Best Practices for Enterprise Search

Enterprise Search Best Practices

Introductions: Jason and Chris

Chris Risner – Chief Strategy OfficerJason Lichon – Chief Solutions Officer

Agenda

The importance of searchHow to know when to investBest Practices with examplesHow to initiate a search project

Project Definition Process DescriptionThe Importance of Site Search

The Importance of Site Search

Users that perform a search convert 5x more often than those that don’t.Forrester Research

5x• Very directed activity• Bottom of the

funnel … maybe

The Importance of Site Search

80% of visitors will abandon sites if search functionality is poorJupiter Media

80%

• Bar is raised• Mobile

impatience

The Importance of Site Search

Content and Keyword Strategy ToolKeyword search analytics can be one of the best ways to formulate content strategy.

Project Definition Process DescriptionHow to Know When to Invest

How to Know When to Invest: You Have No Search

You have no search function …… and you have a lot of content

How to Know When to Invest in Search: Poor Analytics

Lots of “no results” > content issue or search issue?

Search yields poor conversions Search has high abandonment (“search exits”) Users have to paginate or re-search to get

results Search is the initial content finding mechanism*Analytics can take some effort to set up

Indications from analytics

How to Know When to Invest: Mobile Impacts

Your mobile usage is growing … And mobile bounce rate is high And mobile pages views per visit are low And mobile conversion is low

How to Know When to Invest: Out of the Box Engine

You’re still using a standard platform search Via your CMS or e-com platform Limited customization options Platform vendor is focused on other features Search was never tuned, just “turned on”

How to Know When to Invest: Competitive Positioning

Your competitors have a better site search

Project Definition Process DescriptionBest Practices in Site Search

Best Practices

Make it prominent Make it wide

enough Include Instruction Autocomplete /

Guided Follow convention Auto focus

Search Box Include all your content

Faceting / filters Segment content types Content previewing Provide display options Provide sorting options Natural language handling

Results Page

Best Practices – The Search Box: Make it Prominent

Make it prominent Make it wide enough for typical keywords Consider “watermark” guidance Use autocomplete and guided navigation

techniques Don’t ignore convention and place search box

in odd location Auto focus

Search Box Best Practices

Best Practices – The Search Box: Make it ProminentMake it Prominent

Best Practices – The Search Box: Make it ProminentMake it Prominent

Best Practices – The Search Box: Make it ProminentMake it Prominent

Best Practices – The Search Box: Make it ProminentMake it Prominent

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guiding

Show common keywords that match typing a la Google

Show potential content matches Show potential category matches Segment options by content type Combinations

Search Box – Autocomplete and Guiding

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices – The Search Box: Autocomplete and Guided

Best Practices: The Results Page

Include all your content – federated search Faceting / filters so that users can narrow Segment content types via tabs or panes Content previewing using hover, modal, etc. Provide display options such as list vs. grid Provide sorting options – popularity, date,

price, etc. Language handling – synonyms, plurality,

misspellings

Results Page Best Practices

Best Practices: The Results Page

Searching across multiple data sources … Different portals, brands, forums, cloud

content stores, CRM, ERP, etc. Saves frustration, exposes all your activities

Federated Search

Best Practices: The Results PageFederated Search

Best Practices: The Results Page

Search context Facets Tabs for content

types Content

previewing

Best Practices

Best Practices: The Results Page

Result item template adjusts according to the kind of content

Best Practices

Best Practices: The Results Page

Provide display options to user: calendar grid vs. event list view

Best Practices

Best Practices: The Results Page

Best PracticesProvide display options to user: calendar grid vs. event list view

Best Practices: The Results Page

Best Practices• Searchable

parametric filters• Tabbed content

types• Configurable

columns• Instructional and

contextual info

GREAT FOR TECHNICAL AUDIENCE

Best Practices: The Results Page

Best Practices• Content types are

segmented• Refinement via

tags• Extended filter

options hidden upon initial load

SIMPLE, EASY UI FOR CONSUMERS

Project Definition Process DescriptionHow To Initiate a Search Project

Getting a Better Search: Initiating a Project

Gather analytics data Attempt to quantify the cost of poor search –

should help establish a budget Attempt to quantify benefits of improved

search Identify pain points – missing content, poor

language handling, poor relevancy, slow speed Determine if current engine can be improved

Assessment of Current Search

Getting a Better Search: Initiating a Project

Identify comparable sites and their approach / engine

Determine if there are solutions for your particular platform

Establish requirements that address your pain points

Look for service providers that can help you identify a solution (search engine + implementation)

Explore on premise vs. cloud hosted options

Identify Options for Improvement

Project Definition Process DescriptionOur Solution

+Services Platform

Todays Topic: BravoSquared Enterprise Search

www.bravosquared.com

Enterprise Level Search SolutionCan be plugged into any existing

websiteDramatically improves site search