search Event
The search event tracks when a user performs an on-site search. This is valuable for understanding customer intent, popular keywords, and optimizing search results and content.
The search model
This model defines the structure for tracking site search behavior.
Properties
- Name
event- Type
- string
- Description
Must be set to
search.
- Name
search_term- Type
- string
- Description
The keyword or phrase the user searched for.
- Name
user_id- Type
- string
- Description
ID of the user performing the search.
- Name
session_id- Type
- string
- Description
ID of the current session.
Push event to the dataLayer
dataLayer.push example
dataLayer.push({
event: 'search',
search_term: 'reusable water bottle',
user_id: 'user-0001',
session_id: 'session-abc123'
});
Best Practices
- Fire this event after the search results are rendered, not just on form submission.
- Sanitize search terms before pushing to avoid PII.
- Use lowercase and trim unnecessary whitespace for consistency.
Use Cases
The search event supports:
- Search experience optimization
- SEO and merchandising analysis
- Intent-based segmentation
- Product and content strategy