how do you add a search box

[technochallenged]

How do you add a search box to all the web pages. Is there a way to add them
all at the same time or do you have to go through each page and add it. I've
looked but can't figure this out. I am going to attach this to a shopping
cart and wanted it to link together with the cart. Please help me.

 

[Mike Koewler]

What search software are you using? If you are wanting to search an
inventory (database) and not links or words on your page, you will
likely need a specialized (expensive) piece of software

Any particular reason for wanting the search on every page? What are you
trying to accomplish? Do you have a site you can post?

Mike

 

[technochallenged]

Ok - let me try to answer with what little knowledge I have. Ha - I am trying
to set up a shopping cart - using godaddy. On the shopping cart there is a
search box so that you can look up items that you want. The opening portion
of the site is the website with general info about company etc... I wanted
to place the search box there so that you could start your search for your
item with out actually entering the shopping cart itself. Does that make
sense? Thanks

 

[Mike Koewler]

Yeah, it makes sense. But in looking at godaddy's site, they offer a
search (Froogle) so it doesn't seem you need a search engine. But I
understand the idea of having visitors look for a product and if they
see one they like, they enter godaddy to buy it.

Without trying to get into boring details, the way most search software
works is they scan your site and catalog different words on your page.
They list the words and a link to the page that has them on it. They
also can create html code that can be pasted to a page.You would
probably need to place this code on each page that you want your search
to appear on, though it would seem more sensible to place it on just
your home page.

Okay, I'm going to digress just a bit, in case you are interested and
want to follow this.

Suppose, for example, one of the things you are offering for sale is a
Fuji FinePix S5200 camera. You have that on you site, along with an
image of it and its specs. A search turns up the page where it is
located. From a brief read of godaddy's e-commerce, there is no easy way
for a potential buyer to click on the camera and have it added to the
shopping cart.

Ideally, you would set up your pages with a direct link to PayPal (skip
godaddy, for the 12 month contract and $8/mo minimum fee, it isn't worth
it). Put a search function on the home page, once they get to it, they
can add it to their cart or buy it, without having to jump through
hoops. Keep in mind, every extra click a potential buyer has to make
involves a decision - it can be a Next button or it can be the back
button. You want (and need) to make it as easy as possible to buy.

Oh, software - CoffeeCup offers a good program (about $34 unless you
start to buy then back out - if you go far enough without buying they
will send you a coupon for $5 off!). WrenSoft has a very, very good
program. They have a free version that includes a logo, and a couple of
other versions ($49 and $99). The difference is how many pages (100 vs.
unlimited) and unique words (30,000 vs. 100,000) they allow. There are
also web software packages that include wizards to set up e-commerce
that you may find will make your life easier.

Mike

 

[DavidF]

Just to add 2 cents to what Mike said, there are a number of people who have
successfully incorporated PayPal with Publisher websites. From what I
understand that PayPal offers pretty good directions too...

DavidF

 

[technochallenged]

Thanks - I guess I need to become a little more savy before I can dive into
all that - I've already signed up with godaddy and for a novice it has been a
really easy site to move around in. Ofcourse I haven't gotten to the part
where I merge the publisher site with the shopping cart (this ought to be
fun). I appreciate all your help. I'm sure I'll be back.

 

[DavidF]

My experience with GoDaddy is that they provide pretty good instructions on
how to do things, but sometimes finding those instructions can be a bit
challenging. I imagine that they will have instructions on what code
snippets need to be inserted into your web page, and you will use the insert
html code fragment tool in Publisher to do that. Good luck.

DavidF