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图像识别技术的出现为零售营销商带来了新的机遇。它不仅通过视觉搜索提升了产品探索，而且还有可能改善整体客户体验，同时增加收入。

那么，营销人员如何调整他们的策略以利用这种新兴技术呢？答案是通过优化搜索引擎和社交媒体的图像内容。

谷歌图像和视觉搜索优化

通过手机在谷歌上搜索品牌产品时，您是否注意到图片有时会直接出现在搜索结果中？

例如，在搜索LV钱包时：在顶部广告和LV网站之后，是一系列图片，允许用户使用类别选项优化他们的搜索。即使这已是搜索出现的第三个结果，但是搜索者也很可能会倾向于点击这些图像。

根据意向实验室（一个由效果营销代理公司Performics和西北大学联手打造的研究实验室）最近的一项研究，在线购买服饰时，85％的消费者更重视视觉效果，而不是文字信息。

以搜索LV钱包为例，有以下两种场景：

当搜索者点击图片时，会将其定向到Google产品页面，其中列出了价格和产品信息。如果他们选择这样做，他们将被引导到路易威登网站进行购买。

在Google图片搜索中，用户只有在点击网址或Google产品页面上图片下方的品牌按钮时才会进入该网站。

这对营销人员意味着什么？通过在Google上添加产品信息，它可以创建一个无摩擦的环境，让购物者可以做出更快的购买决策。但是，如果搜索者在Google上查看该产品，然后决定不再购买该产品，则该数据将无法使用，因为用户从未将该数据发送到该品牌的网站。是否需要权衡以提供更好的客户体验？

Google图片作为产品

以下是Google图片搜索结果的两个示例：选项（a）没有产品标记，选项（b）包含产品标记。您认为哪项对在线购物者更有帮助？

某些图片带有产品标签，表示他们有相关的产品信息，如价格、描述、新功能、星级、有库存、已下架、免费送货和退货等。

科技巨头谷歌公司的图像识别工具GoogleLens利用此产品数据（如果有）提供更准确的图像结果。它还可以帮助客户找到他们正在寻找的产品并进行购买。这是增加电商品牌发现和潜在收入的重要机会。

社交媒体的视觉优化

与老一辈人不同，60％的“Z世代”消费者选择通过社交媒体搜索产品。

Instagram、Facebook和Snapchat等多种社交媒体平台提供应用内图像识别功能。然而，对于零售品牌来说，PinterestLens的功能和应用程序目前更为复杂。

在PinterestLens发布的第一年，每月图片搜索量翻了一倍多，达到6亿。在这些搜索中，时尚是最重要的类别，美容、汽车和旅行紧随其后。

优化图像内容可以帮助产品在使用Pinterest Lens时显示在视觉搜索结果中，并在“更多相关图片”的搜索结果中显示在图像下，为客户增加价值。对于不想将所有营销资金用于广告的零售商而言，这是一个难得的机会。

以下图片简要介绍了Pinterest购物者通过视觉搜索的旅程：

从浏览到购买最少仅需点击7次。根据Business Insider的说法，品牌现在可以通过Pinterest Lens上的视觉搜索来定位超过5,000个类别。

接下来会是什么？

2019年3月，Pinterest宣布支持应用内购物的新功能，包括：

- 目录：营销人员可以为其品牌上传完整的产品目录

- 购买品牌：允许Pinterest用户按品牌购物，仅显示特定零售商的结果

- 个性化推荐：提供与您的风格相似的购物结果

- 购物搜索：将优选购物结果显示在信息流顶部

“Check out on Instagram”似乎也极具潜力。Instagram目前正在测试他们的新应用内购物技术，其中包括Adidas,Balmain, Dior 和MAC彩妆等品牌。

所有这些新技术将如何影响网上购物？Gartner报告称，到2021年，重新设计其网站以支持视觉和语音搜索的初期实践品牌的数字商务收入将增加30％。

小贴士

视觉搜索的兴起对零售品牌有几个好处。将图像识别集成到购物体验中可以：

1.显着减少消费者在购买前搜索、评估产品所需的时间和步骤。

2.帮助营销人员更好地了解客户的动机、行为和习惯，以提供更加个性化的产品、服务和体验。

3.增加各个品牌、科技公司、社交媒体网络和大型在线零售网站之间的合作机会，以便通过新的和改进的功能改善整体客户体验。

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原文内容链接如下：

https://lbbonline.com/news/visual-search-opportunities-for-ecommerce-brands/

Visual SearchOpportunities for eCommerce Brands

BookmarkContent and Communications – Canada, 

Theemergence of image recognition technology provides retail marketerswith new opportunities. Not only does it increase product discoverythrough visual search, but it has the potential to improve theoverall customer experience, while increasing revenues.

So,how can marketers adapt their strategies to take advantage of thisemerging technology? By optimising their image content for searchengines and social media.

GoogleImage and Visual Search Optimisation

Whensearching for a branded product in Google on mobile, have you noticedthat images sometimes appear directly in the results?

Forexample, when searching for a Louis Vuitton wallet: the secondorganic result – after the ad at the top and the Louis Vuittonwebsite – is a carousel of images, which allows users to refinetheir search with category options. Even if this is the third result,it is more than likely that searchers will gravitate to those images.

85%of consumers place more importance on visuals thanon text information when shopping online for clothing, according to arecent study by The Intent Lab (a research partnership betweenPerformics, a  performance marketing agency, and NorthwesternUniversity).

Usingthe Louis Vuitton wallet example, consider two scenarios:

Whena searcher clicks on the image, they are directed to the GoogleProduct page which lists the price and product information. With asecond click, they are taken to the Louis Vuitton site to make apurchase, should they choose to do so.

Whena searcher clicks on the URL, they land directly on the Louis Vuittonsite, view the product page, select a color and potentially make apurchase.

InGoogle Image search, a user will only click through to the site ifthey click on the URL, or on the branded button below the image onthe Google Product page. 

Whatdoes this mean for marketers? By including product information onGoogle, it creates a frictionless environment where shoppers can makefaster purchase decisions. However, if the searcher views the producton Google and then decides not to purchase it, that data will not beavailable as the user never made it to the brand’s website. Is thetrade-off to provide a better customer experience worth it?

GoogleImages as Products

Hereare two examples of Google Image results: option (a) does not have aProduct tag, option (b) has a Product tag. Which do you think is morehelpful to online shoppers?

Someimages have a Product tag, indicating that they have associatedproduct information such as price, description, new features, starrating, in stock, no longer available, free shipping and returns.

GoogleLens, the tech giant’s image recognition tool, leverages thisProduct data – if available – to provide more accurate imageresults. It also helps customers find the products they’re lookingfor and make a purchase. This is a major opportunity for increaseddiscovery and potential revenue for eCommerce brands.

VisualOptimisation for Social Media

Unlikeprevious generations, 60%of Gen Z discover products on social media reportsViSenze, an image recognition solutions provider.

Severalsocial media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat offerin-app image recognition. However, the Pinterest Lens functionalityand applications for retail brands are currently more sophisticated.

Monthlyvisual searches more than doubled to 600 million withinthe first year of the Pinterest Lens launch. Of those searches,fashion is the top category with beauty, vehicles and travelfollowing closely behind.

Optimisingimage content can help products appear in visual search results whenusing the Pinterest Lens and in “More like this” results thatappear under an image, adding value for the customer. This is primereal estate for retailers who don’t want to spend all theirmarketing dollars on advertising. 

Here’sa glimpse of the ideal Pinterest shopper journey with visual search:

That’spotentially seven clicks from scan to purchase (or nine, if Pinningto a board). Brands can now target over 5,000 categories throughvisual search on Pinterest Lens, according to Business Insider.

What’snext

InMarch 2019, Pinterest announced new features to support in-appshopping including:

-    Catalogs: marketerscan upload a full catalog of products for their brand

-    Shopa brand: allows Pinners to shop by brand, only showingresults from a specific retailer

-    Personalisedrecommendations: provides shopping results similar to yourstyle

-    Shoppingsearch: prioritises shopping results at the top of the feed

‘Checkouton Instagram’ also looks promising. Instagramis currently beta testing their new in-app shopping technology withseveral brands such as Adidas, Balmain, Dior and MAC cosmetics, toname a few.

Howwill all of this affect online shopping? Gartner reports that by2021, early adopter brands that redesign their websites to supportvisual and voice search will increasedigital commerce revenue by 30%. 

Takeaways

Therise of visual search has several benefits for retail brands.Integrating image recognition into the shopping experience can:

1.    Significantlyreduce the time and steps customers take to discover, evaluateoptions before making a purchase.

2.    Helpmarketers better understand their customers’ motivations, behaviorsand habits to provide more personalised products, services andexperiences.

3.    Increase partnership opportunities betweenindividual brands, tech companies, social media networks, and largeonline retail outlets, in order to combine efforts and improve theoverall customer experience with new and improved functionality.