Global search results page
UI and SEO updates
Company
DIRECTV
Project context
The Global Search Results page was still running on outdated UI patterns that no longer met user needs. Customers often encountered irrelevant results, sections displaying “zero results,” and an overall lack of clarity when trying to find content. This led to high drop-off rates and a perception that search was unreliable. The project required a full redesign to modernize the experience, improve result accuracy, and ensure that the interface was clear, accessible, and engaging across devices.
Goals
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Modernize the Search Results page with a cleaner, more effective UI.
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Eliminate unnecessary “zero results” sections to reduce clutter.
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Improve the logic and organization of results for higher relevance.
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Enhance usability and accessibility across breakpoints.
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Build trust by making the search experience reliable and intuitive.
Role
I collaborated with the product and engineering teams to redesign the Search Results page. My responsibilities included:
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Restructuring the UI to make results more intuitive and visually digestible.
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Designing flexible result layouts that adapted based on content type.
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Partnering with developers to ensure smooth integration of new logic.
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Reviewing and iterating on accessibility best practices.
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Providing QA feedback and validating consistency across devices.
Problem statement
Customers rely heavily on search to find channels, shows, and support content. However, the old design made this process inefficient: results were often buried, irrelevant, or confusingly structured. Users encountered empty sections labeled “0 results,” creating frustration and wasted clicks. With a 17% drop-off rate after the first two interactions, it was clear the system was not effectively supporting customer needs.
The process
Research & Audit
Discovered 17% drop rate after two clicks, high complaints about “not finding results.”​
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UI Redesign
Cleaner side sheet modal, direct links, icons for channels/networks.
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Dynamic Layout
Removed empty sections, re-ordered categories based on query relevance.
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Breakpoints
Unified design across desktop, tablet, mobile to keep it consistent.​
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Collaboration
Worked with SEO & dev teams to align search performance with user-facing clarity.
Analyzed search analytics to identify drop-off points.
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Benchmarked competitor search experiences.
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Ran usability reviews to spot readability, navigation, and empty state issues.
Findings
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17% of users dropped off after their first two clicks on results pages, frustrated by irrelevant or poorly grouped content.
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Nearly 1 in 4 sessions ended in zero-results, leaving users without recovery options.
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Old search show sections displayed with “0 results” (like “Sports” or “Watch Now”)—confusing, unnecessary, and frustrating for customers trying to find something quickly.
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Customers often described the experience as “slow and unhelpful.”​
Research & Benchmarking
Iterating on the Entry Point
We redesigned the Global Nav Modal so it added value immediately:
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Clear search bar at the top.
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Direct links (Account Sign-In, Billing, Packages, Support) for quick access.
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Consistency across desktop, tablet, and mobile to provide a seamless experience.
Before
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The modal opened with a blank search bar only, forcing users to type something every time.
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The interface felt empty, unhelpful, and increased friction—especially for users who didn’t know exactly what to search.
After
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The modal now launches with direct links to key actions like Account Sign In, Billing, Channel Guide, TV Packages, and Customer Service.
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This gave users immediate shortcuts to the most common tasks, reducing unnecessary clicks.
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It also made the search modal more accessible and inclusive, since not every user is comfortable starting with free-text search.
One of the biggest challenges was that our previous search layout showed every section — even if they had zero results — creating frustration and unnecessary clutter.
We redesigned the results page to be dynamic and adaptive:
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Remove zero-result sections → categories only appear if they have results, reducing noise.
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Reorganize sections dynamically → the order of categories (e.g., Watch Now, Support, Product & Services, Insider) adjusts based on the type of query and which results are most relevant.
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Enhance scannability → we introduced icons for channels and networks, making it faster for customers to identify what they were looking for.
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Placement testing → we explored whether the entry point to search should live above or below package cards to find the balance between guidance and discovery.
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By letting the page reorganize itself, we improved clarity and reduced drop-offs from customers who previously gave up after not finding useful results.
Accessibility & Consistency
To ensure inclusivity and trust, we:
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Unified layouts across breakpoints for a consistent, lightweight design.
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Improved contrast, labels, and focus states for accessibility compliance.
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Used clear page indicators and icons to guide navigation.
Impact
+18%
increase in successful search sessions.
-22%
reduction in
zero-result abandonments.
+15%
higher engagement with channel and content results.
+12%
faster task completion across desktop and mobile.
Lessons Learned
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UI details like removing empty results can have big business impact.
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Entry points must add value from the first click — not after.
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Cross-functional alignment (SEO, dev, product) turns a good design into a complete solution.