Power Up Your Platform with Sitecore Search

Time to read 7 min

Today, search functionality is not just a nice feature to have on your website – it’s a critical component of user experience. Sitecore Search emerges as a powerful solution to this challenge, offering both marketing and technical users the tools to enhance their digital experience. By implementing an effective search solution, organizations can simplify user journeys, ultimately driving the conversions they desire. While the implementation of search may add complexity for organizations, the benefits far outweigh the challenges.

In this episode of the Sitecore Water Cooler, we explore Sitecore Search and uncover how it addresses modern user expectations and why it’s becoming an indispensable tool for businesses aiming to optimize their digital presence.


To read the transcript/captions of this episode, click "CC" within the YouTube video.


How to Implement Sitecore Search

The first crucial step in implementing Sitecore Search is content planning. Before diving into technical setup, organizations should:

  1. Identify all content sources for indexing, both internal and external
  2. Define content types to be displayed in search results
  3. Plan taxonomy and facets for effective filtering
  4. Standardize field markup across different sources

It's important to note that Sitecore Search can operate independently of other Sitecore products, making it a versatile solution for various tech stacks. Organizations can leverage Sitecore Search to index content from multiple sources, including:

  • External websites
  • Custom code repositories
  • Third-party platforms (like Salesforce)
  • Proprietary systems

Early planning of filters, facets, and standardization across sources will significantly streamline the implementation process and timeline.

How to Identify and Select Content Sources in Sitecore Search

When implementing Sitecore Search, organizations have multiple options for content indexing. Sitecore offers two primary methods for content discovery: web crawlers and API integrations. The platform provides both standard and advanced web crawlers, which can index content from specified starting points such as sitemaps or API endpoints. These crawlers can effectively index various content types, including product pages, articles, and documents. For more customized implementations, Sitecore Search offers REST API and Push API sources, allowing for greater flexibility in content indexing and real-time updates. When selecting content sources, it's crucial to consider not just the content itself, but also how it will be displayed in search results.

Sitecore Water Cooler podcast quote by Casey Stanutz on importance of organizations determining what content to index

Web Crawlers vs. REST API

Web crawlers and REST APIs offer different approaches for indexing content in Sitecore Search. Web crawlers, including advanced versions, are ideal for scenarios where simple sitemap indexing is sufficient or when more complex requirements, such as security or multiple languages, are needed. REST APIs, on the other hand, are useful for integrating third-party systems like doctor databases into search indexes. A push API can enable real-time updates, which is valuable for time-sensitive data. In some cases, both methods can be combined for optimal results, providing flexibility based on business needs and technical requirements.

Implementing Multilingual Search in Sitecore Search

When implementing multilingual search in Sitecore Search, languages can be defined at the domain level, and local extractors can identify the appropriate language for each indexed page. For single-language projects, the locale can be hardcoded, but for multilingual scenarios, the local extractor reads metadata tags to determine the language. Once identified, Sitecore indexes content with consistent IDs across all languages, maintaining language-specific versions of each page. After configuring language settings, teams can refine content attribution, ensuring that metadata is correctly indexed and available for filtering, sorting, and facets, enhancing search functionality across languages.

Overview of Sitecore Search Widgets and Components

Sitecore Search offers several powerful widgets and components that enhance user search experiences. The preview search widget provides autocomplete functionality and helps with spelling corrections, improving user input accuracy. The search results widget displays relevant results, while the recommendation widget offers personalized suggestions, such as related products or content, based on user behavior. These components are highly customizable, allowing businesses to tailor the search experience to their needs. The recommendation engine also utilizes machine learning to deliver personalized results, making Sitecore Search a versatile tool for businesses aiming to provide a refined and dynamic search experience.

Sitecore Search Implementation Timeline

Sitecore Search offers a flexible implementation process, with two main approaches: using the API to build custom components or leveraging the pre-built components from the JS SDK for React. The JS SDK allows for quick setup, enabling basic implementations to be completed in minutes. For more complex projects, organizations can extend or customize components using a library of available options, accessible through a Storybook page. This flexibility ensures faster MVP launches, allowing teams to prioritize extensions and styling later. Resource planning should consider initial setup speed, with additional effort for customization and styling based on specific use cases.

Quote by Jared Arnofsky on project timeline success, stressing the value in planning before getting into implementation

The Sitecore Search Learning Course

The Sitecore Search learning course is designed for both business and technical users, offering a comprehensive training experience. As a beta tester, the course takes on a collaborative nature, where testers provided feedback to refine the content, ensuring it met the needs of various user levels. The course focuses on helping business users understand how to implement Sitecore Search with or without a developer, tailoring the search experience within the platform. Sitecore's approach to gathering input from partners, clients, and implementation teams ensures a well-rounded learning resource, making the certification process valuable for users of all backgrounds.

How Does Sitecore Search Benefit Users

Sitecore Search empowers marketers and business users by offering control over search results and configurations without needing to rely on development teams. Key features include customizable search attributes, enabling users to prioritize titles over descriptions, and the ability to set up synonyms. The powerful recommendations widget can be extended with development or used as is, providing personalized suggestions to enhance user experience. Sitecore Search also delivers valuable analytics and insights, helping teams optimize search performance and improve digital experiences. These capabilities offer clear ROI benefits, making it a crucial tool for driving business impact through personalization and streamlined management.

Enhance User Experience with Sitecore Search

Sitecore Search offers businesses a powerful tool to enhance user experience through customizable search features, personalized recommendations, and valuable analytics. It empowers marketers and business users to manage search configurations independently, reducing reliance on development teams. The platform’s flexibility and out-of-the-box components make implementation quick and scalable, while the learning resources provide essential training for all users. As Sitecore Search continues to evolve, organizations can expect more advancements in personalization and user-driven insights. For those interested, the next steps include exploring Sitecore’s training courses, leveraging available support, and evaluating how Sitecore Search can drive business success.

Not sure if this tool is right for your website? Request a Sitecore Search demo from one of our solution experts to see it in action.

Listen to the Sitecore Water Cooler Today!

Start listening on Apple PodcastsSpotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch the podcast taped in the Americaneagle.com Studios on YouTube.

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This podcast is brought to you by Americaneagle.com Studios.

About: For years, ‘water cooler talk’ has been a natural way for people in the workplace to come together and connect on common interest topics in what would otherwise be a formal environment; it boosts morale, improves culture and gets the creative juices flowing! Some of the best workplace ideas and conversations happen through face-to-face conversations around the ‘water cooler,’ so just as the name implies, The Sitecore Water Cooler podcast is a casual conversation between colleagues and peers centered around all things Sitecore. This podcast is an outlet for various Sitecore experts within the Sitecore community to have a meaningful discussion around the latest with Sitecore products, every day topics, challenges and successes associated with this top-of-line digital experience platform. Each podcast episode will range in topic, but will be geared towards quick-hitting initiatives that affect how business is done today. Whether you’re a new Sitecore user, a Sitecore MVP, or just someone who wants to learn more about Sitecore technology and capabilities, then meet us at the watercooler!

About the Author

Podcast producer at Americaneagle.com

Bryan
Winger

Bryan Winger is a Podcast Producer with Americaneagle.com. He began his career in broadcasting back in Minnesota, producing for several radio stations and syndicated shows throughout the Twin Cities. He has over 5 years of experience in the broadcasting industry, before joining the team at Americaneagle.com. He enjoys playing golf and hockey, watching football on Sundays, and producing music for fun.
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