Site Search

Introduction

Site Search is the art or science of providing website visitors or customers the ability to search a website, like a content publisher or an internet retailer, and find the information or products they are looking for.

For example, a blogger might use site search to help readers search archived posts for a certain topic. Similarly, an ecommerce company might use site search to help customers search for a specific product. Along with proving users the ability to find what they are looking for, websites use site search to promote certain information or products based on the user's activity or search queries. For example, at the end of the summer, an online retailer of swimsuits might be interested in showcasing last seasons products, when a customer searches for bikini, in order to move them quickly to make room for next years inventory.

Site Search

With site search, websites can put a search box on their website and enable visitors and customers to find information and products instantly. Some site search products are hosted search solutions (Software-as-a-Service) and some site search solutions are on premise.

In general, the need that site search addresses is the ability for visitors or customers to find the information or products they are looking for, quickly and efficiently, via a combination of search and navigation.  If users are unable to locate what they are looking for they typically leave or become frustrated, resulting in lower conversions, a poor customer service experience, absent loyalty and little viral exposure.

In general, the goal of site search is to provide websites with the features and functionality to increase user satisfaction, increase user loyalty, showcase the most relevant products, increase conversions, increase sales,  and reduce support costs by improving self-service.  These goals are obtained by providing relevant search results and easy navigation while allowing the website to merchandize certain content or products.  By providing users a quality search and navigation experience, while promoting content or products, both users and site owners are served.

Site Search Features and Functionality

Below are several of the most common features and functions found in site search solutions.

Relevancy

When performing a search or navigating a category tree, users are interested in finding results that are relevant to what they are looking for.  Relevancy is the ability to show users content or products that closely relate to what vistors or customers are looking for.  For example, if a visitor searches for a post on a blog, and the content returned in the search results is related to their query, they'll likely be satisfied.  Likewise, if a customer searches for a product, and is able to find that product in the search results, their more likely to have a good experience.

Filters

A filter offers users the opportunity to narrow or expand search results or category content based on certain characteristics, such as "category", "brand", "color", "material" or "price".  Filtering allows customers to quickly and efficiently reduce the number of search results by limiting the search result set based on certain product characteristics.

For example, a customer may search for a "single handle faucet" on a home improvement website, and then filter the search results by the brand "Moen" in order to view only the Moen brand products in the search results.

A customer can use multiple filters simultaneously in order to narrow search results by more then one characteristic.  In this example, a customer may search for a "single handle faucet", and then filter the search results by the brand "Moen" and the color "chrome" in order to view only the Moen brand products that are chrome in the search results.  By narrowing the search result set, users have less products to look through and the products they are looking for closer match their interests.

Sorts

A sort provides users the ability to order products within search results or a category based on a certain characteristic, such as "Price", "Name", or "Popularity".

For example, a search for a faucet on a retail site may initially provide results ordered by relevancy to the searched keywords.  However, a bargain shopper may be interested in looking through the search results starting with the lowest price and moving through to the highest price.

Likewise, someone not interested in spending much time making a buying decision may be interested in looking first at the most popular products in the search results.

Merchandizing or Biasing

Although the primary goal of site search is usually to help visitors or customers find the information or products they are looking for, content publishers and internet retailers are also interested in merchandizing search results based on important metrics. 

Merchandizing, also called biasing, is the ability for a website to manipulate search results based on important metrics such as "conversion rate", "margin", "popularity", "price", "inventory".  For example, a customer may search "Kohler Faucet".  Since many products may be relevant to the search query, a retailer may be interested  in showing products that have a better conversion rate higher up in the search results in order to increase the chance of a sale.

Merchandizing Zones

A merchandizing zone is an area within search results or navigation channels that allows a website to showcase certain content or products to users.

For example, a search for a bathroom faucet on an ecommerce website may trigger a "Top Sellers", "Most Popular" or "Recently Added" section to show near relevant search results.

These sections allow an internet retailer to showcase certain sets of bathroom faucets that may be valuable to prospective customers.  Moreover, merchandizing zones help minimize product research time and increase conversions by highlighting products based on customer behavior.

Site Search Software

Software-as a-Service (SAAS)

Some site search solutions are provided as a Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) which is also called "On Demand".

On Premise

Some site search solutions are provided as On Premise.

The Future of Site Search

As site search continues to mature, many products are shifting toward a Software-as-a-Service (SAAS) model.  Websites using site search value the ability to outsource management, maintenance, administration and upgrades to site search vendors.  Also, in the past, site search solutions have been expensive.  Software-as-a-Service has lowered the entrance costs associated with site search, by allowing smaller customers to utilize site search software via a license model, versus an outright purchase.

Another recent shift in site search is toward free or inexpensive site search products.  As the site search industry becomes more competitive and websites create custom solutions, providers of site search solutions are finding ways to offer products free or for much less then in recent history.  Google Site Search is an example of this shift.

Site search is also quickly transitioning toward solutions that have the ability to scale.  Publishers, content providers and internet retailers continue to grow the breadth and depth of their content, data and products.  Moreover, the size and robustness of content, data and products continues to grow.  Site search solutions need to keep up with the growing demand.

Site Search Software Vendors

Below are several of the most well known site search software vendors.

Google Site Search