Can Ai Powered Search Fix Your Websites UX Problems?

Have you ever landed on a website, searched for something specific, then hit a dead end? 

No helpful results, no backup suggestions. Just a dreaded “no results found” message staring back at you. If you're like me, you probably closed the tab and never looked back.

Now imagine that's happening on your site. Kind of makes your stomach drop, right?

As a digital and UX designer with over a decade of experience, I’ve always considered myself laser-focused on creating intuitive, conversion-friendly experiences. I’ve mapped out user journeys and rebuilt way too many navigation and site structures to count. But here’s my confession. Until recently, I didn’t give search functionality the credit it deserves.

I made sure it was front and center in the navigation. Of course! Beyond that? I just chalked it up to something technical. A feature or integration that our expert developers or digital strategists at Nishtech would handle with the client. Robust search felt like a utility or optional add on, not a core part of the user experience I should be designing.

Rethinking the Role of Search

Search shouldn’t be a second thought on your website, and certainly not a nice-to-have feature. For some users, search is the experience. The proof is in the data.

In fact, search is one of the most underrated tools in a designer’s toolkit. It’s where high-intent users go when they know exactly what they want. It will either help them convert or send them running to a competitor.

And the more I dig into the data, the more I understand just how much we can underestimate its impact.

Here are a few insights that truly shifted my thinking and some ways you can help turn them into action on your own site.

Four Shocking Things Things that Every Brand Should Know About Search

Nearly Half of Users Start with Search

"43% of users on retail websites go directly to the search bar." - Forrester

Did you think that your website navigation was the most important part of your website? Yeah, me too! But almost half your audience is skipping over your navigation menu entirely. These users are people who come to your site with intention. They know what they want, and your site needs to help them find it.

What You Can Do: 

• Make sure your search bar is visible and accessible on both desktop and mobile.
• Be intentional with design. Experiment with adding a slide out bar or expanded view on click if it’s currently buried behind an icon. Try moving it’s placement from a secondary navigation to a prominent place on your main navigation menu.
• Experiment with placeholder prompts inside the search bar like “Search products, services, or content…” to make it more interactive and super helpful.

Search Users are Your Most Valuable Customers

"Search users are 2–3x more likely to convert and spend over 2.6x more per order." - Algolia

Who knew!? Your search users are already in the mindset to take action because they know what they’re looking for, and they’re hoping your site will make it easy for them to find it. If the entire search experience is quick and smooth, you win. If not, they’ll quickly leave and find it somewhere else.

What You Can Do: 

• Optimize your search results page. Highlight your hero and top selling products and categories and make sure your filters are intuitive.
• Include product details within the search experience, not just on your PDPS. Vital product details like imagery, pricing, and Add to Cart buttons within results boost chances of conversions without users having to navigate further.
• Utilize Ai in your search functionality. Ai can really boost your search UX by offering personalized recommendations based on search behavior or past interactions. Research shows that Ai features such as autocomplete can boost sales and conversions by as much as 24%. Many of the top Search technologies offer Ai features like our partner SearchStax who uses Smart Match Assist to always deliver search results.

A Subpar Search Experience Costs You Customers

"12% of users will leave your site for a competitor after a poor search experience."

When users enter something into the search prompt, they’re telling your site exactly what they want. When your search doesn’t deliver, it creates frustration and breaks trust. And unlike a confusing menu or a slow load time, it can feel more personal: “This site doesn’t get me.” As marketers, you spend endless time, creativity, and budget to build brand, don’t break it during search. Make sure that your customers feel confident that your site is smart, helpful, and worth their time as they relate it directly to your brand identity.

Although a bounce rate isn’t as surprising, just how quickly it happens is. Data shows that in just a few seconds after recieving a 'No Results' prompt, your customer is lost and is continuing their search to a competitor.

What You Can Do: 

• Analyze search logs to see which queries return no results or poor results.
• Fine-tune your product metadata or content strategy so more queries match useful outcomes.
• Avoid the dead-end “no results” page. Instead, show trending products and categories or helpful links to guide users forward.

AI Makes Search Smarter and More Profitable

Retailers with advanced AI-powered search see 2x the desktop conversion rate, and 93% report increased revenue.

Not all search is created equal. There’s a difference between a basic keyword match and an intelligent search experience that understands the intent behind what your users are inputting.

This is where AI becomes a game-changer. Features like natural language processing, predictive ranking, autocomplete, and behavioral learning transform the search experience from a static lookup tool into a dynamic, responsive piece of the customer journey.

As designers, we care deeply about how a user feels as they interact with a site. Ironically, AI-powered search can actually make the process feel less robotic. Instead, you’ve got a helpful, intuitive website guide who finds relevant products, corrects errors, and makes suggestions before they even finish typing.

It also bridges the gap between business goals and user needs. When done right, it gets users to the right product faster, increases the likelihood of purchase, and drives real revenue.

What you can do:

•  Look into platforms that offer advanced search features (like AI-based relevance tuning, semantic understanding, or personalized recommendations).
•  Talk with your design and dev teams about integrating smarter autocomplete, predictive queries, or custom result rankings.
•  Align your search experience with your broader personalization strategy. If you’re tailoring content or offers, search should be part of that ecosystem.

The most underrated tool on your website may be your search bar

If someone asked you which part of your website is doing the most of the heavy lifting, would your answer be the homepage? The product grid? The navigation?
It’s the search bar.

The data is clear. Today, search is no longer just a functional feature. It’s a powerful connector between what your users want and what your business offers. And when it’s backed by AI, it becomes one of the smartest, highest-converting parts of your digital experience.

As a UX designer, I’ve come to realize that putting time, energy, and budget into robust and intuitive search functionality is essential. It creates a better and faster path to value for your users, and seeing measurable impact in return.

No, AI-powered search can’t fix every UX problem. But it can lead you to better conversions, happier users, and a more confident path to purchase. In my book, that makes it worth every bit of the investment.

If your search bar isn’t doing all that, it might be time to ask… what is it doing?

Resources

• https://www.forrester.com/report/must-have-e-commerce-features/RES89561
• https://www.algolia.com/blog/ecommerce/e-commerce-search-and-kpis-statistics#:~:text=Site%20search:%20the%20door%20to,website%20from%20the%20search%20results.
• https://www.nachoanalytics.com/blog/search-autocomplete-boost-conversions/
• https://www.sweor.com/firstimpressions