How to Customise Knowledge Base Search

Search is one of the most useful parts of SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base.

It lets visitors type a question, product name or phrase and quickly find matching articles without browsing through every category.

You can change the search placeholder, add popular search links and choose where search appears across the knowledge base.

Open the search settings

To change the search options:

1. Sign in to your WordPress dashboard.
2. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
3. Select the Homepage tab.
4. Find the search settings.
5. Make your changes.
6. Select Save Changes.

Some additional search options may also appear under the Articles or Features tabs, depending on where the search box is being displayed.

Enable the main knowledge base search

The main search box appears near the top of the knowledge base homepage.

To show it:

1. Open Knowledge Base > Settings > Homepage.
2. Find the main search option.
3. Enable it.
4. Select Save Changes.

For most knowledge bases, it is best to leave the main search enabled.

Visitors often arrive looking for one specific answer, and search gives them the quickest route to it.

Change the search placeholder

The placeholder is the wording shown inside the search box before the visitor starts typing.

Examples include:

• Search the knowledge base
• What can we help you with?
• Search our guides
• Find an article
• Search documentation
• Type a question or keyword

To change it:

1. Find the Search Placeholder field.
2. Enter the wording you want to use.
3. Select Save Changes.

Keep the placeholder short enough to fit comfortably on mobile devices.

Choosing a useful placeholder

The best placeholder tells visitors what they can search for.

For example:

Search installation, activation and troubleshooting guides

This is useful when your knowledge base focuses on a small number of clear topics.

For a larger knowledge base, a simpler option such as:

Search the knowledge base

may work better.

Avoid placeholders that are too long or unclear.

How live search works

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base displays matching articles while the visitor types.

The search checks published knowledge base content and can use information such as:

• Article titles
• Article excerpts
• Article content

The results appear beneath the search box without requiring the visitor to load a separate search page.

Selecting a result opens the matching article.

Minimum search length

Visitors need to enter at least two characters before the plugin begins searching.

This helps prevent unnecessary searches from being run when someone has only typed a single letter.

For example:

• a will not start a search
• ac can start a search
• activation can return matching articles

There is normally no need to explain this to visitors unless they report that a one-letter search does not work.

Number of displayed results

The live search panel can display up to six matching articles.

This keeps the result box manageable and avoids showing a very long list beneath the search field.

If several articles match the same wording, clear titles and excerpts will help visitors choose the correct one.

Improve search results with clear article titles

Search works best when article titles use the wording visitors are likely to enter.

For example:

How to Activate SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base

is easier to find than:

Getting Started with Your Licence

The first title includes the exact action the visitor is looking for.

Use clear titles that describe one question or task.

Use article excerpts

The article excerpt can appear underneath the title in search results.

A useful excerpt gives visitors a little more information before they open the guide.

For example:

Learn how to activate SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base using your purchase email and product key.

Add a custom excerpt to each article rather than relying on the first few lines of the content.

This usually makes the search results easier to understand.

Use natural wording inside articles

The words used in the article content can also help search find the right guide.

For example, a licence article could naturally mention:

• Product key
• Purchase email
• Activate licence
• Licence details not recognised
• Monthly subscription
• Yearly subscription

Do not repeat the same phrase unnecessarily.

Write naturally and include the words customers are likely to use when describing the problem.

Add popular search links

Popular search links appear near the main search box.

They give visitors a quick way to search for common topics without typing anything.

Examples include:

• Installation
• Activation
• Product key
• Categories
• Search
• Analytics
• Troubleshooting

To add them:

1. Enable the Popular Searches option.
2. Change the label if required.
3. Enter your search terms.
4. Select Save Changes.

The plugin displays a limited number of terms, so place the most useful ones first.

Change the popular searches label

The label appears before or above the suggested search terms.

Examples include:

• Popular searches
• Common topics
• Try searching for
• Frequently searched
• Quick links

Keep the wording short so the search area does not feel crowded.

Enter popular search terms

Depending on the setting field, terms can be entered one per line or separated with commas.

For example:

installation, activation, product key, troubleshooting

Or:

installation

activation

product key

troubleshooting

Use simple phrases that already return useful results.

Test each one after saving.

Use Search Analytics to choose popular terms

Search Analytics can show what visitors are already searching for.

Open:

Knowledge Base > Analytics > Search Analytics

Look for:

• Frequently used searches
• Searches that return no results
• Different wording for the same question
• Topics that visitors repeatedly look for

You can then use the most useful terms as popular search links.

This is usually better than guessing what visitors might search for.

Enable search on category pages

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base can display a smaller search box on category pages.

This is useful when visitors are browsing one section but still want to search the whole knowledge base.

To enable it:

1. Open the relevant Articles or Features settings.
2. Find the compact search option for category pages.
3. Enable it.
4. Select Save Changes.

Open a category page and check where the search box appears.

Enable search on article pages

You can also show a compact search box on individual articles.

This gives visitors another way to continue searching if the current guide does not answer their question.

To enable it:

1. Open the relevant Articles or Features settings.
2. Find the compact search option for article pages.
3. Enable it.
4. Select Save Changes.

Try not to add too many search boxes to the same page.

One clear search area is normally enough.

Main search vs compact search

The homepage search is designed to be a larger, more prominent part of the page.

Compact search is smaller and better suited to:

• Article sidebars
• Category pages
• Article headers
• Supporting navigation areas

Use the main search on the homepage and compact search on inner pages where it is helpful.

Record anonymous search totals

SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base can record grouped search information.

When enabled, this can include:

• The search term
• Number of times it was searched
• Number of results returned
• Last search date

This helps you understand what visitors are looking for.

The plugin is designed to store grouped search totals rather than individual visitor histories.

Enable search analytics

To record search totals:

1. Open Knowledge Base > Settings.
2. Select Privacy & SEO.
3. Find the anonymous search totals option.
4. Enable it.
5. Select Save Changes.

New searches should then begin appearing in the Search Analytics area.

Previously completed searches will not usually be added retrospectively.

What happens with no-result searches?

If a visitor searches for something and no matching article is found, the search can still be recorded.

These searches are particularly useful because they can reveal missing documentation.

For example, if several visitors search for:

change article URL

and no result is found, you may decide to create a guide covering that subject.

Review no-result searches

Open:

Knowledge Base > Analytics > Search Analytics

Look for searches with a result count of zero.

Before creating a new article, check whether:

• A suitable article already exists under a different title
• The existing article needs a better excerpt
• The wording should be added naturally to the article
• A new guide is genuinely needed

Sometimes improving an existing article is enough to fix the search.

Search terms missing now

Search Analytics may show that a term previously returned results but no longer does.

This can happen if:

• An article was deleted
• An article was changed to Draft
• An article became unlisted
• A title was changed
• Content was removed
• A category or article was reorganised

Review the affected term and decide whether the original result should be restored.

Search privacy

Search terms are entered by visitors, so they may occasionally include personal information by mistake.

Even though the plugin is designed to record grouped totals rather than visitor profiles, you should still review your website privacy policy.

Avoid publishing raw search reports without checking them first.

You can disable anonymous search totals if you do not want to store search wording.

The live search can still work without search analytics being enabled.

Test the search after changing settings

After saving the search settings:

1. Open the main knowledge base page.
2. Enter part of a published article title.
3. Check that results appear.
4. Select one of the results.
5. Return to the search box.
6. Try a search that should return no results.
7. Test the popular search links.
8. Test compact search on article and category pages.
9. Check the layout on mobile.

Test while signed out of WordPress so you see the same version as a normal visitor.

Search results do not appear

If live results are not showing, check that:

• Search is enabled
• At least two characters have been entered
• Matching articles are published
• The articles are not marked as unlisted
• Your SoftwareRoad Knowledge Base licence is active
• JavaScript is working
• AJAX requests are not being blocked
• The page cache has been cleared

Try searching for an exact word from a published article title.

The wrong articles appear

If search results feel unrelated:

• Review the article titles
• Improve the article excerpts
• Check the wording used inside the articles
• Remove unrelated phrases
• Split overly broad articles into separate guides
• Use clearer article topics

A guide covering several unrelated subjects can appear for searches that only match a small part of it.

Focused articles normally produce better search results.

An article does not appear in search

Check that:

• The article is Published
• It is not marked as unlisted
• The title or content includes the search wording
• The search term contains at least two characters
• The article has not been moved to Trash
• The website cache has been cleared

Add a clear excerpt and update the article if needed.

Popular search links return no results

Popular search links run a normal knowledge base search.

If one returns nothing:

1. Search for the same term manually.
2. Check whether a matching article exists.
3. Improve the article title, excerpt or content.
4. Change the popular term to wording already used in the article.
5. Remove the link if it is no longer useful.

Every suggested search should lead visitors towards helpful content.

Search Analytics is empty

If no searches are being recorded, check that:

• Anonymous search totals are enabled
• Search is enabled
• A real search has been completed
• The search contained at least two characters
• The licence is active
• AJAX requests are working
• The search analytics database table exists
• Caching or security settings are not blocking the request

Run a test search while signed out, then check the Analytics screen again.

Search works while signed in but not for visitors

This is often caused by caching or security settings.

Check:

• Public page caching
• JavaScript optimisation
• AJAX restrictions
• Firewall rules
• Browser console errors
• Whether the licence is active for public requests

Clear all caches and test in a private browser window.

Keep search useful as the knowledge base grows

Search should be reviewed as you publish more articles.

Check Search Analytics regularly and look for:

• New customer wording
• Repeated no-result searches
• Several articles competing for the same search
• Old searches linked to deleted content
• Articles that are difficult to find

Small changes to titles, excerpts and article wording can make search much more useful.

Search setup checklist

Before finishing, check that:

• Main search is enabled
• The placeholder is clear
• Popular search links return useful results
• Article titles use natural search wording
• Excerpts explain the article clearly
• Compact search appears where needed
• Anonymous search totals match your privacy choices
• Search works while signed out
• No-result searches are being recorded, if enabled
• The layout works on desktop and mobile

Your knowledge base search is now ready to help visitors find the right article quickly.