# Optimizing search performance

This tutorial guides you through monitoring and optimizing your AB Tasty search performance. You will learn how to use analytics dashboards to track search metrics, identify optimization opportunities, and implement query-specific and product-specific rules to improve search results.

### Prerequisites

Before you begin, ensure you have:

* Access to the AB Tasty analytics interface
* At least several days of search data collected
* Editor or administrator permissions to create optimization rules
* Understanding of your product catalog structure

### Steps

{% stepper %}
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#### Access the analytics dashboard

Navigate to the search analytics interface to view performance metrics:

1. Log in to your AB Tasty account
2. Go to <https://app2.abtasty.com/search/analytics>
3. Select the **Analytics** menu
4. Review the available metric categories: Transaction, Queries, and Technical performance

![](/files/qMttiQjsWW0mcyAqYlSX)

The analytics dashboard provides comprehensive insights into how visitors use your search and the business value it generates.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Review transaction metrics

Analyze the revenue and conversion impact of your search functionality:

1. Navigate to the **Transaction** section in the analytics dashboard
2. Review the following key metrics:
   * Revenue generated by users who used AB Tasty search
   * Average conversion rate of users who triggered search events
   * Average click rate in search results among users who interacted with the search bar
3. Track trends over time to monitor search performance
4. Compare metrics against your baseline or business goals

Use these metrics for reporting purposes and to assess the overall value delivered by your search implementation.
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{% step %}

#### Analyze query data

Examine what visitors search for to identify optimization opportunities:

1. Access the **Queries** section in the analytics dashboard
2. Review the **Most frequent queries** table
3. Identify the top search terms used by your visitors
4. For each frequent query, manually test the search results:
   * Enter the query in your live search widget
   * Evaluate the relevance and quality of returned products
   * Note any disappointing or irrelevant results
5. Document queries that require optimization

![](/files/nfbRiVtAC1v3EUfvNRD0)

This analysis provides valuable insights into visitor intent and helps you identify where search configuration improvements are needed.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Monitor technical performance

Track the technical reliability of your search service:

1. Navigate to the **Technical performance monitoring** section
2. Review available metrics:
   * Number of search requests
   * Latency measurements
3. Monitor these metrics regularly to ensure service reliability
4. Investigate any anomalies or performance degradation

![](/files/kpT3yBu9eok6nqskeiSt)
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Create redirection rules

Set up redirections for specific search queries to guide visitors to relevant pages:

1. Access the **Query-specific rules** section in the Optimization dashboard
2. Click **Create rule** or the equivalent action button
3. Select **Redirection** as the rule type
4. Configure the redirection:
   * Enter the search term or query that triggers the redirection
   * Specify the target URL where visitors will be redirected
5. Save the rule

Common use cases for redirections:

* Redirecting category names to corresponding product list pages (for example, "dresses" redirects to /category/dresses)
* Directing brand searches to brand-specific landing pages
* Sending specific product searches directly to product detail pages
  {% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Implement custom search strategies

Create custom rules to modify product ranking for specific search terms:

1. Navigate to the **Query-specific rules** section in the Optimization dashboard
2. Click **Create rule** or the equivalent action button
3. Select **Custom strategies** as the rule type
4. Access the **Strategy Builder** to configure your custom rule
5. Define the conditions and actions:
   * Specify the query terms that trigger the rule
   * Set filtering criteria (for example, show only products on promotion)
   * Adjust ranking parameters
   * Configure product prioritization
6. Save and activate the custom strategy

{% hint style="info" %}
In Beta and Early Adoption programs, custom strategies are configured in the Recommendations & Merchandising interface through a dedicated Search rules recommendation.
{% endhint %}

Example use case: If a visitor's query includes "promotion" or "sale", filter search results to display only discounted products and rank them by discount percentage.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Set up boosting rules

Configure product-specific rules to rank certain products higher across all search queries:

1. Access the **Boost products** section in the Optimization dashboard
2. Click **New product boost** or the equivalent action button
3. Define the boosting criteria:
   * Select product attributes to target (for example, new arrivals, high-margin items, featured products)
   * Set the boost strength or priority level
   * Specify conditions for when the boost applies
4. Save the boosting rule

Boosting rules increase the visibility of specific product categories or attributes regardless of the search query. This is useful for promoting new catalog additions, seasonal items, or strategic products.
{% endstep %}

{% step %}

#### Configure bury rules

Create rules to rank certain products lower in search results:

1. Navigate to the **Bury products** section in the Optimization dashboard
2. Click **New product bury** or the equivalent action button
3. Define the bury criteria:
   * Select product attributes to target (for example, out-of-stock items, low-performing products, discontinued items)
   * Set the bury strength or demotion level
   * Specify conditions for when the rule applies
4. Save the bury rule

Bury rules reduce the visibility of products you want to deprioritize across all search queries. This helps improve the overall quality of search results by pushing less relevant items lower in rankings.
{% endstep %}
{% endstepper %}


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