Visual search revolutionizes e-commerce and brings more results

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 model of tennis, 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 and that have nothing to do with the desired merchandise. So, the consumer is directed to unrelated shoes, vague recommendations and images that do not match what he imagined.

In addition to being frustrating, the experience is harmful to traders. According to a study by Digital Hedgehog, the lack of information about the desired products is the cause that causes about 57% of e-commerce consumers in Brazil to give up their purchases. With this, brands need to understand that this rejection happens because the user experience is uncompassed with this, even more in the digital world, where information is always expected quickly and assertively. 

Text-based search has its limitations.It depends mainly on keyword matching, which 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 a context, we a study by Slyce points out that 74% of consumers already consider 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, which is changing the way people discover products and interact with online stores. Visual search harnesses the power of AI to interpret images by analyzing features such as color, shape and patterns. This technology opens up a wide range of possibilities, facilitating everything from searching for products to recognizing specific locations or items.

One viesenze Study it points out that 62% of consumers belonging to the Millenium and Z generations already use image search capabilities in the US and also in the UK rakuten Data they show that 91% of users are more attracted to a product when the search returns with images.

The truth is that AI is making visual search smarter, more intuitive, and more accurate. It learns from images to identify patterns and characteristics in ways we would never be able to with plain text.The result of this is a seamless shopping experience that aligns with how 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 and scour pages of irrelevant results 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, it offers visual suggestions and options to adjust search queries with text, circle an object they liked and search for similar products with the “ plus option like this”.

How visual search is simplifying marketing

Today, brands are investing resources in creating engaging visuals, from photos to videos, as well as influencer content, taking all of that material and turning it into an assertive 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 to the exact product, directly on the brand 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.

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 non-speaking language, the language barrier can be a real challenge. 

With visual search, language becomes irrelevant. It is not necessary to hit the search terms.The image becomes universal communication, making product discovery easier for everyone, anywhere. Here, it is worth a highlight to a Synecore study, which showed that 40% of people respond better to images than texts. At this point, we can take into account also a survey by NeoMam Studios attesting that people usually remember 80% of what they see and only 20% of what they read.

What comes next for visual search in e-commerce?

Looking ahead, the potential of visual search in e-commerce is impressive. Integrating with other emerging technologies such as voice search and augmented reality, visual search technology is about to evolve rapidly.

Brands that embrace visual search will gain a competitive advantage by offering richer, more engaging user journeys.By embracing visual search, businesses will be able to meet the expectations of today's visual-driven consumers, turning images into actionable insights and making shopping easier, faster and more enjoyable.