does your website need a search bar? 🔍
2-min to understand if your website need a search bar.
TL;DR: Most websites don’t need a search bar.
If you’re running a simple site — homepage, about, services, contact — a search bar just adds clutter. Nobody is going to use it.
It’s a solution to a non-problem.
If visitors can get what they want in 1-2 clicks, you’re better off without a search bar.
When do you actually need a search bar?
You have a large content library, like:
Blog
Knowledge base / Documentation
e-commerce catalog
Users need to find specific things quickly (e.g., 200+ products, dozens of articles, multiple locations).
Otherwise?
A clean, minimal, well-organized navigation is faster and better for your users.
Tips for better search bars 💁🏽♂️
Have auto-complete if possible.
In search results, allow filters and sorting.
Track what people search for. It shows you what they care about and what they can’t find easily.
If visitors can get what they want in 1-2 clicks, you’re better off without a search bar.