One in three visitors to the "Avrora" online store goes straight to search instead of using the catalog.
This figure is impressive, as the average for most niches is 2-10%. Here, it's 31% 😲
It is this audience from search that brings the online store 49% of revenue. This is Indicator #1 of why search on the site cannot be ignored.
"Avrora" integrated the Multisearch feature right after the release of the site's beta version. Therefore, in this case, we compare not the usual "before and after," but the value of the audience using search and the catalog.
What we implemented with "Avrora" and how the online store achieves such powerful metrics that convert into revenue, we break it down in detail below.
Why 31% of visitors use search on the site
Such trust in search is related to two key factors:
- A product range that covers a wide variety of everyday customer needs. Users do not always know which categories and subcategories to search for a specific product in, so search becomes a simpler and quicker way to find the right product.
- The communication strategy on social media, focusing on TikTok. People watch the video and enter in the search what they read, heard, or saw in words they understand. And it’s not always the exact product name listed on the website. The search understands synonyms, so it delivers the desired product to the user.
We demonstrate how the launch of video ads influences search, using one of the online store's products as an example.
On the site: Wet perm kit: assorted ribbon curlers.
On March 12, the video was added to TikTok, and people started showing interest.
Search queries: 15 variations of the product name, 770 queries.
This 31% search usage rate in the "Avrora" online store is direct proof of how important it is to properly configure internal search when launching media advertising, especially with a wide assortment of products, to ensure it handles synonyms correctly.
Why the default search wasn’t developed and improved
Before the war, the company planned to create a fully custom website from scratch with its internal team. However, after the MVP launch, they shifted to a new functionality on a regular CMS system.
Given the weakness of their own search module, the e-commerce director started looking for a partner who could provide the necessary service before the online store was launched.
Multisearch was integrated immediately after the beta version of the site was released in November 2022.
Director of E-commerce
"The synonym functionality is a constantly changing aspect of the business, and we believe that a separate team should work on this service, continuously improving it.
This is very important because while you can take on part of the technical implementation, you are still unable to constantly refine the pool of synonyms and add unexpected variations of names that users search for when looking for our products."
2 main reasons why Multisearch was chosen
Preliminary competitor analysis before creating the site highlighted the importance of UX and UI, particularly in the search results. Therefore, the company purposefully and deliberately sought a partner who could provide the necessary service.
The two key factors that the E-commerce Director of "Avrora" highlights when selecting the service are:
- Synonyms must be handled correctly.
For items like smartphones, the search is straightforward — enter "smartphone," and you get a smartphone. However, with "Avrora's" assortment, more care is required.
For example, people search for the same item using different terms, such as:
- "milk frother" and "whisk"
- "helicopter" and "chopper"
- "laundry card," "laundry wipes," "washing card"
"Makeup brushes" are also known as "makeup applicators." Some are sold individually, others in sets. And there are many such examples.
Director of E-commerce
Our main target audience consists of women with very diverse needs: from facial care products to kitchen appliances.
To make the website easy to use, we curate product selections on the homepage, like 'For beauty lovers' or 'Essential for the household.' However, customers don't always find exactly what they are looking for.
That's why it's great that people can enter product names they use in their daily lives in terms they understand and still find them.
A general note — the online store does not have a Russian version of the website, so people searching in Russian should find Ukrainian equivalents.
Functional Update❗Automatic Replacement of Russian Words with Ukrainian Equivalents Works on All Our Clients' Websites
Previously, online stores added Russian queries through the synonym functionality. In March 2023, we introduced a new algorithm. Now, the system automatically translates Russian words into Ukrainian and instantly provides the result.
The database is constantly updated and improved. We track queries that the search doesn't handle properly and add them.
2. Search Bar and Results Design Should Maintain the Website's Style
Director of E-commerce
Objectively, your functionality looks really cool, catches the eye, and fits perfectly into our overall concept.
When you enter a query, you immediately see photos of the products. Additionally, we're currently refining the results and adding promotional items and offers.
Search is a free placement for your promotions, special offers, top products, and marketing messages. This advertising space is viewed by the most valuable customers.
What We Implemented
In addition to the basic API integration capabilities, the online store has implemented the following:
- Smart Autocomplete Suggestions. When a user starts typing a query, they immediately see suggested search queries, categories, brands, and top products. The algorithms take into account the popularity of items and conversion rates.
2. Dynamic Filters
When a user enters a query in the search bar, dynamically generated filters by categories, tags, brands, price, and other parameters appear instantly in the search results.
3. Direct Transitions. This feature allows users to be directly redirected to a category, brand, filter, article, or other page based on a specific query, bypassing the search results page. This positively affects SEO.
How the API Integration Took Place
The integration with Multisearch took approximately 3 weeks.
Director of E-commerce
We really like your service and how flexible and quick you can adapt to our needs.
We created a group with you on Telegram, which is very convenient since communication in our business happens through messengers.
Our partners working on the site can directly message you and get an immediate response. For example, when our contractor updates the feed, you respond to it right away.
Results After Integration
The online store implemented Multisearch on November 14, 2022, almost immediately after launching the beta version. So, in this case, we compare the value of the audience using search and browsing through the catalog.
The numbers shown in Google Analytics:
Other metrics also confirm that a quality search impacts the online store's revenue:
- 2 times higher transaction rate for users who use search compared to those who don't use the search on the site.
- 2 times more repeat users prefer using search on the site. This indicates the convenience and trust in the tool, considering the high overall search usage rate.
Director of E-commerce
It was important for us to create a top-tier e-commerce site, and we were looking for a top-tier service that could help us improve our conversion rate.
Want to see how the new search will impact your online store's sales in the first few days? Install Multisearch here. 14 days free.