Search on an organisation’s website: essential for convenient and accessible content
An organisation’s website needs a text search system that allows visitors to quickly find the information they need using keywords across the whole website. This is especially important for public-sector organisations, whose websites publish a wide range of content: laws and regulations, news, contact details, service descriptions, public procurement, document forms, procedural descriptions or education information.
Search is not just an extra feature. On the websites of municipalities, schools, museums, libraries and other public bodies, it often becomes the main way for a visitor to quickly reach relevant content. When the information structure is broad and the number of pages is large, a menu or internal links alone are not enough. A well-functioning search helps save visitors’ time and reduces the administrative burden, because people less often contact the organisation by phone or e-mail about information that is already published on the website.
Why is search important on public-sector websites?
Public-sector websites serve very different audiences: residents, parents, pupils, seniors, tourists, partners, the media and the organisation’s own staff. Each of these groups looks for different information, so it is important to make it possible to find it not only by browsing the menu, but also by entering a specific keyword.
For example, on a municipality website a resident may look for information about social support, waste collection or building permits. On a school website, people most often search for lesson timetables, admissions procedures, contact details or education plans. On museums’ and libraries’ websites, visitors may be interested in events, opening hours, educational activities, exhibitions or digital resources. If search does not work accurately and clearly, the user may simply fail to find important information.
What are the features of a good search system?
- Search covers all website content.
The user should be able to search not only news or page titles, but also content text, document titles, service descriptions and other important parts of the website. This is especially relevant for organisations that publish many PDF, Word or other documents.
- The search field is easy to find.
The search function should be clearly visible on every page of the website, usually in the header. The visitor should have no doubt where to start searching, especially if they land on the website directly from search engines or links on social media.
- Results are presented clearly and understandably.
In search results, it is important to show the page title, a short description and a clear link. If the results are uninformative or displayed untidily, it is difficult for the user to understand which page they actually need.
- Search tolerates inaccuracies.
A practical search system should take account of Lithuanian grammatical cases, spelling mistakes or different forms of the same term. For example, when searching for „priėmimas“, „priemimas“ or „priėmimo tvarka“, the system should help find related content.
- There are no dead ends.
If nothing is found for a query, it is worth showing the user a clear message and offering alternatives: similar keywords, the most popular pages or contact information. This helps avoid a situation where the visitor simply leaves the website.
Accessibility and ease of use
The search function must be adapted for all users, including people with disabilities. This means that the search field must be accessible by keyboard, clearly labelled, have a comprehensible name and be compatible with assistive technologies, such as screen readers. Adequate contrast, clear button labels and a logical results structure are also important.
On public-sector websites, accessibility is inseparable from quality digital service. If a person cannot conveniently use search, they cannot really use the website properly either. That is why the search solution must be assessed not only from a technical point of view, but also from the user experience point of view.
GDPR and responsible data processing
When implementing a search system, it is important to assess how user data are processed. If search queries are stored, analysed or passed on to third-party services, the organisation must ensure compliance with GDPR requirements. It must be clear what data are collected, for what purpose they are used and how long they are stored.
Public bodies are advised to choose solutions that allow data flows to be managed responsibly and transparently. If external search tools are used, their legal and technical suitability must be assessed, especially when it comes to visitors’ behavioural data.
Search as part of service quality
A well-functioning search contributes to clearer communication, greater trust in the organisation and a better experience for residents. It helps people reach information faster, reduces confusion on the website and allows the organisation to present important content more effectively. This is especially relevant when a website is regularly updated with a large amount of information.
In short, search on an organisation’s website should be treated as essential functionality, not an extra convenience. The larger and more informative the website, the more important it is to ensure that every visitor can quickly, easily and accessibly find what they are looking for.