Search Engine Best Practices: How to Add Efficient Search to Your Website
A site search function helps visitors quickly find the content they need. There are three main ways to implement search on your site:
- Search block
- Integrated search page URL
- Header search fields (version 7.0 templates only)
For best search results, use descriptive titles, snippets, tags, categories and keyword-rich content throughout your site. Specific search terms work better than general ones.
What Content Gets Searched
Text Content:
- Text, Markdown and Code blocks
- Image captions and block quotes
- Audio titles and map addresses
- Amazon item titles
Collection Content:
- Blog entries (titles, authors, snippets)
- Events (titles, authors, excerpts)
- Portfolio subpage titles
- Product titles and descriptions
- Video item details
- Tags and categories
Page Content:
- Page titles and descriptions
- Gallery/Album page content
- Track titles
- Image/video metadata
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Implementation Options
Integrated Search Page:
- Access via yourdomain.com/search
- Searches all site content
- Can be linked from navigation
Search Block:
- Add to any content area
- Can limit search to specific collections
- Supports auto-fill results
- Customizable styling
Header Search Bar (v7.0):
- Available in Brine, Farro, and Skye templates
- Integrates with site design
- Accessible from any page
Styling and Tracking
- Search results follow site-wide fonts and colors
- Track visitor searches in Analytics Site Search Queries panel
Troubleshooting Tips
- Clear browser cache
- Remove site/page passwords
- Verify searchable content exists
- Try incognito mode or different browser
- Disable browser extensions
Note: Member site pages and content in JavaScript/CSS tags are not searchable. Unpublished content only appears in results when logged in.
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