I was reviewing a web hosting company today, and liked what I saw. Clean layout, side by side comparisons, easy to scan text, but they were missing out on one thing. They didn’t have a search function. Typically, you want a search function to help support your visitors in site navigation. Navigation is not always intuitive as we might think, and that search button can help out a lot. For WebHostingGeeks though, they were missing out on money making opportunity.
Web hosting review sites often make money by having referral links to the hosts that they have done a review on. People like me, search for hosting companies, and find sites like theirs. The next step is to click on one of their links and move on to ordering the service that looked good. What happens when I don’t find what I am looking for though? In their case, I go back to Google, and start my search over. This is where they are missing out. If they had included a search function on their site, and made it visible near the top, chances are I would have used their search function first. Then the results are their referral links, not another hosting review company.
I was able to find a search function on their site located in their 2007 reviews, but it was a Google search form. There is no advantage to having that because it will just send the visitor off site. Having a internal search engine for your site is worth the time to set up, and could substantially effect your bottom line.
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Yes, they really should have a search function!
Search is the backbone of the internet and any good site.
It is, and in this particular case it could improve $$$, not just navigation.
[...] the first of the month I made a post, Where’s Your Search. I mentioned the value of having a search function for you site, and in that particular case it [...]
Great idea I will implement on all of my sites immediately!
An impressive share, I simply given this onto a colleague who was doing a little analysis on this. And he in reality purchased me breakfast as a result of I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! But yeah Thnkx for spending the time to debate this, I really feel strongly about it and love reading more on this topic. If potential, as you turn out to be expertise, would you mind updating your blog with more details? It’s extremely useful for me. Large thumb up for this weblog submit!