Food.com is a website dedicated to providing delicious recipes for everything from charcuterie boards to pasta. Visitors can quickly log on and find the perfect dish for any occasion.
On the website, there are many pages to explore, including a page for top-rated recipes. And if visitors wish to search for a specific recipe, there is a search button in the top navigation. However, it isn’t very noticeable. And when clicked, it takes users to a search page instead of allowing them to type directly into a search field.
Could simply replacing the search button with a noticeable search bar or box improve the user experience? We could test that.
The Opportunity: Website Visitors Must Search for the Search Function
Visitors don’t want to search for the search function, and they don’t have time to scour thousands of recipes for the one they need.
Currently, Food.com offers a search button located in the top navigation. However, it’s not very noticeable and some users may overlook it. This could lead to a poor user experience for those looking to search for specific recipes quickly.
Visitors who are unable to find the exact product, post or article they have in mind may become frustrated and will be more likely to bounce from the site.
The Control
Our Hypothesis: Enabling Easier Access to Search Will Improve the User Experience
Site visitors utilize the search bar because it gives them control over what they see on the website and when they see it. Visitors often go straight to the Home page search function to avoid using navigation.
According to AddSearch, up to 30% of visitors use a site search function when one is offered. Plus, site search is 1.8 times more effective at producing conversions. AddSearch also reports that as many as 68% of shoppers would not return to a site that provides a poor search experience.
In a study completed by ToTheWeb, transforming one website’s search icon into a search input field produced a 439% increase in site searches. And visitors who used the on-site search function stayed on the website 110% longer.
The Potential Fix: Replacing the Search Button With a Noticeable Search Bar
To start our test, we would simply replace the search button with a search bar. As a result, users can enter their text immediately, without the need to go to another page.
We hypothesize this small change would improve the user experience and reduce bounce rate while increasing account sign-ups, page views, page scroll and time-on-site.
The Variation
What Can Cro Metrics Test for You?
How well does your website function for your visitors? Simple changes can truly turn a lackluster user experience into a memorable one. However, you must experiment to pinpoint areas of change.
Cro Metrics can help. To learn more about our experimentation and optimization programs, subscribe today.