Best practices for ecommerce search

In the fast-paced world of ecommerce, site search has emerged as one of the most powerful tools for driving conversions and revenue. Shoppers who actively use the search functionality on a website are demonstrating a high level of purchase intent—they have a clear idea of what they want and expect the website to help them find it quickly and effortlessly.

While it may seem like a small detail, the impact of site search on an ecommerce store's bottom line is significant. According to data from SearchNode, only 10-20% of visitors on average will utilize the search box, but that small segment accounts for an impressive 30-60% of total ecommerce revenues. This means that the search users are punching well above their weight in terms of conversion and revenue generation.

However, simply having a search bar on your ecommerce site is not enough to fully capitalize on this potential. To truly maximize the impact of site search, it needs to be fast, intuitive, and intelligent. It should be able to quickly understand the customer's intent based on their search query and guide them to the most relevant products in your catalog.

In this guide, we'll explore 25 ecommerce site search best practices, key features, and real-world examples to help you supercharge your store's search performance and turn more casual browsers into committed buyers. From optimizing for mobile to leveraging AI and personalization, we'll cover all the essential strategies you need to know. Let's dive in!

1. Make your search box prominent and easy to find

The search bar should be one of the first elements that visitors notice when they arrive on your ecommerce site. To ensure maximum visibility and usability, place the search bar in a prominent location in the header, ideally using a contrasting color to make it stand out from the background. Additionally, include a universally recognized magnifying glass icon to clearly indicate the search functionality.

Consider using microcopy—small, instructive text—within the search bar itself, such as "Search products..." or "Find what you need..." to make its purpose immediately clear to users. By making the search bar easy to spot and interact with, you'll encourage more visitors to use this valuable feature and start their shopping journey on a strong note.

2. Optimize for mobile users

As mobile commerce continues to grow at a rapid pace—with a projected increase of 68% by 2022 according to Statista—it's crucial that your ecommerce site search is optimized for users on smartphones and tablets. Mobile screens have limited real estate compared to desktop displays, so your search bar needs to be easily accessible and usable on these devices.

One effective strategy is using a sticky header that keeps the search bar visible and within reach as the user scrolls down the page. Ensure that the search bar is optimized for touch input, with a large enough tap target and adequate spacing between elements to prevent accidental clicks.

Moreover, leverage predictive search functionality to minimize the amount of typing required on mobile keyboards. As the user starts entering their query, display relevant suggestions that they can quickly tap on to complete their search. This not only saves time and effort but also helps guide users toward successful searches.

3. Provide accurate, relevant search results

At its core, the success of an ecommerce site search hinges on its ability to provide accurate and relevant results to the user's query. This may seem like an obvious point, but it's the foundation upon which all other search optimizations are built.

To achieve high accuracy and relevance, your search algorithm needs to be able to handle a wide range of query types and variations. This includes synonyms (e.g., "couch" vs. "sofa"), typos and misspellings, abbreviations (e.g., "NYC" for "New York City"), and different phrasings or word orders.

One powerful technique to improve search relevance is leveraging natural language processing (NLP) capabilities. NLP enables the search engine to understand the semantic meaning and intent behind a user's query, rather than just matching keywords verbatim. This allows for more intelligent and contextual search results, even for complex or conversational queries.

4. Use an optimized search results layout

When a user performs a search on your ecommerce site, the search results page is your opportunity to showcase the most relevant products and inspire them to make a purchase. To maximize the impact of this crucial page, it's important to use an optimized layout that presents key information and encourages clicks.

Include essential decision-making details for each product result, such as price, customer ratings, available variants (e.g., sizes, colors), key specifications, and stock availability. Make it easy for users to filter and sort the results based on these attributes to help them quickly narrow down their options.

Visually, the search results page should be appealing and intuitive, with high-quality product images that automatically match the user's search terms. For example, if a user searches for a "red dress," the image results should prominently display red dresses rather than other color variations. This helps create a cohesive and satisfying search experience.

5. Avoid "no results found" pages

One of the most frustrating experiences for an ecommerce shopper is encountering a "no results found" page after entering a search query. This dead-end not only disrupts their browsing flow but can also lead to site abandonment if they believe you don't carry the product they're looking for.

To mitigate this issue, implement strategies to gracefully handle searches that don't yield an exact match. Instead of displaying a blank results page, show a selection of products that are closely related to the user's query. This can help keep the user engaged and encourage them to continue exploring your site.

Additionally, make sure to keep the user's original search query visible on the results page, allowing them to easily revise or refine their search. Offer helpful tips and suggestions, such as checking for spelling errors or trying alternative search terms, to guide them toward a successful search outcome.

6. Implement smart autocomplete and query suggestions

To guide users toward successful searches and minimize friction, implement smart autocomplete and query suggestion functionality within your search bar. As the user begins typing their query, display a dropdown menu with relevant search suggestions based on popular queries and products.

This not only saves the user time and effort but also helps to steer them toward searches that are more likely to yield relevant results. By leveraging your historical search data and user behavior insights, you can continuously refine and optimize these suggestions to improve their accuracy and effectiveness.

Consider incorporating visual previews within the autocomplete dropdown, such as product thumbnails or category images, to provide a more engaging and inspiring search experience. This can help catch the user's attention and encourage them to explore further.

7. Handle long-tail and natural language searches effectively

In today's ecommerce landscape, customers have grown accustomed to the sophisticated search capabilities offered by giants like Google and Amazon. They expect to be able to enter long, specific queries or even conversational phrases and still receive highly relevant results.

To meet these expectations, optimize your ecommerce search engine to handle long-tail and natural language queries effectively. Break down the user's input into its key components, such as product attributes, brands, and categories, to better understand the intent behind the search.

For example, if a user searches for "men's blue running shoes size 10," your search engine should be able to parse out the relevant details—gender (men's), color (blue), product type (running shoes), and size (10)—and return results that match those specific criteria. By catering to these granular searches, you can provide a more targeted and satisfying user experience.

8. Offer quick views and call-to-actions directly from search results

To streamline the user journey and reduce friction, consider offering quick view functionality and prominent call-to-actions directly within the search results page. This allows users to view more details about a product or even add it to their cart without navigating away from the search results.

Implement "Quick View" or "View Details" buttons that open a lightweight popup or overlay, presenting key product information, images, and customization options. This enables users to efficiently gather the details they need to make a purchase decision without leaving the search context.

Additionally, highlight "Add to Cart" buttons alongside each search result, making it easy for users to swiftly add items to their cart as they browse. By providing these shortcuts and reducing the number of clicks required, you can capitalize on the high purchase intent of search users and drive more conversions.

9. Personalize search results for each user

To deliver a more engaging and relevant search experience, leverage personalization techniques to tailor the search results to each individual user. By utilizing data points like the user's location, past search history, browsing behavior, and purchase history, you can present search results that are more likely to resonate with their interests and needs.

For example, if a user has previously searched for or purchased a particular brand or product category, prioritize those items in their future search results. Implement localized search functionality to display product availability and pricing specific to the user's geographic location.

Employ collaborative filtering algorithms to present "customers who searched for this also viewed/bought" recommendations, helping users discover relevant products they may not have considered otherwise. By making the search results feel more personalized and attuned to the user's preferences, you can increase engagement, conversions, and customer loyalty.

10. Show relevant content, not just products, in search results

While product listings are undoubtedly the primary focus of an ecommerce search engine, it's important to recognize that not every search query is directly related to a specific item. Shoppers may also be searching for valuable content such as sizing guides, shipping information, return policies, or product care instructions.

To provide a comprehensive and helpful search experience, ensure that your search results include relevant content pages and articles alongside product listings. This allows users to access the information they need without having to navigate away from the search interface.

For example, if a user searches for "shoe size chart," prominently display a link to your sizing guide within the search results. Similarly, if someone searches for "gift ideas for mom," showcase any relevant gift guides or blog posts you have on the topic. By offering this additional content, you demonstrate your expertise and thoughtfulness, building trust and encouraging users to continue engaging with your site.

11. Allow category or department-specific searches

For ecommerce sites with extensive product catalogs spanning multiple categories, implementing the ability to search within specific departments or product types can greatly enhance the user experience. This functionality allows shoppers to narrow their search scope from the outset, resulting in more targeted and manageable results.

To enable category-specific searches, include a dropdown menu or a set of filters adjacent to the search bar, allowing users to select their desired department or product type before entering their query. For instance, a user looking for a new jacket can select the "Men's Outerwear" category and then search for "leather jacket" to receive results tailored to that specific subset of products.

This granular search capability is particularly valuable for users who have a clear idea of what they're looking for and want to avoid wading through irrelevant results. By providing this option, you empower your customers to find what they need more quickly and efficiently, reducing the likelihood of frustration or abandonment.

12. Show trending searches to inspire and save time

Leverage the power of social proof and collective wisdom by displaying a list of trending or popular search queries on your ecommerce site. This feature not only helps to inspire and guide users who may be unsure of what to search for but also saves time for those who are interested in exploring current trends or best-sellers.

You can showcase these trending searches in a dedicated section on your homepage, within the search dropdown menu, or even on the search results page itself. Use eye-catching visual elements like product thumbnails, popularity indicators (e.g., "1,000+ people searched for this"), or time-sensitive labels (e.g., "Trending this week") to draw attention to these suggested queries.

By highlighting what other shoppers are actively searching for, you tap into the power of social validation and FOMO (fear of missing out), encouraging users to explore these popular products or categories. This not only enhances the discoverability of your top-performing items but also helps users feel more confident in their purchasing decisions, knowing that others are interested in the same things.

13. Implement faceted search for easy refinement

Faceted search is a powerful tool that allows users to progressively refine and filter their search results based on multiple dimensions or attributes. By providing a set of relevant filters or facets alongside the search results, you enable shoppers to quickly narrow down their options and find the perfect product that meets their specific criteria.

Common facets for ecommerce sites include price range, size, color, material, brand, customer rating, and more. Present these filters in an intuitive and user-friendly manner, such as checkboxes, buttons, or sliders, depending on the nature of the attribute.

For example, if a user searches for "women's dresses," they can then use the faceted search options to filter the results by size (e.g., small, medium, large), color (e.g., black, red, blue), style (e.g., casual, formal, maxi), and price range (e.g., under $50, $50-$100, over $100). As they select different facets, the search results dynamically update to reflect their chosen criteria.

This interactive and iterative approach to search refinement empowers users to take control of their browsing experience and find the ideal product more efficiently. By providing a well-designed faceted search interface, you demonstrate your understanding of your customers' needs and preferences, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty.

14. Support symbols and abbreviations in search queries

In certain product categories, such as electronics, automotive parts, or industrial supplies, customers may search for items using specific symbols, abbreviations, or technical specifications. To ensure that these users can find what they're looking for, it's crucial to optimize your search engine to handle these specialized queries.

For example, a user searching for a computer monitor might input a query like "27" QHD 1440p 144Hz," which includes a mix of symbols (inches), abbreviations (QHD for Quad High Definition), and technical specs (1440p resolution, 144Hz refresh rate). Similarly, someone looking for a specific automotive part might search using a part number like "ABC123" or "XYZ-987."

To accommodate these types of searches, ensure that your search algorithm can parse and interpret symbols, abbreviations, and alphanumeric codes correctly. This may involve creating synonym lists or mapping common abbreviations to their full terms (e.g., "in." to "inches," "hp" to "horsepower").

By supporting these specialized query formats, you demonstrate your industry expertise and cater to the needs of more technical or knowledgeable customers. This can set you apart from competitors who may not offer this level of search flexibility and accuracy.

15. Showcase social proof and user-generated content in search results

In today's ecommerce landscape, social proof and user-generated content (UGC) play a significant role in influencing purchasing decisions. Integrate these trust-building elements into your search results to provide valuable context and help shoppers make more informed choices.

Display star ratings, review counts, and even snippets of customer reviews alongside each product listing in the search results. This allows users to quickly gauge the popularity and quality of an item without having to click through to the individual product pages.

Incorporate user-generated photos and videos into your search results as well. Seeing real customers using or wearing your products can be incredibly persuasive and help shoppers visualize how an item might fit into their own lives. Plus, UGC serves as authentic social proof, building trust and credibility for your brand.

By prominently featuring social proof and UGC within your search interface, you provide users with the confidence and validation they need to proceed with a purchase. This can lead to higher click-through rates, conversions, and customer satisfaction, as shoppers feel more secure in their decision-making process.

16. Intelligently handle queries for unavailable products

Inevitably, there will be times when a customer searches for a product that is temporarily out of stock or no longer carried by your ecommerce store. How you handle these situations can make a significant difference in the user experience and your ability to retain that potential customer.

Instead of simply omitting the unavailable product from the search results or displaying a generic "out of stock" message, take a more proactive and helpful approach:

a. Show the out-of-stock product in the search results, but clearly indicate its current availability status. This lets the user know that you do (or did) carry the item they're looking for.

b. Offer the option to sign up for back-in-stock notifications, so the user can be alerted via email or push notification when the product becomes available again. This keeps them engaged with your brand and increases the likelihood of a future purchase.

c. Recommend similar or alternative products that are currently in stock, based on the user's search query and the attributes of the unavailable item. This helps to keep the user on your site and encourages them to explore other relevant options.

By implementing these strategies, you demonstrate your commitment to customer service and provide a more seamless and satisfying search experience, even when faced with product availability challenges.

17. Feature product variants in search results

When a customer searches for a specific product variant, such as a particular size or color, it's essential to display that exact variant in the search results whenever possible. This saves the user from having to click through to the product detail page and then manually select their desired options.

For example, if a user searches for "blue medium women's t-shirt," the search results should prominently feature the blue, medium-sized version of the relevant t-shirts, rather than just the default or primary product images.

To achieve this level of specificity, ensure that your product data is structured and tagged in a way that allows for granular variant-level indexing and retrieval. This may involve using descriptive, keyword-rich naming conventions for your product variants and implementing detailed product tagging or attribute mapping.

By presenting users with the exact product variants they're searching for right in the search results, you reduce friction and accelerate the path to purchase. This attention to detail demonstrates your understanding of customer preferences and can lead to higher conversion rates and customer satisfaction.

18. Gracefully handle misspellings and typos

Even the most diligent shoppers are prone to the occasional typing error or misspelling when entering search queries. To provide a seamless and user-friendly search experience, it's essential to implement mechanisms that can gracefully handle these common mistakes.

Incorporate robust spell-checking and autocorrection functionalities into your search engine to automatically detect and correct misspelled words or typos. This ensures that users can still receive relevant results even if their search query isn't perfectly accurate.

For example, if a user types "rde dress" instead of "red dress," your search engine should be able to interpret the intended query and display the appropriate results for red dresses. Similarly, if a user misspells a brand name or product term, your search should be able to suggest the correct spelling or show results for the intended item.

In cases where the search engine isn't confident about automatically correcting a query, consider displaying a "Did you mean..." suggestion alongside the original search results. This allows the user to confirm their intent and refine their search if necessary.

By gracefully handling misspellings and typos, you demonstrate your commitment to user experience and reduce the friction that can lead to frustration or abandonment. This attention to detail can help build trust and loyalty with your customers, even when they make mistakes in their search queries.

19. Analyze and leverage internal site search data

Your ecommerce site's internal search is a goldmine of valuable data and insights into your customers' needs, preferences, and behaviors. By regularly analyzing this search data, you can uncover opportunities to optimize your product offerings, merchandising strategies, and overall user experience.

Track your most frequently searched terms and monitor trends over time. This can help you identify popular products or categories to feature prominently on your site, as well as inform your inventory planning and procurement decisions.

Keep an eye out for search queries that consistently return few or no results, as this may indicate gaps in your product catalog or areas where you're not meeting customer demand. Use these insights to consider adding new products or expanding your existing offerings.

Additionally, pay attention to the language and terminology that customers use in their search queries. This can help you optimize your product titles, descriptions, and metadata to better align with how your target audience thinks about and searches for your products.

By regularly mining and acting on your internal search data, you can create a more customer-centric and data-driven ecommerce experience that adapts to your shoppers' evolving needs and preferences.

20. Implement searchandising campaigns for key events and promotions

Searchandising is the practice of optimizing and merchandising your search results to promote specific products, categories, or offers based on your business goals and customer needs. This is particularly effective during high-traffic periods like holidays, seasonal sales, or special promotions.

For example, if you're running a Mother's Day campaign, you can create a custom search experience that prioritizes gift-related products and categories when users search for terms like "gifts for mom" or "mother's day presents." This can involve boosting the relevance of certain products, featuring curated gift guides or collections, and highlighting relevant promotions or discounts.

Similarly, during a winter sale, you might promote your discounted cold-weather gear and accessories when users search for terms like "winter jackets" or "snow boots." This targeted approach helps guide shoppers toward the most relevant and timely offerings, increasing the likelihood of conversion.

Implementing searchandising campaigns requires a combination of strategic planning, creative merchandising, and technical execution. Collaborate with your marketing, merchandising, and ecommerce teams to identify key events and promotions, define your searchandising goals, and develop a plan to optimize your search results accordingly.

21. Prioritize search performance and speed

In today's fast-paced digital landscape, customers expect near-instant results when they perform a search on your ecommerce site. Slow loading times or delayed search results can lead to frustration, abandonment, and lost sales.

To provide a seamless and satisfying search experience, prioritize the performance and speed of your search functionality. Implement technical optimizations to ensure that your search engine can quickly process queries and return relevant results, even under heavy traffic loads.

Some key strategies to improve search performance include:

a. Indexing your product catalog regularly to ensure that search results are up-to-date and accurate.

b. Implementing caching mechanisms to store and quickly retrieve frequently searched results, reducing the load on your servers.

c. Utilizing Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to serve search results and related assets (e.g., product images) from geographically distributed servers, reducing latency and improving load times.

d. Optimizing your search algorithm and relevance scoring to efficiently process queries and rank results based on factors like keyword relevance, product popularity, and user behavior.

By focusing on search performance and speed, you can create a more responsive and enjoyable user experience that keeps shoppers engaged and moving smoothly through the purchase journey.

22. Continuously test and optimize your search experience

Like any critical component of your ecommerce site, your search functionality requires ongoing testing, monitoring, and optimization to ensure peak performance and user satisfaction. Regularly conduct thorough search usability testing to identify potential pain points, confusing elements, or opportunities for improvement.

Engage with your users directly to gather feedback on their search experience. This can involve user surveys, focus groups, or one-on-one interviews to gain insights into how well your search is meeting their needs and expectations. Ask questions about the relevance of search results, the ease of finding desired products, and the overall satisfaction with the search process.

In addition to qualitative feedback, leverage quantitative data from your analytics platforms and A/B testing tools to measure the impact of specific search optimizations on key metrics like search usage, click-through rates, conversion rates, and revenue per search.

Continuously iterate and refine your search experience based on these insights, testing new features, layouts, and algorithms to improve performance and user satisfaction over time. By adopting a data-driven and customer-centric approach to search optimization, you can create a more compelling and profitable ecommerce experience.

23. Harness the power of AI and machine learning for intelligent search

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies have revolutionized the way ecommerce sites approach search and personalization. By leveraging these advanced tools, you can create a more intelligent, adaptive, and customer-centric search experience that drives better results for your business.

AI-powered search algorithms can automatically learn from user behaviors, preferences, and feedback to continuously refine and optimize search results for each individual shopper. This can involve analyzing factors like search history, clickstream data, purchase patterns, and demographic information to serve up hyper-relevant products and recommendations.

Machine learning models can also help you better understand the intent behind search queries, even if they're complex, ambiguous, or use non-standard language. By training these models on vast amounts of search data and customer interactions, you can develop a more nuanced and contextual understanding of what shoppers are looking for, allowing you to provide more accurate and satisfying results.

In addition to improving relevance and personalization, AI and ML can also streamline and automate many of the manual tasks associated with search optimization, such as keyword mapping, synonym identification, and merchandising rule creation. This frees up your team to focus on more strategic initiatives while ensuring that your search experience remains up-to-date and aligned with customer needs.

24. Don't set it and forget it: Continuously monitor and adapt your search strategy

Implementing a high-performing ecommerce site search is not a one-time project, but rather an ongoing process that requires continuous monitoring, analysis, and adaptation. Customer behaviors, market trends, and competitive landscapes are constantly evolving, and your search strategy needs to keep pace to remain effective.

Regularly review your search analytics to identify changes in user behavior, emerging trends, or new opportunities for optimization. Keep an eye out for shifts in popular search terms, changes in click-through rates or conversion rates, or fluctuations in search usage across different devices or customer segments.

As you gather new insights and data, be prepared to adjust your search strategy and tactics accordingly. This may involve updating your product catalog and metadata, refining your relevance algorithms, or experimenting with new features or personalization techniques.

Continuously solicit feedback from your customers and internal teams to stay attuned to their needs and pain points. Encourage open communication and collaboration between your search, merchandising, marketing, and customer service teams to ensure that your search experience remains aligned with your overall business goals and customer experience strategy.

By adopting an agile and iterative approach to search optimization, you can create a more responsive, customer-centric, and profitable ecommerce experience that stands the test of time.

25. Integrate voice search capabilities

As voice-enabled devices and digital assistants become increasingly popular, consider integrating voice search capabilities into your ecommerce site search. This allows users to verbally query your product catalog using natural language, providing a more convenient and hands-free shopping experience. Optimize your search engine to understand and interpret spoken queries accurately, and ensure that your product data is structured and tagged appropriately for voice search compatibility.

Conclusion

In today's highly competitive ecommerce landscape, a robust and intelligent site search is no longer a nice-to-have, but a critical necessity for driving conversions, loyalty, and growth. By implementing the 25 best practices and strategies outlined in this guide, you can create a search experience that exceeds customer expectations, boosts engagement, and sets your brand apart.

From mobile optimization and personalization to AI-powered relevance and continuous testing, the key to search success lies in putting your customers at the center of every decision and continuously adapting to their evolving needs and preferences.

But the work doesn't stop there. As new technologies, customer behaviors, and market forces emerge, your search strategy must also evolve to stay ahead of the curve. By remaining agile, data-driven, and customer-obsessed, you can build a search experience that not only drives short-term conversions but also fosters long-term customer loyalty and advocacy.

So don't wait to start optimizing your ecommerce site search. Embrace the power of these best practices and embark on a journey of continuous improvement and innovation. Your customers (and your bottom line) will thank you.