One of the most crucial factors to any ecommerce company’s success is site search. This element directly impacts user experience and, therefore, conversion rates. Almost any ecommerce business owner can enable a basic search engine on their website. The trick is creating smart search functions that meet shoppers’ expectations. Today’s online shoppers expect search engines to understand their input and offer relevant results quickly. Assure that your site meets consumer standards while searching for products. Use the following ecommerce site search best practices to drive sales.
Adopt Natural Language Processing
Firstly, adopt natural language processing (NLP) to improve your ecommerce site search. NLP algorithms offer consumers more relevant search results. They enable search engines to comprehend inputs at an advanced level. Search engines that do not use NLP algorithms only offer results based on the keywords inputted. Natural language-based functions, on the other hand, find meaning in searched keywords as a human would. When an average person hears the word “pullover”, they think of several different items. You might picture a zip-up jacket with a hood, a zip-up without a hood and a pullover crew neck. NLP-based search engines “think” in this same way so that they can offer shoppers more product options. This leads to higher conversion rates for ecommerce businesses.
Ensure Your Search Box Is Noticeable
Boost conversions by placing your search box in a noticeable area. Most ecommerce businesses place their search bars at the top of the screen. That way, shoppers see it as soon as they open the page. In addition to placing your search bar at the top of the page, ensure that it is big enough to see. Avoid using just a small magnifying glass icon. Most consumers struggle to find these small symbols when browsing sites. Instead, create a large search box with the symbol at the front. Include “Search Here” text inside of the box to draw more attention to it. Make your search box as noticeable as possible. Then, shoppers can find what they are looking for quickly. The improved user experience can certainly drive more sales for your store.
Provide Auto-Complete Options
Additionally, provide shoppers with auto-complete search options. This ecommerce site search best practice also increases convenience for consumers. When a shopper begins to search for a product, the search function will offer suggestions. The best auto-complete tools do not limit suggestions to a single category either. They offer products based on the inputted letters and the most popular searches. Consumers can find what they are looking for quickly by selecting products in the drop down menu. At the same time, they gain insight into other products. Often times, this persuades consumers to purchase more products than they originally planned to buy. Take advantage of auto-complete apps by using BigCommerce Site Search to enhance your results. Auto-complete technology is a highly effective search tools for driving ecommerce sales.
Maintain A Strong Error Tolerance
The best ecommerce site searches also maintain strong error tolerance. A great deal of shoppers misspell words when searching for products on online stores. They grow frustrated when an ecommerce site cannot offer them any search results. Keep your visitors happy with a search function that recognizes typos. Site search engines with strong error tolerance levels register phonetic misspellings. Consumers can type in search results based on how the products sound and still find what they are looking for. Similarly, the best search functions still offer results when shoppers organize words incorrectly. For example, a shopper can type in “games board” and receive several board games in their results. Simplify the search process with this ecommerce best practice.
Define What Is Searchable
Furthermore, define what is searchable to improve your ecommerce site. This is key to building a high-functioning search engine. Determine the best data fields for your function to search. The most common fields include product name and brand name. Many ecommerce businesses also include category and product code in their data fields. Consider adding any relevant attributes that are specific to your products as well. These can include gender, size and color. You need to include a decent amount of fields so consumers can find the products they are looking for. Drive sales by defining what should be searchable in your online store.
Leading ecommerce businesses maintain quality search functions. Optimize yours by adopting natural language processing for a better user experience. Simplify the process further by placing your search box in an easy-to-see space. Moreover, provide auto-complete options to open consumers’ eyes to other products. The best search engines also have a high error tolerance. Finally, define which data fields are best for your online shop. Use these ecommerce site search best practices to drive sales.