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Onsite search used by 5% of visitors, but converts 50% better
Screen Pages, the e-commerce services company and Google Analytics Authorised Consultant, has released research covering the usage of onsite search on the e-commerce websites of branded niche retailers.
39 companies were included in the sample, whose monthly visitors range from a few thousand to several hundred thousands, making close to 3m visitors in total. The data, compiled over a three month period from websites built on the same platform all using Google Analytics, studies the use of the onsite search box and its effectiveness.
The main findings are:
• The search box is used by an average of 5.4% of all visitors to these websites (quartile one is 3.3% and quartile three is 9.4%). 4 of the retailers in the sample had usage by over 20% of visitors.
• Use of the search box results in an average conversion ratio of 2.4%, against an average of 1.7%. That’s an improvement of close to 50% when visitors use site search. One third of the sample showed a doubling of conversions where search was used.
• Sites with guided search (for example, Celebros) exhibit a much higher usage (at 17.5%)
Marketing Sherpa analysis has shown that overall, over 50% of visitors use onsite search. However, this study shows that for branded goods the importance of search to visitors is much lower, as engagement with the “brand experience” and overall site navigation is likely to be more instinctive and serendipitous, as opposed to a conscious attempt to find the “right” product.
As sales conversions double in many cases, it is clear that search punches above its weight and remains an important device in turning browsers into shoppers.
Other factors influencing the role and value of search include:
• the role of catalogues: many of the retailers analysed, use catalogues which can generate a lot of traffic – the search box is frequently used for convenience to enter product codes.
• the number of products clearly influences the need for search: the larger the range, the higher the use
• the search results page itself is important: quality of images, product information, help, popular searches, sorts, promotions as well as refinement/drilldown options
• analysis of search becomes critical: seeing what visitors are using it for and using this data to increase site navigation & usability can increase sales effectiveness
As a Google Authorised Analytics Consultant, Screen Pages has invested in Google Analytics to provide the tracking technology for e-commerce websites. The company provides a range of value-added services to help retailers get up to speed with Google Analytics, including standard and advanced/bespoke training, quarterly e-commerce benchmarking and individual website audits.
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