In this article · 10 sections
- How visual search finds products
- 1. Take clear, original product photos
- 2. Describe images properly
- 3. Add product structured data
- 4. List products in Google Merchant Center
- 5. Use your Google Business Profile
- Who benefits most
- Check how you appear
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Does Google Lens work for small shops?
- Do I need to run Shopping ads to appear?
- Can I stop Google from showing my images?
- Do WebP images work in Google Images?
- Make your catalogue searchable
A customer sees a pair of shoes on a friend, a lamp in a café, or a machine part at a workshop. Instead of describing it in words, they open Google Lens, point their camera, and get visually similar products — with prices and shops. Visual search is now built into Google's app, Chrome and the camera on many Android phones, and Google says Lens handles billions of searches every month.
For retailers, D2C brands and manufacturers, that's a new way to be discovered. Here's how to make your products findable by image.
How visual search finds products
Google Lens compares the photo with images it has indexed, then shows matches and related information. The results draw on:
- Product images on websites that Google can crawl.
- Product data from Google Merchant Center (free listings and Shopping ads).
- Google Business Profile photos and product listings.
- Text around the image: product names, descriptions, captions, alt text and structured data.
Good pictures alone aren't enough — Google needs context to know what the image shows and where to buy it.
1. Take clear, original product photos
- Plain or uncluttered backgrounds for main images, so the product is easy to recognise.
- Several angles: front, side, back, details, in use.
- High resolution — Google recommends large, sharp images for product results.
- Original photos, not the same manufacturer image every other shop uses. Unique images give you a better chance to appear separately.
See our tips on shooting your own photos.
2. Describe images properly
- File names:
mens-woollen-sweater-navy-ludhiana.webp, notIMG_4532.jpg. - Alt text: a short, accurate description — "Navy blue men's woollen cable-knit sweater".
- Nearby text: product name, brand, material, size, colour and price close to the image.
- Use real image tags (
<img>) rather than CSS backgrounds for product images, so Google can index them.
Our image optimisation guide covers compression and formats so pages stay fast.
3. Add product structured data
Product schema tells Google the name, image, price, availability and brand in a machine-readable format. This helps your products appear in rich results and Shopping surfaces. Keep prices and stock status accurate — mismatches with the page can cause warnings. See our schema guide.
4. List products in Google Merchant Center
Merchant Center lets you upload a product feed for free listings across Google's Shopping tab, Images and Lens results, even if you never run ads. For online stores, this is one of the most direct ways to appear in visual search. You'll need a website with clear return, shipping and contact information.
5. Use your Google Business Profile
Local shops can add products with photos and prices to their Business Profile, and upload regular photos of the store and stock. This helps for "near me" searches and local results that appear alongside Lens results.
Who benefits most
| Business | Visual search opportunity |
|---|---|
| Fashion and hosiery brands | Shoppers snap clothing they like and look for similar items |
| Furniture and home décor | Customers photograph items seen in homes, hotels or cafés |
| Industrial parts and tools | Buyers photograph a part to find a replacement supplier |
| Jewellery | Design inspiration from photos |
| Plants, crafts and gifts | Identifying an item and finding where to buy it |
For manufacturers, a well-organised product catalogue with part numbers, specifications and clear photos can bring B2B enquiries from Lens. See websites for manufacturers.
Check how you appear
Open Google Lens and photograph one of your products. See which websites appear. If competitors show and you don't, compare their images, page text and product data with yours. Search Console's performance report can also be filtered by search type "Image" to see image search traffic.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Google Lens work for small shops?
Yes. Any business with crawlable product pages, good images and accurate product information can appear.
Do I need to run Shopping ads to appear?
No. Free listings through Merchant Center and well-optimised product pages can appear without paid ads.
Can I stop Google from showing my images?
You can block images with robots.txt, but that also removes you from image and visual search results.
Do WebP images work in Google Images?
Yes. WebP is supported and helps pages load faster.
Make your catalogue searchable
Joboo Web builds product catalogues and e-commerce sites optimised for image and visual search. See our e-commerce SEO guide, web development, or contact us.