BeerAdvocate Search now uses Google CSE

Blog Discussion in 'BeerAdvocate Talk' started by Todd, Jul 15, 2013.

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  1. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    One of the biggest complaints we've received over the years is searching on BA, which can be cumbersome and unforgiving. Our homegrown search is basically dated; multiple searches/results, no spelling/auto-correction, troubles with short words, numbers, special/foreign characters, hard to find other members, etc.

    It doesn't help anyone if our users can't easily find what they're looking for.

    So to make things easy, we're now using Google Custom Search Engine (CSE) for the site's main search tool. This allows us to:
    • Provide a consistent search experience across the site.
    • Utilize Google's spell checker, word suggestions and auto-correction.
    • Show all matches for the entire site on a single results page.
    • Filter results: All, Forum, Beer, Place, Event, Member.
    • Save tens of millions of database queries per year; we're not hurting resource-wise, but this is an added bonus.
    http://beeradvocate.com/search

    Why Google?
    • Previously, if a search failed it would try finding the query using a custom Google search. In the past year there's been at least 500,000 failed searches.
    • A huge percentage of our site traffic is a result of people finding our content via Google; and the failed searches mentioned above. As a result, we can assume that many, if not most, of our users are comfortable using Google search.
    • Google indexes our site all day long and new entries very quickly.
    Why not offer the old main search too?
    • See all of the above.
    Google CSE Notes:
    • Autocomplete currently only works on the main search results page and is prefix based.
    • Paginated pages, and other views, are not included in results for Beers and Places to reduce clutter.
    • Displaying thumbnail images in results is currently enabled.
    • Advanced Places searching remains intact.
    • Advanced Community/Forum searching remains intact.
    • We're currently using the free version, so Google ads will appear in the results.
    While using Google CSE might not be the most ideal solution, it's certainly a solid one until it's addressed during the site redesign. We'll also be monitoring Google CSE usage and making adjustments as needed.

    In the meantime, check it out and feel free to drop us your constructive feedback.

    Cheers!
     
    #1 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
    neophilus, RichardMNixon, JMScowcroft and 7 others like this.
  2. mborden

    mborden Zealot (653) Jan 28, 2009 New York

    Sweet. About 90% of the time when I search for a beer on BA, I actually go to Google and then add "beer advocate" to the search and then click on the link to get back to BA. Now I don't have to do that. Awesomesauce!
     
    #2 mborden, Jul 15, 2013
    rainfairy, Providence, joaopmgoncalves and 2 others like this.
  3. DaveAnderson

    DaveAnderson Initiate (0) Jan 11, 2011 Minnesota

    I was wondering why the search results were blank today. I needed to unblock Google AJAX Search API for this site.
     
    #3 DaveAnderson, Jul 15, 2013
  4. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    Dave, you could please educate a user of IE 10 for Windows 7 how to perform this unblock operation?

    Thanks in advance for you help in this matter.

    Cheers!

    Jack
     
    #4 JackHorzempa, Jul 15, 2013
  5. blindpiggie

    blindpiggie Initiate (0) Jan 27, 2012 Colorado

    Is there a way to search for results within a single thread?
     
    #5 blindpiggie, Jul 15, 2013
    Dontcounttoday and tacosandbeer like this.
  6. RobertColianni

    RobertColianni Pooh-Bah (1,789) Nov 4, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    This feature is horrific. The old search format was nothing short of fantastic.
     
    #6 RobertColianni, Jul 15, 2013
    bruindre, goodbetterbestbested, POTABLE83 and 19 others like this.
  7. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    #7 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
  8. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    Thanks for the constructive feedback. We realize that everyone isn't going to like every change.
     
    #8 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
  9. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    could please educate a user of IE 10 for Windows 7 how to perform this unblock operation?

    Cheers!
     
    #9 JackHorzempa, Jul 15, 2013
  10. beastmammoth

    beastmammoth Initiate (0) Oct 16, 2010 New York

    good stuff. I actually had been using google more often than not bc of search problems

    Something like ... "beeradvocate (beer name)"
     
    #10 beastmammoth, Jul 15, 2013
  11. RobertColianni

    RobertColianni Pooh-Bah (1,789) Nov 4, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    There's no way to be constructive about it. It's a downgrade aesthetically, doesn't show as many results per page, requires us to go offsite in a sense (javascript floating, at least), and requires more motion post-search. I understand that failed searches were what you were trying to do away with, but can the "fail" point be completely identified? I've never had a failed search and probably search twenty times a day.
     
    #11 RobertColianni, Jul 15, 2013
    GetTheYayo, MEW, ThePaintedGrey and 8 others like this.
  12. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    You just were (now). Thanks.
     
    #12 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
  13. RobertColianni

    RobertColianni Pooh-Bah (1,789) Nov 4, 2008 Pennsylvania
    Pooh-Bah Trader

    Eh, I just feel like negativity isn't exactly constructive. I ran at least ten searches in the past twenty minutes before finding this thread and constantly thought "the hell is going on" and "when will this get fixed." Then I realized it was intentional...
     
    #13 RobertColianni, Jul 15, 2013
    MEW, ThePaintedGrey, duceswild and 5 others like this.
  14. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    A HUGE +1 to what RobertColianni posted!!

    For a long while I thought I was getting blocked or something but I just didn’t understand the ‘format’ of the new search feature.

    The old search function is way better than this new function which “requires more motion post-search.”

    I have never experienced issues using the old search function. I didn’t experience failed searches as long as I spelled correctly which is a small price to pay for a search function which worked well.

    Cheers!
     
    #14 JackHorzempa, Jul 15, 2013
    goodbetterbestbested, tectactoe, Dontcounttoday and 3 others like this.
  15. JackHorzempa

    JackHorzempa Grand Pooh-Bah (3,375) Dec 15, 2005 Pennsylvania
    Society Pooh-Bah

    The exact same experience I had.:slight_frown:

    Cheers!
     
    #15 JackHorzempa, Jul 15, 2013
    RobertColianni likes this.
  16. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    It's a known AJAX issue with IE 10 regarding compatibility. I've added a non-standard fix. Reload the search page and let me know if it's working now.
     
    #16 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
  17. vonnegut21

    vonnegut21 Initiate (0) Apr 27, 2012 New York

    Is it possible to shortcut this or default to this feature when I'm already in a specific forum? If I've clicked through to ISO:FT, and then choose "search" it's 99% likely it's because I want to search the ISO:FT forum.
     
    #17 vonnegut21, Jul 15, 2013
    MEW and Dontcounttoday like this.
  18. Todd

    Todd Founder (13,518) Aug 23, 1996 Finland
    STAFF Mod Team Society Pooh-Bah

    When you're in the Forums, simply click on "Search Forums" in the sub nav. It won't default to the forum you're in though.
     
    #18 Todd, Jul 15, 2013
    tacosandbeer likes this.
  19. tronto

    tronto Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2010 Kentucky

    this hinders more than it helps...example. If I wanted to see the latest mexican cake trades i could just go to ISO:FT and type mexican cake and only the trades with mexican cake would come up. Now you have to search within the whole site everytime mexican cake has been mentioned for what youre looking for.
     
    #19 tronto, Jul 15, 2013
    Dontcounttoday, HuskyinPDX, riemster and 1 other person like this.
  20. tronto

    tronto Initiate (0) Dec 22, 2010 Kentucky

    I see you go to search forums now instead of just going to the thread you want to search....
     
    #20 tronto, Jul 15, 2013
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