Thanks to the usability and power of search engines like Google, internet users today are more used to searching than ever before. In a recent usability test I conducted, when users were asked to find a particular piece of information on a large content site, they invariably turned to search. They did this even when what they were looking for was one click away.
Why is search so useful?
- Search is simple
- Search is fast
- Search gives users exactly what they are looking for
- Users are used to searching
Should I add search to my site?
If the site you are designing is relatively small – like a restaurant’s website or a personal website – you should not include a search. A small site is easy to navigate and searching it would return very few results. On the other hand, a site with a lot of content, many pages, and/or many levels should always include a search. It is often the best way for a user to find what they need.
Site Search: Best Practices
Here are some basic things you should do any time you implement a site search:
- Use a search box and a corresponding button labeled “search”
- Put search in a clear and consistent place on the page so it’s very easy to locate
- Include a search box on every page of the site
- Keep your search results simple – nothing will get a user to leave faster than a complicated page of links
- Support users when they have no (or few) search results
- Check your site traffic to see what users are searching for most on your site – be sure the search results are leading them to the right place
Site Search: Worst Practices
Here are some things you should be sure to avoid while designing for search:
- As mentioned above, don’t add search to your site if there are only a few pages on your site (you can use a site map instead).
- Don’t put a lot of text input boxes on the page (unless it’s a form) because users may confuse it for search.
- Don’t hide search under a link – users won’t see it and they will quickly leave the site if they don’t find what they need
- Don’t make other search functions (scoped search, advanced search) a priority right away. If the basic search doesn’t work, these will not help the user.
Search is more than just an open text field
Adding search means you have to ensure that your search results page works. Be sure to test it thoroughly. If it doesn’t serve the user’s needs, it is better to go without. If the site you are designing has many different types of content or lots of pages, you will need to refine, tweak, and test the search results. Search results pages can have filtering, related searches, and many other features, so choose wisely. Less is usually more when it comes to usability.