Update URL on search actions

[jonoaldersonwp]

Our site search tracking is currently severely limited due to the way in which the search has been implemented. Whilst there are some workarounds we can utilise in Google Tag Manager, we need to make some minor alterations to the functionality in order close some gaps.

On a generic search results page like ​https://wordpress.org/search/cats, the URL should be updated (via the history API) when the query is altered and the form submitted.

E.g., changing the value of 'cats' to 'dogs' and either clicking the 'submit' button or pressing enter should alter the URL to ​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs.

Additionally, the (lowercased) text value of the 'category' label should be appended to the URL via a search_category parameter (replacing spaces with underscores) when the category of results is altered (e.g., selecting "Support Docs"). E.g.:

​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=all
​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=support_forums
​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=support_docs
​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=developer_documentation

Note that none of this applies to plugin/theme search templates, which work differently.

[jonoaldersonwp]

It seems that navigating between categories has now breaks category-based search(!); submitting a query returns you to the previously selected category.

Three other challenges to address, though, before this is viable for GTM/GA:

• It looks like the URL is updated after the form result is returned. That means it's too late for GTM to pick up the change easily. It needs to change on click/submit.

• The category parameters aren't as per the requirements (e.g., ​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?forums=1 should be ​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=support_forums).

• Navigation between categories which have previously been selected doesn't update the URL.

[dd32]

It looks like the URL is updated after the form result is returned. That means it's too late for GTM to pick up the change easily. It needs to change on click/submit.

Unfortunately that's because Google custom search doesn't appear to offer any signal as to what section is selected. It can only be determined after render.

The category parameters aren't as per the requirements (e.g., ​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?forums=1 should be ​https://wordpress.org/search/dogs?search_category=support_forums).

Correct, They use our existing search format. I'm not changing that.

Navigation between categories which have previously been selected doesn't update the URL.

It does, if the search refreshes. Unfortunately Google Custom Search doesn't have a callback to trigger on after the results are already cached in the DOM.

[jonoaldersonwp]

I was assuming we'd use some JS just to sniff for interactions, and implement it that way. The current approach doesn't solve the problem.

If we're going to address this, then it needs to be as per the brief. Otherwise, we should revert; with the implication that we'll write-off ever having any useable search analytics. Or, I'll have to build some over-engineered JS in GTM, which is far from ideal.

[dd32]

Can you explain the issues with the implementation? Just saying it must be "per ticket" doesn't help.

[jonoaldersonwp]

As per the spec, and my feedback:

• We need to trigger URL updates when the query is altered / when the form is submitted; not after the response is processed and the results updated.
• We need a consistent key for the search category (preferably 'search_category').
• We need subsequent/repeated navigation actions to also trigger a URL update.