Google already earns revenue when you search for anything using its service and see ads, but it’s now turning shoppers’ queries into an even bigger money-spinner.
Reuters reports that the company is partnering with major retailers like Target Walmart, Home Depot, and Costco to let them list their products in search results when you enter a query like, “Where can I buy this?”
The move to launch a partnership program arose from the millions of image searches people conducted using Google’s engine, which included pictures of products and questions about how to buy them. As part of this initiative, retailers will pay Google a cut of every purchase made through its services.
That’s huge for Google, which has been steadily developing more ways for people to find answers to that question. In addition to its desktop and mobile search tools, and its voice-activated Assistant that responds to queries on phones and smart speakers, the company has been smartening up its Lens tool that recognizes landmarks, contact info from business cards, and even products from your photos. That gives the company more avenues to surface things you might want to buy – similar to how Amazon has been growing its own portfolio of devices and services.
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