Using Google search on your website

Recently a friend asked me to look at a website he's creating for a church organisation he's part of.

My friend is not a website designer by trade but he's done a fairly good job with the site. There were a few things I told him to change, but I went easy on him for the most part. One thing I was adamant he remove is the 'search the web using Google' box he had place in the header on the front page.

'But if I put it on there people will bookmark this page and use it regularly,' he said.

No, they won't.

People will use google.com if they want to search using Google. Why would you ever go to a site other than a search engine to perform a search?

If you want people to visit your website you need to offer them something unique, something they can't get elsewhere. It doesn't have to be complicated but it should be information or a service that people want.

The organisation his website is for has several hundred people involved, some of whom would love the chance to interact with each other, organise their groups and meetings and share ideas. My advise was that the website should enable this and no more.

It's the same advice I give to clients running business websites.

Sometimes business owners get over-excited about their website and want it to show everything they've ever done, every product they sell and a complete history of their company with photos of every staff member.

I always ask these clients to think about the core purpose of their site. That purpose will define the site's functionality, information architecture and graphic design.

A 'Search Google' box is rarely appropriate - unless you are Google, and the purpose is to search.