When it comes to creating a seamless and engaging search experience, visual design is just as important as the functionality behind the scenes. The way search results are presented can have a profound impact on user engagement, conversion rates, and overall satisfaction. Algolia, known for its powerful search-as-a-service platform, offers more than just fast and relevant search results. It also provides developers with extensive tools to customize the look and feel of search results, making it possible to create a user interface that aligns with your brand and provides an intuitive, visually appealing experience.
In this blog post, we’ll explore how you can customize the look and feel of Algolia search results, from basic styling to advanced customization. We’ll also discuss key strategies for building a user-friendly, branded search interface that engages users and encourages them to explore your content.
Why Customizing Search Results Matters
When users perform a search on your site, they’re looking for relevant, easily digestible results that help them find what they need quickly. But, how those results are presented is equally important. Customization allows you to:
• Match your brand identity: Ensure that search results are consistent with your website or app’s design and overall user experience.
• Improve user experience (UX): Make search results easy to understand and visually appealing, so users don’t have to work hard to find what they’re looking for.
• Increase engagement: By making search more visually intuitive, you can encourage users to interact more with your content and explore further.
• Guide users efficiently: Customization helps organize results into clear, actionable sections, making it easier for users to refine their search or take action on the results.
Now, let’s dive into some key techniques for customizing the look and feel of your Algolia search results.

1. Customizing the Layout with InstantSearch.js
   InstantSearch.js is a powerful JavaScript library provided by Algolia that enables you to create highly customizable, interactive search interfaces. It includes several pre-built widgets that help display search results, facets, filters, and more—but the true power lies in how you can manipulate these components to fit your design vision.
   Layout Customization Tips:
   • Search Results Grid vs. List: By default, search results may be displayed in a list format, but you can easily switch to a grid layout (or any other layout) depending on your needs. For instance, on an e-commerce site, you might want to display products in a grid with images, product names, prices, and ratings.
   • Customizing Result Item Templates: You can customize how individual result items appear. Use HTML and CSS to modify the template of each search result, deciding what information is displayed and how it’s arranged.
   Example of a Custom Layout:
   Here’s how you can customize the layout of the search results:

In this example, you’re customizing how each item in the search results (such as a product) is displayed with an image, name, description, and price. You can further add CSS styles to enhance the appearance.
Advanced Layout Customization:
If you want more complex interactions or transitions, you can use JavaScript to create custom components like:
• Pagination: Design custom pagination controls to allow users to navigate through search results.
• Sorting Dropdown: Let users choose how search results should be sorted, whether by price, date, or popularity.

2. Styling Search Results with CSS
   After setting up your layout and structure, you’ll want to ensure that your search results match your brand’s design language. Custom CSS is your tool for achieving this, and with Algolia’s flexible APIs, you can easily apply styles to match your site’s look and feel.
   Styling the Search Box:
   The search box is the starting point of any search experience, and customizing its appearance ensures consistency with your site’s design. You can change:
   • Font sizes and colors
   • Borders, background colors, and hover effects
   • Button styles for submitting queries
   Example:

search-box {

border: 2px solid #4CAF50;
border-radius: 5px;
padding: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
color: #333;
}

search-box:focus {

border-color: #333;
}
Styling Search Results:
Each result can be styled to match the look you want. For example, you can apply custom styles for images, text, and action buttons:
.hit {
display: flex;
margin-bottom: 20px;
padding: 10px;
background-color: #fff;
border-radius: 5px;
box-shadow: 0 2px 4px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1);
}

.hit img {
width: 80px;
height: 80px;
margin-right: 20px;
}

.hit-info h2 {
font-size: 18px;
color: #2c3e50;
}

.hit-info .price {
font-size: 16px;
color: #e74c3c;
}
Customizing Hover States and Interactions:
You can create engaging hover effects and interactive states that respond to user actions, such as when they hover over search results or categories. This can enhance the user experience by adding dynamic and tactile feedback.
Example of hover effect:
.hit:hover {
background-color: #f7f7f7;
transform: translateY(-5px);
transition: all 0.3s ease;
}

3. Adding Custom Facets and Filters
   Facets are an essential part of refining search results. In Algolia, facets help users narrow down their search by categories like price, rating, brand, and more. Customizing the look and feel of facets can make it easier for users to find the right results quickly.
   Customizing Facet UI:
   By default, Algolia provides basic facet functionality, but you can customize the way facets appear:
   • Design facet filters as checkboxes, dropdowns, or sliders.
   • Add icons next to facet options for better visual appeal.
   • Use CSS to highlight the active filter and make it easy to reset.
   For example, if you’re using price range as a facet, you might implement a slider to allow users to select their desired price range.
   Example of Custom Facet Design:

Min Price:Max Price:

4. Personalizing Search Results with InstantSearch Widgets
   InstantSearch allows you to integrate various widgets that display search results, filters, pagination, and more. These widgets can be styled and customized in a way that fits your brand’s personality and provides a more engaging search experience.
   For example:
   • Search Box: Customize the look and behavior of the search box.
   • Hits: Display your search results in an aesthetically pleasing format (like a grid or list).
   • Pagination: Customize the pagination controls to fit your site’s layout.
   By combining these widgets with CSS and JavaScript, you can easily control the visual experience of the entire search interface.
5. Customizing the No Results Page
   One of the most important aspects of search UI is handling scenarios where no results are found. Customizing the “no results” page or message ensures that users are given clear guidance on what to do next.
   For example, you can add:
   • Suggestions to refine the search.
   • Popular search queries or categories.
   • A friendly message like, “We couldn’t find anything, but we recommend these options.”
   Example of No Results UI:

No results found

Try adjusting your search or exploring our popular categories:

• Laptops
• Headphones

Conclusion
Customizing the look and feel of your Algolia search results allows you to create a unique, visually appealing, and user-friendly search experience that aligns with your brand and engages your users. By using tools like InstantSearch.js, custom HTML, CSS, and JavaScript, you can control how search results are displayed, how users interact with filters, and how the entire search interface is presented.
Remember, a well-designed search interface not only looks good but also improves usability, helping users find exactly what they’re looking for faster and more efficiently. With Algolia’s flexibility and customization capabilities, the search experience can be an integral part of your site’s overall user experience, driving higher engagement, conversions, and customer satisfaction. Happy customizing!