Visual searches and optimising for them
In our last blog, we looked at one of the recent trends in the way users are searching for things that they need, which is voice-based searches. We also talked about a few ways in which we can optimise for voice searches.
Today, we will take a look at another such trend in searches which has also been growing more and more popular by the day - visual searches. So, what is a visual search? A visual search is where instead of using text to search in a traditional search engine, an image or a scan of an image is used to search for an object/product/service/brand etc.
In a study conducted by ViSenze, the results showed that almost 62% of their respondents from the Gen Zs and millennials demographic responded that they prefer to use visual search. From the same research, 41% of millennials prefer to see product recommendations based on what people similar to them are also buying. With the already dominant visual search engines like Google Lens, Yahoo Image Search and Bing Image Search, newer and better visual search tools are entering the market every day. This makes visual search a very convenient option for users, which is likely to further increase its adoption.
Similar to traditional search engine optimization and voice-based search engine optimization, let us look at a few good practices on how to optimise for visual searches:
- Use Great Visuals
This may be the most obvious suggestion in this list but it is also the most critical one. The images have to be eye-catching and informative and must give the user an immediate sense of recollection and calm. - Ensure That Images/Videos SEO Is Up To Date
Just like text content, images/videos also have some well-established common practices. Make sure that image properties such as title, description, keywords, size, format etc. are all optimised for your purpose. - Optimise For Long-Tailed Keywords
Optimise every image title and description on your site with the long-tail keywords that connect potential customers with the specific item for which they’re searching. This is done to ensure your products and services show up in search results. - Consistency Is Key
Develop a consistent brand scheme for your visual content which should boost brand recall by being immediately recognisable to your audience. If your target audience is younger users, capitalise on current visual trends, such as reels, short stories etc. - Local SEO Is Important
Make sure that all the images are geotagged to ensure that location-specific searches related to those images are directed to your site. - Don’t Ignore Videos
While most of our discussion so far has been about images, it pays to remember that YouTube is the second biggest search engine in the world following Google. Make sure that you have a dedicated YouTube channel and consistently post new informative videos on a wide range of subjects so that users can find them.
Unlike voice search, visual search is still in its infancy and is a potential gold mine for those who jump in on the idea early and can take advantage.