I was reading this article on site searching a placement - and I have decided to change where my search is displayed. I know it seems like common sense to put a search at the top header, or masthead if you will, but what I did not realize was how much placement of your search affects it. By putting it down farther on the screen, or passed where the monitor cuts things off (especially in laptops) you'll never see your search. It compeltely takes out the effectiveness of your search. Very interesting stuff!
Site search used by 5% of visitors - study -
While a relatively small number of visitors are using the search function on websites, conversion rates through site search are up to 50% higher than the average.
This is the verdict of a Screen Pages study into 39 of its clients' websites, using Google Analytics data. The stats cover almost 3m site visits over a three month period.
[Web Design]
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Follow up
So, I have this perspective on searching and google toolbar. Hopefully, if you are a FF or IE7+ user you do not have the google toolbar installed, or equivalent (yahoo, msn), because they have it already in the browser. Most people are just plain lazy on software installs, and install the darn thing without ever realizing it. So my advice is: unless you are stuck in a legacy operating system or incompatible OS or Web Browser, GET RID OF IT! It is already included, except for a desktop search, and some other nifty things - but all in all it's a waste to me on a web browser. Now, sure you can get more targeted search, blah blah blah, but in my opinion - especially if you are on a windows box - you are opening up too much of your system to them. If you have a specialized search, good times - but I notice system performance issues on a lot of them. Having said all that though, I would dance an irish jig for a free fully Lexis Nexis search toolbar! I guess what I'm trying to say is that I need a fast browser, so I use the least amount of software possible. You may feel it necessary to sacrifice speed for convenience. No worries! Just watch out for spyware and tracking nonsense.
Also, if you need more reinforcement, anything to do with a desktop search is not advisable, because it slows down your startup and your system, no matter what these guys do. It's really just the way software works, because it has to constantly update an index, so it's constantly writing/caching something somwhere. I hated my startup with google desktop running, or windows indexing service, or their desktop search, yahoo's stuff is ok but too much extras, and it just keeps going. The problem is licensing and all that, it forces developers to add crap they should not.
I have what I need with Firefox. I know, bad form to take sides - and Firefox is not the end all be all of browsers, but I installed firefox as soon as it was generally available years ago, and I have never looked back. I make my stuff compatible for mobile (as best I can), Safari 1.5+ and IE 6+, and there are somethings that will work better on IE (mostly file server stuff for windows, everything webwise that is windows based in fact, Enterprise level stuff, not open source per say) - sorry I got side tracked - what I'm trying to say is that IE is traditionally a bigger pain to use - and always (whilst browsing) throws up an error or something at you, or does not work with any flexibility while developing - it's a very quirky platform to develop on. I just don't care for it's usability as you are browsing, and I seem to forever be turning off the phishing nonsense. Meh.
Use whatever browser you want you want - no pressure - but just remember your web browser gives you a search feature at the top of your page - and the best thing to do on your site is to put your search (especially if it's a google adsense search) at the top of your page, casue that's what you are competeing with!
Knowledge is power.
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