User guide for Opencart Google Custom Search

The Opencart Google Custom Search extension allows the store owner to improve the search results by adding google like searching results technique. This extension works with multi-store environments and also helps in search engine optimization. The admin can set the minimum letters after which the autocomplete search will appear and can even set the maximum number of autocomplete search results items.

• Set the minimum number of letters for autocompleting search.
• Maximum autocomplete search items can be set by the admin
• This extension works with multi-store environments.
• Improves Search results and also helps in search engine optimization.
• Saves time for the user.

First, extract the downloaded zip file. After that, open the correct Opencart Version Folder according to the Opencart Version installed in your system.

Then, upload admin and catalog to the Opencart root directory.

Once you have uploaded the file then login to admin and go to Extensions>Installer and upload the .zip file- programmablesearch.ocmod.zip. The zip file can be found in the ocmod folder.

After uploading the zip file go to the Extensions > Modification and click on refresh field.

After that in the Admin panel go to System > Users > Usergroup and edit ‘Administrator’. Select the shown checkboxes only for both Access and Modify Permission then, finally save it.

Install

Now navigate to Extensions > Extensions > Modules. Find Webkul programmable search from the list. Click the Install button as visible in the screenshot below.

Further, clicking on the edit button below page will open up.

Before transforming your OpenCart store search engine into a custom programmable search engine. Firstly, visit the Google programmable search engine page.

Click the Get started button and below page will open up.

Here, the user needs to enter:

• Sites to search: Add your domain name, Individual pages, site or parts of the site such as example.com.
• Name of the search engine: Enter the required name of the search engine.

After which, the user can click CREATE tab.

To fetch the Search engine ID click on Edit Search Engine and make sure the created search engine name shows below it. Then click on Setup

Or, you can simply click on Control Panel. Same page will open.

Under the Basics section copy the Search engine ID and paste it in the Search Engine ID field on module’s configuration page.

Add New Site Links

After creating a search engine ID, new site links can also be added on whose basis search reverts will be visible.

Navigate to Setup, under Basics section scroll down to Sites to search. There, click on Add.

Now, user has to enter the site link and click on save.

To fetch your Google API key just go to the Setup of the search engine. Toggle to the Ads section, click the link Get started with the Programmable Search Element Paid API to set up billing and to generate an API key.

On the redirected page, find the JSON API section on the left side and click on Overview under it. Or, can also directly navigate to https://developers.google.com/custom-search/v1/overview.

Now, click on Get a Key button under the sub-heading API key.

After which, user can select or create a new project and click Next.

Copy the visible Google API key as shown below and paste in the Google Api Key field on the module’s configuration page.

After the successful installation of the extension OpenCart Google Custom Search. To configure the extension. Firstly, in the sidebar menu go to Extensions > Extensions > Modules.

Click on edit button next to Webkul Programmable Search .

Further, tapping the edit button brings up the module configuration settings page. Here, the admin can see below settings options.

Status: Admin can set enable status to use the module functionality.

Search engine ID: The admin can enter the generated search engine ID over here.

Google API Key: Enter the fetched Google API key over here.

Minimum Letters to search: The admin can set the minimum letters to search quantity in numbers after which the prompted results will be visible.

Maximum item in autocomplete: The number of suggestions that will appear in the autocomplete list.

Placeholder for search box: The admin can enter a label for the search box.

The customer will visit the site and enter the product name in the search bar. According to the product name entered, the search suggestions list will be visible to the customer.

These suggetions are from the site links that the admin has added to fetch search reverts .

Clicking on any product from suggestions, the customer will be redirected to the site having that product.

That’s all for OpenCart Google Custom Search extension. For any doubts or suggestions regarding the extension get back to us at support@webkul.com or raise a ticket at our Helpdesk system.