Circle to Search is a Google feature for Android phones that searches for anything on the screen without leaving the current app. Users select content by circling, highlighting, scribbling or tapping. Google launched it on January 31, 2024.
How does Circle to Search work?
According to Google’s help page, users touch and hold the Home button or the navigation handle until the search bar appears. They then select an image, text or object. The results can include AI Overviews and, through multisearch, a text question added to the selected image.
The feature runs on selected Android phones. Some extensions need newer devices. Google names translation while scrolling, a “find the look” search for outfits, virtual try-on and a check of whether a photo was edited. Users can switch the feature off in the phone settings.
What does it mean for SEO?
Circle to Search is an additional entry point to Google Search. Google’s help pages describe no requirements for websites. The usual basics therefore still apply (assessment): crawlable pages, product images that clearly belong to a product page, and descriptive alt text.
Example
A video on the phone shows someone wearing a backpack. A circle around the backpack starts a search for similar products. The results link to shops, images and web pages.
Common questions
Why is Circle to Search missing on my phone? It exists only on selected devices, and it can be turned off in the settings.
Sources
- Search with Circle to Search – Google Search Helpsupport.google.com
- Circle to Search – Google Search (ways to search)search.google
- Circle to Search launch – Google Blog (Jan 31, 2024)blog.google
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