Why Your E-Commerce Store Needs an Internal Site Search?

“Ecommerce stores that implemented internal site search are 30% more successful and boost 50% conversion than those who don’t.”

Stats are a truth bomb, one can’t deny. This highlights the power of a well-implemented internal site search in improving user experience and boosting sales.

An effective internal site search reduces customer frustration in finding the right product. It reduces the bounce rate and leads to more sales opportunities.

Let’s talk about internal site search in detail including benefits, key features, and a few bonus tips for ecommerce managers.

Benefits of Internal Site Search for Ecommerce Manager

Improve User Experience

A customer walk into the store and quickly find out what he’s been looking for. This kind of experience an internal site search can create for your online store.

Among others, one biggest challenge faced by ecommerce managers is to ensure customer easily navigate their sites. Users can’t find products easily without an effective site search

Here are several ways an internal site search improves user experience:

• Quick and easy navigation
• Personalized experience
• Improved product discovery
• Mobile friendly shopping
• Accurate results
• Enhanced user engagement
• Reduced cognitive load
• Happy shoppers, happy business

By implementing an internal site search, ecommerce managers can transform the shopping experience, and make it more personalized.

Increase Sales & Conversions

Some ecommerce stores easily convert visitors into buyers. The secret is giving customers a happy and satisfied shopping experience. Users can get what they want easily with the site search.

Let’s suppose a customer land at your store, but can’t find the right product. Frustrated, they leave and head straight to the competitors. This scenario is all too common, and it’s a significant barrier to higher sales and conversion.

Here’s how an internal site search can turn things around:

• Capturing purchase intent
• Personalized recommendation
• Upselling and cross-selling
• Reducing bounce rate
• Enhanced mobile experience
• Target high-intent shoppers
• Boost impulse purchases

By making it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for, and even discover things they didn’t know they wanted, you’re setting your store up for conversion success.

Better Customer Insights

Ever wish you could read your customers’ minds to know exactly what they want? Implementing an internal site search can bring you closer to that wish.

Without a robust search tool, you can’t get insights about your customer behavior and preferences. This lack of insights can hinder the ability to make informed decisions. It lets ecommerce owners easily make merchandising and marketing decisions.

An internal site search provides invaluable customer insights in several ways:

• Understanding Demand
• Identifying Gaps
• Optimizing Marketing Strategies
• Enhancing Product Descriptions
• Personalization Opportunities

 Key Features of a Good Internal Site Search

●       Relevance

Have you ever searched for a product and bombarded it with irrelevant results? This is a common issue that needs to be addressed in converting visitors into buyers.

Relevance in search results ensures that users find what they entered quickly, when they enter the product keyword on the search bar, they find desired products quickly and efficiently.

Here’s how an effective internal site search enhances relevance:

• Precision in Results
• Natural Language Processing
• Context-Aware Searches
• Dynamic Filtering
• Real-Time Updates

For eCommerce managers, implementing a search function that prioritizes relevance means happier customers, higher conversion rates, and a stronger bottom line.

● Autocomplete and Suggestions

Sometimes users enter product keywords in the search bar but misspell them. Does the search function understand misspelled words or will they be greeted with “no result found” messages?

This is where a good internal site search plays a role.

Autocomplete and suggestions are like mind readers for your customers, fulfill their needs, and guide them toward the perfect product. Let’s find out how to autocomplete and suggestion work and why it’s a key feature of internal site search:

Autocomplete: As users type a keyword, relevant suggestions come up. It auto-fills the search bar and customers spend less time finding the product. No more tricky spelling or writing the names perfectly.

Suggestions: This offers a wide range of relevant products based on their initial query. It goes beyond just autocompletion. Think of it as a friendly compass in the right direction, helping customers explore similar options or refine their search.

The result? A frustration-free search experience that keeps customers engaged and moving towards that final purchase.

● Search Filters (Faceted Navigation)

Customers need guidance in a sea of options, and they need help to navigate the sea. Browsing online stores with overflowing clothes racks confuses customers making it tough for them to make purchasing decisions.

Search filters act like handy sorting tools, allowing users to refine their search based on specific criteria. Think of them as those neat little dividers in a well-organized closet.

Here’s how search filters empower your customers:

• Precision product selection
• Farewell, decision fatigue
• Increased confidence in purchase

Search filters are like a personal shopping assistant rolled into your search bar. They empower customers to find exactly what they need, leading to a more satisfying shopping experience and a higher chance of conversion.

Natural Language Processing (NLP)

If your search only understands exact product names or codes, then it will be inconvenient for users to look for a product that they envisioned but don’t know the exact name.

For example, if a user lands on your stores and enters the keyword “comfy shoes for long walking” or “walking shoes”, then visitors will get a sea of products but not the exact one. Frustration sets in. Of course, they will get off to the competitors.

This is where natural language processing (NLP) plays a role in internal site search engines. It works as a translator for your search function, allowing it to understand the way your customers talk.

Let’s see how a natural language translator (NLP) turns the table on ecommerce platforms:

Understand search engines: NLP goes beyond just keywords. It analyzes the search query and understands the user intent behind those words. So, if we talk about the above examples, NLP would recognize “comfy shoes for long walks” which tells the desire to buy comfortable footwear instead of just gym shoes.

Synonyms and Beyond: Customers don’t always use the same terminology you do. NLP understands synonyms and other related words and, in turn, shows relevant results if the exact product names aren’t used. Searching for “dressy sandals” might also surface “evening heels” or “strappy wedges,” catering to a broader range of what the customer might be looking for.

Natural Language queries: NLP allows users to search more confidently in simple and natural language. For example, instead of just typing “dresses” they could type “black dress for a wedding”. In searches like these, the search function understands intent and delivers relevant results.

Mobile Optimization 

“Statistics show that 40% of users will go to the competitor after a bad mobile experience, yet an alarming 84% have experienced difficulty completing a mobile transaction.” (outer box designs)

Random numbers but real ones play an important role in realizing ecommerce managers to capitalize on consumer conversion just by creating mobile-friendly ecommerce stores.

A mobile-optimized search in ecommerce stores isn’t just a necessity, it’s a luxury. Let’s see some points that make it crucial:

• Seamless search on the small screen
• Faster results, happier customers
• Voice search is your friend
• Don’t alienate your biggest audience

Bonus Tip- Key Questions for Ecommerce Manager

Every ecommerce manager should do a little brainstorming session, and here are a few key questions to ask yourself before implementing an internal site search tool:

• What should be the primary goals for implementing an internal site search tool on my ecommerce store?
• What features should I look for in an internal site search tool?
• How we can measure the success of our internal site search implementation?
• What steps do we take to make internal site search mobile optimized?
• What are the potential challenges I can face with internal site search implementation?
• How frequently do we analyze data to understand customer behavior?

Implement The Best Internal Site Search Engine Today

A powerful internal site search is a necessity for driving sales and enhancing user experience. Other above-mentioned features like autocomplete, search filters, and NLP benefits are crystal clear. A well-implemented site search not only helps customers find products quickly but also boosts conversions by offering personalized recommendations and streamlining the shopping process.

To help yourself out, consider taking a free trial from Convertopia for your internal site search and experience it to its full potential. Convertopia combines advanced features like real-time suggestions, Promo banners, and powerful analytics to ensure your customers find what they need effortlessly. With Convertopia, you can optimize your site’s search functionality, increase customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive more sales.

Implement the best internal site search tool today, your customers and your bottom line will thank you.