Easily find the content you're looking for in Experience Portals using global search and asset filtering.
In this article:
Accessing Search
The global search bar is available from the portal header on both desktop and mobile devices. Simply enter a search term to get started. Hit Enter or select Search to see the most relevant results for your query. You can also choose See all results to be taken to the full search results page.
The Search Results Page
The search results page compiles all files, media, pages, and page content relevant to your search query that your user group is permissioned to see.
- The All tab displays a combined view of search results.
- The Assets tab displays matching files and media published within the portal.
- The Pages tab displays pages that match your search based on page metadata such as page title, description, and SEO keywords.
- The Content tab displays pages where the search term was found within the page body content.
Important Note: Search only returns assets and content that are:
- Published within the current Experience Portal.
- Accessible to your user group based on DAM permissions.
Filtering Search Results
Filters are available within the Assets tab and can help you narrow your results. These filters draw on the same metadata used to organize assets within your DAM, including file type, upload date, color, and more. Two filters are particularly useful:
The Categories filter can help you narrow down asset results by searching in a particular DAM category. Note: Selecting a parent category does not automatically include assets from its subcategories. Subcategories must be selected individually.
The Custom Filters option can help narrow down results by applying the custom attributes created and managed within your DAM. If your organization uses attribute groups, attributes appear within the same grouped structure configured in the DAM. Attribute group permissions are also respected; if a user group does not have access to a given attribute group, those attributes will not be visible in the filter panel. Users only see the attributes they are permissioned to view.
Understanding Search Results
Searching for assets and content in the Experience Portal is keyword-based. This functionality searches against the metadata in your DAM as well as AI tags. Currently, conversational search and Smart Image Search are not available in the Experience Portal.
Results and the current portal
Search results in Experience Portals are limited to assets and content published within that specific portal. Assets and content that exist in your DAM but do not appear on published pages in the portal will not appear in search results.
For organizations with multiple Experience Portals, this means assets must appear on a published page within the portal where the search is occurring. This contextual approach helps ensure that each portal provides a curated experience that only displays relevant content to its intended audience.
Results and user group permissions
Search results also consider the permissions set up within your DAM and Experience Portal. Users searching for assets in the Experience Portal will only see results if the user group they belong to in the DAM is permissioned to see the category to which those assets belong. For example:
- Nancy is in the Marketing user group. Her group doesn’t have permission to see the Logos category in her organization’s DAM. When she searches for “logo” in the Experience Portal, she won’t see any assets belonging to that category.
If in use, search results also consider Category Level Permissions (CLP)*. This adds an additional layer of control on top of user group permissions within the Experience Portal. When a group’s ability to “Download and Share” is removed via CLP, that group will be able to view assets in the related category but not download or share them through the Experience Portal. For example:
- Jonathan is in the Vendors user group. He has limited access to categories within the DAM and Experience Portal. Admins for the DAM have turned off the Vendors’ ability to download and share assets via CLP. When Jonathan searches for assets in the Experience Portal, the results are view-only.
* CLP is a paid add-on. Talk to your Account Manager or Customer Support Manager to learn more.
Troubleshooting
Why can't I find an asset in search results?
Check the following:
- The asset is published on a page within the portal being searched. (Assets that are stored in the DAM but not published within the portal will not appear in Experience Portal search results.)
- The asset belongs to a category the querying user group can access. (Check the group’s category permissions and category level permissions (CLP) within the DAM.)
- Relevant keywords exist in the asset metadata. (See below)
Why is my asset not discoverable using expected search terms?
Search is keyword-based. If an asset isn't appearing for expected search terms, verify those terms have been added to the asset's metadata and keywords in the DAM. Include both specific terms (for example, product names, campaign names, or file subjects) and broader descriptive terms users may naturally search for, such as "logo," "image," "photo," "graphic," "video," or "brochure."
To improve discoverability across large libraries, review keywording practices regularly and add commonly used search terms to related assets. You can add individual keywords to an asset or add keywords in bulk, 200 assets at a time, by selecting Select Page in the right corner of a category within the DAM and then Edit Metadata.
Why can a user see an asset but not download it?
Download capabilities may have been not have been granted to their user group. Site administrators should check the group’s permissions settings in the DAM.
Category Level Permissions (CLP) may be configured to allow viewing while restricting downloading and sharing. Site administrators should check CLP settings in the DAM for the relevant category.
Why can I see a custom filter that another user can’t see?
Attribute group permissions may be preventing the user group from viewing that filter.
Why doesn't selecting a parent category return assets from all subcategories?
Parent category selection does not automatically include assets within subcategories because each asset needs to be tagged to an individual category to appear within it. Select each subcategory individually or tag assets to the parent category.