The Rise of Voice & Visual Search: How Brands Can Stay Ahead

The way consumers search for information is evolving at lightning speed. With voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri becoming household staples—and AI-driven visual search tools like Google Lens and Pinterest Lens transforming product discovery—brands must rethink their digital marketing strategies.

By 2025, nearly half of all searches will be conducted via voice or image, making it essential for businesses to optimize for these emerging search behaviors. At Route Marketing, we’re always ahead of the curve, helping brands in beauty, fashion, wellness, and luxury stay visible in an increasingly dynamic digital landscape.

Voice Search Optimization: Why It Matters

Voice search isn’t just a trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how people interact with search engines. Instead of typing “best skincare brand for sensitive skin,” users now ask, “What’s the best skincare brand for sensitive skin that’s all-natural?”

This shift toward conversational queries requires brands to rethink SEO strategies. Here’s how you can win in voice search:

1. Use Conversational Keywords: Long-tail, natural-sounding keywords (“best hydrating serum for winter”) perform better than rigid, short keywords.

2. Optimize for Featured Snippets: Many voice search results come from Google’s featured snippets. Structuring content in a Q&A format increases your chances of being the chosen answer.

3. Improve Local SEO: Since many voice searches are location-based, ensure your Google My Business profile is updated with accurate business details, reviews, and keywords.

For brands selling beauty, lifestyle, and luxury products, this means ensuring customers can instantly find your store, product details, or shopping options via voice search.

The Power of Visual Search: A Game-Changer for eCommerce

Visual search is revolutionizing the way users discover products. Instead of typing “gold statement earrings”, users can snap a picture of a pair they love and instantly find similar styles.

Platforms leading the charge:

1. Google Lens: Let’s users search for products by taking a picture.

2. Pinterest Lens: Helps users find shoppable products based on an image.

3. Instagram & Snapchat Scan: Boosts social commerce by allowing users to buy products directly from visuals.

How to Optimize for Visual Search

1. Optimize Image SEO: High-quality images, keyword-rich file names, and alt-text descriptions improve discoverability.

2. Leverage Structured Data: Schema markup helps search engines categorize your visual content, making it more searchable.

3. Embrace Shoppable Content: Platforms like Pinterest and Instagram allow users to shop directly from images. If you’re in fashion, beauty, or home decor, this is a must-have strategy.

For eCommerce brands, the future is frictionless shopping—and visual search is leading the way.

Future-Proofing Your Brand in the Age of AI Search

Voice and visual search are more than trends—they’re the future of digital marketing. Brands that optimize for these emerging technologies will see higher search visibility, more engaged and intent-driven traffic, and stronger brand presence across social & search. Ignoring these changes puts brands at risk of falling behind as consumer behavior shifts. The time to adapt is now.