How do you optimise for visual search?
Search engines are constantly evolving as new trends enter the digital market. Information is a mouse click away, all you need to do is type in a query and the information is provided. It's easy and effective. These days text based queries are not the only way to search for images. Voice and visual search are not popular methods of searching the internet.
Visual search enables users to search for information using an image rather than typing in a keyword or phrase. This option is useful when a user doesn't know how to describe what they are looking for. Screenshots, photos, images are used and uploaded to Google Lens or Amazon StyleSnap. Visual search is used to find out information on just about any search query.
Visual search relies on artificial intelligence (AI), combining machine learning with computer vision. When a user takes a photograph of something they want to find, the software identifies the image and provides results. What is Visual Search?
Visual search and image search both rely on images to carry out a search, but they are different. The difference is how the users carry out their searches. Image searches involve using a keyword or URL, while visual search only uses images. Visual search relies on:
Visual search is expected to continue growing, becoming a revolutionary tool for retailers in the future. To boost visibility in visual searches, there are some important elements to consider:
Structured data makes it easier for search engines to understand the images and content provided. It is important to ensure the image metadata is accessible and visible to Google and the other search engines to improve your ranking in visual searches.
Alternative text is a short description of an image that is visible when the image does not display on the screen. This is useful to search engines, helping them understand your image context, making it easier for users to discover your content.
Search engine crawlers crawl your website copy and the file names of your images. When you optimise your images, you have the ability to reach a wider audience.
Creating an image sitemap helps to improve your chances of your images becoming more visible to search engines, especially if you have loaded them via JavaScript. Image sitemaps help to organise visuals in a structured way, making it easier for search engines to crawl, index, and rank your images.
It is essential to ensure you use the right sized images and file formats. Images must be high quality, while being a small size, ensuring your site can still load quickly, offering a great user experience (UX).
Visual search is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your products through image searches, helping you reach a wider audience and drive organic traffic to your website. Visual search helps to improve customer experience and sales.
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