Product Selector

Fusion 5.9
    Fusion 5.9

    Query optimizationA Merchandiser's Blueprint to Commerce Studio

    Optimizing queries is a critical part of ensuring that search results in Commerce Studio align with customer expectations. This article focuses on how Merchandisers can use query rewrites to improve accuracy and relevance in search results.

    Query rewrites address common challenges such as misspellings, regional terminology, slang, abbreviations, and variations in phrasing. By improving the interpretation of user input, Merchandisers can align search results with customer intent, enhancing the overall search experience.

    This process involves analyzing search behavior, identifying patterns, and applying targeted adjustments to ensure queries produce the most relevant and effective results. Through query optimization, the search experience becomes more intuitive and responsive to diverse customer needs.

    Account for common regional terminology

    Regional terminology rewrites improve relevance for local customers, ensuring the right products are shown. For example, in the UK users might search for jumper, but in the US they search for sweater. Create a synonym rewrite rule that maps regional terms to the appropriate product categories.

    1. On the Rewrite screen, click the Synonym Detections tab and then click Add New.

    Add regional terminology synonyms

    1. In the Search Query field, enter a query you’d like to create a synonym for. For example, jumper.

    2. In the Synonym field, enter a synonym for the query. For example, sweater.

    3. Select the Synonym Matching Method you’d like to use:

      1. ONEWAY matches synonyms in one direction. For example, the query jumper returns results with sweater, but sweater does not return results with jumper.

      2. SYMMETRIC creates bi-directional synonyms. For example, jumper and sweater queries return results with either term.

    4. Click Publish.

    If certain regions use a mix of terms or your website is international, create rewrite rules that handle multiple variations for the same products. Alternatively, create language-specific rewrites for bilingual or multilingual regions to improve results for diverse customer groups.

    Create rules for brand name variations

    If you sell brands with name variations, such as shortened or abbreviated names, you can create rules that will help users find relevant results.

    1. On the Rewrite screen, click the Synonym Detections tab then click Add New.

    Add or edit synonyms

    1. In the Search Query field, enter a query you’d like to create a synonym for. For example, lw.

    2. In the Synonym field, enter a synonym for the query. For example, lucidworks.

    3. Select the Synonym Matching Method you’d like to use:

      1. ONEWAY matches synonyms in one direction. For example, the query lw returns results with lucidworks, but lucidworks does not return results with lw.

      2. SYMMETRIC creates bi-directional synonyms. For example, lucidworks and lw queries return results with either term.

    4. Click Publish.

    If brand abbreviations are common in certain demographics, create segment-specific synonym lists. For example, some brands use different names in different states and regions.

    Create synonym lists for common products

    Some products have multiple terms for the same item, for example, sneakers and trainers. Synonym lists ensure that customers using different terms see the same relevant products in search results.

    1. On the Rewrite screen, click the Synonym Detections tab and then click Add New.

    Add or edit synonyms

    1. In the Search Query field, enter a query you’d like to create a synonym for. For example, sneakers.

    2. In the Synonym field, enter a synonym for the query. For example, trainers.

    3. Select the Synonym Matching Method you’d like to use:

      1. ONEWAY matches synonyms in one direction. For example, the query sneakers returns results with trainers, but trainers does not return results with sneakers.

      2. SYMMETRIC creates bi-directional synonyms. For example, sneakers and trainers queries return results with either term.

    4. Click Publish.

    If products have regional-specific synonyms, create location-specific query rewrites. If customers use non-standard terminology, analyze your search data for unrecognized terms and create custom synonyms to improve search results.

    Next steps

    Once your query rewrites are set up, you can take further control of search results by creating and refining ranking rules. Ranking rules let you adjust how content is displayed and prioritized, ensuring that search aligns with your strategies. The next article explains how to build effective rules and refine existing ones to meet dynamic business needs. This step allows you to deliver tailored experiences that resonate with your audience.