[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-15-ecommerce-site-search-best-practices-en":3,"en-cms-blog-15-ecommerce-site-search-best-practices":3},{"title":4,"slug":5,"publishDate":6,"category":7,"body":8,"metaTitle":4,"metaDescription":9,"metaImageAlt":10,"createdAt":11,"updatedAt":12,"publishedAt":13,"locale":14,"coverImage":15,"metaImage":15,"author":16},"15 eCommerce site search best practices to boost sales","15-ecommerce-site-search-best-practices","2023-07-26","eCommerce Trends","Site search plays a pivotal role in eCommerce, guiding shoppers to the products they want to purchase - much like [a shop assistant](https://www.motive.co/blog/eCommerce-search-recreates-in-store-shopping-magic) would in a high-street store. So let’s imagine you’re a small to medium sized business that’s going to upgrade the search of its online store. What do you need to know? \n\nThis article will give you a quick overview of **what makes a good eCommerce site search**, the features you should look for when upgrading your search, and how you can make sure your search is properly optimised to boost sales and trust. \n\n## What makes a good eCommerce site search?\n\nA good **eCommerce site search** doesn’t just make your products more findable, it should also: \n\n- Improve the overall shopping experience\n- Increase conversions and revenue\n- Boost average order value (AOV)\n- Reduce bounce rates\n- Reflect your brand identity\n\n## 15 eCommerce site search best practices\n\nBefore we go into more detail on each of the best practices for your search, let’s take a quick look at 15 of the most important **eCommerce site search best practices**. \n\n1. Give your search box the spotlight it deserves\n2. Make sure your search has typo tolerance\n3. Add an auto-complete\n4. Leverage suggestions \n5. Prioritise mobile optimisation\n6. Speed is key\n7. Display search results instantly\n8. Make sure your search is visually pleasing\n9. Showcase product variants\n10. Avoid dead ends and zero results \n11. Harness effective filtering\n12. Promote products within your search\n13. Make your search feel like your search\n14. Add an add to cart button\n15. Utilise search analytics\n\nNow, let’s look at each of these in more detail. \n\n### 1. Give your search box the spotlight it deserves\n\nFor many online shoppers, the search box is often the first point of interaction with your brand. For this reason, it deserves to be centre stage - or at least easy to find. \n\nBut beyond simply searching for products, there’s more benefit to having your site search prominently placed. A good site search will have features built into it that help you sell more.  A prominently placed search box equates to higher usage. By making your search box prominent, you're increasing usage and inviting users to dive right into your product catalogue.\n\nA recent webinar by [IMRG](https://www.imrg.org/all-posts/) highlighted that customers using the search box convert at a higher rate than those who don’t, underlining the benefits of a prominently placed search box. \n\n### 2. Make sure your search has typo tolerance\n\nLet's face it, we've all been there, hastily typing into a search box and making a typo or two. In online shopping, there's nothing more frustrating than having a search come up empty just because of a minor typo. Your search needs to provide relevant results - even when users misspell words. \n\nTypo tolerance can significantly reduce user frustration, which can directly lead to an increase in customer satisfaction and, ultimately, higher sales. \n\n### 3. Add an auto-complete\n\nAuto-complete isn't just about fixing typos; it's about making the search process swifter and smoother. This step can notably improve your customer experience, translating into longer browsing times and higher purchase rates.\n\n![The auto-complete feature of Motive Commerce Search ](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Auto_Complete_2aef2de981.png)\n\n### 4. Leverage suggestions\n\nSuggesting popular products to your users can nudge them towards making a purchase. The quicker they find something they love, the faster they're likely to hit the 'checkout' button. \n\nBy displaying your shop's most popular products as soon as a shopper clicks on the search box you can increase average order value (AOV) and shopper satisfaction. \n\n![Popular products functionality with Motive Commerce Search](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Popular_Products_EN_22c93ebc74.png)\n\n### 5. Prioritise mobile optimisation\n\nMobile optimisation is no longer optional. It's now critical to fine-tune your site search for mobile shopping. As of 2023, the mobile commerce market comprises nearly 73% of total eCommerce, a 39.1% increase from 2016 when mobile commerce was only 52.4% of the e-commerce market​\n\nA positive mobile experience will reduce bounce rates and ensure you don't miss out on any potential sales.\n\n### 6. Speed is key\n\nNever keep your customers waiting. Delivering swift search results can maintain user engagement and, in turn, your sales. In fact, 82% of consumers say slow page speeds impact their purchasing decisions. Your site search should deliver results quickly and efficiently. \n\n### 7. Display search results instantly\n\nPresent results to shoppers the moment they start typing. By displaying your catalogue as a shopper type, you enhance the shopping experience and get customers to where they want quicker, helping you boost your conversion rates.\n\n![Motive Commerce Search displaying results as the shoppers type](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Displaying_Search_Results_e404490f4a.png)\n\n### 8. Make sure your search is visually pleasing\n\nImages can elevate your merchandising game and expedite the product selection process. If shoppers see something they love right off the bat, they're more likely to add it to their cart. Great design leads to great sales. \n\n### 9. Showcase product variants\n\nShowing product variants directly in the search can aid users in making a purchase decision, boosting your average order value. When shoppers are aware that you’ve got multiple versions of the same product (for example a perfume in multiple formats), they’re more likely to click through to your product page and click that add to cart button. \n\n![How the shoppers can see that the products have some variants](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Product_Variants_d56ed35794.png)\n\n### 10. Avoid dead ends and zero results\n\nEnsure relevant results every time by setting up synonyms. Synonyms make sure shoppers find the products they’re looking for even if they use different search terms.  For example, iPhone, phone and mobile would all be synonyms of each other. \n\nWell set up synonyms not only improve findability, but also reduce bounce rates. Synonyms can be useful for other campaigns, and are key to your eCommerce site search success. \n\n![Image of the Synonyms tool at Motive Commerce Search](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Synonyms_EN_d3110a3f20.png)\n\n### 11. Harness effective filtering\n\nEffective filtering options help your customers navigate through your catalogue, leading them directly to their desired product. This streamlined process can increase user satisfaction and result in repeat purchases. \n\nGood filtering can be extremely effective. Spanish retailer [Lámparas Galvez](https://www.motive.co/case-studies/case-study-lamparas-galvez) has used the powerful and effective filtering of Motive Commerce Search to increase in-search Add to Carts by 21%. \n\n### 12. Promote products within your search\n\nWhen shoppers search for something specific, your search should be able to show them the items you want them to see. This is known as product boosting and product burying. \n\nTake the business rules tool in Motive Commerce Search. With this tool, you can boost or bury products to influence how results are shown and make sure specific products are prominently displayed in the search results. \n\nFor example, if you have a dress on sale with only a couple sizes left, you can create a boosting rule for specific searches using the term “dress”, then select the ID of the dress you want to feature. This ensures it appears at the top of the results when shoppers search for dresses.\n\n![Boost & Bury tool at Motive Commerce Search](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Boost_and_Bury_EN_e0a254ca8a.png)\n\n### 13. Make your search feel like your search\n\nAs your needs evolve, you’ll probably find yourself using more plugins and external tools that will take your shop to the next level. \n\nWhen upgrading your shop, make sure that the tools you use reflect your brand identity. This is particularly important when it comes to your search. When a shopper clicks on your search box, the interface should look and feel like your shop, using the same consistent branding. \n\n![Visual Customisation options at Motive's Playboard](https://assets.motive.co/cms/Visual_Customisation_EN_93e13b7749.png)\n\n### 14. Add an add to cart button\n\nA clear and prominent 'Add to Cart' button on product cards can speed up the purchase process and directly increase your sales by letting customers add products to their cart directly from the search results. \n\n### 15. Utilise search analytics\n\nBy analysing your shop's search data, you can gain invaluable insights into customer behaviour. These findings can inform your overall strategy, helping you optimise for user needs and preferences. However, make sure your analytics respect your shoppers data. Aim for a privacy friendly approach to analytics wherever possible. \n\n## Finding the right search to deliver your needs\n\nIncorporating an innovative tool like Motive Commerce Search can further improve your efforts when it comes to your shops search. Motive simplifies site search, delivers relevant results quickly, and respects your customers' privacy with its tracker and cookie-free technology. In an era where privacy is paramount, increased customer trust is a competitive advantage. \n\nRemember, an effective eCommerce site search acts like a personal shopping assistant, guiding your customers, facilitating their journey, and converting them into loyal customers. Harness the power of these strategies and you’ll be able to turn your site search into your number one sales assistant in no time.\n","Your eCommerce site search can help you sell more if you know how to get the most out of it. With these 15 best practices you can do just that. ","A man next to the image of a search layer and shopping from his mobile.","2023-07-25T14:56:39.253Z","2023-07-26T06:41:47.085Z","2023-07-26T06:36:35.810Z","en","https://assets.motive.co/cms/15e_Commerce_Sites_Cover_b18cb44bb0.jpg",{"fullName":17,"email":17,"jobTitle":17},""]