Google Search Appliance Protocol Reference - Manual (Page 101)

Google Search Appliance: Search Protocol Reference 101
Chapter 6
Advanced Search Reporting Service /
click Protocol
Chapter 6
Advanced search reporting enables administrators to see what types of links a user chooses on a search
results page, and more generally to track all actions that a user performs such as clicking navigational
links. This information enables administrators to improve access and latency of search results, and to
understand user click behavior. This document contains reference information about request
parameters and the information logged by the search appliance about user click behavior.
An administrator enables advanced search reporting in the Admin Console’s Search > Search Features
> Front Ends > Output Format page. The search appliance then modifies search result pages by
inserting JavaScript on the page for tracking all links that a user clicks. When a user clicks a link in the
search results, the JavaScript executes in the browser, requesting a URL from the search appliance. The
URL starts with /click and contains information about the link. The arguments given in the URL are
logged on the search appliance, and the search appliance returns a response to the browser. The
browser then retrieves the URL on which the user clicked.
The /click URL is not visible to users. This URL has little effect on user-perceived latency because the
processing is performed on the client side, and both the request and response are as minimal as
possible.
This document enables advanced administrators to understand the /click URL information that is sent
to the search appliance. Administrators who monitor network data may see this information.
Programmers can also use this information in custom applications.
For information about configuring advanced search reporting in the Admin Console, see “Gathering
Information about the Search Experience” in Creating the Search Experience. For information on search
requests, “Request Format” on page 6.
The following describes how an advanced search reporting request is handled by the search appliance.
1. The user submits a search request to the Google Search Appliance.
2. The search appliance sends back search results.
3. The user clicks a URL in the search results.
4. The browser sends the associated URL to the search appliance.
5. The browser also sends a hidden /click URL to the search appliance containing advanced search
reporting parameters about the link that the user clicked. For more information, see “Request
Parameters” on page 102.
6. The search appliance responds to the browser by sending an HTTP status code of 204 (no content)
to acknowledge receipt of the /click URL. For more information, see “Responses” on page 104.