Once upon a time, companies could easily add a site search option to their websites using Google’s Custom Search Engine. But that option was phased out in April 2018, leaving many companies scrambling to find a replacement tool that let visitors quickly and easily find anything and everything on their company websites.
HubSpot knew the change was coming and developed HubSpot site search, a native site search tool companies can use to increase engagement, conversions and sales while boosting the overall customer experience.
Why You Need to Care About Site Search
Let’s say someone lands on your site looking for an answer to a specific question they have about your service or product. Without site search, they’re forced to poke around on their own. They may click a few navigation links, but they’re apt to give up and head to your competitor if they don’t quickly find what they’re seeking.
With site search, visitors can instantly search through all the content on your site to find the specific answer they need. Since they already know what they’re looking for, visitors using site search are 216 percent more likely to convert into paying customers than other site visitors.
- Increases incentive to purchase: HubSpot site search caters to visitors in the final stage of the buying process. They already know they want you, and site search lets them compare prices and other details imperative for their final decision.
- Increases conversion rates: User-friendly site searches increase conversion rates. If visitors don’t get immediate answers from your site, they’ll quickly go elsewhere. In addition to conversion rates, a user-friendly search option likewise improves loyalty, retention and site usage while giving you a competitive edge.
- Adds power to your content: Keep people on your site by ensuring they can find the exact piece of content they want and need. HubSpot site search does this by indexing all of your HubSpot-hosted content the moment you publish it.
- Turns visitors into engagements: Site search gives people a fast and easy way to both find and engage with the content that intrigues them the most.
How to Set up Your own HubSpot Site Search
If you’re already using the HubSpot COS, you have instant access to HubSpot site search without any extra cost, integrations or other headaches. Setting up the site search HubSpot tool is straightforward, consisting of three elements: the search field, the search results module and the search results page.
Turn on the site search feature in Content Settings by following these steps:
- Create your own search results page by selecting and customizing the “Search Results Page” template found in the System Templates section. The template includes the “Site Search Input” module and the “Site Search Results” module; you can also add other modules as desired.
- Go to the Content Settings section to set this “Search Results Page” as a system template.
- Make sure the modules on your template are set how you want them. Search results are set to default to the URL: yourcompany.com/hs-search-results. You can change the URL if you wish; use the box below the area where you initially selected the template.
Savvy HubSpot Site Search Tips
You can make the most of HubSpot site search by paying attention to several important details.
- Search box location: Your search box needs to be highly visible and easy to find. Ideal locations include in the top navigation area or in a center banner image.
- Search box color: The site search field needs to stand out, drawing your visitors’ attention to the search bar while contrasting with your overall theme.
- Help text: Adding help text and labels makes it clear to visitors when the search field will be searching. Phrases like “Search our site” or “Search all products” give visitors a head’s up of what they can expect to find.
- Auto-complete: HubSpot site search comes equipped with an auto-complete feature that’s activated by default. Using auto-complete enhances the search experience, bringing visitors right to the article, product or information they’re looking for. When they see how fast and easy searching your site is, they’re more likely to keep on doing it.
With a simple setup and bountiful benefits, site search is definitely one of those HubSpot tools you’ll soon realize you don’t want to live without. Your website visitors won’t want to live without it, either, now that they have a rapid and reliable way to find exactly what they’re looking for.
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