The U.S. Army Family and MWR websites were experiencing significant issues with their search functionality. Despite the large user base, the search tool was underperforming. Data showed that 84 out of every 100 users quickly left the site after using the search feature—an indication that the search results were not meeting their needs. Imagine walking into a library, asking a question, and immediately walking out because the librarian couldn’t provide useful information. The challenge was clear: the search tool needed to be overhauled to help users find what they were looking for more effectively and reduce the high bounce rate.

Impact

The ineffective search functionality created numerous problems for users and administrators alike. On local garrison sites, visitors struggled to access important information housed on the HQ site. Conversely, searches conducted on the HQ site were cluttered with irrelevant garrison-specific content, burying crucial HQ information. The frequent use of military jargon and acronyms added another layer of difficulty, making it harder for users to retrieve relevant content. To make matters worse, the system lacked the ability to customize search results for common queries like “Disney,” resulting in missed opportunities to direct users to the most beneficial content and potentially affecting overall engagement and satisfaction.

Resolution

After analyzing user behavior and traffic patterns, the following solutions were put in place to address these challenges. First, garrison site searches were enhanced to include results from the HQ site, with the option to filter out HQ content if needed. The HQ search was refined to prioritize its own content while still allowing relevant garrison results to be displayed. AI technology was deployed to build dynamic lists of synonyms and acronyms, improving the overall relevance of search outcomes. Additionally, a new interface was developed, giving HQ administrators the ability to link specific search terms to curated results, ensuring the most important content is featured prominently for frequently searched keywords.

Outcome

The implementation of these enhancements led to a significantly improved search experience on the U.S. Army MWR websites. Users were now able to find more relevant and comprehensive content, which translated into higher engagement and satisfaction. The AI-powered synonym and acronym generation, coupled with the ability to fine-tune search results, greatly increased the accuracy and usefulness of the search function.

The positive impact of these changes was evident in the metrics. Repeat searches dropped by 8,797 instances, indicating that users were finding the right content more efficiently. The average bounce rate after a search fell to 3.29%, and overall engagement rates improved by 34%, reflecting a more successful and intuitive search experience.