What Are People Really Looking For At Your Web Site?
Knowing what search terms folks use to find your web site
is one thing.
Knowing what they are really looking for is quite something
else.
People type keywords into search engines they think will
find the page they want. The pages of results might or might
not contain what they're looking for.
It doesn't take much effort or time for them to find out:
-
They click a link on the search engine's results
page.
-
They quickly decide if the page has what they're
looking for.
-
If not, they click the "back" button.
When a searcher immediately clicks the "back" button, it may
suggest to the search engine software that the term is not
as relevant to your page as previously supposed.
Arrest them at step 2 with a prominent site search box on
the page. If they see it, they can use it to search your
site instead of clicking "back."
When they use a site search box, that is when they tell
you what they are really looking for. The newly released
Site Search Analytics software, introduced later in this
article, is designed to help you understand what it is they
are saying.
The search terms they use can be a big help when updating
existing content, deciding what content to add, and
determining which affiliate programs to advertise. It
can also help with your keyword lists.
The searchers are real people looking for real information
they think your web site might provide.
Getting a Site Search Box
Google Custom Search is a wonderful tool when you don't
otherwise have your own site search software.
See the Adding Google's Site Search to Your Web Site
article for step-by-step instructions to put Google's
site search box on web sites.
Put the search box somewhere prominent, where searchers
would look to find it, on every page they are likely to
land on from search engine results pages.
Those who don't use your search box may have:
-
Found what they were looking for.
-
Not seen your search box.
-
Decided to use your site's navigation links.
-
Or, clicked "back" to the search engine.
With a prominent site search box on each page, visitors from
search engines have an easy way to search your site for what
they want.
Finding Out What They Are Really Looking For
The newly released Site Search Analytics is software
designed to work in conjunction with Google Custom Search.
Every search is logged. If the browser has JavaScript turned
on and accepts cookies, the URL of the page where the search
box was used is also logged.
The Site Search Analytics control panel is then used to
analyze the search terms. See the software description page
for more information about this amazing tool.
Knowing what site visitors search for from your own web site
is quite revealing. Not only do you know what they're looking
for, you also know what they expect or hope to find at a
site like yours, even if it's not currently available.
Further, knowing on which page they initiated the search
provides valuable clues to what the page might be missing or
the improvements your navigation system could use.
The Facts
Web sites with more than a few pages need a site search box
to assist those who land on the wrong page. Even with
excellent navigation links available, some will still prefer
using the search box to find what they want.
A prominent site search box can divert visitors from
immediately clicking "back" and returning to the search
engine results page they came from.
Site Search Analytics is the software to use in conjunction
with Google Custom Search for analyzing the search terms and
determining the pages from which the searches were made. See
http://www.willmaster.com/software/sitesearchanalytics/
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Will Bontrager
© Bontrager Connection, LLC
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