The hidden benefits of an internal search engine for your company

Improved user experience

The main advantage of an internal search engine is that it improves the user experience. In effect, it offers visitors a quick and easy way to find specific content on the website. Rather than navigating through several pages to find what they’re looking for, visitors can simply enter keywords in the search bar and go straight to the relevant results. This reduces the time and effort needed to find content, increasing visitor satisfaction. According to a study carried out by the Nielsen Norman Group, users tend to spend less than 10 to 30 seconds browsing a page before looking for an internal search facility. Integrating an internal search engine therefore considerably reduces the time spent searching and browsing manually, enabling users to find the information they want quickly.

Increased conversions

An internal search engine can also help to increase conversions. Visitors who use internal search already have a clear idea of what they’re looking for. By offering relevant and accurate results, visitors are more likely to find what they’re looking for and take an action, such as making a purchase or requesting information. This can lead to an increase in conversion rates and, consequently, in the company’s revenue. The Baymard Institute conducted a survey which revealed that an effective internal search engine can increase conversion rates by up to 300%.

Collecting visitor data

An internal search engine can also help companies to collect visitor data. If users have consented to the use of their data, search queries can be recorded (via GA4, for example) and analysed to determine search trends and popular topics. The data can then be used to improve the relevance and quality of website content, as well as to better understand visitors’ needs and interests.

Improving internal referencing

An internal search engine can also help to improve a website’s internal SEO. By offering relevant and accurate results, visitors are more likely to stay on the website and visit other pages. This can increase the time spent on the website, which is a positive indicator for search engines. Search engines consider visit time to be an important factor in determining a website’s ranking in search results.

In addition, an internal search engine can also help visitors to discover content that they might not otherwise have found, which can help to increase the number of pages viewed per visitor.

Effective content management

Finally, an internal search engine can help businesses manage their content effectively. Search queries can be used to identify content gaps and popular topics that need attention. Search results can also be used to identify pages that are not easily accessible from the main website navigation. Using this information, companies can optimise their content strategy, including on social networks and the newsletter, to meet visitors’ needs and improve the effectiveness of their website.

Now that you know the advantages of an internal search engine, let’s look at how to set it up. Here are the basic steps for adding an internal search engine to your website:

Step #1 – Choose an internal search engine solution

There are several internal search engine solutions available, both free and paid. It’s important to choose a solution that meets your specific needs, in terms of budget, functionality and user interface.

At DJM, our developers work mainly (depending on our customers’ needs) with the ElasticSearch solution, an engine that indexes site data. Régis, head of web development at DJM, explains the benefits:

• A NOSQL approach: this gives it significant advantages in terms of performance and data management (unlike traditional internal search engines that rely on SQL queries and relational databases, which slow down the server in the case of large data indexations).
• A REST interface: this enables fluid communication between the website and the search engine, providing a rapid response when searching for specific items.
• An open source nature: this means that ElasticSearch is free and can be customised to suit the needs of the project. Many plugins, modules and CMSs natively integrate an interface enabling communication with Elasticsearch. However, it is important to note that hosting Elasticsearch can involve additional costs, although there is also a SaaS option for those who prefer a hosted solution.
• RGPD compatibility: in addition to its speed and flexibility, Elasticsearch also offers greater control over data protection, making it compatible with the General Data Protection Regulation (RGPD).

Step #2 – Integrate the internal search engine into your website

Once you have chosen a solution, the next step is to integrate it into your website. The method of integration will depend on the solution you have chosen, but in most cases it will involve additional programming to your website.

Step #3 – Configuring the internal search engine

Once the internal search engine is integrated into your website, you’ll need to configure it to work effectively. This includes creating indexes, defining search fields and customising the user interface. It is vital to take the time to configure the internal search engine properly so that it provides relevant and accurate results later on.

Step #4 – Testing the internal search engine

Once the internal search engine has been configured, all that’s left is to test it to make sure it’s working properly. It’s important to test different search queries to ensure that the results are relevant and accurate. If you encounter any problems, you should resolve them before putting the internal search engine online. Once again, the expected results can vary depending on the situation: should you always show a result (even if it’s not very relevant according to your terms) or should you only show a very precise result (even if you don’t have any, in the event that none of the content matches your search terms)?