UIEtips: Three Perils with Search Landing Pages

How is a search result like a thoughtful gift? The outcome exceeds the expectation.

Ok, that’s kind of a lame riddle, but it’s accurate nonetheless. When we get a wrapped present, we hope the unwrapping will produce something that delights us.

The same is true when clicking on a search result. We anticipate it will serve our needs and provide everything we’re seeking.

Unfortunately, much of the time, it doesn’t. The shame is it’s completely preventable—careful thought and design could’ve resulted in a delightful user experience.

In today’s UIEtips, we look back at an article from December 2009. I talk about some perils we’ve seen when users clicked on sponsored links, only to be disappointed by the results. Two years later our findings are still the same.

Read the article, Three Perils with Search Landing Pages.

How do you determine what ads to show when search is involved? Share your thoughts with
us below.