Most major websites have internal search engines that help you find the information you’re looking for. Typically, the more content you have the more vital a good search utility is. Can you imagine navigating to the book you’re looking for when using Amazon?
But having a good search engine is good for smaller sites as well. Many content management systems have search functionality built in. But how good are these? Are they enough? To answer this, let’s start with the basics.
I have good traffic to my website. Do I need site search?
By search engine, I mean the one that’s ON your website, not the one that gets users TO your website. Users expect a way to search on your site when they can’t find the information they need in other ways. True, not EVERY website need a search if your site has a single clear workflow, or has very little information for people to consume. But keep in mind, search beats navigation in a popularity contest for usage!
Don’t all search engines work like Google?
Search engines like the big 3 are continually improving their search results based on many factors. But just because their search results are good doesn’t mean you should ignore your internal website search results. In fact, Google’s probably doing a better job indexing your site and presenting search results for YOUR website than your site is. Users expect the same quality of searches from your site.
Why are search engines important?
Search is important for one big reason: users expect it. Between two ways of finding information on a website—search vs. navigation—search is the more used and more popular way to do it.
Search is the user’s lifeline for mastering complex websites. — Jacob Nielsen
According to usability author, Jacob Nielsen, “Search lets users control their own destiny and assert independence from websites’ attempt to direct how they use the Web.” And, “Search is also users’ escape hatch when they are stuck in navigation.”
Improve that 20% and you’ll be a long way toward making your website a pleasant experience to use.
One of the most important things you can do to improve the user experience on your website is to provide focused, meaningful and readable search results. If you improve the results for the top 20% of search phrases people are using on your website, you’ll better serve 80% of your users.
The reality
Despite it’s importance, a lot of site searches — well — they suck. They’re hard to read, unorganized, and stuffed with results that the user isn’t looking for. Take for example, my search on the YMCA’s website:
These are the results I get when searching for “locations” on the main YMCA website. Seems like a basic, important search query on this site. But, the results lead me nowhere, fast.
Why search engines suck and how to improve them
“Some robots are less foolish than others, but no robot is as wise as a human editor.” – Richard Wiggins
A simple, clear search field is not at top-right of every page.
This is where users expect it to be. Placing it on every page ensures it will be there when the user needs it.
The search field (or button) does not say “Search.”
Make it very clear what the search field is by identifying it with a label above or inside of the search field. Be explicit by using the words that describe what it is that will be searched, i.e.: “Search site.”
Search results are not well-formed and easy to read.
Carefully craft the search results so they are titled, easy to read, organized and succinct.
Search results show too many results and don’t use “best bets”
By studying the phrases and words used in searches, and linking your website content to those phrases, you are putting the right results at the top. This is called “best bets.” Let the remainder of the results flow behind the best bets.
Invest in better search results on your website and see the impact
Simply dropping in a default search will get you only part of the way there. Adding in the extra effort to hone the search results will make your content findable and your website much more useful. Do you want users to turn into customers? Give them what they need and they’ll come back for more.
Stay tuned for my next post on how you can start to make changes to your site search results to improve user experience.
