Determining the GET variable in a search engine query for PrestaShop 1.5

Search engines have a common format when it comes to the mysterious looking code that you see in your internet address bar when searching for a particular thing.  Fortunately, this is actually a fairly easy to understand. It is important for PrestaShop in that it allows you to add search engines to a list  that is tracked (see Adding Search Engines for SEO in PrestaShop 1.5).  The following article explains how to find the GET variable so that you can find it as needed in PrestaShop 1.5.

Finding the GET variable in a Search Engine Query in PrestaShop 1.5

1. To determine the search engine GET variable we will be using a sample query from Google for the explanation.  Please log in to your internet browser, then go to GOOGLE.COM.
2. Type in "prestashop" in a  Google search. After you start the search, you will see something like this in the address line:
   
   
   
   ....google.com/#hl=en&sugexp=les%3Bcesh&gs_nf=1&cp=7&gs_id=1z&xhr=t&q=prestashop&pf=p&output=search&sclient=psy-ab&oq=prestas&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&fp=70b3d719f311243d&biw=1306&bih=62
   
   
   The screenshot above shows the search in action and then the code below isolates the GET variable. The letter "q" with the "=" sign is the letter we want. This is the GET variable used by the search engine. The GET variable is easily determined because it normally precedes the search term. In this case, the search term was "prestashop" and you can easily see this in your search query. You can determine others just as easily. Here is another sample:
   
   
   ...//search.yahoo.com/search;_ylt=A2KLtSL2fVNQ9koBdm.bvZx4?p=apple&toggle=1&cop=mss&ei=UTF-8&fr=yfp-t-701
   
   
   The code is again isolated from the screenshot and the highlighted portion of the URL shows search term preceded by the GET variable. In this case, the GET variable is a "p" for a Yahoo! search for "apple."
3. Log in to the PrestaShop Admin Dashboard as an Administrator
4. Hover over the end of the menu bar to the right where it is labeled "STATS". Click on SEARCH ENGINES when it appears in the drop-down menu.
5. Click on ADD NEW in order to add a new search engine and then place your GET variable in the field provided.
6. Select SAVE and you have not only found your GET variable, but you have also added it for the search engine.