8 Ways Image Search is Changing Ecommerce Business

Have you ever heard the old saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words?” Well, these days and times, a photo is worth a thousand searches. Image searches have become a significant component of the online activities of consumers. According to Moz.com, almost 27% of web searches are conducted on Google Images. 

Google Images is one of the largest mediums for online searching, second only to Google.com. This data presents a significant opportunity for companies to capitalize on channel image searching toward ecommerce success. If a company produces quality images, understands Google’s algorithms, and makes it easy for customers to go from an image to their ecommerce store, it can win big.

Here are eight ways image search is changing ecommerce. 

Google has realized the impact image search has had on consumers, and they have made it easier for customers to become more engaged with photos related to online marketplaces. The search engine giant has removed the “View Image” button so that customers can see an image in the context of the webpage it sits on. Not only does this make the picture more attractive, but it also makes it a lot more likely for consumers to make their way to the home webpage. The goal should always be to steer customers from the image to the ecommerce website. 
 

It helps tremendously if customers can see others enjoying your products. Uploading and appropriately naming user-generated content can go a long way in attracting new customers. Mine your customer relationship management (CRM) tool to find your most engaged customers, and ask them to share their experiences with your products on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram. Many CRM software tools have features that help you use customer influencers to promote your brand. You can then attach these graphics to your ecommerce store and connect them to your brand. While customers search for items related to your company, they can come across photos of customers engaging with your products. 

It is no coincidence that smartphones are a part of this image search revolution. Consumers use phones to find and purchase products. Some companies use apps to make it easier for consumers to search for items through images. Neiman Marcus has been a forerunner in this area with their Snap, Find, and Shop mobile app. The application allows customers to find products in the Neiman Marcus marketplace by snapping photos of shoes or clothing. The mobile app will then find items that are similar to the photos uploaded. Companies can make shopping for items convenient by allowing customers to take advantage of the same technology. 

Traditionally, chatbots have only been able to respond to text questions and commands. Today, the scope of what chatbots can do has changed. Some companies are now using visual search chatbots. This tool reveals new products to customers based on images that are placed in the chatbot window. Visual chatbots can also handle basic questions from customers, vastly improving the overall customer experience. This action eliminates the time and cost associated with having an employee handling these inquiries.