This document summarizes a presentation about optimizing e-commerce site search. It discusses the value of the search box, understanding customer search terms and intent, using analytics to improve search and product listings, testing different search experiences, and ensuring search results are relevant. The goal is to connect customers to the right products to accelerate online sales.

1. Accelerate e-commerce by
connecting shoppers to products
David Woods, Sales Director
eCommerce &
Omni-channel
Experience

2. Agenda
1. Value of the search box
2. Understanding the customer
language
3. Searchandising using
analytics
4. Reporting case studies
5. Importance of relevance
6. Testing
2

3. 3
Some of our UK based clients…

4. Our Products
4

5. Searchers are your most valuable shoppers
*Based on analytics data for 200+ retailers 5
11%
higher
3x
greater
6 Min.
longer
Searchers vs.
non-searchers*
$11.09
w/ search
$4.62
w/o search
7
more
Pages Per Visit

6. 6
Importance of Site Search
https://econsultancy.com/reports/ecommerce-platforms-buyers-guide
Site search functionality was
rated as critical by 56% of
companies… just 21% rated
their current solution as good
Why?
They have buying intent
They are in late stage buying
mode
They are loyal
They have come as a result
of a campaign

7. The Search Box
7

8. The Search Box
8
25% increase in usage
£11k extra searches
£34k potential increase p/m

9. Search Box Went From…
9
And more importantly
included this…

10. The Results
10

11. Key Search Reports & Insights
11
Advanced, Real-Time Reporting
Insight into users’ needs
Wide range of controls for
fine tuning
What visitors are looking for,
what they are finding and not
finding
Category-based reporting

12. Know Your Shopper
12

13. 13
Know Your Shopper

14. 14
Rank Phrase
Avg. Daily
Searches
1 plasterboard 420
2 fence post 368
3 doors 329
4 decking 329
5 radiators 305
6 gravel 290
7 fencing 264
8 bricks 256
9 skirting board 243
10 timber 241
11 lighting 229
12 cement 219
13 paint 205
14 gates 189
15 sheds 184
16 plywood 183
17 sand 183
18 laminate flooring 182
19 worktop 181
20 door handles 174
 Review Search Terms
 Identify new
opportunities
 Optimize High Traffic
Pages

15. 15
Rank Product
Average daily
Clicks
1 Bark Chippings 78
2 Multi-Purpose Compost 76.65
3 Pea Shingle 75.41
4 Slotted Concrete Fence Post 70.48
5 Deck Board 2.4m 68.88
6 Featheredge Boards 68.72
7 Timber Loft Ladder and Hatch 63.1
8 Acrylic Sheet 61.52
9 Top Soil 60.87
10 Fence post 60.25
 Conversions
 What’s actually being
click on?
 Focus on where the
traffic is
Most Viewed Pages

16. 16
More mobile phones / fancy dress? (need to carry the product?)
Better refining options for broad searches?
It’s actually named something else? (sneakers / trainers)
Rank Phrase Number of Results Avg. Searches per Day
1 gifts 535 88.25
2 mobile phones 0 84.25
3 play suit 54 72.29
4 cards 25 59.35
5 swimwear 84 56.37
6 fancy dress 0 54.96
7 sneakers 3 46.35
8 hair accessories 2 40.47
9 purple shoes 28 40.11
Searches with Poor Results

17. 17
Redirects

18. 18

19. 19

20. 20
Redirects
40%
Reduction in
bounce rate

21. Never Offer Visitors a Dead End
21
1% of
people exit
poor search
on the site

22. 22

23. 23

24. 24
Check Spelling
Spelling suggestions
dropped from an
average of 807/day to
523/day
Click thrus on spelling
suggestions have
increased 14%

25. Site Search Insights
Fifty Shades
50
fifty shades of grey
Exclusive distributor of an official
line of 50 Shades of Grey products!

26. Search Suggestions

27. 27
Rich Auto Complete
Text Suggestions – Conversion Rate
24% AOV increase £3.66
Product Suggestions – Conversion
Rate 29.5% AOV increase £5.40

28. 28
Importance of Relevance

29. 29
Importance of Relevance

30. 30
Search results need to be Relevant
Search Query: Black dress
vs.

31. 31
Result Accuracy
Top 5
product
76%
1 2 3 4
5

32. 32
Chemist Direct Sell These…

33. 33
Taking control of the Results
Search for
“Johnson’s”

34. 34
Price Low to High

35. Dynamic Refinements

36. 36
Boden – dynamic refinements
Age, Size, Height, Shape refinements
http://clothing.boden.co.uk/search#w=womens%20red%20skirt&asug=&view=normal

37. 37
Test, Test, Test
Grid Vs List Test
Yearly increase in revenue ~ £250,000 increase in usage
Grid views spend £4.47 more than list viewers
Increase in revenue of ~£21,000 per month

38. 38
Test, Test, Test
Infinite Scroll &
Floating Search

39. 39
Search on Mobile
Show search box prominently
Offers refinements with a drop down menu
Relevance even more important

40. 40
Responsive Design

41. Site Search Critique http://sitesearch.sli-systems.
com/Site-Search-Critique.html
Live Web Demo
http://sitesearch.sli-systems.com/Request-Demo.html
41

42. Thank You
David Woods
David.woods@sli-systems.com