3 ways visual search helps you shop
Google Lens helps people search what they see — with just a quick photo you’re scrolling through visual matches for what caught your eye. Lens is used for nearly 20 billion visual searches every month — we see shoppers relying on visual search for everything from exploring outfit inspo and living room decor ideas to identifying an item sitting in the background of a video. In fact, today 20 percent of all Google Lens searches are shopping-related.
Here are a few ways we’re seeing shoppers get the most out of Lens — plus a handy new update that makes product research with Lens as easy as a snap(shot).
1. New: Find product details instantly with Google Lens
In those moments of "What is that? I want it!" Lens merges the power of Google’s AI and more than 45 billion products in the Shopping Graph1 to not only help you discover visual matches of what you love, but also identify specific products and details about them before you buy.
Starting today, Lens will prominently display key information when it identifies the product in your photo. Let’s say you’re at the airport and a backpack someone is wearing catches your eye — you love how it looks and want to learn more about it. Rather than trying to figure out the exact product name and typing it into Search, you can just tap the Lens icon in the search bar and snap a photo (or upload one from your gallery) to instantly see details like price across retailers, current deals, product reviews and where to buy it — all in one place, powered by the Shopping Graph.
We’ve been testing this new feature and found that shoppers are more likely to engage with information in the new interface.2 The result page will also display relevant shopping ads, so shoppers can compare options and prices, and retailers can highlight relevant products.
We’re rolling out this new experience today for Android and iOS devices in select countries, starting with top holiday shopping categories like toys, electronics and beauty.
2. Shop your screen
In our testing, people are finding it easier than ever to discover new products with Circle to Search. Circle to Search lets you move from browsing the web, watching videos or scrolling social into shopping what you see without switching apps. And shoppers keep coming back for more — we even find that a third of the users who have tried Circle to Search use it weekly. Just long press the home button (or navigation bar) on select Android devices, then circle, scribble or tap a product on the screen to find similar options. Whether you’re trying to find a dupe for a celebrity’s glamorous award show look, tackle your Halloween costume shopping or figure out who makes the handbag you saw in your favorite blogger’s video, you can find what you’re looking for conveniently and quickly.
3. Take a photo and add words to tailor your search
Fashion lovers can use Lens to turn an aesthetic vision into reality. In fact, we found that fashion accessories are the most-searched for shopping category — with bags, watches, wallets, rings, bracelets and sunglasses topping the accessories list. Lens even makes it possible to search with text and images at the same time, so you can really refine what you’re looking for.
A very popular use of Lens is for furniture shopping. Let’s say you see a couch you love in a store and the silhouette is perfect, but the color doesn’t work with your living room. Just take a photo with Lens and add words to narrow your search like “brown” or “velvet.” Or perhaps you love the style, but it's too big for your space and you'd rather find something smaller — you can add “chair” to find options that better match your vision (and your apartment size).
Visual search is a simple way to find helpful shopping information and inspiration. Try Google Lens by tapping the Lens icon in the Google app for Android and iOS, or wherever you see the Google Search bar.
