Search Analytics
Track what users search for in your documentation. Find content gaps, improve discoverability, and understand user intent.
See what readers search for, which queries return no results, and what they click.
Looking for page views and visitor data? See Project Analytics.
If search data is missing or delayed, see Analytics Issues.
Viewing Search Analytics
Access search analytics from your project dashboard:
Go to dashboard.jamdesk.com and select your project.
In the sidebar under Analytics, click Search to view your search dashboard.
Use the date picker to view search data for different time periods. The default is 30 days.
Key Metrics
The search analytics dashboard shows four primary metrics:
| Metric | Description |
|---|---|
| Total Searches | Number of searches performed in the selected period |
| Unique Queries | Distinct search terms used |
| Zero Results | Searches that returned no matches |
| Click-through Rate | Percentage of searches where users clicked a result |
Each metric includes a comparison to the previous period, shown as a percentage change.
Example snapshot:
{
"period": "Last 30 days",
"total_searches": 940,
"unique_queries": 312,
"zero_results": 42,
"top_queries": [
{ "query": "authentication", "searches": 84, "ctr": 0.82 },
{ "query": "api keys", "searches": 63, "ctr": 0.71 }
]
}Search Volume
The search volume chart shows daily search activity over your selected time range. Use this to:
- Identify usage patterns (weekday vs weekend traffic)
- Spot unusual spikes that may indicate external links or announcements
- Track growth in documentation usage over time
Query Breakdown
Top Searches
See the most common search terms users enter. This reveals:
- Popular topics - What users need most often
- Navigation issues - If users search for things easily found in navigation
- Terminology gaps - Whether users use different terms than your docs
For each query, you'll see:
- Number of searches
- Number of clicks on results
- Click-through rate (CTR)
Content Gaps
Content gaps are searches that returned zero results. These represent opportunities to improve your documentation.
The Content Gaps tab shows queries where users searched but found nothing. Common causes:
| Cause | Solution |
|---|---|
| Missing documentation | Create a new page covering the topic |
| Different terminology | Add synonyms or update headings |
| Typos in content | Fix spelling in your docs |
| Feature not yet documented | Add to your documentation roadmap |
Review content gaps regularly to ensure your docs cover what users actually need.
Search Insights
The insights panel provides quick answers:
| Insight | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Avg. Click Position | How far down results users typically click (lower is better) |
| Searches per Day | Average daily search volume |
| Top Query | Your most common search term |
| Most Missed | The top zero-result query to address |
Best Practices
Set a recurring task to review zero-result searches. Even a few minutes weekly prevents documentation debt from building up.
Users often search using natural phrases. If your headings match how users think, they'll find content faster.
If users search for "setup" but your page is called "installation", mention both terms in your content so search finds it.
After addressing content gaps, monitor whether click-through rates improve. Low CTR on high-volume queries indicates results aren't matching user intent.
Data Availability
Search analytics data appears after the daily rollup runs at 2 AM UTC. Searches performed today will appear in the dashboard tomorrow.
If you just set up your documentation, allow 24-48 hours for search data to accumulate before expecting meaningful insights.