Position Of Search Box Issue

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Being consistent with the search box position is going to help your users when looking for the products you sell online. Many could say that the right position for the search box is the upper right corner. Maybe Yes.

But setting your own search box position is a practical web design option. Keep in mind that you should place the search box in the same place across your whole website.

Check, for example, Foodnetwork.com, a website about cooking. It doesn’t matter where your are, there is only one search box, always in the same place.

Foodnetwork 20071227

On the other side, an example of poor usability, could be found at Colorware.com. At the beginning the search box is in the right position, after the user makes a search another search box appears in the middle of the screen. This is confusing for some users, many click once again the search button but this time in the new search box.

Colorware 20071227

  • http://www.polzer-sw.com/ Jan Polzer

    I think that the search box should be always in the top right.

  • http://www.getelastic.com Linda Bustos

    I find it interesting that Amazon uses the search in the middle like the Food Network. I don’t think positioning matters too much as long as it’s big enough to see your queries in (32 characters says Jakob Nielsen) and at the top – left, middle or right hand side – if it’s easy to find it’s all good.

    That second example is crazy what were they thinking?!

  • http://www.coryperry.com Cory Perry

    I agree with Jan, I think that search always belongs in the top right or at least at top somewhere between middle and right. I will say that when the search function is big and very noticeable, the position may not matter as much, but I still think that is wise to have it in the top right of the site just for consistency.

  • I Fraser

    Web beginners could also hit the crossed icon rather than the return key to initiate a search