Add Rules

Last update: February 24, 2025

CREATED FOR:

  • Admin

To build a rule, the first step is to use the rule editor to define the conditions in the shopper’s query text that trigger the associated events. Then, complete the rule details, test the results, and publish the rule.

Add a rule

  1. In the Admin, go to Marketing > SEO & Search > Live Search.
  2. Set the Scope to identify the store view where the rule applies.
  3. Click the Search Merchandising workspace.
  4. Click Add rule to launch the rule editor.

Rule type

A Search query is where you define a specific search term, conditions and ranking types.

A Default rule can be set which is applied to all queries, unless a more specific search query is defined. Only one default rule can be set and it cannot contain any conditions. If you select Default, the Conditions interface is not displayed.
Choose the default Intelligent ranking type and any manual rankings you want applied to all default searches. Manual rankings are always applied.

Conditions

Conditions are the requirements to trigger an event. A rule can have up to ten conditions and 25 events. A default rule cannot have any conditions.

Rule - Build your rule

NOTE
Currently, it is not possible to target rules to a specific customer group.

Single condition

  1. Under Build your rule, select the Condition to be met, and follow the instructions to complete the statement.

    • Search query contains - Enter the string of text that must be in the shopper’s query. The Match setting determines the degree to which the shopper’s query matches the catalog. Options:
      Any - Any part of the shopper’s query text can match the condition.
      All - All of the shopper’s query must match the condition.
    • Search query is - Enter a string of text that exactly matches the shopper’s query. For example: “yoga pants”. Rules with Search query is and Match All can have only one condition.
    • Search query starts with - Enter a character or string of text that must be at the beginning of the shopper’s query.
    • Search query ends with - Enter a character or string of text that must be at the end of the shopper’s query.

    The results appear immediately in the Test your rule pane and are numbered by priority. You can use the Results per row slider in the upper right to change the number of products in each row.

    Rule - simple

  2. To test other queries, change the query text in the Test your rule search box and press Return.
    Initially, the test pane renders the query from the Conditions search box. But now it is rendering the query from the test query box. The test pane renders only one query at a time.

  3. If you like the result, update the text in the Conditions search box. Then, click anywhere on the page to update the results in the test pane.

  4. To build a simple rule with one condition, go to Step 3: Add events.

Multiple conditions

  1. To build a rule with multiple conditions, click Add condition.
    A rule can have up to ten conditions. The logical operator that joins two conditions is based on the current Match setting. By default, Match is All and the logical operator is AND.

  2. Select the second condition and enter the required query text.

  3. To change the logic of the rule, change the Match setting to determine how closely the shopper’s search criteria must match the query condition. Set Match to one of the following:

    • Any - (Default) All logical operators in the rule are set to OR and the results appear in the test pane.
    • All - All logical operators in the rule are set to AND and the results appear in the test pane.

    The Match value determines the logical operator that is used to join multiple conditions. Changing the Match setting changes all logical operators in the rule. It is not possible to combine AND and OR in the same rule.

    In this example, rather than searching for “yoga pants”, there are two separate queries that search for “yoga” or “pants”. This rule is less specific and is triggered more often in the storefront than the other.

    Rules - Match

  4. To add another condition, click Add condition and repeat the process.

Intelligent ranking

Intelligent ranking combines user behaviors and site statistics to determine product ranking.
Store owners can set up the following types of ranking strategies:

Rules - Match

  • Most purchased: This ranks products by total purchases per SKU in the previous 7 days.
  • Most added to cart - Ranks in order of total “Add to Cart” activities in the previous 7 days.
  • Most viewed: Ranks the total views per SKU in the previous 7 days.
  • Recommended for you - Uses the viewed-viewed data point - Shoppers who viewed this SKU also looked at these other SKUs.
  • Trending: Looks back at page view events over the past 72 hours for background events and 24 hours for foreground events.
  • None: Products are ordered by Relevance.

Select the type of strategy for the rule. The Test your rule window displays the expected results.

Caveats

  • Apostrophes and quotes in queries may lead to some minor issues with ranking and relevance in some languages.

  • To ensure the intelligent ranking works correctly, make sure that the Search Weight for any product attributes that are used for search or filtering (facets) is 5 or less. To find this setting in the Commerce Admin:

    1. Select Stores > Attributes > Product.

    2. Search for the attribute, such as “name”.

    3. In the Attribute Information > Storefront Properties page, set the search weight to be less than or equal to 5.

      Product - Search Weight

Manual Ranking

Manual Ranking (formerly referred to as Events) are actions that modify the search results when defined conditions are met. A single rule can have up to 25 events.

  • Boost - Moves a product higher in the search results.
  • Bury - Moves a SKU lower in the search results.
  • Pin a product - Product is displayed in the selected “Position” on the page.
  • Hide a product - Excludes a SKU from the search results.

The easiest way to pin a product is by drag and drop.

  1. Click and drag a product in the Test pane. Drag and drop it at the desired position. The Product and Postion fields are automatically populated in the Events pane.

    Rules - Match

You may also click the pin icon to pin a product to its current location. Use the ellipsis context menu to “Pin to top” or “Pin to bottom”.

NOTE
You can only pin products that are returned in the query.

Or events can be set manually:

  1. Under Events, choose the Event to take place when the associated conditions are met.

    For example, choose Hide a product. Then, enter the name of the product that you want to hide. Products are suggested as you type.

  2. For multiple events, choose any other events that you want to trigger when conditions are met.

Additional details

The information that is entered here appears in the Rule Details panel.

  1. Under Details, enter a Name for the rule. All rule names must be unique.

  2. Enter a brief Description of the rule.

  3. Enter the Start Date and End Date for the rule to be active or choose the dates from the calendar.

    To select a range of dates, click the first date and drag to select the range.

    Rule - Complete