One of the biggest frustrations for shoppers online is poor and irrelevant search results returning on retailer sites.
It is important that retailer sites are optimised to return the most relevant results for key search terms on the first page. It is well known that if results appear on the second page of results or beyond, the likelihood of a sale drops considerably.
Although retailers strive to return relevant content and optimise their sites in order to improve the shopper experience, there is still a long way to go.
In April 2016, shoppers searching for a ‘cold drink’ were presented with no results in both Sainsbury’s and Asda.
Sainsbury’s and Asda websites 4 April 2016
It is in retailers’ interests to return the most relevant results to their shoppers; an accurate search function will fulfill shoppers’ need for speed online and will facilitate a frictionless end-to-end shopping experience which will encourage them to return to that online store.
However, search placement is also of equal importance, if not greater importance to manufacturers. If a product does not place – prominently – in search results, then a shopper will not buy the product, and the sale is lost to a competitor.
It is important that manufacturers monitor and understand their share of search versus competitors across retailers’ sites. Tracking share of search for key search terms and monitoring which products are not listed on the first page of results is the important first step in optimising product discoverability.
Identifying poorly performing product search results informs manufacturers discussions with retailers – optimising placement for key phrases and terms, such as ‘cold drink’ can greatly improve discoverability and therefore sales conversions online.
Brand View
Brand View Search Placement allows manufacturers to easily monitor product placement for key search terms across retailers’ sites.
Search Placement clients can easily aggregate search placement data at this topline level. The addition of a Summary tab enables clients to quickly determine their share of search for key terms – they can review key headline stats instantly, with no need for an exported report or manual data aggregation.
The example below shows a brand’s search placement – as a percentage share of the first page of results – across three retailers’ sites, for the search terms ‘cold drink’ and ‘fizzy drink’. The Summary chart shows that no results return for a search using the phrase ‘cold drink’, conversely, four brands return for the term ‘fizzy drink’.
Clients can opt to display all search terms selected, as above, or select ‘only show search terms with results’ to review only search terms where products return on retailers’ sites.
The new Summary chart allows our clients to easily review competitor placement, identify poor placement by search term and in turn understand which search terms or retailers require attention. They can then instantly drill down to SKU level data with the Details chart, to understand specifically which products place for each search term.
Search Placement analysis helps inform discussions with retailers, allowing clients to improve their product search placement, optimise product discoverability and increase sales.
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