This article covers best practices for using synonyms in Advanced Search, including which word pairs make good synonyms and why marketing terms should be avoided.
💡Quick answers
- Should you use a lot of Advanced Search synonyms? No; using many common words as synonyms can produce confusing results that don't contain the keyword the user actually searched for.
- What makes a good Advanced Search synonym pair? True synonyms like sports and athletics, or schedule and calendar, work well because the terms genuinely mean the same thing.
- Can marketing terms like give online be used as a synonym? No; calls to action and marketing terms are not true synonyms and should not be set up as Advanced Search synonyms, such as pairing alumni with give online.
We recommend using Advanced Search synonyms sparingly. Using a lot of common words as search synonyms can lead to confusing search results for users if they get a lot of pages in their results without the keyword they searched on them (those pages having been matched by an Advanced Search synonym).
Synonyms should be used for things that are actually synonymous, like "sports"/"athletics," or "schedule"/"calendar", rather than something like "alumni"/"give online." (Remember: marketing terms and calls to action have their places, but it's not in Advanced Search synonyms!)
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