Internal site search is an underrated source of information about what people are searching for and not finding. Unlike keyword research tools, these are queries from your own visitors, i.e. people who are already on the site and have a specific need. Track three things: the most frequently searched terms, which show what is missing from the navigation or hard to find; searches with no results, which are a direct list of missing content or non-existent products; and searches after which the visitor left, which signals unsuitable results. Use the data in two ways – add the missing content, and also adjust the navigation if people are searching for something that is on the site but they cannot find their way to it. Turn on measurement of internal search, as it tends to be switched off.
See also: Prompt research, Content gap in retrieval, Editorial calendar.
