For those who have already ventured into e-commerce, this following experience may seem very common. The user accesses a platform in search of a specific model of sneakers, for example. However, after typing exactly what you want in the search bar, what happens is a curious effect: it is swallowed by various irrelevant results that have nothing to do with the intended merchandise. So, the consumer is directed to unrelated shoes, vague recommendations and images that do not match what you imagined
Besides frustrating, the experience is harmful to the merchants. According to a study byHedgehog Digital, the lack of information about desired products is the reason that causes about 57% of e-commerce consumers in Brazil to abandon their purchases. With that, brands need to understand that this rejection happens because the user experience becomes out of sync with it, even more in the digital world, in which information is always awaited quickly and assertively.
Text-based search has its limitations. It mainly relies on keyword matching, it means that the algorithm tries to find the closest matches based on the entered terms. But this method does not always understand what the individual is really looking for. It does not capture the nuances that make a search truly intuitive, and certainly does not take advantage of the power of what we see.
To have some context, a study of Slyceit points out that 74% of consumers already believe that text searches are not as 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 midst 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 characteristics such as color, shape and patterns. This technology opens up a wide range of possibilities, facilitating everything from product searches to the recognition of specific locations or items
OneViSenze studyit points out that 62% of consumers from the Millennial and Generation Z demographics already use image search resources in the US and also in the UK. Furthermore, Rakuten datashow that 91% of users feel more attracted to a product when the search returns with images
The truth is that AI is making visual search smarter, intuitive and precise. She learns from images to identify patterns and characteristics in ways we could never achieve with simple 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 sift through irrelevant results pages when they can simply show exactly what they want, sharing an image. E-commerce giants like Amazon have already realized this. With an interactive AR (Augmented Reality) camera, she offers visual suggestions and options to adjust text search queries, circular an object they liked and search for similar products with the option "more like this"
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, in addition to influencer content, taking all this material and transforming it into an assertive tool for the segment
With that, consumers can turn an image they find on Instagram or a blog into an instant search that connects them to the exact product, directly 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 the ROI of content
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 get the search terms right. The image becomes the universal communication, making product discovery easier for everyone, anywhere. Here, it is worth highlighting fora 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 Studioscertifying that people tend to remember 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read
What comes next for visual search in e-commerce
Looking to the future, the potential of visual search in e-commerce is impressive. Integrating with other emerging technologies, how 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 marketing strategy and with a forward-looking vision
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 the expectations of today's consumers, focused on the visual, transforming images into actionable insights and making purchases easier, quick and pleasant
