Google Introduces a New Visual Search Experience for the TikTok Generation

September 30, 2022 By Alberto Mesti

(Image Credit Google)

Google announced today that it is redesigning the traditional Google Search experience to allow users to explore the information more naturally. The company is introducing a number of new features, such as drill-down tools and other changes that will make using search a more visual experience, highlighting map snippets, imagery, and even video in new ways. The update follows Google's earlier this year disclosure of internal research indicating that younger people were increasingly turning to other services, such as TikTok and Instagram, to begin their web searches rather than Google. The changes it's making now show that it's taken some cues from how younger people use the internet, preferring easily accessible and visual content, as well as more guidance as they do searches.

To begin, one new feature will place shortcuts to some of Google's useful tools directly on the Google app's home screen, beneath the search box. Users will be presented with buttons that allow them to take quick actions such as translating text with their camera, solving a math homework problem, identifying music, or shopping from their screenshots. Some are aimed at younger audiences, such as those who grew up Shazam'ing music or online shopping and saving images of favorite products, as well as those who are comfortable experimenting with newer technology, such as Google Lens. These buttons don't always point to new features, but rather to Google services that may not be as well-known as they could be.

Another change will improve Google's search refinement tools for text-based queries by expanding on its current list of auto-complete suggestions to include buttons below the search box that will allow you to drill down into various sub-topics as you search. For example, if you were researching a location or vacation destination, the buttons might suggest topics such as culture, history, weather, or other information that you might need to know.

Enhanced Visual Search

The biggest change coming to Google Search is how some of its search results will be presented to users. While it will not abandon the list of blue links, it will redesign its informational boxes known as "Knowledge Panels."

Google will pull in information from various sources and formats. When researching a location, for example, you might come across photos, a small map with directions, weather, and even short videos. These are presented in colorful, card-style blocks interspersed with media and imagery, rather than a list of links or a text-heavy format. "This builds on our previous launches over the last year of introducing this browsable visual-first results as well as an ongoing scroll on mobile," said Cathy Edwards, VP and General Manager of Search, in a briefing ahead of today's event. Google says that in some cases, these visual search results will highlight content from YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.

For some time, Google has been considering how to best showcase creator content in Google Search results. In 2020, it began testing a feature in the Google app that aggregated short-form videos from TikTok and Instagram into their carousel. The following year, The Information reported that it was looking for search deals with Instagram and TikTok to get the data it needed to index and rank videos. Today, the company is downplaying any specific agreements it may have, noting that TikTok's content is all indexable on the public web — which means that Google can access and present it however it sees fit for the time being. She also stated that YouTube Shorts content will be indexed in the same manner. TikTok

Google has other plans to fully integrate TikTok into its search results, but didn't go into detail beyond acknowledging user demand for more easily searchable TikToks. "We know a user section who likes the results they find on TikTok," Edwards admitted. "I think part of that is because TikTok has reduced the barrier to entry for content creation, so there's some really good content there." "And we're looking into more ways to incorporate that into our search results," she said. However, this visual update will not affect all Google Search results. Instead, it will soon appear on search result pages where the visual format would be more useful, such as travel searches. google

The upgraded Google Search experience was one of several changes announced today at the company's Search On event, which focused on improvements to various Google products such as Search, Maps, Translate, Shopping, and more. There's a very real sense among these updates that Google is attempting to adapt its business to a world where users are rarely starting their queries on its platform, as they did in the early days of the web. According to Google Senior Vice President Prabhakar Raghavan, who runs Google's Knowledge & Information organization, nearly 40% of young people would frequently search TikTok or Instagram for a place to eat for lunch rather than Google or Google Maps. While Google will not admit that Gen Z's web usage is driving the change, it has acknowledged its influence. Google had a commitment to developing products for a broader user base than just one segment.

By Alberto Mesti

Introvert. Eccentric at times. A fashion enthusiast, designer and writer. Lives for the drama, hates being at the centre of it. Can be best described as \'wannabe modern day Lady Whistledown\'.

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