For some organizations, search is just a box at the top of their website. But when 43% of users go straight to the search bar and 80% of users leave your site if they perceive your search quality to be low, it’s time to rethink the value of search. Search is a vital part of your web experience and high-quality search is expected in today’s digital environment.
At Cludo, we get a lot of questions about how our site search solution compares to other products on the market. Many of these questions being around Content Management System (CMS) solutions, such as, “I already have a search engine built into my CMS. Why would I need more than that?” The short answer is that most CMS solutions do not provide a quality search.
While using the search function that’s built into your CMS may save you money upfront, in the long run it can cost you conversions and potential revenue due the search not being optimized to its fullest potential.
Read on as we discuss the importance of optimized site search and why it may be time to re-evaluate your CMS’ search function.
People frequently use search to find what they want and expect highly relevant results in return. Unless your website is small enough for site visitors to know exactly where to look for content, providing a lackluster search is a quick way lose them.
The search bar is a direct line of communication between you and your site visitors. Each query is someone telling you exactly what they want in their own words. What you can do with that information is endless, especially when it comes to your website.
Optimized search allows you to monitor how users interact with the search, which is crucial to your website’s success. Intelligent search provides important insights on what’s trending amongst users, what content users are unable to find, and what content may be outdated or stale.
Using these insights to inform your marketing strategy has the power to improve your website content and keep visitors returning and converting.
Your CMS is built to do many things, but search genuinely isn’t one of them. When it comes to using the built-in search within your CMS, a few shortcomings you may notice are:
Not all search is created equal. While your CMS is great in many areas, the fact is most CMSs aren’t built to focus on site search. Most CMS solutions, such as WordPress and Drupal, come with standardized features for a basic search experience. More often than not, the search feature is simple and not very functional.
Limited functionality
CMS search is built as a “set it and forget it” solution. With that mindset comes a lack of critical search functionality needed to deliver relevant results. When comparing your CMS’ search to a solution like Cludo, ask yourself:
If you’re finding the answer is “no” to the above questions when it comes to your built-in CMS search, it may be time to look for an alternative.
Complicated data organization
With CMS solutions, most use an SQL (Structured Query Language) database which, in the simplest terms, is a very structured system designed to store the site’s data. While an SQL database is great for data storage, it doesn’t make sense for search engines.
To create a quality site search, another type of software is required to work alongside the SQL database to help organize the data for search, such as Solr or Elasticsearch. However, these databases require significant investments in time and development resources to build them from scratch and continually maintain them.
Relevance
While having a search function is better than no search at all, what good is it if the results
By implementing search through a dedicated provider like Cludo, you gain access to AI-driven search that doesn’t just identify patterns in search behavior—it actively improves result quality over time. Through machine learning, Cludo’s intelligent search solution continuously refines rankings based on real user interactions. As users engage with search results, Cludo automatically adapts by promoting the most relevant content, deprioritizing underperforming pages, and even identifying gaps in your content strategy.
Beyond simple keyword matching, modern AI-powered search leverages natural language processing (NLP) to understand user intent. This means your search engine can distinguish between similar queries with different meanings, recognize synonyms, and even correct misspellings automatically—ensuring users find what they need faster.
Moreover, AI-enhanced search doesn’t just react to trends; it proactively predicts user needs by surfacing content based on historical behavior, search frequency, and contextual relevance. This level of automation ensures that your visitors receive the most up-to-date, personalized results without requiring constant manual adjustments.
Users who turn to the search bar know exactly what they are looking for, and your search needs to deliver—quickly and accurately. Customization is crucial to ensure that your search functionality meets the specific needs of your site visitors and enhances their experience.
Intelligent search providers allow you to take search beyond simple results by adding facets, filters, and sorting options that empower users to narrow down results quickly. These features can transform a simple search from an exhausting task into a smooth, satisfying experience. Moreover, offering recommendations like related searches and popular searches keeps users engaged and helps guide them toward the most relevant content.
But today’s users expect more than just basic search functionality. They expect personalization, much like the experience they get from leading e-commerce sites and search engines. By implementing an AI-driven solution, you’re able to provide a truly personalized search experience that adapts to each visitor’s needs. Cludo’s intelligent search analyzes user behavior over time, adjusting search results to reflect individual preferences, seasonal trends, or real-time events, ensuring the most relevant content is always surfaced.
For example, if you’re running a higher education site, Cludo’s AI-driven search could tailor results based on the user’s profile—offering prospective students information about application deadlines or showcasing faculty resources for current students. This level of personalization creates a more intuitive and engaging search experience, encouraging visitors to spend more time on your site and ultimately boosting conversions.
Whether you’re adjusting results based on past behavior, seasonal trends, or different user segments, Cludo’s customizable features make it easier to deliver an experience that’s unique to your site’s visitors, ensuring they always find exactly what they need.
Control and modification of results
In addition to machine learning, an easy way to ensure relevant search results is by modifying them yourself. Search providers like Cludo equip you with ample tools and features that give you control over your search results. Depending on the needs of your site, you have the ability to make changes to your search algorithm, optimize your search experience, and see the results immediately. No need for extra emails back and forth with consultants or developers as you wait for changes to happen.
Whether you want to promote an upcoming event through custom Banners or cater to your users’ differing vocabularies through synonyms and misspellings, you can modify search results in a matter of minutes. You won’t find customizable features like these within the limited capabilities of your CMS.
Cross-site search
For organizations with multiple interconnected domains, the ability to search across all of them is essential. A dedicated search solution can provide federated search, which allows users to search across multiple websites, combining all of your existing content under one convenient search index.
One of the biggest differences between your CMS and a search provider is the quality of the analytics. Such analytics are essential to monitor and improve the user experience.
Search analytics are an invaluable resource when it comes to checking the health of your site’s content. Dissecting your search analytics can provide deeper insights into what your customers are looking for, what content is trending, and where your site falls short on informing your visitors.
These insights have real-world implications in terms of forecasting and saving time. However, they are rarely available via basic CMS search. There are ways to add some of these advanced features if you’d like, via a patchwork of extensions and plugins, which is more work and still limiting.
The beauty of using a search provider like Cludo is that the software integrates seamlessly with your CMS and website, equipping you with everything you need to create a great site search experience. Take away the middleman and enjoy full control over your search engine. Unlike the search modules that come with your CMS, Cludo’s search is easily customizable to your needs and driven by behavioral data.
On top of that, implementation is simple. Traditional enterprise search solutions often require extensive development time, custom configurations, and ongoing maintenance. But with Cludo’s low-code/no-code setup, even teams with minimal technical resources can implement and optimize their search in just minutes. Simply copy and paste Cludo’s code, and voila! Your search engine is up and running—no need for complex API integrations or custom development work.
Once you’re up and running, our intelligent search will start working for you. With minimal effort, you can spend just five to ten minutes a week reviewing search analytics and making data-driven adjustments—all within an easy-to-use interface. It’s really that simple!
If you’re in the process of re-evaluating your CMS and its search, we know it can be daunting. But it doesn’t have to be with a scalable, cloud-based search solution like Cludo.
Request a demo with one of our site search enthusiasts to learn how optimized search from Cludo can enhance your website and user experience.