We just posted our latest video tip by Shaun Ryan today, the 2nd of a two-part series on site search refinements. This latest tip (just 6 ½ minutes long) covers many aspects of how best to display refinements on your site, looking at options such as category boxes down the left with items underneath (either links or check boxes), drop-down boxes (which allow for more refinements above the fold), refinement tabs across the top of the search results page, and other variations, like using icons instead of text.
The video also discusses how best to allow your visitors to refine results and then go back to the full list if they wish, and options for offering price range refinements. Additionally, the video looks at the benefits of introducing new refinements after a top-level refinement is selected. As Shaun emphasizes throughout, there are many best practices approaches to follow, but the best way to determine what works on your site is to test, test and test (we can help you with this effort).
In the first part of this two-part series (a 4 ½-minute segment), Shaun discusses what refinements are, why you should have them on your site and how best to select the refinements that will work best for your products and customers – for example, by color (using color swatches), top-sellers, men’s/women’s, star ratings, etc. One way to tell what refinements might work is to look at your search logs to see what terms people are using on your site (e.g. “red shirt” may indicate that a color refinement will work well). Aside from the obvious benefit of streamlining the search experience for your customers, refinements give you a deeper glimpse into what your customers are looking for and how they’re searching – which is always useful information for your business.
