised uploading.
For brands, this functionality holds tremendous value, as it not only aids in connecting with highly skilled talents but also provides a means to detect and address potential design infringements.
Pinterest Lens is a powerful visual search tool and feature offered by the renowned social media platform Pinterest. It revolutionises the way users discover ideas and shop online. By effortlessly pointing their smartphone's camera at various objects, users can unlock a world of inspiration and product recommendations.
The tool employs cutting-edge AI technology to recognise a wide array of items, spanning from fashion and home decor to delectable recipes, and presents tailored suggestions based on users' visual inputs.
Setting itself apart from other platforms, Pinterest Lens prioritises individual preferences and interests, curating content that resonates with each user's unique taste and habits. Moreover, its intelligent search engine goes beyond generic recommendations by offering localised and language-specific content, catering to users' specific regions.
With its ability to deliver hyper-personalised experiences, Pinterest Lens emerges as an invaluable tool for brands, particularly those in the online retailing industry.
Beyond delivering customer-centric experiences there are many ways visual search can help marketers with their campaigns and drive better results. Let's explore a couple of successful examples.
Salesforce, a renowned leader in CRM software, has harnessed the potential of visual search with its integration of Einstein Vision. Recognising the valuable insights hidden within images, Salesforce created Einstein Vision, a business-to-business (B2B) solution that revolutionises business operations and customer interactions.
Einstein Vision empowers companies to tap into visual data, enabling deeper insights into product quality, consumer trends, and customer preferences. This valuable information enriches sales leads, automates service case resolution, and optimises marketing campaigns, resulting in enhanced business outcomes.
As one of the world's largest online marketplaces, eBay has embraced visual search to elevate the user experience and drive conversions. Their visual search feature enables users to effortlessly discover similar products by uploading images or using photos from their camera roll.
This intuitive functionality allows eBay users to explore unique and difficult-to-describe items, fostering engagement and facilitating seamless shopping experiences.
Undoubtedly, visual search is opening up new horizons for brands and users alike. The future of visual search holds even more promising possibilities. Advancements in artificial intelligence will pave the way for more accurate and efficient image recognition, delivering highly relevant search results.
The integration of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) with the visual search will unlock immersive experiences, enabling users to virtually try on clothes, visualise furniture in their homes, and even embark on virtual tours before making travel decisions.
As AI continues to evolve, VS will become increasingly intelligent and intuitive, adapting to user preferences and providing personalised recommendations. Soon, we’ll witness how the convergence of visual search, AI, AR, and VR will redefine our digital interactions.
