American Battlefield Trust - Algolia Search Engine Implementation

American Battlefield Trust: Algolia Search Implementation and Optimization

Client Background:

The American Battlefield Trust (ABT) is dedicated to the preservation and promotion of historic battlefields across the United States. The Trust’s website serves as a rich resource for visitors to explore various historical events, biographies, and learning materials. The addition of Algolia search functionality was crucial to enhancing user experience, improving content accessibility, and delivering accurate, timely search results for a broad user base.

Project Goals:

1. Integrate Algolia as the main search engine for the American Battlefield Trust website to provide fast, relevant, and user-friendly search results.

2. Optimize search functionalities to display thumbnails, biographies, and site-specific filters, ensuring that users can easily discover relevant content.

3. Implement API call reductions and optimize search query handling to manage operational costs effectively.

4. Address specific requirements for displaying curated content, handling hidden pages, and allowing editors to manage search facets and filters dynamically.

5. Improve Algolia’s search accessibility by ensuring the search dropdown and main search pages are functional across all devices and browsers.

Challenges and Solutions:

1. Thumbnail and Content Visibility:

• Challenge: Ensuring that all search results, particularly Map Tours and specific historic site itineraries, display appropriate thumbnails.