In an increasingly visual society, Google appears to be adapting its search strategy with a focus on image-centric results. Reports suggest the tech giant is developing a feature akin to Pinterest, especially for users seeking inspiration in areas like fashion and interior design.
Google's New Visual Search Feature
According to Endgadget, Google is reportedly unveiling a Pinterest-esque feature at their upcoming I/O developer conference at the upcoming I/O developer conference, set to take place from 20 to 21 May.
Similar to Pinterest, this feature is set to provide users with visually-oriented search results particularly relevant to domains such as fashion and interior design. Additionally, reports suggest the inclusion of a feature enabling users to curate and archive preferred images within designated folders.
The report suggests this is a direct response to declining ads revenue from commercial queries on traditional Google Search.
Why The Pinterest Blueprint?
While Google has reportedly been losing search share in areas like homework and math to generative AI chatbots like ChatGPT, another significant factor driving this potential Pinterest-like feature is Pinterest's undeniable success in visual search.
A compelling statistic by Adobe, reveals that a substantial 36% of consumers prefer Pinterest over Google as a search engine. This figure jumps to an even more significant 39% among Gen Z users. One of the major reasons why users choose Pinterest over traditional options is due to its visual format.
Pinterest's "pinboard" system — allowing users to save and organise images from the web and uploads, coupled with its social features like following and "repinning" — has resonated strongly, especially in visually-driven categories like beauty, design, fashion, and cooking. By offering a similar, visually engaging experience, Google could potentially lure some of those users back to their platform and recapture some of that ad revenue.
This Won't Be Google's First Rodeo In The Visual Search Field
Back in 2020, Google launched an experimental website and Android App named Keen, designed to let users curate content around their interests such as culinary arts and typographic research, much like Pinterest. You could create "Keens" on topics you loved, save related web searches, text, and images, and even share your collections.
The platform incorporated gesture-based interaction alongside machine learning algorithms, including Google Search, to identify and recommend relevant products to its user base. However, Keen was subsequently discontinued on 24 March 2024.
It’s unclear whether Google’s rumoured new feature will be integrated into an existing Google service or if it’ll be a standalone website or app.
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News sources: Endgadget, Adobe, IndustryWired, ZDNET
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