5 Best Practices for Website Search on an Ecommerce Website

Best Practice #1: Implement Autocomplete and Predictive Search

One of the simplest yet most effective ways to enhance your ecommerce search experience is by integrating autocomplete and predictive search features. When users start typing in the search bar, the system suggests relevant products or categories in real-time, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for.

Why It Works

• Reduces friction: Autocomplete minimizes the amount of typing needed, helping users find products faster.
• Avoids spelling errors: By offering suggestions, you prevent frustration stemming from misspelled search terms, which could otherwise lead to zero results.
• Increases engagement: Showing popular searches or product recommendations can inspire additional purchases, even if users aren’t entirely sure what they want.

Implementation Tip

For predictive search to work effectively, the algorithm should pull from actual search data and user behavior patterns. Regularly analyze your site’s search queries to refine suggestions, prioritizing high-demand products or items with favorable margins.

Best Practice #2: Enable Faceted Search and Filters

Once users enter a broad search term, such as “women’s shoes,” they often need more granular control to refine results. Faceted search—also known as filtered search—allows users to narrow down search results based on multiple attributes such as size, color, brand, price range, or material.

Why It Works

• Enhances product discovery: Faceted search empowers users to fine-tune their search without manually typing additional queries.
• Improves the user experience: Rather than scrolling through hundreds of irrelevant products, users can quickly find what fits their exact needs.
• Boosts conversions: When users find products that meet their specific requirements more easily, they’re more likely to make a purchase.

Implementation Tip

Ensure your filters are intuitive and easy to use. Avoid overloading users with too many options, but at the same time, provide sufficient flexibility for them to refine their search as needed. If your catalog is large, use collapsible menus or progressive filtering to reduce visual clutter.

Best Practice #3: Leverage Natural Language Processing (NLP) for Search Relevance

Today’s consumers are increasingly using more conversational queries to find products. They may type full sentences like “best summer dresses under $50” instead of just “summer dresses.” This is where Natural Language Processing (NLP) becomes crucial in understanding user intent and delivering more relevant results.

NLP enables your search engine to go beyond keyword matching and analyze the context of the query, making it possible to interpret complex or vague queries more accurately.

Why It Works

• Understands user intent: NLP helps your search engine understand not only what users are asking for but also the context in which they’re asking. This leads to more accurate results, even when queries are less specific.
• Handles long-tail searches: NLP can effectively handle longer, more detailed search queries, which are common in ecommerce as users look for specific products or features.
• Delivers personalized results: By understanding the nuances of language, your search can offer more personalized product recommendations that cater to individual preferences.

Implementation Tip

To get the most out of NLP, ensure your product descriptions are rich with relevant keywords, but also structured in a way that allows the search algorithm to pick up on key attributes, such as price, brand, and category. Consider investing in advanced search technologies like Elasticsearch or Algolia that offer built-in NLP capabilities.

Best Practice #4: Ensure Mobile Optimization for Search

With mobile commerce continuing to grow, optimizing your site’s search for mobile users is a critical best practice. On smaller screens, searching needs to be even more seamless and intuitive than on desktop. In fact, a mobile search bar should be easily accessible, simple to use, and optimized for touch.

Why It Works

• Increases usability: Mobile-optimized search, with large, tappable buttons and easy-to-read suggestions, makes the shopping experience less cumbersome.
• Cater to mobile-first users: Many consumers now shop primarily on mobile, and a poor search experience on these devices can lead to high bounce rates.
• Improves speed: An intuitive mobile search experience speeds up product discovery, which is vital when users are on-the-go or in a hurry.

Implementation Tip

In addition to making the search bar prominent on your mobile site, consider voice search integration. Voice commerce is a growing trend, with more users turning to voice assistants like Siri or Google Assistant to find products. Ensuring your search engine can handle voice queries, especially on mobile, can give you a competitive edge.

Best Practice #5: Provide Error Tolerance and Synonym Recognition

Nothing frustrates a potential customer more than receiving a “No Results Found” page after making a simple typo or using a slightly different term for a product. Error tolerance and synonym recognition are critical components of a successful search function.

Error tolerance ensures that minor spelling mistakes or typos don’t block users from finding the right products. Meanwhile, synonym recognition ensures that if a user searches for “sneakers,” they’ll still see results for “running shoes,” even if your product descriptions don’t use the same terminology.

Why It Works

• Reduces bounce rates: Users are less likely to leave the site if they get useful search results, even with slight errors in their queries.
• Improves satisfaction: By recognizing common synonyms and alternative terms, you ensure that users are matched with the products they’re looking for, even if they use different language.
• Drives more sales: A robust, forgiving search engine keeps users on your site longer, increasing the chances of conversion.

Implementation Tip

To implement error tolerance, start by integrating spell-check technology into your search function. Synonym recognition can be built by regularly reviewing search data to identify common alternative terms or phrases users employ. Many search platforms like Shopify or Magento offer built-in capabilities for handling errors and synonyms.

Are You Ready To Optimize Your Website’s Search Functionality?

Optimizing search functionality on your ecommerce website is not only about making it easy for users to find products but also about driving conversions, improving user satisfaction, and boosting overall engagement. By implementing autocomplete, faceted search, natural language processing, mobile optimization, and error tolerance, you’ll provide a seamless, user-centric experience that turns casual browsers into loyal customers.

As ecommerce continues to evolve, search will play an even more critical role in shaping the customer journey. Stay ahead of the competition by continually refining and improving your search features based on user behavior, search trends, and emerging technologies. The better the search experience, the higher the chances your customers will find what they need—and make a purchase. Reach out to us for a free consultation on how you can improve your search functionality to boost your website conversion rate.