What should be the search on the site?

As it is not surprising, a lot of modern sites do not have fully implemented basic functionality, which, it would seem, should be a standard requirement for each project being created. This also applies to site search. What horrors we didn’t come across: a search that throws on the page of a third-party search resource, the word “search” wedged into a query, forms that simply do not work, etc. And this is despite the fact that we are talking about one of the key elements of the interface.

According to MarketingSherpa, customers who use site search make a purchase 2-3 times faster than others. For tens of millions of buyers, search is the most convenient method to find the information they need in the wilds of the site. When it comes to online shopping, it is vital to help the visitor in his search. Here are a few criteria that any search must meet:

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1. Place a search box on every page of your site.

2. It should be easy to be. Usually, users expect to see it at the top of the screen.

3. The search window must be different from other forms and fields, such as registering or subscribing to newsletters.

4. Do not place it too close to other shapes.

5. The search field must contain at least 30 characters.

6. It should be obvious that this is the search box. Write "search", use a magnifying glass or other familiar icons.

7. The word "search" or other text set in the "default" field should be removed as soon as the user activates the form.

8. The "Enter" button should start the search.

9. The button located to the right of the search field should start the search process.

10. Pop-up search box is often not the best solution. Perform an A / B analysis to understand whether it helps your visitors or interferes.

11. Allow the use of familiar operators to search.

12. Search should be able to recognize common abbreviations and slang words that relate to the subject matter of your site.

Results display:

13. Show the user the total number of pages with results.

14. Show your recent search queries to the visitor, this will reduce the time for re-search and personalize this process.

15. Do not limit your search to products only. Make sure that the user receives the relevant information in response to requests: “Delivery”, “Address” and etc.

16. Add a few filters that reduce the time required to view the results.

17. Track with Google Analytics or similar services all queries that users could not find. Find the cause of each failure and eliminate it if it is in your power.

18. Make your Results Not Found page useful. There will always be requests for which the user will not find anything. Place here suggestions for refining the search query, suggest similar ones, give links to product categories and best-selling products.

19. Allow users to save search results to favorites or something like a wish list.

20. Be sure to place product thumbnails in the search results.

Using autocomplete:

21. Autocomplete should work only in case of an obvious error. This will reduce the time that visitors spend on search, as well as help those for whom the interface language of your site is not native.

Some obvious:

In addition, search queries that users enter on your site can be a reliable source of information, the correct use of which will help to improve it as much as possible:

1. Is your marketing targeted at that audience? If you record a huge number of "extraneous" requests, the conclusion suggests itself that the references to your site are not in the context or the wrong audience.

2. What other products do users need? Search queries can tell you exactly what a visitor needs so that he becomes your customer. If many people are looking for a model that you don’t have, and it matches the profile of your store, then why not add it?

3. How convenient and intuitive is the site interface? If the requests are dominated by “navigation” (“address”, “payment”, “delivery”, etc.), you may need to change the design of the site so that the user finds the relevant sections without much effort.

It is important to remember that today's users value their time too much: if the site loads for more than 3 seconds, the visitor will search for another site; in 8 seconds the user decides whether he will use your services or not. Search is a tool whose main task is to save time, use it for its intended purpose, otherwise you will lose money.