Back to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Any Frank website built within the last few years (2020+) will include the "weighted search" function.  This is what powers your sitewide search and any other keyword searches such as a Service search or a Ward finder.  This page explains how it prioritises information. To understand how to get the best results from searches, we recommend reading our page on Search Engine Optimisation.

The search undertakes two key searches in parallel, the "full match" search and the "partial match" search.  The results of these searches are given points, which are weighted accordingly:

  • Full match = 500 points
  • Partial match = 125 points

Example scenario

To best explain how the scores are assigned, we'll demonstrate with an example.  The example focuses on searching for a page, using page titles, but it also works for the following fields:

  • Title
  • Description
  • Content
  • Attributes (e.g. categories, keywords)
  • URL (for pages – partial only)

The weighted search will also search for files on the site.  For files, the search will read:

  • Filename (partial only)
  • Description
  • Attributes (e.g. keywords)

Pages

Let's assume the website has the following three pages:

  1. Cardiology support service
  2. Cardiology service
  3. Cardiology research

Search query

The user searches for "cardiology service".

Search look up

Search 1 - Full match

Does “cardiology service” exist anywhere in the page title?  For the full match, it is looking for the exact two words, together.

  • Page 1: No – 0 points
  • Page 2: Yes – 500 points
  • Page 3: No – 0 points

Search 2 – Partial match

Search 2.1

Does "cardiology" exist anywhere in the page title?

  • Page 1: Yes – 125 points
  • Page 2: Yes – 125 points
  • Page 3: Yes – 125 points
Search 2.2

Does "service" existing anywhere in the page title?

  • Page 1: Yes – 125 points
  • Page 2: Yes – 125 points
  • Page 3: No - 0 points

Results

We add up all the scores and order the results accordingly

  • Page 1: 250 points
  • Page 2: 750 points
  • Page 3: 125 points

Results listing

Due to the scores above, the site wide search will order the pages in the following order:

  1. Cardiology service
  2. Cardiology support service
  3. Cardiology research

Constraints

  • Once an attribute is found and scored, the search moves onto the next parameter.  This means that once “Cardiology Service” is found as a full match and scores 500 points, if "Cardiology service" is repeated in the title, then it does not score another 500 points
  • Excluded words are words are small words that some searches ignore, for example "in", "of" "and".  They are only excluded in partial searches and not in full match searches.  This means that for a full match search for “services in Camden”, the “in” would be included.  However for the partial search the “in” will be ignored so it does not influence the weights.

Perfecting your results

  • If you are not seeing the search results that you expect, the best thing to do is follow the instructions on our SEO page.  Often, adding a page description, for example can ensure that a page appears at the top of the results. 
  • If you require further refinement, you can edit the values for the scores given to the results within the CMS.  However, this isn't usually required and should be undertaken with thorough testing.  If you would like to amend your search values, please contact Frank Support for instructions. 
Search engine optimisation