There are exciting times ahead as Google have introduced the latest developments with their Google Multisearch feature.
What is Google Multisearch?
Google Multisearch is a new feature introduced for the Google Lens (either via a Google Pixel or the Google iOS/Android app), building upon the pre-existing camera search function. Mutisearch allows for users to take a picture of something they want to search, before refining the search further using a text search feature.
Google Lens is already a revolutionary method of searching, using a really powerful AI engine behind it. Google Multisearch builds upon that by allowing for a contextual search to be added, changing the nature of the search.
The primary example that Google uses is with clothing. As the images below show, the initial search is done using Google Lens, before applying an additional Multisearch criteria and applying a colour criteria to the results. This works as more than a filter, the likes of which we have in the SERP already, which traditionally apply a criteria to a pre-existing search. Instead, this appears to create a new search entirely using the new criteria.
Interestingly, Google Multisearch's application goes beyond clothing. One of the more interesting applications being able to take a picture of a plant before asking for case instructions. That said, Google recommend that it is used primarily for shopping features.
What does Google Multisearch mean for optimisation?
Since Google Multisearch runs off specific AI, how it precisely interacts with images and photos is unknown. That being said, there are certain things we can speculate about.
The way that Google's Multisearch AI works is not necessarily algorithmic; however, it is likely that it is the case. The precise algorithm is unknown, but it is likely to follow what we already know in regards to best practice.
What this means is that now, more than ever, it is important to ensure image descriptions and alt-tags are as descriptive as possible. Image optimisation matters now more than ever.
At the moment though, this is mainly speculation and, as we know more, we'll ensure that we post updates on this blog.
Leaps Forward in Multimodal Search
Google Multisearch is a step forward as Google strives towards multimodal search. Multimodal search is something that Google is moving towards thanks to the Multitask Unified Model (or MUM for short). MUM means that there are likely to be an increase in updates coming our way relating to searching via Google Lens. This will likely lead to a new SERP layout in due course.