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University Communications and Marketing
Web Platforms and Documentation

Smart Search

Smart Search is an evolved and more powerful set of search functionality within the NC State Utility Bar. In addition to searching university websites, it also includes results from the NC State faculty and staff directory, campus map locations and a database of top university resources.

Screenshot of initial Smart Search screen including input box and four top links
Smart Search allows you to quickly search NC State websites, locations and people

If a Google Programmable Search Engine ID is provided, the search box will initially provide a set of web results specific to your website (and any other websites, URLs or domains that are considered part of your web space).

Enabling Smart Search

Smart Search is available on an opt-in basis within the NC State Theme until summer 2026. At that point it will be enabled by default on all sites running the theme.

To enable the new search functionality during the opt-in period, go to NC State Settings -> NC State Theme -> Utility Bar within the back-end of your site.

Screenshot of Smart Search settings screen
The Utility Bar settings panel in the theme back-end allows you to enable Smart Search and configure other settings.

Requesting a Programmable Search Engine ID

  1. Visit the Google Programmable Search Engine site and log in with a Google account. It is highly recommended that you use a Generic Google Account rather than your individual Google account.
  2. Provide a search engine name of your choice. This will not be seen by end users. For the sake of this example, we will use College of Sciences.
  3. Provide a URL or set of URLs that you would like to be included within the search results. Ensure that your URLs are formatted appropriately with wildcards as shown within the Programmable Search Engine interface:
    • Individual pages: www.example.com/page.html or www.example.com/docs/
    • Entire site: www.mysite.com/*
    • Parts of site: www.example.com/docs/*
    • Entire domain: *.example.com
  4. Keep Image Search off and SafeSearch on.
  5. You can then create the search engine and click “Customize” on the next screen.
  6. Copy and paste the Search Engine ID that appear into your site’s Utility Bar settings page.