Search Engine Guru Praises New Changes to Google Image Search -- NEW YORK, Jan 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- NEW YORK, Jan 28, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Using Google to search for pictures and images is a common practice among today's search engine users, says search guru Rich Gorman. Whether seeking a pertinent photo to use with a Facebook post or simply browsing to see whether a friend or co-worker's image has made its way into the search index, Google Image Search has become a common online destination, among laypeople and online marketers alike. For the first time in a long time, Google has announced a series of substantial changes to its Image Search platform; the changes, which are still being rolled out on a gradual basis, have caught the attention of Gorman, a long-time search engine enthusiast and digital marketing pioneer. "Google has made some changes to its Image Search platform that will be immediately apparent when you go to conduct your next image inquiry," Gorman says, in a new statement to the press. At first, the changes may seem cosmetic, but they are actually very significant, and for a couple of reasons. The most obvious reason is that it simply makes image searching quicker and easier for search engine users, but more important is the fact that these changes bring new challenges and opportunities to online marketers and reputation management professionals. The new Google Image Search experience is heralded as a much faster and more efficient endeavor, and it comes with a new layout. Image results are now displayed in an inline panel, which users can navigate by using their keyboards. In the middle of the screen, the selected image is displayed, along with pertinent metadata. This image display is one of the biggest changes from the Google Image Search of old. Previously, accessing metadata and viewing an enlarged version of the photo required users to click through to a landing page, but these landing pages have been done away with. Now, the metadata - which includes the source of the photo, as well as information about its size - is more easily accessible. "Google is making it possible for users to obtain information about various images, and to peruse a line-up of photo results for a particular keyword, with greater speed and efficiency than ever before," notes Gorman. Still, the big story here is what Google has done to help advertisers and online businesses increase their click-through rates. Gorman refers to another set of Google Image changes, in which the domain name listed is now clickable, and accompanied by a button users can select to visit the domain from which a given image is taken. In other words, there are now four ways to access a domain instead of the previous two - and according to Google's development team, this increase should lead to a significant rise in the number of click-throughs. "More than ever, users are going to be using an image search to click through and access a corresponding domain, and what this means is that Google Image Search is going to be sending more referral traffic," Gorman says. For businesses, this presents a whole new opportunity to draw users to a particular website. By using compelling, engaging images, businesses and marketers can boost traffic to various landing pages and online assets. In other words, image optimization just became a lot more important! Rich Gorman is a search engine enthusiast and long-time veteran of the direct response marketing world; he is currently active on Google+. Online marketing professional and direct response trailblazer Rich Gorman is known for his personal brand, Direct Response, and for his Direct Response blog, which gives away countless thousands of dollars in trade secrets and insider tips. Additionally, Gorman is a widely heralded technology pundit, social media guru, and search engine expert. He routinely offers his thoughts, predictions, and comments on new and breaking developments in the online world. Media Contact: Jonathan Monk Mark-PR.com, (678) 685-8304, mark@mark-pr.com SOURCE Rich Gorman RELATED LINKS http://richgormanbio.com