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This topic provides information about page components you can manage to improve query results in Experience Optimizer.

Document grouping

Experience Optimizer lets you define categories and group documents that are relevant to each other. result list Options to group documents include:
  • Block or boost. For example, promote a new document group to the top of the results for greater visibility.
  • Apply rules individually to documents within a group. For example, boost ballet-related documents to the top of the group if a specific user searches for ballet dance contest.
ballet boost

Best practices

These parameters group documents, and are defined in the Additional Query Parameters Stage:
Parameter NameParameter ValueUpdate Policy
grouptruedefault
group.formatgroupeddefault
group.ngroupstruedefault
group.fieldstyle_id_sdefault
For more information about adding a query pipeline and additional query parameters, see:
In the Query Workbench, click Add a Stage to add query pipeline stages that can perform query setup, results relevancy, troubleshooting, and more.Add a stageThe Solr Query stage is the only pipeline stage that is required for querying processes to complete, and therefore exists in every query pipeline. It is always the last stage in a series.See these pages for more information:

Collapse/Expand parser grouping

The Collapse/Expand parser allows grouping with the following parameters:
Parameter NameParameter Value
expandtrue
enableElevationtrue
groupfalse
See Collapse and Expand Results for more information.

Search rewrites

Search rewriting lets you modify search queries to more accurately reflect the intentions of your customers. These functions let you:
  • Create search rewrites manually.
  • Edit, test, review and publish the search rewrites generated automatically from signals data.
For example, create a misspelling search rewrite to correct common spelling mistakes entered for a particular document. The misspelled query will then produce the same results as a correctly spelled search. Experience Optimizer provides four rewrite types:
  • Head/Tail - improves poorly performing searches.
  • Misspelling detection - corrects common spelling mistakes.
  • Phrase detection - identifies products with matching phrases.
  • Synonym detection - includes alternative words with the same meaning.
You can create query rewrite rules in Experience Optimizer. This is similar to using the Rules Editor to create query rewrite rules, except there are additional options in Experience Optimizer.
  1. In Managed Fusion, navigate to Relevance > Rules > Optimizer.
  2. Enter a search term or phrase in the search bar.
  3. Click Start Task.
  4. Hover your cursor next to the query. A + button will appear: Add query rewrite
  5. Click the + button. A list of query rewrites options will appear: Head/Tail, Misspelling, Phrase, Synonym, and Remove Words.
  6. Click on the type of rule you’d like to configure.

Head/Tail

You can create a Head/Tail rewrite to improve search results using methods other than correcting for misspellings or synonym expansion. When a poorly defined search term is identified, the original term is replaced by an improved search term.For example, a search for benefits enrollment could be improved by using the search term benefits enrollment+year:"2021" (in this case making use of the year field in the data).Most Head/Tail rewrites are typically created automatically via machine learning. However, if desired, custom rewrites can be manually created using the following steps.
  1. From the list of query rewrite options, select Head/Tail. A form will appear: Create head/tail query rewrite This form contains the following fields:
    ParameterDescriptionExample Value
    Tail QueryThe tail query itself.benefits enrollment
    Improved QueryThe query that will replace the tail query phrase.benefits enrollment+year:"2021"
    TagsOptional metadata tags that can be used to identify and organize rewrites.enrollmentpacket
  2. Enter one or more improved search terms in the Improved Query field.
  3. Click the Save button.
The search is re-run using the improved search term, and a Search box information panel drops down to show that the new query rewrite has fired:Head/tail rewrite results

Misspelling

You can create a misspelling query rewrite to detect and correct common spelling mistakes. When a customer enters a search term containing a known misspelling, the incorrect spelling is replaced with the spelling correction.For example, if your clients frequently misspell or mistype the word questionnaire as questionare, you can set up a query rewrite to automatically correct it.
  1. From the list of query rewrite options, select Misspelling. A form will appear: Create misspelling query rewrite This form contains the following fields:
    ParameterDescriptionExample Value
    Misspelled TermThe phrase itself.questionare
    Corrected TermThe term that will replace the misspelled term.questionnaire
    ActionAction to perform.expand
    ConfidenceConfidence score from the phrase job. A confidence level of 1 represents 100% confidence. For rules created automatically via machine learning, the confidence level reflects the output from the machine learning model.1
    TagsOptional metadata tags that can be used to identify and organize rewrites.enrollmentpacket
  2. Enter one or more spelling corrections in the Corrected Term field.
  3. Click the Save button.
The search is re-run using the corrected spelling, and a Search box information panel drops down to show that the new query rewrite has fired:Misspelling rewrite results

Phrase

You can use query rewriting to identify phrases used in search terms so that products with matching phrases are boosted in the search results. This is helpful when users do not use quotation marks to identify phrases in their search terms.For example, without phrase detection a search for the words background check would show results for both background and check. With phrase detection, this search would correctly boost results for "background check".
  1. From the list of query rewrite options, select Phrase. A form will appear: Create phrase query rewrite This form contains the following fields:
    ParameterDescriptionExample Value
    Surface FormThe phrase itself.background check
    Word CountIndicates how many words are included in the phrase.2
    ConfidenceConfidence score from the phrase job. A confidence level of 1 represents 100% confidence. For rules created automatically via machine learning, the confidence level will reflect the output from the machine learning model.1
    TagsOptional metadata tags that can be used to identify and organize rewrites.enrollmentpacket
    Phrase CountDenotes how many times this phrase was found in the source. This value is automatically set via machine learning. It does not need to be set manually.5
    Boost FactorThe factor to use to boost this phrase in matching queries.2.0
    Slop FactorPhrase slop, or the distance between the terms of the query while still considering it a phrase match.10
  2. Enter the number of words in the phrase in the Word Count field.
  3. Click the Save button.
The search is re-run, with your search words identified as a phrase, and a Search box information panel drops down to show that the new query rewrite has fired:Phrase rewrite results

Synonym

You can specify synonyms for a specified search term so that alternative words with the same meaning are automatically used in the search query. When a customer enters a search term with a synonym match, the alternative words are used instead of, or in addition to, the original search term.For example, the search term questionnaire could have the synonyms application and survey.
  1. From the list of query rewrite options, select Synonym. A form will appear: Create synonym query rewrite This form contains the following fields:
    ParameterDescriptionExample Value
    Surface FormThe term that has synonyms.questionnaire
    DirectionWith a oneway search, the original search term is replaced by the synonym. In the preceding example, questionnaire would be replaced by the alternative words application and survey. With a symmetric search, the search query is expanded to include the original term and the synonyms, resulting in a greater number of potential hits. In the preceding example, this time the query would include questionnaire, application, and survey.symmetric
    Synonym MappingsSynonyms for the surface form.application, survey`
    ConfidenceConfidence score from the phrase job. A confidence level of 1 represents 100% confidence. For rules created automatically via machine learning, the confidence level will reflect the output from the machine learning model.1
    TagsOptional metadata tags that can be used to identify and organize rewrites.enrollmentpacket
    CountHow many times this term occurred in the signal data when it was discovered. This value is optional when a rewrite is being defined manually.5
  2. Choose whether the direction is oneway or symmetric.
  3. Enter one or more alternative words in the Synonym Mappings field.
  4. Click the Save button.
The search is re-run using the synonyms, and a Search box information panel drops down to show that the new query rewrite has fired:Synonym rewrite results

Remove Words

The Remove Words feature is available in Fusion 5.4 and later.
You can create a Remove Words query rewrite to remove words from a query. This query rewrite is helpful when a word in the search query does not add value to the search results.For example, you can rewrite a search query for case study examples to remove examples and then display results for case study.
  1. From the list of query rewrite options, select Remove Words. A form appears: Create remove words query rewrite
  2. This form contains the following fields:
ParameterDescriptionExample Value
Phrase to removeThe words to remove from the trigger phrase.examples
Trigger phrasesThe query that prompts the removal of the phrase. The trigger phrase is not necessarily a complete query. If the query contains the trigger phrase, then Fusion removes the phrase in the Phrase to Remove field.case study examples
  1. Enter a phrase to remove and a trigger phrase. Note that the phrase to remove is auto-populated with the query.
  2. Click Save.
The search is re-run, and a Search box information panel drops down to show that the new query rewrite has fired:Remove words rewrite results
LucidAcademyLucidworks offers free training to help you get started.The Course for Experience Optimizer: Rewrites Manager focuses on how to create search rewrites that optimize your user’s search results:
Experience Optimizer: Rewrites ManagerPlay Button
Visit the LucidAcademy to see the full training catalog.

Optimize zero results

Search queries that return zero results can drive customers away from your site. You can set certain documents to display when a customer search generates zero results.
  1. Enter a search query the generates 0 results: Optimizing Zero Results 01
  2. Click the Add button: Add
  3. Select documents or document groups that you want to associate with the 0 results query: Optimizing Zero Results 02
  4. Click the Insert button. The selected products are now displayed when the search query is used, resolving the 0 results query: Optimizing Zero Results 03

Rule conflict resolution

Sometimes, rules created in the Rules Editor and Experience Optimizer conflict with each other. For example, if you have three rules to boost, bury, and block a document, Experience Optimizer highlights these conflicting rules so you can address them. To highlight conflicting rules, the Rules Fired section displays a red warning icon next to the dominant rule and a red flag on the conflicting rules. Click the Edit button to view the details of the conflicting rules and resolve the conflict. The details of the conflicting rules affecting specific documents are found in the Document Details panel. Click the Start Task button, and then click the Document Details button.