Search Analytics
See what readers search for in your documentation and find queries that return no results.
See what readers search for, which queries return no results, and what they click.
For page views and visitor data, see Project Analytics.
If search data is missing or delayed, see Analytics Issues.
Viewing Search Analytics
Go to dashboard.jamdesk.com and select your project.
In the sidebar under Analytics, click Search.
Pick a period with the date picker. The default is 30 days.
Key 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 with a clicked result |
Each metric shows the percentage change from the previous period.
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 searches over the selected period. Use it to:
- Spot weekday and weekend patterns
- Spot spikes from external links or announcements
- Track growth over time
Query Breakdown
Top Searches
The most common search terms show:
- Popular topics: what readers need most often
- Navigation issues: searches for pages already in the navigation
- Terminology gaps: terms that differ from the ones in your docs
Each query shows:
- Number of searches
- Number of clicks on results
- Click-through rate (CTR)
Content Gaps
Content gaps are searches that returned zero results. Each one is a topic your docs do not cover yet.
The Content Gaps tab lists queries that 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 |
Search Insights
| Insight | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Avg. Click Position | Average position of the clicked result (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.
Readers search with natural phrases. Write headings that match them.
If readers search for "setup" but your page is called "installation", mention "setup" in the page.
Watch click-through rates after you fix content gaps. Low CTR on high-volume queries means results don't match what readers want.
Search Quality Score
Jamdesk calculates a search quality score based on click-through rate:
Score = (Searches with clicks / Total searches) × 100| Score | Rating |
|---|---|
| 90%+ | Excellent |
| 70-89% | Good |
| 50-69% | Needs improvement |
| Below 50% | Poor |
Data Export
- Go to Analytics → Search
- Click Export
- Choose CSV or JSON format
Data Availability
Search data appears after the daily rollup at 2 AM UTC. Today's searches appear tomorrow.
New sites need 24-48 hours of search data before the numbers mean much.