Site search tracking is an essential feature for understanding user behaviour on your website. It reveals the intentions of your users, highlights content gaps, and provides opportunities to improve your site's navigation and conversion rates. While Google Analytics 4 (GA4) offers site search tracking capabilities, the standard implementation can feel limited when it comes to actionable insights. That’s why we’ve developed a more powerful approach to search term analysis using GA4.
For a deeper dive into how to analyse and take action on this data, including formulas to identify your worst-performing search terms, check out our blog: Unlocking Actionable Insights from GA4 Site Search Data.
The Challenges of Standard GA4 Site Search Tracking
GA4 requires a custom event to track site search activity, which typically includes the search term and maybe some additional parameters like categories. Once implemented, you’re left with basic data in the Events section. However, this alone doesn’t provide much insight into how search terms impact user behaviour or revenue.
Compared to Universal Analytics (UA), GA4’s site search tracking is significantly more limited. While UA allowed for detailed insights like search refinements and next-page paths, GA4 only provides the search term and the number of times it’s been searched. This lack of depth makes it harder to draw actionable conclusions without additional configurations.
For instance, you’re unable to:
Assess the performance of search terms beyond basic engagement metrics.
Identify low-performing terms that might be hindering conversions.
Spot "hidden gems" — search terms pointing to opportunities you’re missing.
To overcome these limitations, we recommend complementing this setup with actionable analysis techniques, which you can explore in this blog.
A Better Way to Analyse Site Search in GA4
GA4 Site Search Analysis: Unlocking Deeper Insights
We’ve developed an advanced method to analyse site search performance using GA4, combining dimensions and metrics to create a comprehensive view of search term performance. Here’s how it works:
Key Dimensions and Metrics:
Page Path + Query String Dimension: Captures the full URL, including the search term in the query string. This allows you to analyse each search term individually.
Metrics to Track:
Page Views
Sessions
Item-List View Events
Item-List Click Events
Add to Basket Events
Exits
For detailed steps on exporting and analysing this data, including how to calculate key metrics like click-through and add-to-basket rates, refer to our detailed guide: Unlocking Actionable Insights from GA4 Site Search Data.
This approach provides a holistic view of how each search term performs throughout the user journey. For example, you can see whether a specific term drives high traffic but results in low engagement (e.g., no item-list clicks or add-to-basket events). This indicates opportunities for optimisation.
Why This Method Works
Using this methodology, you can:
Identify Poor-Performing Search Terms: Pinpoint terms that generate traffic but fail to convert into meaningful actions, like item-list clicks or add-to-basket events. These could indicate issues with product availability, pricing, or presentation.
Spot Hidden Opportunities: Find search terms with no add-to-basket or item-list clicks. These often highlight products or brands users want but aren’t currently available on your site.
Learn how to create actionable steps from these insights, such as restocking products or optimising pricing, in this post.
Filtering for Search Results Pages
To ensure accurate data, filter by the Page Path + Query String dimension to include only your search results pages. For example, in the Google Merchandise Store Demo Account, the search results are identified by the query string /search?keyword. To apply this filter, use Page Path + Query String CONTAINS /search?keyword in your GA4 exploration. Note that the Google Merchandise Store Demo Account does not include Add to Basket events, but if your website has this functionality, it will show up in the metrics and provide valuable insights for optimisation.
To ensure accurate data, filter by the Page Path + Query String dimension to include only your search results pages. For example, in the Google Merchandise Store Demo Account, the search results are identified by the query string /search?keyword. To apply this filter, use Page Path + Query String CONTAINS /search?keyword in your GA4 exploration.
Real-World Impact
We’ve implemented this enhanced site search analysis for multiple clients and seen remarkable results. For one company, focusing on poor-performing search terms led to a 120% growth in revenue from site search traffic. Additionally, this process uncovered "hidden gem" search terms pointing to products they weren’t stocking, allowing them to meet previously untapped customer demand.
Want to replicate these results? Start by calculating your key performance metrics as explained in Unlocking ActionableInsights from GA4 Site Search Data.
Next Steps: Calculating Key Metrics
To make the data even more actionable, you can calculate key performance metrics such as:
Item-List Click-Through Rate (CTR): Percentage of views that result in clicks.
Add-to-Basket Rate: Percentage of clicks that convert to add-to-basket actions.
Exit Rate: Percentage of sessions that end after a search.
These calculations can provide deeper insights into which search terms require optimisation. In our next blog post, "Exporting GA4 Site Search Data for Deeper Insights," we’ll walk you through how to export the data to Excel or Google Sheets and calculate these rates efficiently. Stay tuned for actionable steps to simplify your analysis.
How to Set Up This Analysis in GA4
Ensure Site Search Tracking Is Enabled: Make sure your site search queries are captured in GA4 using custom events.
Create a Custom Exploration in GA4:
Use the "Page Path + Query String" dimension.
Add metrics such as page views, sessions, item-list view events, item-list click events, add-to-basket events, and exits.
Filter for pages containing your site search query parameter (e.g., ?q=).
Analyse and Optimise: Use the insights to improve content, stock missing items, or refine search functionality.
For step-by-step guidance on how to calculate these metrics, refer to this comprehensive blog post.
Conclusion
Site search is one of the most valuable data sources for understanding user intent, but standard GA4 tracking limits its potential. By leveraging our method of combining dimensions and metrics, you can unlock actionable insights, optimise your search experience, and drive measurable revenue growth.
Ready to take your analysis further? Check out Unlocking Actionable Insights from GA4 Site Search Data for actionable steps to streamline your optimisation efforts. Implement this strategy, and you’ll not only gain a clearer picture of how your search terms perform but also uncover opportunities that can significantly impact your bottom line.
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