Search Form

Unless your site only has a few pages, you should provide a search form at the top of every page to help users find what they are looking for.

Search forms should consist of an input box, and a button or image with the word "Search" on it. A simple "Search" is preferred to "Find", "Go", "Quick Search", or "Quick Find."

I don't recommended offering search options (usually listed in a pull-down menu) such as search by title, author, or keyword. The problem with giving users this added option is when they aren't sure whether the word(s) they are entering are in the title, author's name or description of the content they are looking for.

You may also like to add a link to an "Advanced Search" page, which would provide more advanced options for the user to refine their search.

You should also offer an advanced search option to help users refine search results when the site search engine returns too many results for the user to shift through manually.

Did you know...

According to a survey conducted by Pricewaterhouse Coopers, nearly 73 percent of online shoppers use a site's search function, and 43 percent think that it is one of the most important features of a shopping site.

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