You can create the following types of search configuration trees:
One Search Configuration for All Site Visitors
You can create a tree that contains a single search configuration at the top level. This search configuration doesn’t use a dimension because its settings apply to all site visitors. Use this approach if you want to control the display of search results in the same way for all visitors.
One Search Configuration Folder Containing One or More Search Configurations
You can create a tree that contains a single search configuration folder at the top level. One or more search configurations are created inside this folder. If you want to limit the visitors to whom a search configuration applies by one type of dimension, you design a tree using this strategy.
In this example, My Newspaper - By Segment is a search configuration folder, using segment as its dimension type. Each configuration it contains specifies a different segment. In order to see the results produced from these search configurations, a visitor must belong to the specified segment and use the default language.
Multiple Search Configuration Folders and Search Configurations
One search configuration folder opens to one or two levels of search configurations and search configuration folders:
In this example, My Newspaper – By Language is a folder that uses language as its dimension type. Both of the folders it contains (English, French) specify a particular language as their dimension value. They must also supply a dimension type, which determines the type of dimension values their search configurations must provide, not the type of dimension value they provide. For example, the English search configuration folder has a dimension value of English and a dimension type of segment.
Using a multi-tiered hierarchy permits a greater degree of specificity. One search configuration is used for French people who read a variety of newspapers (New Junkie), for example, and another for similar English speaking visitors. Because this example uses two types of dimension folders, the tree can incorporate, at most, three levels: one top-level search configuration folder using one dimension type, a nested search configuration folder using the other dimension type, and nested search configurations.
When you plan a multi-tiered tree, you need to decide which dimension type you want to begin with. Whether you begin with language, segment, or site has no impact on how search configurations are applied. There’s also no implementation difference if one dimension is applied to search configurations and the other applied to search configuration folders, so you should organize your dimensions in the way that creates less setup work for you. For example, consider this tree structure:
This hierarchy requires you to create the fewest assets for two reasons:
There are two languages represented and four segments. Starting with the type of dimension that has fewer values ensures that you have fewer to create.
Of the four segments, one groups visitors of both languages. The other three apply to one language grouping each.
If you were to organize your tree using segments first, as shown below, it would include ten assets instead of eight:
Consider the hierarchy you could use if the News Junkie segment didn’t exist. All segments would apply to either English or French. Because all visitors who are part of Subscribes to Le Monde are also French speakers, you could create a search configuration to represent French, thereby removing one level in the hierarchy.
