I’m sure you’ve read it in every post about elements every blog/website design should have: make sure to have a search bar. Are people actually using your search bar? What are they searching for? Knowing this information could be a game changer for your blog. Why? Without having to survey your readers, you know what kind of stuff they are looking for. You’ll know what type of content they expect to find on your site.
Today’s post is a quick tutorial on how to use Google Analytics to find what people are searching for using your search bar.
First, log in to your Google Analytics account. From the left hand panel navigate to Behavior > Site Content > All Pages
Now, in the search box (ha. using a search box to see what people search for) we are going to search for your blog’s default search result phrase.
WordPress: ?s=
Blogger: search?q=
SquareSpace: search?q=
Nifty, right?
In the last month, 76 people have used my search bar. (Which, did you know that my search button is one of my favorite features of my website? Try it out. Click the search link in the teal navigation.)
To get a better idea of the trends in people’s searches, set your analytics to display the last 3 months or so.
Alright, what can you do with this information?
Inspiration for posts
If people are looking for something on your blog that you don’t have a post for – post about that. Or, maybe you can add to an existing post to make it even better.
Change up navigation
If you notice a phrase or post that is getting searched for a TON, then maybe you should consider making it easy to find that post. Add it to your menu or in your sidebar.
Help finding your focus
Sometimes it is hard for us to know what we’re good at or what we should focus on. It can be easier to have others tell us. Based on the overall trends of what people search for, what are they expecting to find on your blog? What do they think you’ll have a post on?
Go check it out and come back and tell me what people are searching for using your search bar.
Yes, this is very cool. People are coming to my site looking for coaching more than any other thing.
Really? That is cool. Do you think they are looking for coaching from you or how to be a coach?
People are allegedly starting to use it for Amazon stuff on DNN.
THANK YOU! I have been wanting to know what people are searching within my site for so long, it’s so interesting! I’ve just found your site and have been reading it like crazy, as I switched from wp.com to WP.org this week and it has been a steep learning curve. Thank you so much for your great tips & articles, it has made the process so much more exciting (and less intimidating!)
I actually removed the search box from my site a while back. It just wasn’t being used very often. I actually heard from Derek Halpern that you (as the site owner) use your search box more than your visitors. I’m not sure if that’s true for most people, but it was definitely true for me.
Now that I have more content on my website, I think I’m going to add my search box back and see how it goes.
Thanks for this awesome information!
Sherry
Shut the front door!!! Again, you save the day. Just when I was starting to get writer’s block, you post this. Can you believe people is looking for ‘canning and pickling’ in my blog??? Lol – I like that! I am fascinated by this tool! Thanks Kristie!
Canning an pickling? Haha! Funny. Glad this helped inspire you Flavia.
So cool! Thanks for all these easy to understand tips for improving our websites!
Is it possible to be able to see this for websites? (e.g. one that is not on wordpress or blogger?)
Thanks!
Sharon
Which platform are you using? What are you using to control your search bar?
Wow thanks so much for sharing this. I’m still a newbie (only two months into blogging) so anything is helpful. I can’t wait to try this out.
I just tried it and this was really cool – thanks for sharing!