Create a search rule

Create a search rule to deliver customized search results and ordering. We can also define targets in search rules to specify which customers see our search rules. Creating search rules ensures that targeted search results are seen by the right customers.

Procedure

1. Open the Marketing tool.

2. From the toolbar, click the arrow on the right side of Create New; then select Search rule. The New Search rule template window opens.

3. In the left pane, click the name of the folder containing the template we want to use. The Custom Templates folder contains any templates you have created. The Management Center includes the following standard search rule templates:

   Blank search rule

   This search rule template is empty. Use it as a starting point to build any type of search rule. Use this template for search rules that use the following actions, since they do not have a custom template:

   • Add To Or Remove From Customer Segment

   • Add Or Replace Search Criteria

   Change Search Result Order

   This search rule orders search results for a customer that searches for specific keywords. It changes the position of certain results within the search results list. Catalog entries that meet certain criteria can be ranked higher or lower to promote specific catalog entries over others for a specific customer search.

   Add or Replace Search Criteria

   This search rule adds or replaces search criteria when customers submit searches in the store. Adding search criteria limits the scope of search results in the store by adding additional search criteria, while replacing search criteria modifies the search results.

   Specify Top Search Results

   This search rule enables elevating specific catalog entries to the top of search results for a customer that searches for specific keywords.

4. In the right pane, click the name of the template; then click OK. The Search Rule Builder opens. The top half of the page is the work area. The bottom half of the page is the properties view.

5. In the properties view, set the following properties for the search rule:

   Property	Description
   Name	Enter a meaningful name in the field. This name displays in the search rules list page, and identifies the search rule.
   Description	Enter a meaningful description in the field. This description displays in the search rules list page, and it should explain what the search rule is intended to do. This description helps business users understand the search rule at a glance without having to open the Search Rule Builder.
   Priority	Optionally, assign the search rule a priority using this list. The priority can be assigned using a number between zero and one thousand. The higher the number, the higher the priority. When multiple rules are scheduled, they are evaluated in priority sequence.
   Start date	Define a start date and time for the search rule. If you do not specify a start date, the rule will be applicable as soon as it is activated.
   End date	Define an end date and time for the search rule. If you do not specify an end date, the rule will run indefinitely.

6. If you chose the Blank search rule template, from the Actions section of the palette, drag an action element onto a flow connector in the work area. The action element defines what we want to do in the search rule. The following table describes the available actions for search rules. Click on any action to get details and an example.

   Action	What happens
   Change Search Result Order	Changes the position of certain results within the search results list. Catalog entries that meet certain criteria can be ranked higher to promote specific catalog entries over others for a specific customer search. Conversely, catalog entries that meet certain criteria can be ranked lower to demote specific catalog entries under others for a specific customer search.
   Specify Top Search Result	Elevates specific catalog entries to display at the top of the search results list.
   Add or Replace Search Criteria	Replaces search keywords submitted by the customer with alternative search keywords.
   Add To or Remove From Customer Segment	Adds the customer to or removes the customer from an existing customer segment that you specify.

7. In the work area, click the action element (for example Change Search Result Order) to display its properties.

8. In the properties view for the action element, identify what we want the action to do.

9. Optional: Add target elements to our search rule. Targets define what additional criteria a customer must meet before they see what you have defined for this search rule.

   1. From the Targets section in the palette, drag a target element onto a flow connector in the work area to the left of the action element to target.

   2. Click the target element to display its properties in the properties view.

   3. Complete the properties for the target element. The following table describes the available targets for search rules. Click on any target to get details and an example.

      Target type	Who gets targeted
      Customer Segment	Targets customers who belong or do not belong to specific customer segments, for example: Customers who belong to the Registered Customers customer segment. Customers who belong to either the Big Spenders or the Male Customers over 40customer segments. Customers who do not belong to the Preferred Customers customer segment.
      Shopping Cart	Targets customers whose current shopping cart contents meet certain criteria, for example: Customers whose shopping cart contains catalog entry A. Customers whose shopping cart contains more than $50 of catalog entries from category B. Customers whose shopping cart contains catalog entries that total more than $100.
      Purchase History	Targets customers whose purchase history in the store meets certain criteria, for example: Customers who placed 5 or more orders with the store. Customers who purchased either catalog entry A or catalog entry B. Customers who purchased more than $100 of catalog entries from category A in the last 90 days.
      Catalog Browsing Behavior	Targets customers who browsed certain parts of the store catalog, for example: Customers who browsed category A at any time. Customers who browsed category A at least three times in the last week. Customers who browsed catalog entries from both category A and category B.
      Online Behavior	Targets customers whose recorded activities on the store meet certain criteria. For example: Customers who searched the site using the keyword television within the last week. Customers who visited store pages with page URLs containing certain data. To target customers based on online behavior that is related to catalog browsing, use the target in the previous row, Catalog Browsing Behavior.
      External Site Referral	Targets customers who entered the current session on the site from a link on an external site, for example: Customers who clicked a link to the site from your affiliate site, affiliatestoreofmine.com. Customers who clicked a link to the site following a search for digital cameras on the Google site.
      Social Commerce Participation	Targets customers who participated in any social commerce activity, or a specific activity, on the site. Example: A customer created a product review with at least a three-star rating in the Televisions category.
      Day/Time	Specifies the days of the week or times of day that an activity is active. Examples are: Make an activity active only on Saturday mornings from 8 AM to 10 AM for the early bird sale. In an activity with two paths, make path A active on Monday through Thursday, and make path B active Friday through Sunday.
      Search Criteria and Result	Targets customers who have selected specific search filters, or whose search results include specific catalog entries. For example: Customers who search using specific filters such as Brand or Category. Customers whose search results include specific catalog entries such as catalog entry A.

10. Optional: Add branch elements to our search rule. A branch element splits a single path in the rule into two or more paths. We can then use different target and action elements on each path within the same rule.

    1. From the Branches section in the palette, drag the Branch element onto a flow connector at the point where we want to split a single path into multiple paths.

    2. If we want more than two paths, right-click the Branch element in the work area; then click Add Path.

    3. Click the Branch element in the work area to display its properties in the properties view.

    4. Complete the properties for the Branch element. See Use the branch element in web and dialog activities.

    5. Make any changes to elements on the paths extending from the Branch element. This can involve adding or changing targets and actions on each path until we get the result we want.

11. Optional: Add additional branches, targets and actions to complete our search rule. We can right-click on any element to open a context-sensitive menu that has tasks that we can perform. This menu includes an option to Delete unwanted elements.

12. From the File menu, select Save to save our search rule.

Results

The new search rule is created in the Inactive state.

What to do next

• We must activate the search rule so that it becomes available in the storefront.

• We can also test the search rule in store preview to make sure it works as expected.

  See Store preview for more information.

• Search Rule Builder
  The Search Rule Builder presents a graphical interface where we can create search rules.