Overview

Through advanced algorithms and machine learning, smart search software can understand user intent to deliver relevant and personalized results, both improving the customer experience and increasing sales.

But how do you validate that the data powering those smart search capabilities is up to date?

Traditionally, it was tough. Now, using a Data Activation platform like Census, you can sync first-party product and catalog data to a smart-search platform like Algolia.

Of course, this connection allows for more accurate and relevant search results for customers, improving their overall search experience and increasing the likelihood of a purchase.

Plus, by combining your data warehouse and Census to power your smart search platform you will see:

1. Regular updates: With Census, updates to your product catalog are sent to Algolia in near real-time, ensuring that your search results are always fresh and up-to-date. This ensures that customers can find what they are looking for quickly and easily, increasing customer satisfaction.
2. Improved search results: You can take advantage of your smart search tool's powerful search capabilities, including faceted search, typo tolerance, and synonym matching. This ensures that customers find the products they are looking for quickly and easily, improving their overall shopping experience.
3. Reduced workload: Census allows you to automate the process of sending product catalog data to your smart search tool, reducing the workload on your team. This frees up your team to focus on other tasks, such as improving your website or marketing your products.
4. Increased revenue: By improving your search results and overall customer experience, you are likely to see an increase in revenue. Customers who can quickly find what they are looking for are more likely to make a purchase, increasing your bottom line.

Use Case

Getting started is painless:

1. Connect to Algolia in Census: Navigate to the Connections page. Then, select the Add Service button and choose Algolia from the dropdown menu. Enter your Algolia credentials and select Connect.

2. Create Your Model: Head to the Models page and choose the SQL queries or dbt models that include the data you want to display in Algolia. Here are a few suggestions for the type of data to select:‍

• Users that can be added as "friends"
• Products that are searchable in an E-commerce app
• Locations that you have for a destination stay

Once you've created your model, select Save.

3. Go to the Syncs page and select the Add Sync button. This will bring you to a wizard that guides you through building a data mapping.

In the "What data do you want to sync?" section:

1. Choose the data warehouse you'd like to use for the Connection.
2. Select one of your models or connect directly to a table within your data warehouse as the Source.

In the "Where do you want to sync data to?" section:

1. Choose Algolia as the Connection.
2. Pick the Algolia Index as the Object that you want to sync with.

In the "How should changes to the source be synced?" section:

1. Choose "Update Or Create."
2. Select an appropriate mapping key, which should be a field where there's a unique value for each record.

Finally, in the "Which Fields should be updated?" section, pick the fields you want to update in the mapper. For each field in your Algolia instance, you can select a column from your model. Preview what will happen when you start the sync, and select the "Run Sync Now" checkbox to initiate an initial sync and choose a schedule afterward.

4. Verify That the Data Is in Algolia: Head back to Algolia and view an object in an Index that you expect to be updated. If everything worked correctly, you should see your data in Algolia.

That's it! In just a few short steps, you've connected Census to Algolia and enabled your warehouse's data to be searchable via Algolia.

What's next?

Now, you can use this data to:

• Personalize the search results for each user based on their search history, preferences, and behavior. This can help improve the user experience and drive engagement on your site.
• Add facets to your search results, which allow users to filter their search results by specific attributes or categories. This can help users find what they're looking for faster and more easily.
• Implement a powerful search feature on your website or app. Algolia's search engine is designed to deliver relevant search results, no matter how complex your search queries are.