A no-results page in your website search appears when someone is looking for something specific and your site cannot match it. The cause may be a typo, a customer term your team does not use, a narrow filter, missing content or a service you do not provide. A useful empty state explains what happened and gives the visitor a clear next step.
Say what happened and keep the query editable
A bare “0 results” message leaves visitors guessing. Repeat the query in plain language: “We couldn't find ‘online store maintenance’. Try ‘website support’ or browse our services.” Keep their words in the search field so they can make a small correction. On mobile, put the field and first useful option above decorative content.
If search is temporarily broken, say so rather than implying that your catalogue is empty. Test accents, case, singular and plural, and common spelling mistakes. A visitor should not need to know your internal naming scheme to find a service.
Give three relevant routes forward
Offer a broader search by clearing restrictive filters or suggesting a verified synonym. Link to a related category or service page. Provide a contact route when the request needs a conversation. For example, someone searching for “ERP integration” may benefit from a custom development page and a clear way to describe their project. Suggestions must point to real, current content; unrelated recommendations make the empty state less trustworthy.
Fix the underlying content gap
Collect recurring searches that return nothing. If a relevant page exists, add customer language as searchable synonyms and improve its title. If you offer the service but have no helpful page, create one. If you do not offer it, do not pretend otherwise; explain the scope and give an honest alternative. In a product catalogue, check whether stock rules or filters hide valid items.
Imagine that visitors repeatedly search for “maintenance pricing” with no result. Before redesigning the empty state, check whether pricing information exists and whether search can find it. Then surface the right pricing or enquiry page. The failed query is useful editorial feedback: it reveals a mismatch between customer vocabulary and site navigation.
Measure what visitors do next
Track the query, result count, suggested link clicked and a meaningful next action such as opening a service page or sending an enquiry. Compare the volume of empty searches after you improve content and synonyms. Google Analytics 4 documents a recommended search event; check your implementation so one interaction is not counted twice. See the official GA4 event guidance.
For search visibility, an internal search page is not a replacement for a well-written service page. Google notes that an empty internal search result can be treated as a “soft 404”. Review how your site handles empty query URLs and avoid exposing large numbers of thin search pages to indexing. Use Google Search Central's crawling guidance before changing status codes or indexing rules.
Test it with five searches
- Search for a service using your company term and a new customer's term.
- Try a typo, an accented character and a filter combination that returns nothing.
- On mobile, edit the query, clear filters and open a suggested route.
- Confirm that every suggested link and contact form works.
- Review frequent empty searches each month and assign a content or search fix.
For the broader setup, read our guide to internal site search for businesses. Once a visitor does find the right path and sends an enquiry, a useful thank-you page can clarify what happens next.
