eCommerce site search best practices

The Importance of Site Search

Search is now seen as an important aspect of an average eCommerce site. Customers expect an intuitive search experience, as search is becoming more popular as a primary journey to conversion.

Intelligent site search adds value to the shopping experience, therefore encouraging returning customers and repeat business  – A win-win situation for your brand! Better conversion rates, growing revenue, and a higher LTV will all follow suit.

Search is not only useful for the typical buyer with intent, but it also satisfies the needs of the impulse buyer.

Site Search Best Practices

Below we have compiled some site search best practices you should consider:

Follow the  breadcrumb
The breadcrumb is essentially a timeline of all the clicks your customer has made until they land on a particular product. This makes it easier for users to return to the original category page and navigate around your site more smoothly. Ideally, the breadcrumb should sit at the top of the product page, just below the menu or alternative navigation menus.

(Source: Loacker)

Key Takeaway – Don’t send your customers down a dead end with no return! Make sure they can find their way back and continue browsing easily.

No searching for the search bar!
Well done! You’ve landed customers on your site. Next step – they want to find their desired product. Whether users are accessing your site from their laptops, smartphones, tablets, and even smart speakers, one thing remains constant – the search bar needs to be EASY to find, and deliver desired results. The question should be – how can I give my shoppers the easiest route to the basket, regardless of what device they use to get there? Search needs to be seamless and omnichannel in order to give the best possible experience to customers. Changing the colour of the search bar and button so it contrasts with the background or increasing the size of the search bar can help it be more visible and obvious.

(Source: Lightbulbs Direct)

Key Takeaway –  The search bar should be in plain sight, and stand out as a clear option for users to explore your site and it’s products. Also, you should consider how the location search bar will change when the site is viewed on smaller devices – Make sure it is fully optimised for mobile!

Behavioural Analytics

With site search, you can also drill down into what your customers are searching for the most, how long they are remaining on your site, and also how they interact and navigate between the pages. This is vital in shaping and reworking your eCommerce strategy as it allows you to analyse shopper behavior and use this information to make decisions about the best way to arrange and visually merchandise your products. You can also check whether certain campaigns and promotions are bringing in the desired results.

Key takeaway: Site search can help you get to know your customers and find out what makes them tick.

Site search plays a huge part in making the customer journey enjoyable and seamless, so it should be a key consideration in your eCommerce strategy. It is all about creating a simple and stress-free online shopping experience, ensuring customers are served the most relevant products resulting in customer loyalty and an increase in revenue driven via site-search.

Klevu is a powerful AI-driven site search tool that helps efficiently connect customers to their desired products. With functionality such as machine-learning, natural language processing and merchandising, brands are able to continuously optimise search results by learning from user interaction. The result being a highly robust and enhanced search functionality that understands the true user intent behind search queries. Find out more about Klevu by reading our Partner profile.

An intelligent and sophisticated search tool will quickly and efficiently drive users to their desired products and in turn, speeds up the purchase cycle. At 5874, our eCommerce experts can integrate a search solution into your platform. Contact us by calling 0121 369 5874 or emailing success@5874commerce.com