Magento 2 Search Terms: Steps to Track and Integrate

• What are Magento Search Terms?

• How to Track Search Terms Performance?

• 3 Steps to Manage Synonyms and Misspellings in Magento 2

• 4 Steps to Integrate Magento Search with Analytics Tools

• 5 Common Challenges and Solutions of Search Terms

• FAQs

• Summary

What are Magento Search Terms?

Search terms are the phrases that customers enter into the search bar when searching.

Magento records these terms. It helps store owners understand what their customers are searching for.

The feature provides insights into customer behavior and popular products in your inventory.

Redirects can send users to a specific page, improving the shopping experience. Managing search terms enhances your store’s internal search results. It also supports SEO efforts by optimizing keyword relevance.

You can find and manage search terms by navigating to search terms in the Magento backend.

How to Track Search Terms Performance?

1. Understand the Context

Before tracking anything, understand how the platforms generate search terms. Different platforms serve different purposes:

• In organic SEO, you aim to rank high in unpaid results and attract free traffic.

• In paid search advertising, you pay for visibility. You must focus on achieving a positive return on investment (ROI).

• On e-commerce platforms, you track terms to optimize product listings and drive sales.

• In site search, you analyze what users type into your search bar. It helps improve navigation and product discovery.

2. Set Up Proper Tracking

You cannot measure performance without the right tracking system:

• Set up Google Search Console for SEO to track clicks and keyword rankings.

• For paid search campaigns, use the Search Terms Report inside Google Ads. You can see what the users type to trigger your ads.

• For on-site search tracking, set up Google Analytics 4 (GA4) event tracking. It will capture what visitors are searching for on your website.

• For e-commerce platforms like Amazon, use Amazon Brand Analytics. It will help track conversion rates and sales data.

3. Track Key Metrics

Track these key performance indicators to test the success of your search terms:

• Impressions show how often a term appears in results or triggers an ad.

• Clicks refer to the number of times users click after seeing the term.

• CTR is the percentage of impressions that result in clicks. It is a measure of relevance and attractiveness.

• Average Position refers to the ranking position of your page for a given search term.

• The conversion rate is the number of clicks that lead to a sale or desired action.

• Cost Per Click refers to the amount you pay for each click in paid ads. It is important for profitability.

• Revenue per Search Term is especially important for e-commerce. It shows the direct sales driven by a specific search term.

4. Analyze Data by Segments

Do not examine search term performance in a single view. Break it down for more meaningful insights:

• Mobile and desktop devices can exhibit very different performance. Although mobile CTR is high, the conversion rate is low, indicating UX issues.

• Certain regions or cities might perform better, helping you localize campaigns.

• If possible, analyze by age or gender to refine your targeting.

• Users searching for your brand name are more likely to buy. It is more than those looking for generic terms.

• Terms like "buy [product]" show a high buying intent. "What is [product]?" indicates that users are still researching.

5. Take Action Based on Performance

Data is useless without action. Based on your analysis:

• Improve the landing page experience. The page may not deliver what the ad or search snippet promised.

• Update your ad text and meta descriptions to make them more compelling.

• Pause or optimize underperforming keywords to avoid wasting money.

• Target low-competition, moderate-search-volume keywords with new blog posts or FAQs.

• In paid ads, block irrelevant search terms that trigger your ads but do not lead to conversions.

3 Steps to Manage Synonyms and Misspellings in Magento 2

1. Understanding Synonyms for Search Accuracy

Synonyms enhance the search experience for customers. It ensures that your store can return relevant results even when the customer uses a term that is not exact. Synonyms enable you to create links between different words or phrases. It allows the Magento search engine to recognize them as equal.

• Customers use a variety of terms to describe the same thing.

• Synonyms can bridge the gap. It is between how you market your products and how your customers search for them.

• They improve search result accuracy and increase product discoverability.

• They also reduce the chances of a lost sale due to poor results.

Common Synonym Examples:

• "Phone case" and "mobile cover"

2. Managing Common Misspellings

Misspellings are quite common in e-commerce. Particularly when customers type fast or use mobile devices. Magento 2 allows you to manage misspellings in many ways. It ensures that your search engine can still return results. It is even when a term has incorrect typing.

• Up to 10% of all searches on ecommerce sites could contain misspellings. Failing to address this can lead to lost sales and frustrated customers.

• Effective handling ensures that customers are not directed to a No results page. It can cause them to abandon their search.

• Add common misspellings to synonym groups. It helps the search function return results despite the misspelling.

• Create specific and popular search terms for often misspelled product names.

• Use third-party extensions for automatic spelling correction. These include Searchanise or Amasty Search Extensions. These tools can correct the spelling in real-time. It ensures customers don’t get frustrated with incorrect catalog search results.

3. Advanced Techniques for Synonym Management

Go beyond simple one-to-one word relationships and create dynamic groups of related terms. It offers a more sophisticated approach to managing synonyms and search terms. It is useful in stores with vast inventories. You should group products using different terminology for efficient results.

Best Practices:

• Rather than linking direct synonyms, group related concepts. It ensures that when a customer searches for any of these terms. They will show all relevant products within the same category.

• Review your search term reports to identify your customers’ language patterns. It will provide you with insight into the used terms. Your existing synonym groups may not cover them.

• The search landscape and customer behavior evolve. Review and update your synonym groups. It allows you to refine synonyms and identify opportunities for better accuracy.

4 Steps to Integrate Magento Search with Analytics Tools

1. Connecting Search Data with Google Analytics

• Go to view settings in Google Analytics. Enable site search tracking and specify the query parameter.

• In Magento, ensure that the URL uses a search query parameter when a user searches.

• Specify this query parameter under the "Site Search Query Parameter" in the Analytics.

• Track and store extra information, such as search refinements as custom dimensions. It enables you to analyze how users refine their searches.

• Segment users who search, comparing them with users who don't. You can track behaviors, such as return visits after a search.

2. Custom Reports for Search Performance

Build reports in Google Analytics and the built-in analytics system for advanced insights. It will reflect search behavior and performance:

• Identify which search terms lead to the highest revenue generation.

• Visualize how users who perform searches navigate the site and whether they convert. It helps spot friction points in the search journey.

• Track how users refine their searches. It is by adding filters or narrowing down the results. Analyze how this affects their likelihood of purchasing.

• Identify when users often get zero results for searches. It can show that products are missing or there is a mismatch.

• Compare search data year-over-year to identify trends or declining interest.

3. Using Search Insights for Inventory Planning

Search data can serve as a powerful tool for inventory management. It enables proactive planning based on user demand:

• When searches for out-of-stock products increase, it signals a need for replenishment. Based on this information, you can focus on a stock to meet future demand.

• Identify seasonal demand changes by tracking search patterns and preparing inventory in advance.

• New terms and trends in search data might uncover emerging product categories. The insight can guide inventory diversification and product offerings.

4. Advanced Search Configuration with Elasticsearch

For high-traffic stores, integrating Elasticsearch will enhance search performance and customer experience.

• Elasticsearch delivers faster, real-time results. It is ideal for large-scale catalogs or sites with frequent search queries.

• Elasticsearch offers sophisticated relevance ranking. It displays the most relevant results at the top based on user intent.

• Elasticsearch supports language-specific analysis and stemming. It improves search results for various languages and user input variations.

• Enhance UX by providing better results through the use of facets. These include price range or product category. It enables them to drill down into results.

5 Common Challenges and Solutions of Search Terms

1. Poor Relevance of Search Results

Users often find irrelevant results. This is because Magento 2’s default search engine does not yield optimal results.

Solution:

• Magento 2 offers Elasticsearch integration. It provides more relevant results by improving indexing and relevance ranking.

• Adjust your search settings to consider factors such as product titles and metadata.

• Customize the search weights for specific attributes such as product names or tags.

2. Lack of Autocomplete and Suggestions

Without autocomplete or search suggestions, users may have to type full queries. It leads to a slow and frustrating experience.

Solution:

• Magento 2 supports auto suggest; you can activate it through backend settings.

• Use extensions like InstantSearch or Algolia. These help enhance the autocomplete feature and provide more accurate search suggestions.

3. Slow Search Performance with Large Catalogs

The search can become slow when dealing with large product catalogs or high traffic.

Solution:

• Elasticsearch helps handle large datasets. It can deliver search results up to 10x faster than MySQL.

• Update your search indexes to optimize them and improve search performance.

• Enable full-page caching and use other caching strategies. It helps reduce database queries for frequent searches.

4. Handling Special Characters in Search Queries

Users might input special characters that can break or confuse the search functionality.

Solution:

• Magento 2 should handle the basic sanitization of search input.

• Consider customizing Magento’s search behavior to strip out non-alphanumeric characters. Use regular expressions to process input better.

• Use tools or extensions to process complex queries better.

5. No Tracking of Search Terms

Without tracking, businesses cannot gather valuable insights into what users are searching for. It leads to missed opportunities for inventory management and product recommendations.

Solution:

• Set up site search tracking in Google Analytics. It helps track search terms and gain insight into user intent.

• Use Magento’s analytics or a third party tool. These help generate reports based on the top-searched terms and popular filters.

FAQs

1. How to add search terms in Magento 2?

Go to the Search Terms section in your Admin Panel. Click Add New Search Term, enter the query text and related settings, then save. The process allows you to manage redirects and display them in suggested terms.

2. Why are search synonyms essential for Magento search?

Synonyms bridge the gap between how you describe and how customers find products. They ensure that different words for the same concept yield consistent results. It improves search accuracy and customer satisfaction.

3. How can I optimize Magento search for SEO?

To optimize your search for SEO, align your search terms with high value keywords. Create dedicated landing pages for popular searches. Optimize metadata for search result pages and use structured data.

4. What are the best Magento search extensions?

The leading search extensions include Klevu Search for AI capabilities and Celebros. These also include Magenest's Ajax Search for voice integration and Amasty Advanced Search.

Summary

Magento 2 search terms track what customers enter into the search, offering insights. The article explores the features of the terms, including:

• Track performance with Google Analytics to measure impressions and clicks.

• Manage synonyms and misspellings to improve search accuracy and avoid lost sales.

• Integrate analytics tools to track user behavior and enhance inventory planning.

• Address common challenges with solutions like Elasticsearch and search term tracking.

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