Google Local Search by Photo - The New Local Search

In October 2019, Google unveiled a brand-new feature revealing a completely revamped image-based search interface. This “search by photos” feature displays local results graphically based on an image matching the search query, in addition to the usual 3 pack for local keyword searches. Google’s new photo metaphor for local searches is currently hidden several clicks and scrolling below the advertisements, where users are then provided with a carousel with an image, star rating, and the company’s name.

Whether or if this new mobile-only feature will stick around remains to be seen. What kinds of categories display visuals is also not apparent.

It appears that Google has segmented the world into those areas where images are relevant (tourism, cuisine, shopping) and those areas where they are not (healthcare, legal, plumbing, etc.). Whether or not it’s here to stay, the quality and quantity of your visual content has a significant impact on how well your website performs in search engine results.

Consumers now have the power to make or break the company’s reputation, and there appears to be mixed feelings about that.

Images for a given location are collected and selected by Google. Therefore, the photos Google selects to accompany your listing will determine how well it converts.

However, for the past few years, Google has been pressuring company owners to regularly update their GMB profile with images. So, this new feature may be the first step in a larger goal, a new local Google local search photo discovery metaphor in which the user chooses the business based on images as well as statistics. Did You See That Coming?

Final Thoughts