The Beginner’s Guide to Faceted Search

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(Newswire.net — May 24, 2022) — The world of eCommerce is continuing to prove itself as one of the top ways for consumers to browse and purchase products. You can now buy products from just about anywhere while sitting on your couch. Going to the store or ordering out of your magazine hasn’t been able to keep up with the convenience of online shopping via your desktop or mobile device. However, with running an online store, there are things that you might want to add to your site that can easily guide customers to what they are looking for. One of the best features to benefit users on your site is having a faceted search option. By creating a user-friendly site, you are able to keep customers on your page looking through your products as well as increasing the chances customers will return to your site to buy what they want. Learning how to improve your eCommerce site using a faceted search can allow customers to easily purchase the products they are looking for.

What Does Faceted Search Mean?

Faceted search, also called faceted navigation, is a feature used on eCommerce sites that allow consumers to organize and filter through large amounts of products to only see what they are interested in. The word ‘faceted’ means to have many sides or faces, hence the name ‘faceted search. This tool is different from a search bar at the top of a site because it allows a user to apply many filters at one time to narrow down the results shown on the page.

Why Have a Faceted Search Feature On My Site?

Many eCommerce sites have found that having a faceted search function on their site allows customers to find what they are looking for as quickly as possible. When customers are able to find what they are looking for quickly, they are more likely to add it to their cart and make a purchase. If potential customer isn’t able to find what they are looking for quickly enough, they will leave your site and go to another site that can be customized to meet their needs. It’s best to have a faceted search function on your site if you have numerous products with several varieties. Consider the idea that you have a site that sells different types of clothes such as t-shirts, sweatshirts, jeans, and shorts that come in different colors. It could take a potential customer a significant amount of time to sift through your products to find what they are looking for. If they are looking for gray shorts that aren’t listed until page nine on your site, they will most likely leave your site before they even reach page nine to see the gray shorts you offer. This is even more true if people are searching on their mobile devices where screens are smaller. The number of products that fit on one-page decreases and the potential customer is left searching through several pages of items that they aren’t in the market for. By having a faceted search function, consumers can easily select facets in the navigation panel that allow their specific interests to show up instantly. This increases the possibility a consumer will make a purchase and return to your site when they are looking to purchase something again. In order to keep engagements high, a user’s search experience must be simple and quick, and a faceted search can help enhance their overall experience.

What Should Be Included in My Facet Search Options?

The different types of facets and how many you should have depends on how many different items you are offering. You really shouldn’t use facets if you aren’t offering more than 100 items. With fewer items, your products will likely fit on just a few pages, not requiring customers to have to apply any facets. 

Being able to decide what facets are vital and which ones are not depending on what your customers are searching for. By using search analytics and other analytical strategies, you can discover what consumers are looking for when it comes to your product. Gathering this information is helpful in choosing the right facets that make your site more user-friendly. Adding facets that won’t be used only makes your site overwhelming and complicated to navigate. If you are offering a smaller amount of different products that come in various colors, you may only need enough facets that filter those few products and the colors shown. If your site offers a large number of diverse products, many facets will be necessary for users to narrow down their search and find exactly what they are looking for.

Built For Success

An eCommerce site that is built for the needs of your customers will be more successful than a site that isn’t. You can apply a faceted search function to your site to create tailored results that take your customers where they need to go in order to purchase the products they want. This feature can increase conversion rates and the overall satisfaction of users browsing your site.