Yesterday, Google’s blog reported that Google will be launching a sorting feature to be included in their images results. The feature will help return more relevant images to the user’s query:

“When you’re searching for images, sometimes it can be hard to come up with exactly the right words to describe what you have in mind. For example, when you think of London, you might picture the iconic clock tower or the big Ferris wheel. You may not always remember the names of those landmarks, but you can visualize them in your mind” (Google).

For example, when you search for “London,” the default setting returns results ranked by relevance. However, now what you’ll see is an option on the left that reads “Sort by subject.” Upon selecting this option, you’ll see images sorted into categories that “will narrow down your search and help you find the exact image of London that you want.”

This organized view will sort the most popular images associated with London, e.g. the London Eye, Big Ben, Tower Bridge, and the city at night. According to Google, this will better enable the user to arrive at the “ah-ha” moment that might go something like, “Ah, that big clock tower I saw is called Big Ben.” The user can then drill down further to select the most appropriate image within that group.

Furthermore, the new feature will allow users to explore categories within a general topic:

“For example, if you want to get flowers for someone but you only know what their favorite kind looks like, not the name of it, you can sort by subject to learn different flower types and discover the name of the type you’re looking for” (Google).

Watch this video to learn more about how sorting can help you find the image you’re seeking:

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