We’ve had a few clients request to have a search feature built into their website. Many companies just assume it’s a good idea. But it can actually work against you when it’s not necessary. Many companies are looking for a basic 5-page website that spotlights their basic services, about the company, a contact page, etc. This type of website allows for very little content. It’s more of a “storefront” for the company or organization. Having a search feature could only frustrate a user when they type in a word only to find minimal and confusing search results.
So are you confused on if you need one or not? We like to ask a few questions before tackling the programming - and we found a good resource outlining six questions in Search Engine Land:
- Are the results relevant?
- Do you have the resources required to run and maintain the site search?
- Does your site search vendor give you control?
- Can you repurpose data from search?
- Does your search solution constantly improve?
- Can you measure site search performance?
Joker Media can help you answer these questions and program a search feature in your page that will not only deliver the most pertinent results, but will minimize frustration for your new users - who, we can assume, you’d like to have return to your website.