What to do when the Google Site Search bites the dust
First, Google announced its decision to discontinue the Google Search Appliance, and just today, they revealed to the world their new decision to end their sales of their Google Site Search. This surprising move by Google was also followed by an equally alarming update that existing Site Search customers will be automatically converted to their Custom Engine Solution after their current license expires. While the Google Site Search wasn’t the most flexible of products to begin with, now customers are faced with the prospect of an even more rigid solution.
If Google’s decision to discontinue their Site Search is has left you in a lurch with a future of an unexceptional solution looming on the horizon, then why stay with it? There hasn’t been a better time to switch to Cludo. With Cludo you will be upgraded to a search that more than matches the functionality of the Google Site Search, and one that definitely exceeds that of the Custom Search Engine. Cludo’s cloud-based platform doesn’t just deliver a powerful search solution, but it is also the most user-friendly product available on the market.
Make the switch today
With Cludo, you can experience:
- A fast and easy migration — the transition to implementing Cludo on your site takes no more effort than a simple copy and paste.
- Powerful search performance — Cludo’s intuitive algorithms provides reliable relevancy for search results
- A tailored search experience — A well-equipped toolbox of features and functionalities that puts you in the driver’s seat of your site’s search.
Customizable search
Every site is different, with different needs and goals, which is why Cludo is not a one-size-fits all product. The downfall of the impending Custom Search Engine is that it offers less customization options as compared to the Google Site Search including unavoidable components like ads and the Google branding. This takes a lot away from user experience by detracting them from your personal branding, especially for reputable sites like ones in the public sector.
So why worry about that at all? Here at Cludo, we work alongside each and every one of our customers to design a search display that seamlessly fits in with your overall site. We take into account the specific needs of your site and will work with special customization requests. You don’t even need to get your designers involved; we’ll handle the design and layout, you just let us know what you want. You even get the option of a white-labelled search so that it is 100% consistent with your site’s design.
Control the search relevancy
Google’s search products rely on the algorithms that Google.com employs. This means that adjusting the relevancy of your search results depends on keyword optimization.
Cludo also offers you the flexibility to customize the results your search deliver. We provide customers with a clean and user-friendly dashboard where you can view detailed analytics within specific areas of your search.
- Learn what content is most popular with your users through the tending searches
- Searches that lack relevant results are revealed through the inefficient search
- Find out what your users are searching for but not finding on your site
In the dashboard, you also have access to a variety of tools that you can use to adjust your result relevancy and to optimize your search based on the analytics above. We have made sure that these tools are easy-to-use as they are powerful, so even a non-technical employee can still create a sophisticated search experience. Our tools include:
- Synonyms — so that people will always be directed to the right results, even if they use words not found on your site.
- Spell corrections — we all make spelling mistakes, and this tool will make sure that those mistakes hinder your search.
- Engines — allowing you to boost the relevancy of certain links on your results.
- Quicklinks — to direct users straight to a page without them having to visit the search result page first.
- API — Push data to us, or use our crawlers — it is your choice. You also have the option to do role-based and personalized searches through the API.
Inclusive search
If there is an area where Google Site Search is gravely lacking in, it’s in accessibility. The number of people in the USA with some form of cognitive, sensory or physical disability is a substantial one; with over 21.7 million adults with vision trouble, and over 10% of the population possessing some form of reading disability, having a website with an inaccessible search is extremely limiting to those within this demographic.
The Google Site Search does not adhere to the web content accessibility guidelines thus creating a limiting interface for those with certain cognitive, sensory or physical challenges. Accessibility is something that Cludo knows not to overlook, providing options for a more perceivable, operable, understandable and robust solution that can be used by all. We have provided assistive tools such as text highlights, reading tools, versatile functionality and more to ensure that the search can be used by all.
Phone support, training and onboarding
Our customers are our number one priority and we aim to forge a close relationship with every one of them. This includes personal consultations for your desired product, and one-on-one onboarding and training. Our goals are also to be as trustworthy and as transparent as possible, so we offer unlimited free phone support worldwide to all our existing customers. This is a far cry from the depersonalized Google Site Search, where support is offered via FAQ pages, and phone support is a pain to reach.
No ads, just banners
With Cludo, you won’t be finding external ads all over your search display like you would with the Google Custom Search. Instead you can use Cludo to advertise and promote content from your site or subsites, within your site. Cludo offers a handy banner tool in which you can use to create prominent visuals in your search display to highlight important content. You can create banners that are applicable to all search terms, or have some appear only when a specific term is searched.
Categories
Categories are great tools to filter through your search content. Both Cludo and Google Site Search have options for categorization and refinement in the search. However, Google’s search refinement only allows for simple site-based categorization. With Cludo, you have the option to build advanced filters and groups for your results, so your users can narrow down their search process.
It is important to point out that having categories can increase the conversion rate of your site because it helps users specify their preferences in the search!
Search content behind login
Cludo offers customers the option of extending their solution to search for content behind the login, offering an enterprise-based solution instead. This however, is a feature that Google Site Search currently lacks. Cludo’s search can cover not only your site, but also your site’s intranet and extranet searches as well. This extension comes along with the same level of customization options and the same feature toolbox as well.
So it’s time to bid farewell to the Google Site Search and move on to the greener pastures of Cludo’s search solution. If you would like to learn more about how Cludo can work for your site, request a demo today.
