This weekend I have the time to read WebSideStory’s 18-page whitepaper titled The Other Search: Making the Most of Site Search to Optimize the Total Customer Experience. I recommend that every online business owners read this. It opens up a new way of thinking about site search.

If you are not using this feature, you certainly are leaving money on the table.

The study involved 42 sites, of which 15 of those were commerce sites, 13 were lead generation sites and 14 were media sites.

If you are an affiliate marketer, you can relate your site as a media site which goal is to deliver content to visitors. Independent professionals could easily improve their site with the tricks outlined in the whitepaper too.

Yes, even if your site only has 200 visitors or less a day, these apply to you as well. As a small publisher who can’t afford paid search service, there is no reason why you can’t use a content management service. Blog software like WordPress even provide site search function.

Publishers who still design and publish static web pages, probably it is time to migrate. At least go out to seek for content management solution (CMS) on your next project. Really, it is easier to use a CMS than manually publish a page, not to mention the time you can save.

Here are some practical uses of site search data to encourage you to take action:

• Identify products and services customers want, but aren’t offered
• Identify products that are offered, but which customers can’t find
• Identify trends, especially competitive trends
• Hone brand messages, leveraging customers’ own words
• Identify emerging customer service issues
• Determine whether customers are provided enough information to reach their outcomes
• Make relevant offers, driving higher conversion and larger orders

You can even use the site search data to create a compelling email campaign to cater their needs more precisely.

Download: WebSideStory.