Expanding Search Criteria
Printed From: ProductCart E-Commerce Solutions
Category: ProductCart
Forum Name: Customizing ProductCart
Forum Description: Exchange messages with other users that are customizing ProductCart.
URL: https://forum.productcart.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=824
Printed Date: 01-December-2024 at 1:35am
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.04 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: Expanding Search Criteria
Posted By: MGatESS
Subject: Expanding Search Criteria
Date Posted: 24-May-2007 at 4:57pm
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I have ProductCart v3.01 PPD When people do searches with either the supplied search box in the header or in the advanced search page in the keyword field, it seems that the only place it searches in is the NAME field of the product record. If you put in keywords from the short or long description field, it will come back with no results. This is troubling because it prevents my users from being able to search for products on those keywords. I can't put the entire description in the NAME field so that it will come up in searches. What file(s) affect the keyword search? Is there a way I can add the short and long description fields to the list of fields it should search for matches? This WOULD solve my problem since the bulk of the keywords that people would find our products in is in the long & short description fields. Also, can I rearrange the order of the input fields & labels of the Advanced Search page so that the Keyword box is on top of everything? That would be where people would look for an input field to search on when they first go there. Burying it down as the 7th field makes it harder for my users to find anything. P.S. - Please don't bother posting a reply if all you're going to say is "update to the latest version of ProductCart" - THAT is counter-productive, in my book!  ------------- ~ Mark G. ESS, Inc. - http://www.endoscopy.com/" rel="nofollow - www.endoscopy.com |
Replies:
Posted By: MarkCoyle
Date Posted: 24-May-2007 at 5:50pm
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I don't understand this. The search criteria does use the description fields. For example at our site: http://www.wovenwheatwhispers.co.uk use the search link and search on for example 'Bob Dylan'. Now we don't have any music by Bob Dylan but you will find all products listed that mention him in the description field using the search. We now do this deliberately by putting a reference section into each long description so people can find music that sounds like another artist. We're on v3 but it worked equally well in v2.76. cheers Mark |
Posted By: MGatESS
Date Posted: 25-May-2007 at 9:40am
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MarkCoyle; I tried putting some keywords in one of the description fields and it worked. I don't understand why others were not working? I guess I'll have to go through the description fields of my items and try to populate them with keywords. Thanks.  Will having a last line at the bottom of the long description (which usually comes up in the product page) with "Keywords: [word1], [word2], [word3], ..." affect search engine ranking? I'd hate to fix my site so it's more friendly to it's internal search, but then lower it's rank on search engines because it would be flagged as "spam". ------------- ~ Mark G. ESS, Inc. - http://www.endoscopy.com/" rel="nofollow - www.endoscopy.com |
Posted By: fidjiti
Date Posted: 25-May-2007 at 10:54am
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If they are keywords for that actual product on the product page then I would just work those keywords into the description without adding the actual keyword list below the description. They are very important to have in your descriptions of the items you sell. If you did create the keyword list I think it will be like keyword spamming a bit, but if you put it into the description then it's not. Just make sure to describe your products well in the description. Remember customers aren't there in person when shopping online. ------------- Linda - I wish I knew ASP. To view my ever evolving site click the "www" button below. :) |
Posted By: MarkCoyle
Date Posted: 25-May-2007 at 11:53am
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We don't bother to define separate keyword lists, just put them in the descriptions as per the post above - works a treat. In the circumstance where we want to flag it to search engines, we use the product/category meta-tag fields. cheers Mark |
Posted By: MGatESS
Date Posted: 25-May-2007 at 4:14pm
What about for times when you want it to come up in a search for a certain or multiple keywords that don't fit properly in a description? Can I put in a couple of things like "Other categories: ..." or "Also: ..."? ------------- ~ Mark G. ESS, Inc. - http://www.endoscopy.com/" rel="nofollow - www.endoscopy.com |
fidjiti wrote:Posted By: fidjiti
Date Posted: 26-May-2007 at 1:46am
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Um...yes you can add other keywords that aren't in the description like
the examples you mentioned above. But I can't imagine what words apply
to a product but don't apply to the description. Here's an example of what I think could work. Let's say the keyword is "endoscopy kits" but the actual product isn't a kit. You could say, "This item can also be purchased as a kit, please see the Endoscopy Kit by searching for sku: 12345." or you could simply create a "cross-selling" item and add the kit to it. So just a product suggestion. But I really think it could be okay to addd the "other categories or Also" if they apply to your products. But make sure it makes sense when added to the description. Hope that helps! ------------- Linda - I wish I knew ASP. To view my ever evolving site click the "www" button below. :) |