Sitecore is a complete CMS and DXP that provides businesses with a suite of features to deliver exceptional digital experiences. Search experience is one of those major features and is critical to any website's success. In this post, we'll discuss why search experience matters for Sitecore customers, why building a search feature from scratch isn't recommended, and explore the best third-party options. 

Why Does It Matter, Hugo? 

Search experience is essential for Sitecore customers because it significantly impacts and positively augments the user experience. A good search feature can help users find the information they need quickly and easily, improving overall satisfaction. Conversely, a poor search experience can frustrate users and negatively impact their perception of the website and the brand. 

Moreover, Sitecore customers need a search feature that is flexible and scalable, one that can grow as the business grows. Sitecore is a powerful platform with a lot of features, but building a search feature from scratch is not recommended because it requires specialized knowledge and expertise that may not be available in-house. Developing and maintaining a search feature in house can be expensive and time-consuming. It’s also frankly not necessary, what with the wealth of enterprise-quality, turnkey search solutions on the market.  

Let's Compare All The Options 

Fortunately, several third-party options integrate seamlessly with Sitecore and provide an excellent search experience for users. To help Sitecore customers make an informed decision, let's compare the different search providers. 

• SearchStax is a cloud-based search solution that offers powerful search capabilities, including faceted search, sorting, and autocomplete. With SearchStax, businesses can quickly add a search feature to their Sitecore website without any coding or technical expertise. SearchStax provides a comprehensive search experience, and its cloud-based infrastructure means that businesses don't need to worry about maintaining and upgrading servers.  
• Sitecore Search is a native Sitecore feature that can be configured to provide an enhanced search experience. Sitecore Search offers features like multilingual search, personalization, and faceted search, making it a good option for businesses that need a straightforward search solution. Sitecore Search is also scalable and can handle large amounts of data. Sitecore Search can be customized and extended to some degree, but since it is a new product the reach of those customizations is still unknown. Since Sitecore Search is part of the Sitecore offering, it has huge potential to become a powerful player in the near future by being easily integrated to things as Sitecore CDP, Content Hub, Personalize and more. 
• Coveo for Sitecore: Coveo for Sitecore is a third-party search solution that integrates with Sitecore to provide advanced search capabilities. It uses machine learning and AI (Artificial Intelligence) algorithms to provide highly relevant search results, personalized recommendations, and predictive insights. It also offers features like faceted navigation, content analytics, and content recommendations. Coveo for Sitecore is a paid product that requires a separate license from Coveo. 
• Algolia is a fast and powerful search platform that offers unique features like speed and performance. Algolia's advanced features and intuitive interface make it a compelling choice for businesses that need a highly accurate and fast search experience. It’s a shame that it lacks a native Sitecore connector, though, making the integration expensive and potentially long.  

What Is The Best One? 

A website project is never that simple, so the answer will depend a lot on variables such as deadlines, budget, complexity of indexed documents, size of dataset, business importance of the search aspect and more. Each provider has its own pros and cons and it comes down to figuring out exactly what your unique needs and requirements are as a customer.  

Conclusion

In summary, a good search experience is crucial for Sitecore customers to provide exceptional digital experiences to its users. Building a search feature from scratch is not recommended due to its cost and time requirements. Instead, businesses should consider third-party options like Coveo, SearchStax, Sitecore Search, or Algolia. 

If you're a Sitecore customer and need help defining the best option for your search needs, Konabos has a team of search specialists that can help you evaluate your options and determine the best fit for your business. With Konabos, you can rest assured that you'll have the best search experience for your Sitecore website, providing an excellent user experience and delivering exceptional digital experiences.