A community’s value is often found in its public conversations. ZenCommunity includes a powerful Header Search feature that allows visitors and guests to explore your community content before they even create an account.
By providing a transparent search experience, you can showcase your community’s expertise and encourage guests to join the discussion.
1. How Guest Search Works
When a non-registered visitor lands on your community site, they will see the Search Bar prominently located in the top header.
- Instant Suggestions: As the guest types, the search bar provides real-time suggestions for public Groups and Posts.
- Privacy-First: The search engine automatically filters out any “Private” or “Hidden” groups and content. Guests will only ever see what you have designated as Public.
2. Searchable Content for Guests
By default, the Header Search for visitors index the following:
- Public Groups: Visitors can search for group names and descriptions to find sub-communities that interest them.
- Global Feed Posts: Any post made in the Global Feed that is set to “Public” visibility.
- Public Discussions: Threads within public groups that are open for guest viewing.
- Member Directory (Optional): If your privacy settings allow, guests can search for public member profiles.
3. The “Join to View” Experience
To maintain a balance between open discovery and member-only value, ZenCommunity handles search results with a smart “Gate” system:
- Snippet View: Guests can see the title and a short excerpt of the search result.
- Registration Prompt: If a guest clicks on a search result that requires an account to view the full content (or to reply), they will be met with a beautiful Registration/Login prompt.
- Conversion Path: This turns a simple search into a powerful lead-generation tool for your community.
The Visitor Search feature is your community’s front door. By allowing guests to search your public content, you demonstrate the activity and value of your platform, making it much more likely that they will hit the “Sign Up” button.