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Search optimization considerations (information architecture perspective)
The search of a Web site is one of the most used features. It is particularly useful to users who are pressed for time and do not care to invest time in learning about the site structure. Visitors expect the search to return exactly what they are looking for, especially when they know that the information is there. Because of this high expectation, search results must be high quality. To return effective search results, content categories and keywords must be defined and applied to each page prior to publication.
How should a search work from an information design perspective? There are two possible options. The first option is to make the search function simple and intuitive to use. The user can enter words in an input field, and the results deliver all contents that include the searched parameters, sorted by relevance. Relevance means that it starts with the content that includes all words searched for and continues with single words found.
River Bend general search
The second option is to include a search function that offers an advanced search feature. The advanced search depends on exactly the needs of the offered content. Details can differ from a search combination linked by AND , OR , or NOT operations up to specific needs of an application.
River Bend advanced search
Search results can also have a different approach. Search results should generally offer a URL to the Web page that includes the cited content. To enhance the user's experience, a short abstract can also be part of the result. This abstract offers a specified number of words from the content or especially for the search result added content fields. In particular, when searching databases, results should use the advantage the structured content offers in an informative way. Details of the results can be saved for download or can be printed.
The topic of language is often forgotten when it comes to search results. If the Web site contains multilanguage content, is the visitor expected to find results in a language other than the language searched from when entering a keyword? The answer is most likely no. Language is also a search topic that should be taken into account.