---
title: Search Analytics
description: 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.

<Info>
Looking for page views and visitor data? See [Project Analytics](/setup/project-analytics).
</Info>

<Note>
If search data is missing or delayed, see [Analytics Issues](/help/troubleshooting/analytics-issues).
</Note>

## Viewing Search Analytics

Access search analytics from your project dashboard:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open your project">
    Go to [dashboard.jamdesk.com](https://dashboard.jamdesk.com) and select your project.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Click Search Analytics">
    In the sidebar under **Analytics**, click **Search** to view your search dashboard.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Select a date range">
    Use the date picker to view search data for different time periods. The default is 30 days.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## 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:

```json
{
  "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

<Warning>
Content gaps are searches that returned zero results. These represent opportunities to improve your documentation.
</Warning>

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

<Accordion title="Review content gaps weekly">
Set a recurring task to review zero-result searches. Even a few minutes weekly prevents documentation debt from building up.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Use natural language in headings">
Users often search using natural phrases. If your headings match how users think, they'll find content faster.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Add synonyms to important pages">
If users search for "setup" but your page is called "installation", mention both terms in your content so search finds it.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Track CTR improvements">
After addressing content gaps, monitor whether click-through rates improve. Low CTR on high-volume queries indicates results aren't matching user intent.
</Accordion>

## Search Quality Score

Jamdesk calculates a search quality score based on click-through rate:

``` text
Score = (Searches with clicks / Total searches) × 100
```

| Score | Rating |
|-------|--------|
| 90%+ | Excellent |
| 70–89% | Good |
| 50–69% | Needs improvement |
| Below 50% | Poor |

## Data Export

Export search data for further analysis:

1. Go to **Analytics** → **Search**
2. Click **Export**
3. Choose CSV or JSON format

## Data Availability

Search analytics data appears after the daily rollup runs at 2 AM UTC. Searches performed today will appear in the dashboard tomorrow.

<Note>
If you just set up your documentation, allow 24-48 hours for search data to accumulate before expecting meaningful insights.
</Note>

## What's Next?

<Columns cols={2}>
  <Card title="Analytics Overview" icon="chart-line" href="/setup/analytics-overview">
    Understand project vs search analytics
  </Card>
  <Card title="Project Analytics" icon="chart-line" href="/setup/project-analytics">
    Track visitors, page views, and traffic sources
  </Card>
  <Card title="Analytics Issues" icon="wrench" href="/help/troubleshooting/analytics-issues">
    Troubleshoot missing or delayed data
  </Card>
  <Card title="MDX Basics" icon="file-code" href="/content/mdx-basics">
    Improve content discoverability
  </Card>
</Columns>