Google Shopping is getting more visual. In fall 2022, Google announced several changes to its Shopping search designed to make the experience better for consumers. This new slate of resources should make it easier—and more enjoyable—for shoppers to research and complete their next purchases, regardless of what they’re buying. 

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about this new era of shopping, and what role images play in it. 

What’s being added to products in the Google Shopping view? 

We already know ecommerce is getting more visual, and Google is embracing that movement by incorporating more visual content into its Shopping service.  

• Shop the look: When shopping for apparel, Google will serve up an option that allows consumers to search for complementary products to complete an outfit. 
• Trending products: See visuals of products trending within categories of interest. 
• 3D images: Google has already started implementing 3D images in search, and it’s set to expand from home goods to sneakers. It’s also adding a new tool to make it easier for brands to create 3D images from existing photos. 

High inflation and mounting fear of recession puts price and deal hunting at the top of consumer concerns. That’s why, in addition to the new emphasis on images, Google is also making it easier for consumers to compare products and find the best deals.  

• Pricing insights and deal comparisons: Google will offer features like promotional badges, side-by-side price comparisons across retailers, and easy coupon clipping to help consumers find the best deals. 
• Special promotion labels: Shoppers will be able to immediately see what promotions are running with special labels on product listings. 
• Personalized results pages: Search results will adjust based on previous shopping habits and consumer-provided preferences. More filters will also be added to make it easier for shoppers to refine search results. 

Why did Google add these elements? 

These changes are designed to give shoppers more of what they want in the ecommerce experience. Chief among that is ensuring they have the best price: A Google survey found 43% of U.S. shoppers are going to look for good deals more in 2022 than the previous year. 

The world is also getting more visual—in fact, visuals are one of the key ways brands and retailers can encourage consumers to move toward a conversion. According to the Vizit and Path to Purchase Institute survey, the majority of shoppers will view all of the images on in a carousel on a product landing page. 

Our survey also found that many rely on product ratings, peer reviews, and customer-supplied images to validate a purchase. 

How will the Google Shopping changes impact product imagery? 

These recent changes to the Google Shopping experience put the onus on brands and retailers to upgrade their imagery. Product photos are going to be more important than ever—both professional images sourced from PDPs and visuals from influencers or customer reviews. 

Hero images, which have always been essential for capturing consumer attention, will take on renewed importance to pick up more market share within the Shopping results page and the Trending Products lineup. 

Carousel images and 3D images, along with real-life visuals supplied by influencers and buyers, will be key to securing a purchase. With shoppers easily able to see price comparisons and promos, the only things holding them back will be product details (like the kind you can easily see in zoomed-in images or images displaying the different quantities and colors available) and external validation. 

What do brands and retailers need to do to adapt to the new Google Shopping? 

This new Google Shopping puts optimized visuals at the forefront. Brands and retailers must:

• Benchmark existing imagery against competitors to identify strengths, weaknesses, and gaps. 
• Optimize existing hero images to best capture the attention of the target audience. 
• Pad PDP carousels with the visuals the audience wants, such as images that zoom in on the details of a product. 
• Create 3D images of products to round out PDPs.      
• Audit buyer reviews, including those with images, to gauge where the brand stands among consumers. Entice past shoppers to leave reviews with photos. 

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You can read more about the impact images have on the consumer shopping journey in our ebook, The Ecommerce Practitioner's Guide to Understanding and Amplifying the Impact of Imagery on Online Purchasing Decisions.