3 ways to improve searchability
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3 Ways to Improve SearchabilityTheresa PutkeyInformation Architect & [email protected]@tputkeywww.keypointe.ca
Search is an afterthought, even though we say users can use it to find everything*.
*the kitchen sink, my missing sock, my sunglasses that I took on vacation and were “lost” in my suitcase for 2 months
Why Do I Care About Searchability?
● Search is one of the two main ways users find information
● Search is easy to implement but hard to make effective● Users are typically untrained searchers and need help
Users change search strategy only 1% of the time; 99% of the time they plod along a single unwavering path.
Whether the true number is 2% or 0.5%, the big-picture conclusion is the same: users have extraordinarily inadequate research skills when it comes to solving problems on the Web.
Jakob Nielsen www.nngroup.com/articles/incompetent-search-skills/
What Is Searchability?
Definition: The ease with which users can search for information on your site. Users start with the search box, enter a term, and then continue to refine their results either with filters or more search terms.
What Is Searchability?
In this context, I am talking about on-site search, or internal search, and not external search from a search engine.
3 Steps to Identify Searchability Problems
Look at Site Search Analytics
● Site search analytics essentially keep track of everything that users have searched for on your site
● What are the most frequently searched terms?
Look at Metadata and Taxonomy
● Are you using metadata and taxonomy? ● Are you using them consistently? ● Can users filter search results by metadata and
taxonomy?● Does your taxonomy support synonyms and
keywords?
Test It!
● Doing user testing helps find more problems● Plan and conduct user testing that focuses on search
and search results refinement● Problems can include unclear use of filters, badly laid
out filters, or a badly designed search results page
Fixing Searchability Problems
Site Search Analytics
● Go on! Search for those frequently searched terms. See what comes up. Are these results appropriate?
● Can the site search be adjusted to show promoted results?
● Why aren’t the right pages showing up? Could it have something to do with metadata and taxonomy?
Metadata and Taxonomy
● Improve the metadata and taxonomy ● Improve the synonyms and keywords in the taxonomy● Use metadata and taxonomy consistently● Improve the search engine results page to show filters
User Testing Results
● Prioritize the findings from the user testing● Plan how to resolve these issues either on the web
team, with the content creators, or the website/IT team
What’s Next?
Learn More
● Follow the Key Pointe Newsletter at http://bit.ly/2atccXl
● Read Ambient Findability by Peter Morville● Read Search Analytics for Your Site by Louis
Rosenfeld● Read Designing the Search Experience by Tony
Russell-Rose
Theresa [email protected]@tputkeyca.linkedin.com/in/tputkey604 563 6317