Start with the questions visitors bring
On-site search is most useful when a website has enough pages that visitors cannot easily scan its navigation. It should help them reach an answer, not compensate for confusing menus or missing content. Before adding or changing search, write down a few things people might look for: opening hours, a service, an application form or guidance on a specific problem. Try finding each one through the navigation as well. If both routes are difficult, the issue may be the site structure rather than the search tool.
Turn those questions into a short list of test searches, including everyday words that differ from your organization’s terminology. A community group might call a page “Volunteer Opportunities” while visitors search for “help out.” The list will give you a practical way to assess search now and after future content changes.
Make the search box easy to find and operate
Place search where visitors are likely to look for it, such as near the main navigation, and use a visible label such as “Search this site.” Do not rely on a magnifying-glass icon or placeholder text alone to explain the field. A clear search button also helps people recognize how to submit a query, even if pressing Enter works.
Check the interaction without a mouse. A visitor should be able to reach the field, type, submit the search and move into the results using a keyboard. Keep the focus indicator visible so they can tell where they are. On a small screen, make sure the field and button remain usable without covering navigation or requiring precise taps. If the search opens in a panel or overlay, the close control should be clear and reachable too.
Give results enough context to choose
A results page should repeat the submitted query and present matches as descriptive links. A title like “Support for New Volunteers” is more useful than “Page 14.” Add a short excerpt when it helps distinguish similar pages, and make sure titles and excerpts reflect what visitors will find after selecting a result. Avoid filling the list with repeated boilerplate that makes every match look the same.
Think about ranking from the visitor’s perspective. If someone searches for “donate,” the donation page will usually be more helpful near the top than an old article that happens to mention donations several times. Try the test searches you collected earlier and note which results appear first. Where your search tool allows adjustments, improve page titles, remove outdated duplicates or give important destination pages greater prominence. Make one change at a time so you can see whether it helps.
Treat no results as a useful moment
An empty results page should say plainly that nothing matched and keep the original query visible. Offer a way to edit and try again, along with a few sensible suggestions: check spelling, use a shorter phrase or browse a relevant section. If visitors commonly search for a term you do not use, consider adding that term to an appropriate page rather than asking everyone to learn your internal vocabulary.
Search should also handle mistakes gracefully. Test an incomplete word, a common misspelling and a query with several words. Helpful suggestions can be valuable, but avoid presenting an unrelated page as though it answered the question. When there is no reliable match, an honest empty state is better than a misleading result.
Review the whole journey regularly
Set aside time to test search as a visitor would: enter a question, scan the results, open a page and decide whether it answers the question. Ask someone unfamiliar with the site to try the same task and describe where they hesitate. Include keyboard use and a mobile-sized screen in the check. If possible, try a screen reader as well and listen for whether the search field, results heading and link names make sense in sequence.
If your website records search terms, look for repeated queries with poor results, while avoiding unnecessary collection of personal information typed into the box. Pair those observations with support questions or feedback from staff. Then update the content, navigation or search settings and rerun your small test list. A useful search feature is not a one-time installation; it is a simple, repeatable way to notice what visitors need and help them reach it.
