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Internal site search has one simple goal: helping customers quickly find what they want. But what if your search bar does the opposite, causing confusion or frustration, quietly driving customers away like a grumpy store clerk?
Today’s users don’t browse websites out of boredom. They arrive with clear intent. And search is the fastest route to get what they want. If that journey fails, it won’t matter how sleek your UX is or how much you spent on traffic. Because a customer who doesn’t find—doesn’t buy.
How to tell if your search is doing more harm than good
Internal search is easy to overlook. It doesn’t scream for attention. But its impact on sales is anything but subtle. Here are three key metrics that reveal more than assumptions ever could:
1. CTR – Click-Through Rate
How many users clicked on a search result after entering a query?
If CTR is low, something’s off. Maybe the results are irrelevant, not visually clear, or don’t build trust, or there’s no clear call to action.
Users searching for “gifts for grandma” might find a random mix of products that don’t make sense. They don’t click, and they leave. A bit better sorting or curated suggestions could’ve saved the sale.
2. Exit rate after search
How many people used your search and then immediately left your site?
This is one of the most telling (and painful) figures. It shows users close to converting—until your search fails them. They were ready to buy. Then, they searched, got nothing useful, and closed the tab.
3. Conversion rate from search
Do search users actually buy?
They should. These visitors tend to have high intent and are up to three times more likely to convert. If your numbers say otherwise, your search logic, filtering, or result presentation might be the culprit.
It’s not enough to measure. You need to test.
Data is the start, but without action, it won’t change anything. Real progress comes through A/B testing.
Try testing hypotheses like:
- What if we highlight products with free shipping?
- Does a new result order boost CTR?
- Would showing suggested products improve results when queries return nothing?
Test one change and monitor the impact. Repeat. With Search Ready, you can do all this without bolting on additional tools.
The hidden goldmine? Queries that return zero results.
Henry Ford once said, “The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.”
A zero-result query might feel like a failure but also a gift. These are the most honest forms of customer feedback.
Why didn’t the search return anything?
- Are users looking for a product you carry under a different name?
- Are they using synonyms your system doesn’t recognize?
- Are they typing in natural language, not catalog terms?
- Are they frequently searching for something you don’t offer—yet?
Analyze, add metadata, translate their language into yours, and understand search intent—“iPhone 13 Pro Max 128 GB” differs greatly from “gift ideas for men.” While you’re at it, reassess your offering and pricing, too.
When the search starts helping, not hurting
A well-designed internal search engine does more than deliver results. It becomes an intelligent sales assistant, a guide, and a helpful companion. It inspires, orients, accelerates buying journeys, reduces frustration, and builds trust.
Most importantly, it directly increases the performance of your e‑shop.
With Search Ready, you take back control.
Our modern search engine, Search Ready, lets you track data, optimize performance, and run experiments—live and effortlessly. Developed by Media Factory experts, it’s now offered as a standalone solution and has been tested in real-world deployments with major brands.
Ready to see what Search Ready could do for your e‑shop?
Let’s talk. We’ll show you.
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