Introduction to MyCludo

When you log into MyCludo, you enter the command center for your Cludo search solution. MyCludo is the web-based dashboard where you configure your search and analyze its performance. This introduction will walk you through the key sections of MyCludo and the first steps to get your site search up and running.

What is MyCludo?

MyCludo is Cludo’s platform for administering your site search. It’s where you’ll set up how content is indexed, tune the search results, and review analytics. Everything is organized into intuitive sections in the left-hand navigation menu of MyCludo:

• Configuration: The starting point for any new implementation. Here you’ll set up Crawlers (to index your site’s content) and Engines (which serve search results). You’ll also manage settings like data handling and integrations. For example, you might create a crawler for your website and an engine that uses that crawler’s index​. Configuration is about defining what is searchable and how the search index is built.

• Tools: Once your search index is ready, Tools allow you to refine the search experience. Cludo offers a suite of search-enhancement tools, such as Synonyms, Misspellings, Banners, Quicklinks, Boosting, Page Ranking, Audiences, and more. They are all found under the Tools section. Each tool can be used to improve relevance or highlight specific content (e.g. adding a Banner to promote a campaign when certain keywords are searched​. Tools lets you control the search behavior beyond the default algorithm.

• Analytics: After your search is live, this section provides insights into how it’s performing. Cludo’s Analytics dashboard shows you search trends, top queries, searches without results, click-through rates, and more. You can track things like Search origin pages (where searches are performed) and Search destination pages (which results users click)​. Analytics help you understand user behavior and identify opportunities to further optimize your search (for example, adding a synonym if you see frequent searches with no results).

• Profile Settings: Here you can manage your MyCludo account settings, such as adding other users, setting up multi-factor authentication, or adjusting personal settings. New users might not need to visit this section on day one, but if you plan to collaborate with team members in MyCludo, you’ll want to use Manage Users to invite them.

First Steps in MyCludo:

• Set Up a Crawler: A crawler is usually the first step to creating a functional site search​. In Configuration > Crawlers, click New and enter your website URL(s) to start indexing content. Think of the crawler as the content gatherer, it will scan your site and store pages in the index. Once you save and run the crawler, you can monitor its progress in the crawler logs (or Page Inventory) to ensure all important pages are indexed. You can read more about setting up crawlers in this article.

• Create an Engine: Next, go to Configuration > Engines and create a new engine that will serve your search results. You’ll connect the engine to the crawler you just made (an engine can draw from one or multiple crawlers). The engine is essentially the search backend, you can enable features on it (like result highlighting or filters) during creation. If you need multiple separate search experiences (say, one for your main site and one for a documentation site), you should create multiple engines. You can read more about engines in this article.

• Implement the Search on Your Site: With an engine in place and content indexed, you need to add a search box and results on your website. Cludo provides two main ways:

• Use a Cludo Template: The fastest method and most basic method. In MyCludo, under Configuration > Search template, you can copy-paste code for a pre-built search interface​. Cludo offers an Inline template (search results on a separate page) and an Overlay template (results appear in an overlay on the same page)​. Choose one, generate the code with your engine ID, and add it to your site. This requires minimal coding and gives you a working search UI instantly. You can read more about our default templates in this article.

• Build a Custom Integration: If you need your own design or have a unique tech stack (like a single-page application), you might implement via Cludo’s API or React library. For example, you can use Cludo’s Search API to fetch results and then display them with your HTML/CSS. Or use Cludo’s React components if your site is built in React. Custom implementation takes more effort but allows complete control. For an in-depth guide, see Key differences of implementing search via templates vs. custom development in this help center.

• Use a Cludo-Built Custom SERP: If you need a custom search interface but don’t have the resources to build it yourself, Cludo can design and deliver a fully custom SERP for you. We’ll build it to match your branding and functionality needs. Once complete, it can be hosted by us and deployed on your site. This option gives you a tailored experience without handling the technical implementation yourself. Talk to your Cludo representative to learn more.

• Test Your Search: After implementation, try searching on your site. Use the Test search tool in MyCludo to simulate queries without affecting analytics. Ensure results are showing up as expected. If some expected content isn’t appearing, verify the crawler indexed those pages. The Page Inventory in Configuration can help confirm what’s indexed​. You can read more about using the Test Search tool in this article.

• Review Analytics Regularly: After your search is live, go to Analytics in MyCludo to see how it’s performing. The Dashboard gives a quick overview of key metrics, like how many searches your users are performing, and what the top searches are. Use these insights to iterate: for example, if “XYZ” is a popular search with no results, you might add a synonym or ensure content for “XYZ” is indexed. Cludo’s analytics update in near real-time, so you can monitor improvements after you make changes.

Where to Find Help

This knowledge base is here to assist you at every step. Each feature mentioned above has its own help article (use the search bar in the help center or browse the categories). If you run into issues or have specific questions:

• Check the FAQ section for common questions (e.g. “Why is this page not indexed?”​ or “How is relevance determined?”​).
• Use the Cludo Assistant which lets you search help articles directly within the platform or start an AI chat about content indexed on our help center.
• Or contact Cludo’s support for personalized assistance. You can reach out to our support here.