Google is making search more visual and intuitive for younger users

Google wants to make search across its various apps more intuitive for users who like to search using voice and visuals. The Alphabet-company announced at the Search On 22 event that it is moving beyond the search box experience so it can allow users to search online using a combination of images, sound, text and speech. 

Google said that it’s visual search capability called multisearch that was released in the US in beta early this year will be available in 70 languages in next a few months. 

Google also announced a new feature in it called Multisearch near me, which will allow users to search for food item or plant at a nearby restaurant or store by taking a picture of the item. It will be available in English language in the US this fall. 

Similarly, Google Lens which allows users to search for items using visuals will now support live translation. Lens translation will show translation of texts on top of picture underneath. 

“Often, it’s the combination of words plus context, like background images, that bring meaning. We’re now able to blend translated text into the background image thanks to a machine learning technology called Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs),” Prabhakar Raghavan, senior vice president at Google said in a blogpost. 

Google also announced a new update that will improve the search experience in Maps. It will allow users to see what a place looks like on a 3D map. So, if a user is planning to go to a market or monument, they can visit maps and zoom into the place to see what it looks like, how crowded it is or what the weather is like.  

“These announcements are just the start of how we’re transforming our products to help you go beyond the traditional search box,” added Raghavan.  

The plan to make Google search popular among users across age groups stems from the growing use of social media and short form video apps by millennials and Gen Z users for searching online. 

In June, Raghavan concurred at an industry event that younger users are more often going to Instagram and TikTok for online search instead of Google Search or Maps.