In order to gather some useful information on how algolia communicates its product to its audience, I will attempt to go from Zero-to-API-Keys on using a part of the Algolia ecosystem starting from their site.
I also intend to log my thoughts and observations during the process.
My first Investigation will be on the premise that I've heard of algolia and I would like to build something on their system.
I will garner some brief knowledge on how to use some part of the system. Then I'll get some API keys.
I've typed Algolia into google.
Ad above them, I have no idea what the ad is for, algolia is next one down. Click the link and we're on the homepage.
Homepage: https://www.algolia.com
First thing I see, is a ginormous search button.
If I was ever under doubt about algolia doing search, thats changed now. Very clear what they do.
They also have this marquee type text thing going on within the search bar:
Search made... frictionless, right, etc...
Fair enough. I expect it to be easy, but they're re-inforcing that.
Signup buttons, request demo buttons. I'm not interested in those right now. I want to see what I'm working with first, so, scroll down I think.
Free trial - no credit card required <-- Helpful information, good.
They have some images of big names using their product which look great.
Building blocks for creating great search
OK, I think I understand. I've clicked the video, and watched about half of it. Re-inforcing what I understand so far. Algolia makes search easy. They also say its really really quick. Hmmm.
One search engine, infinite possibilities
3 use cases there again. Similiar to Twilio. There's a learn more button, I might click that in a bit. I want to see what else the homepage has to offer.
Urgh... More logo Porn... (i'm just jealous)
OK code blocks. This is what i'm looking for.
They have backend and frontend code examples. Makes sense I guess as this is user relevant information in most cases.
I've chosen PHP and Javascript.
Looks pretty simple enough. This is all using some kind of SDK or helper scripts. I particularly like the helper script for the frontend.
There was a read the docs button I missed there. The blue blends in a bit, I keep missing the blue buttons.
See Algolia in action, They have a live demo. OK, I will see it in action. I clicked the button.
Product: https://www.algolia.com/product
Now thats annoying... Its a dead link, or maybe the wording is wrong. I expected to see a live demo, I've just been taken to a product page.
OH!! I stand corrected... This is a searchable page. Right I understand. Seems like Algolia isn't quite as quick as they think, the time it took to load the search results meant I had a blank page. I'd then got confused and start scrolling around. They are lucky I very nearly hit back.
OK, I an search for films and thats about it.
Its like an instant search.
The honest response to this is, I'm used to instant searching, everyone gives me it, from Google to Airbnb. So I don't see the great value here yet.
Anyway. I understand the tenets of search pretty well, so, I want to see why this is better than something I can build?
I'm a little bit miffed that my flow has been interupted by being taken to a page I only wanted to view, they should have done a new tab so I could fall back into my original flow.
Some helpful information here:
Typo-Tolerance: Your users will find Rihanna whether they search for Rhianna, Rihana or Rihanana. - Nice!
Geosearch: Open your users up to the world around them with visual or classic geo-search. - Super helpful!
Now this is interesting:
Give your users the search experience they're waiting for
These "live typing" examples are actually very helpful if I slow down and take the time to watch them. Its teaching me how they detect plurals and synonyms... Cool.
Oh I see now, you click the inforgraphic and it explains how the functionality works.
More Logo Porn.
They give you analytics...
OK I'm bored of this now. I'm only half way down the page. I don't want to read all this.
Docs is probably where I want to be.
I can't find a docs link... I can see "Need Help" But I'm not asking for help, so I won't be clicking that. I just want to see documentation.
Looks like I'll have to go through all the links in the header now... Helpful... Not.
OK... Developer. Its under developer.
Documentation: https://www.algolia.com/doc/
This is nice. Simple, quick. Not all the bullshit on the homepage.
I've clicked tutorials.
Search for tutorials Algolia uses algolia. Cool.
I've clicked full text search as I think I would like to add search to a large single page site.
This is kind of useless...
All the results seem like FAQ's... Not tutorials.
I've tried:
Single Page search
flat file search
text search
full text search
They have given me back either no results, OR nothing of any value to me. Hmmm... not very good to be honest.
I'll go back to the docs portal and try again.
OK... Now i'm in concepts, which defines itself as: Become an Algolia expert. Get answers about what it can do for you and understand how it works.
OK... A few minutes of scanning through this makes me realise I do not need to know all this information right now. I just want to add search to my flat file web page. Back to docs... Last try API reference.
Ok this might be better. Languages I can choose.
I've clicked javascript.
OK... I'm confused now. This has backend and frontend. I'm only using frontend. Back to the homepage.
Homepage: https://www.algolia.com
I'm randomly clicking around now to find what I want.
I've found community, whatever that is.
OK... I'm stuck. Maybe I can't do search for a client side flat file site.
I'm just going to sign up and see what happens in there.
F***s sake... Stuck in docs now. I usually click the logo to take me back to the homepage, but this keeps taking me back to docs...
I'm having to type in the URL in the browser window again now.
Right. Homepage. Signup. Bleurgh.
Nice sign up page.
Jesus Christ... Another set of logos... I'm kind of sick of seeing all these logos.
OK, email, password, good. I don't use "sign up with google, github" Its bad practice.
You're almost done! Good! I dont want this to last forever. Just got the email through for registering too, nice quick great.
Select your region it says.
France just went from 217ms to 40ms, now to 150ms... So, these are live ping times. I'd rather they were less sporadic tbh. But well done for making it live I guess.
I'll choose Germany thanks.
I'm not sure why I have to choose one? Oh, yes here, in quiet gray letters:
This is the region where your data will be hosted. For better indexing times, we recommend you to select a region close to your servers.
I really dont care. I'd rather they figured that out to be honest.
Wow Germany just went up to 5312ms... As I hit submit. Well that sucks. Do I have to hit submit when its at its lowest point? Am I stuck with 5 second latency now? The whole thing seems a bit pointless.
OK... I'm in the dashboard? NO... I'm not... I'm in some kind of strange onboarding.
For the sake of the experiment i'm going to roll with this, but if it was me I would skip it completely.
Its saying we're going to upload a data set. I'm worrying because I dont have one right now...
I'll hit the button and see what happens.
Oh wait... I think its pretending. I think its showing me HOW to get my search data into algolia in the first place. OK on the left is some JSON data, its showing me how it uses that data to import it into algolia, and I guess it will ultimately show me how to search it.
I cant click next, its forcing me to learn something... Bit annoying, but I suppose its like medecine. It might taste like shit, but I suppose it might make me better.
Please complete these 3 steps and you'll be ready to continue
OK. Now I have no idea what its doing.
I'm really having to think here, and I don't want to.
OK, its saying I need to add an actual index... Which makes sense, otherwise I wouldnt be able to search. Right now though I feel like Algolia should figure that out itself, otherwise its no smarter than the work I have to do to build my own search.
HOLY SHIT...
You shall not pass! Please retry.
I actually failed.
A computer is grading me and I failed... I'm getting a little annoyed now.
Skip tutorial I hit that button and ended it.
Don't worry you'll be able to access the tutorial whenever you want
I'd rather fall down the stairs than go through that again.
I also have a funny feeling Algolia hasn't finished "grading" me yet...
Keep learning with one of the following options I'm going to click the code section. There is a dropdown with whatever language I want. I'll choose javascript
I've made a terrible mistake...
I've been taking back to the docs page... There is no link back to my dashboard. And it did not open in a new page.
BACK BUTTON.
Urgh... Right, finally, dashboard.
Is it dashboard hell? Lets see...
Theres some usage stuff on the right, limits and how much i've used. Nice.
Its says: "90% OF QUERIES" under 1ms... And i've made 3 queries. Not sure where its got that from, if that onboarding page has been using my search quota i'll be annoyed...
Loads of other stuff, but its too much to take in right now.
OK I see keys on the left.
There are 4 different keys, i'm reading all the information to understand what they all are for. I'm used to client_id and secret but this is a bit more involved.
OK... I walk away not fully knowing how to use algolia, but I do have my keys now.
I think I'm done.