Adding text search to your site using Google custom search engine

Wild Apricot does not currently have a built-in search engine for the website module, but you can embed a free search engine module, like the Google Search engine.

Here is how you can setup a Google search engine on your own website:

1. Go to the Create Custom Search Engine page

• Go to http://www.google.com/cse
• Click on [Create a Custom Search Engine]

2. Specify Custom Search Engine parameters

You need to have a Google account to do this.
If not already logged in you will have to sign in first. If you do not already have a Google account you can create one at this point, then log in after.

• Specify your custom search engine parameters such as name, description etc.
• The most important parameter is selecting which websites you want to be searched.
• Specifying mydomain.camp8.org/* will include all the pages on mydomain.camp8.org. Type in your Wild Apricot website URL (without the http://).
• Agree with the terms of usage and click [Next] button.

3. Customize the look of your search engine

4. Get the Generated Search Engine Code

Your search engine is now ready, copy the generated script code:

5. Insert Search Engine Code into your website

• Log in to your Wild Apricot site as an administrator.
• Insert the code you copied above on the page you want your search engine to appear.
  • For instructions on how to insert HTML code see Inserting HTML or JavaScript

Your search will be similar to the following:

Limitations of 3rd party search engines

Google custom search will only work for publicly accessible webpages since members-only pages can not be indexed by Google.  To address this we plan to add our own built-in website text search in the future.