Search engines are no longer about just typing words. Visual search optimisation and multimodal search are changing how people discover content. From Google Lens to voice assistants, the future of search is intuitive, image-driven, and conversational. This blog explores why non-text search is rising, how to optimise for it, and what brands should do now to stay ahead.
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Searching Beyond Keywords
Remember when SEO was all about keywords? Today, the internet doesn’t just understand words; it sees, it hears, and it understands context in a way that’s completely new. Today, multimodal searches are ruling the internet.
This isn’t a future trend; it’s a current reality. Platforms like Google Lens, Bing Visual Search, and a range of voice assistants are changing the way people find information, products, and services. This revolution in search behaviour isn’t just a pivot; it’s a complete re-engineering of how we think about findability.
What is Multimodal and Visual Search?
Multimodal search is the ability of a search engine to process multiple types of input simultaneously, such as a combination of text, images, and audio. ‘Multimodal’ – the term may sound hard to understand, but its application is very simple. Think about Google Lens scanning a plant to identify it, Bing Visual finding the same shoes from a photo, or Alexa answering a conversational query. All these are powered by visual search optimisation and multimodal technologies.
Evolution and Importance of Non-Text Search
The shift to non-text search is a direct response to changing user behaviour. In a mobile-first world, users are looking for speed and convenience. It is faster to snap a picture than to type a long, descriptive query. It is easier to ask a question out loud while driving than to pull over and type.
Here’s why non-text search is taking over:
- Behavioural Shift:
Instead of typing “red floral dress Zara”, users now upload a photo of the dress they saw on Instagram.
- Mobile-first Experience:
With smartphone cameras and voice assistants, people are relying more on visuals and speech.
- Richer Context:
Visuals give more context than words. A photo of a sofa communicates style, fabric, and design faster than a 10-word description.
Multimodal search is a fundamental shift in user intent and the search experience. To ignore it is to willingly become invisible to a massive and growing segment of your target audience.
Optimisation Strategies for Multimodal Search
Now that we understand the “why”, let’s get into the “how”. Optimising for multimodal search,
Technical Image SEO: Beyond the Alt Text
While alt text is a foundational piece, modern image SEO goes far beyond a simple description. You need to provide search engines with a clear signal of what your image is about.
For example, blue-velvet-couch.jpg is far better than IMG_4567.jpg.
Structured Data: This is a crucial step for visual search optimisation. By using Schema markup like ‘Product’ or ‘ImageObject’, you can provide rich details about your image directly to the search engine. This could include the product’s name, price, brand, and reviews.
High-Quality Images: Use high-resolution, clear images. The clearer your image, the better it will perform in visual searches. Use modern image formats like WebP or AVIF to ensure fast loading times without sacrificing quality.
Video Optimisation and Schema Markup
Videos are a powerful component of multimodal search. To get them to rank, you need to do more than just upload a file.
Create a Dedicated Watch Page: Don’t just embed a YouTube video on a blog post. Create a dedicated page for each video, with a compelling title, a detailed description, and a full transcript.
VideoObject Schema: Use VideoObject Schema markup to tell search engines everything about your video: its title, description, thumbnail URL, and even a summary.
Leverage Short-Form Video: Short-form video platforms like YouTube Shorts and Instagram Reels are increasingly becoming a form of search themselves. Create short, punchy videos that provide a quick answer or showcase a product, then link back to your long-form content for more detail.
Voice Search: Conversational and Local
Voice search is the conversational counterpart to visual search. It’s about how people talk, not how they type.
FAQs and Conversational Language: optimise for long-tail, natural-language questions like “How do I fix a leaky faucet?” instead of “leaky faucet repair”. Create content with a dedicated FAQ section that directly answers common questions.
Local Intent: Many voice searches have local intent. Queries like “best coffee shop near me” are common. Optimise your Google Business Profile with accurate and up-to-date information, and create content that answers local questions.
By combining these strategies, your content becomes an invaluable resource across all search modalities. You are not just building a page for a keyword; you are building an information hub that is accessible no matter how the user chooses to search.
Case Studies: Brands Winning at Multimodal Search
Myntra’s Visual Search:
Myntra, one of India’s leading fashion e-commerce platforms, integrated visual search technology to make online shopping faster and more intuitive. By simply uploading a photo or screenshot of a product, users can instantly discover similar styles across Myntra’s massive catalogue. This innovation is particularly powerful in a fashion-driven market like India, where trends are heavily influenced by social media, influencers, and even streetwear spotting. From a strategic lens, Myntra’s success proves that visual search is not just a Western trend led by Google or Pinterest. It has real, scalable applications in emerging markets like India, where mobile-first shoppers prefer image-based interactions over typing long queries
| In short, Myntra is showing the world how visual search optimisation can be a game-changer when aligned with consumer habits, mobile-first UX, and a strong product database. |
IKEA’s Visual Search & AR Integration
IKEA has consistently been ahead in merging technology with customer experience, and its adoption of visual search optimisation is a prime example. Through the IKEA Place app, shoppers can upload photos or use their camera to instantly find similar furniture and home décor items in IKEA’s catalogue. This feature works seamlessly with augmented reality (AR), letting customers not only identify products but also see how they would look in their homes before purchasing.
With this, IKEA saw a surge in app engagement after introducing visual search and AR; users spent more time browsing and interacting with products virtually. By removing uncertainty from furniture shopping, IKEA boosted customer confidence and reduced return rates.
| In short, IKEA proves that visual search optimisation combined with AR can turn complex buying decisions into confident choices, reducing returns and elevating the customer experience in home retail. |
Preparing Now for Future Search Trends
The future of search is multimodal, and brands that act now will dominate in 2025 and beyond. Here are a few final steps to future-proof your content and site architecture:
Invest in a Data-Driven Content Strategy:
Use analytics to understand how users are interacting with your content. Are they using your internal search? Are they coming from Google Images? Let this data guide your efforts to optimise for the channels that matter most to your business.
Master EEAT:
With AI Overviews and conversational AI becoming more prominent, Google’s emphasis on EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is more important than ever. Ensure your content is written by experts, showcases real-world experience, and is fact-checked. The more trustworthy your content is, the more likely it is to be featured in AI-powered search results.
Stay Agile and Experiment:
The digital world is always evolving. Stay on top of the latest search trends and experiment with new formats. Try creating short-form videos for a single blog post or adding more interactive content like quizzes or calculators to your site.
Turning Searches Into Discoveries
At Echovme, we know search isn’t about typing keywords anymore; it’s about snapping, speaking, and swiping your way to discovery. That’s why we craft strategies built on visual search optimisation, voice-ready content, and multimodal magic. With images with smart metadata, AR-driven product showcases, and conversational copy that makes voice assistants make sure your business pops up exactly where your audience is looking.
From Keywords to Experiences
Search in 2025 is becoming less about what people type and more about how they explore. Whether it’s snapping a photo, speaking a query, or scanning a video, discovery is now multimodal. The real edge for brands will come from implementing visual search optimisation, conversational design, and rich media experiences into their strategy. The future of search is not about keywords or clicks. It is about making every interaction intuitive, effortless, and human-first.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is visual search optimisation?
Visual search optimisation is the process of making your images, videos, and graphics discoverable by search engines. It includes adding descriptive alt text, structured data, captions, and context so search engines can interpret visuals.
2. What is multimodal search?
Multimodal search allows users to combine different input types like text, images, and voice to find results.
3. Why is non-text search growing so fast?
Non-text search is rising because visuals and voice are faster, more intuitive, and more mobile-friendly than typing keywords. Younger generations prefer snapping a photo or asking a voice assistant instead of typing.
4. How can businesses optimise images for search engines?
Businesses can optimise images by adding keyword-rich alt text, descriptive filenames, and captions. Using structured data ensures that images appear in rich results like product carousels. Compressing images for faster load speeds and ensuring mobile responsiveness is also needed.
5. What role does voice search play in 2025?
Voice search in 2025 plays a critical role in local discovery, FAQs, and conversational queries. People increasingly ask smart assistants natural questions like “Where’s the nearest vegan café?” To optimise, businesses should publish clear, conversational content with local intent and FAQs.
6. Are videos important for multimodal search optimisation?
Yes, videos are vital for multimodal search optimisation. Search engines now index video transcripts, captions, and schema markup to provide direct answers within search results.
7. What are some of the key technical elements for multimodal search optimisation?
Key technical elements include using descriptive filenames for images, implementing Schema markup for images and videos, ensuring your website is mobile-friendly and fast, and using modern image formats like WebP or AVIF to reduce file size.
8. How does structured data help in multimodal search?
Structured data helps search engines understand images, videos, and voice-friendly content better. By adding schema markup for products, reviews, recipes, and events, businesses increase their chances of appearing in rich search features.
9. Can small businesses benefit from visual search optimisation?
Yes. Visual search optimisation is not just for big brands. Small businesses can use simple tactics like writing descriptive alt text, posting high-quality product photos, and optimising Google My Business listings.
10. What future search trends should marketers prepare for?
Marketers should prepare for more visual-first queries, growth of AI-driven multimodal search, and tighter integration of voice assistants. Interactive content like AR try-ons, shoppable videos, and AI-powered recommendations will also rise.
