TikTok vs Google with New Image Search Feature

TikTok recently confirmed to TechCrunch that it is testing an innovative new feature: image search. This allows users to take or upload photos to find similar items within the TikTok Shop. Imagine… you’re at a restaurant, and you see crockery that you just have to have. After searching a lot, you can’t find the crockery online because you don’t know the right search terms. In such a moment, Image Search offers a solution. With a simple photo of the crockery, you immediately see that specific plate or similar plates appear on your screen. Convenient!

More Sales via TikTok Shop

This innovative step is meant to encourage users not only to discover new products via the app, but especially to generate more purchases through TikTok Shop. Although image search is already offered by Google with Google Lens and by Amazon, TikTok aims to compete with this new feature. The feature is now available for users in the United States and Southeast Asia, recognizable by the camera icon in the search bar of the TikTok Shop. By taking or uploading a photo of a product that interests you, TikTok directly shows similar items, making the search for the perfect item easier and faster.

TikTok’s Image Search Changes the E-commerce Game

With the introduction of the Image Search feature, TikTok takes a significant step in the e-commerce world, competing with major players like Google and Amazon. For us as marketers, this offers new opportunities to reach our target audience in an innovative way. Visual searches play a central role in the consumer shopping experience. By selling products directly from images, we can create interactive and visually appealing campaigns. This results in a more engaging shopping experience, higher conversion rates, and ultimately more sales. Is TikTok’s Image Search the future of shopping? We’re curious to find out!