Decide what a useful result would be
For each query, record the page that should reasonably answer it. “Cancel appointment” might lead to a contact page explaining the process. “Parking” might need directions. If the information does not exist anywhere on the website, you have found a content gap rather than established a search malfunction.
Alongside an official term, try an everyday alternative. An organization might call its offer an “initial consultation” while visitors type “advice”. Also try a phrase containing several words and a spelling mistake. Search tools differ in the variations they support. Record what happens without assuming that every tool has the same capabilities.
Read results before opening them
Look at the first results as a set of choices. Do the titles and excerpts reveal which one answers the question? Three nearly identical headings can make selection difficult even when the correct page is technically present. In that case, review the titles of the underlying pages too.
Open the best-looking result. The requested information should be findable and current. An old event announcement ranked above the present service can cause more difficulty than limited spelling tolerance. Prioritize findings by their consequences for real tasks rather than the length of a technical wish list.
Check empty results and return journeys
Deliberately enter a term with no relevant content. The empty result screen should identify the query and allow another attempt. On a phone, check that editing the search text is comfortable. Also see what happens when you return from a result to the result list.
Describe each finding with the query, expected destination and observed result. Repeat the same searches after a change. This shows whether a revised label actually helps, or merely improves one test while displacing other important results. Keep the list short enough that someone can repeat it whenever search settings or major content change.
