Update time! Previously, we clued you guys in about some new e-commerce features and tools coming to several social media platforms, but we weren’t able to give specific details. Well, now it’s time to dive a little deeper into what Instagram has been cooking up. So today, we’re looking at the new search feature that Facebook is developing for Instagram and how this will change the shopping experience on the app.
This new feature is an experiment for the image-centered platform to grow the ‘shopability’ of the app by utilizing what it’s popular for, images. The search tool will use pictures to help consumers find similar products and items available to buy right from the app!
So how does it work?
The Visual Search tool expands AI programming born from Facebook’s journey into augmented reality and artificial intelligence to change how consumers shop online. This new search feature allows users to select a picture they like, analyze the featured product, say a gray crewneck or a striped dress, and show similar products that might interest the user.
What do we mean by this? If you like a picture of a pair of jeans, you can plug this picture into the visual search feature, and it will show you jeans in the same style, similar colors, or even other products from the same brand. The feature is promoting items that you might be interested in buying based on images you like and allowing you to purchase them.
Where’s this feature going?
As the feature grows and evolves, eventually, the feature will allow users to take photos of products themselves and plug them into the tool to find similar products. As the program continues to gain popularity and makes online shopping more accessible, the feature will become more immersive and helpful for users.
The feature’s future is heavily dependent on how well the search tool identifies related products and generates e-commerce value for the platform. Whether they’re ads, screenshots, or photographs, real-world images will serve as stimuli to guide the search tool and provide a foundation for what kinds of products will interest users.
We’re excited to see how the new search tool will change online shopping and how the future of social media e-commerce will look. Stay tuned for our update on the WhatsApp e-commerce feature!