Site search term dimension
The site search term dimension records the queries visitors type into your website's own search box — not what they searched on Google. GA4 captures it through the view_search_results event and a search_term parameter, typically read from a URL query string such as ?q=. It reveals intent in your own words, but it is distinct from external search keywords, which are largely '(not provided)'.
What this means
When a site has an internal search feature, the term a visitor types is a powerful intent signal. GA4 models this with the view_search_results event and the search_term event parameter, which can be registered as a custom dimension to appear in reports.
The value is captured from wherever the term lives — most commonly a URL query parameter like q, s, or search.
Not the same as keywords
Site search term is internal: it is what people search for on your site. It is fundamentally different from the keyword dimension, which records search-engine queries and is almost entirely '(not provided)' on organic traffic for privacy reasons.
Site search terms can also leak PII when visitors paste account numbers or emails into the box, so treat the field as potentially sensitive and redact accordingly.
- Captured via view_search_results / search_term in GA4
- Usually read from a URL query parameter
- Distinct from external '(not provided)' keywords
How it appears in analytics and logs
A search term value is something a visitor typed into your on-site search. Frequent terms point to content gaps or navigation problems; an empty report usually means site search tracking is not configured, not that nobody searches.
Diagnostic use case
Use site search terms to learn what visitors cannot find through navigation, while never confusing them with the search-engine keywords that brought visitors to the site.
What WebmasterID can help detect
WebmasterID can record on-site search as a first-party event, so you see what visitors look for in your own words without sending queries to a third party.
Common mistakes
- Confusing on-site search terms with Google search keywords.
- Forgetting to configure site search tracking, then assuming no demand.
- Storing raw search terms that may contain pasted PII.
Privacy and accuracy notes
Search terms can contain personal data if visitors paste it. GA4 advises against sending PII; WebmasterID treats free-text search terms as potentially sensitive and you should redact identifiers before storage.
Related pages
- Keyword dimension: why it reads '(not provided)'
The keyword dimension records the search-engine query associated with a visit. For organic search it is overwhelmingly '(not provided)': since 2011 search engines withhold the query string from referrers over HTTPS for privacy. Paid keyword data can still arrive via auto-tagging from ad platforms. The honest read of this dimension is that organic keyword visibility now lives in Search Console, not analytics.
- The view_search_results event
view_search_results is a GA4 recommended event that fires when a visitor views the results of a search. It carries a search_term parameter holding the query. It captures what people look for on your site and whether results were shown — a direct window into demand and content gaps — but search terms can be sensitive and need careful handling.
- Page path dimension
The page path dimension is the path portion of a viewed URL — /blog/post — excluding the hostname and, by configuration, the query string. GA4 derives it from the page_location of each page_view. It is hit-scoped, so it counts every view of a page, and the most common pitfall is query strings (utm_*, session IDs) fragmenting one logical page into many distinct paths.
- Event Explorer
Inspect the search events behind the term dimension.
Sources and verification notes
- Google Analytics Help — [GA4] Set up site searchDocuments view_search_results and the search_term parameter.
Last reviewed 2026-06-24. Facts are checked against primary/official sources where available; uncertain specifics are marked “Data not yet verified” rather than guessed.