Adding image search results to Custom Search Engine

Google Custom Search has added a new feature to Custom Search -image search results. If you post lots of photos on your blog, image results will help visitors quickly and easily find the photos they want. This feature is simply a must-add to photo-extensive blogs e.g. blogs on photography, food, celebrities, art, craft, travel etc.
Once this feature is added, two tabs will be added on top of your search results. The first Web tab has your current text-based web search results and the second Image tab, contains the image-only search results.  

custom search image tab

Enabling image results

  1. Login to Google Custom Search (opens in a new tab/window).
  2. Go to the Control Panel of the search engine that you want to add the image tab to.
  3. Click Basics on the left sidebar.
  4. Check the Enable image search checkbox located at the bottom of the page.
  5. Click Save Changes button and you’re done. 

Changing the results layout

  1. Click Look and feel on the sidebar.
  2. Choose one of the three layouts -classic, column, or popup (default).
    image custom search results layout
  3. Click Save & Get Code button.
  4. Copy the search results code (the one in the lower box if you are provided with two sets of codes) and paste it to replace your existing code.

  Enjoy!

22 comments to "Adding image search results to Custom Search Engine"

Jennifer Chronicles (jenx67.com) December 2, 2011 at 8:25 PM    

I know this might be a stupid ?, but what do I do with the code if I don't have one to replace? Do I just place this search box on my blog? Thx! You're stuff is a fantastic resource! jen

Steve December 2, 2011 at 9:00 PM    

Another great tip. I have just added on to my sidebar.
http:// mr-tomato-king.blogspot.com/

MUXLIMO December 3, 2011 at 6:14 AM    

Thanks Bro.. i did it :)

Greenlava December 3, 2011 at 10:34 AM    

@jennifer
Have you enabled it (image results)? If you have, this is the easiest way to implement a CSE to your blog:
1. Click "Look And Feel".
2. Choose "Google-hosted" layout. You can choose whether to open the results page in current or new window.
3. Click "Save & Get code" button.
4. Copy the code and paste it in a HTML/Javascript widget.

Prayag Verma December 3, 2011 at 10:02 PM    

Thanks for sharing this interesting feature

72Minute | Stream Movies Online Free December 7, 2011 at 12:02 PM    

thanks for share..

Website Designer December 8, 2011 at 5:50 PM    

Really a wonderful content. i m very impressed to see your work. Thank you very much my friend and keep it up.

saif afridi December 8, 2011 at 6:18 PM    

very nice indeed,i would like to see an article how to get the number
one position for any specific keyword.

hosting reviews December 9, 2011 at 6:29 PM    

From the beginning not really understand what's going but I gradually concluded that practically nothing without the advice I will succeed!

saif afridi December 10, 2011 at 7:58 PM    

Nice cool article.keep going.

geek world news December 13, 2011 at 2:54 AM    

nice tutorial thanks.

Anonymous,  December 13, 2011 at 8:40 PM    

greenlava, i stumbled upon this function awhile ago. appreciate if you could explain the usefulness and advantage it gives to a blog.
Thank you.

Online High School Diploma December 20, 2011 at 7:43 PM    

The article is absolutely great! Lots of great information and inspiration, Also like to admire the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer! I will bookmark your site!

Greenlava December 21, 2011 at 8:06 PM    

@Noir
It makes searching for images posted on your blog easier, provided that you gave them meaningful names i.e. "my orange Lamborghini Aventador" instead of "image123".

personalised items December 27, 2011 at 8:11 AM    

Images or adding pictures in your post and contents not only makes the readers and viewers have the idea what you are trying to illustrate. But you also gave them some hints on what point of view you are trying to establish.

shan January 15, 2012 at 10:16 PM    

nice post. than u admin. google image search is more power full for the search quarry result

Dave February 6, 2012 at 11:22 PM    

I am finding my results quite limited with this.. i want to get search results from about 20 specific websites which have hundreds of thousands of images, yet when i type in 'dogs' for example, I only get around ten results. Are there any other ways of creating a CSE for images without Google?

Greenlava February 7, 2012 at 7:26 PM    

@Dave
Have you added all the 20 websites to the search engine?
You can add them via Control panel > Sites.

travel the world February 17, 2012 at 4:51 PM    

Images or adding pictures in your post and contents not only makes the readers and viewers have the idea what you are trying to illustrate. But you also gave them some hints on what point of view you are trying to establish.

hdwallpaper March 28, 2012 at 5:37 PM    

The article is absolutely great! Lots of great information and inspiration, Also like to admire the time and effort you put into your blog and detailed information you offer! I will bookmark your site!

M Ehsan Qureshi March 27, 2013 at 1:01 AM    

Great Sir.. ThnQ so Much for providing us this briliant information and m also a new blogger.. and try to serve my self helping people .. Alhamdolilah

Anonymous,  November 25, 2013 at 7:42 PM    

But what about SEARCH BY IMAGE ???
If I have only one image and I don't remember where is is located on my big website.
The CSE has not the option to upload it like is in the normal google search.
This doesn't looks so professional!

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