How can you make your search bar user-friendly?

1 Place it prominently

The first rule of a user-friendly search bar is to make it visible and accessible. Users should not have to scroll, click, or hover to find it. Ideally, it should be placed in the header or the top of the page, where users expect to see it. You can also use contrast, color, or icons to make it stand out from the background and other elements. Avoid hiding it behind a menu, a button, or a magnifying glass, as this adds an extra step and reduces usability.

2 Size it appropriately

The size of your search bar should match the length and complexity of the queries that users are likely to enter. If your search bar is too small, users may not be able to see their entire input or the suggestions that appear. If it is too large, it may take up too much space and distract from other content. A good rule of thumb is to make your search bar at least 27 characters wide, and adjust it according to your data and feedback.

3 Provide feedback and guidance

A user-friendly search bar should provide feedback and guidance to users as they type or submit their queries. For example, you can use auto-complete, auto-suggest, or spell-check features to help users find the right terms and avoid errors. You can also use placeholder text, labels, or tooltips to explain what users can search for and how to format their queries. Additionally, you can use loading indicators, progress bars, or animations to show that the search is in progress and how long it will take.

4 Display relevant and clear results

The results of your search bar should be relevant and clear to users. You can use filters, facets, or categories to help users narrow down their options and refine their search. You can also use sorting, ranking, or highlighting features to show the most important or popular results first and emphasize the matching terms. Moreover, you can use thumbnails, images, or icons to make the results more attractive and informative. Finally, you can use pagination, infinite scroll, or load more buttons to manage the number and layout of the results.

5 Handle errors and empty states gracefully

A user-friendly search bar should handle errors and empty states gracefully. Errors can occur when users enter invalid, incomplete, or ambiguous queries, or when the search system fails or crashes. Empty states can occur when users enter queries that return no results, or when the search system is not available or populated. In both cases, you should provide clear and helpful messages that explain what went wrong and how to fix it. You should also provide suggestions, links, or alternatives that direct users to other relevant content or actions.

6 Test and optimize your search bar

The last step to make your search bar user-friendly is to test and optimize it regularly. You should use analytics, surveys, or user testing methods to collect data and feedback on how users interact with your search bar and how satisfied they are with the results. You should also use A/B testing, experimentation, or optimization tools to compare different versions of your search bar and see which one performs better. By testing and optimizing your search bar, you can improve its usability, functionality, and effectiveness.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?