For those who have already ventured into e-commerce, this experience may seem very common. The user accesses a platform in search of a specific sneaker model, for example. However, after typing exactly what you want in the search bar, what happens is a curious effect: it is swallowed by several irrelevant results that have nothing to do with the intended product. So, the consumer is directed to unrelated shoes, vague recommendations, and images that do not match what they imagined.
In addition to being frustrating, the experience is harmful to merchants. According to a study byHedgehog DigitalThe lack of information about the desired products is the reason why approximately 57% of e-commerce consumers in Brazil abandon their purchases. Therefore, brands need to understand that this rejection occurs because the user experience becomes mismatched with it, especially in the digital world, where information is always expected to be quick and accurate.
Text-based search has its limitations. It mainly relies on keyword matching, which means the algorithm tries to find the closest matches based on the entered terms. But this method doesn't always understand what the individual is really looking for. It doesn't capture the nuances that make a search truly intuitive, and it certainly doesn't harness the power of what we see.
To give you some context,a study of SlyceIt points out that 74% of consumers already consider text searches to be not very effective when looking for their favorite products. Because of this, a new model begins to take shape: the search for images.
The rise of visual search
We are in the middle of a visual revolution that is changing the way people discover products and interact with online stores. Visual search leverages the power of AI to interpret images, analyzing features such as color, shape, and patterns. This technology opens up a wide range of possibilities, making it easier from product searches to recognizing specific locations or items.
OneViSenze studyIt points out that 62% of consumers belonging to the Millennial and Z generations already use image search features in the US and the UK. Furthermore,Rakuten datashow that 91% of users feel more attracted to a product when the search returns images.
The truth is that AI is making visual search smarter, more intuitive, and more accurate. She learns from images to identify patterns and features in ways we could never achieve with plain text. The result of this is a seamless shopping experience that aligns with the way we naturally engage with the world.
We are seeing a fundamental change in user behavior. People are no longer willing to type what they want to search for and browse through irrelevant results pages when they can simply show exactly what they want by sharing an image. E-commerce giants like Amazon have already realized this. With an interactive AR (Augmented Reality) camera, it offers visual suggestions and options to refine text search queries, circle an object they like, and find similar products with the "more like this" option.
How Visual Search Is Simplifying Marketing
Visual search is especially powerful for marketing. Today, brands are investing resources in creating engaging visuals, from photos to videos, as well as influencer content, taking all this material and turning it into an effective tool for the segment.
With this, consumers can turn an image they find on Instagram or a blog into an instant search that connects them directly to the exact product on the brand's website. This connection between content marketing and direct sales is closing the loop and making it easier than ever for brands to measure content ROI.
And it's not just about young buyers. One of the most exciting aspects of visual search is how it is helping to break down barriers for non-native speakers. If someone is shopping in a foreign country or browsing a website in a language they do not speak, the language barrier can be a real challenge.
With visual search, language becomes irrelevant. It is not necessary to match the search terms. The image becomes universal communication, making product discovery easier for everyone, anywhere. Here, a highlight goes toa study by Synecore, which showed that 40% of people respond better to images than to texts. At this point, we can also take into accounta survey by NeoMam Studiosattesting that people tend to remember 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read.
What’s next for visual search in e-commerce?
Looking to the future, the potential of visual search in e-commerce is impressive. By integrating with other emerging technologies such as voice search and augmented reality, visual search technology is about to evolve rapidly. This is far from being a passing trend, acting as a vital component of your long-term and forward-looking marketing strategy.
Brands that adopt visual search early will gain a competitive advantage by offering richer and more engaging user journeys. By embracing visual search, companies will be able to meet today's visually-oriented consumers' expectations, transforming images into actionable insights and making shopping easier, faster, and more enjoyable.
