Search results with more structure and context

With this update, we provide you more control over the presentation of search results. You can now send additional metadata via the API, such as author, publication date, or content type. You can then display this metadata in the search results so that visitors quickly see what they find and why it is relevant.

Setting it up

Step 1: Sending metadata via the API or Drupal Search API

Ensure that you send the desired metadata from your CMS. Use clear system names. We link these to vragen.ai and they are visible as metadata there.

Step 2: Configuring in vragen.ai

For each new field you send via the API, create a new metadata field in vragen.ai under Settings.

When adding:

• Use the system name from the API as the name.

• Choose the correct type, this determines the display:

  • Text

  • Number

  • Date (date)

  • Boolean (yes/no)

• Optionally add a description.

• Optionally set a default value for documents without this metadata.

• Check Is multiple if a field can contain multiple values (e.g., multiple authors).

Existing documents do not automatically receive metadata retroactively. Start a re-index from the API to add missing metadata. Contact us if you need help with this re-indexing process.

Step 3: Displaying metadata with search results

Go to My integrations and edit the desired integration. Under Semantic search you will find Search result fields. If this is empty, the default display is used (title and short description).

• Click on Add field to search results.

• Select the desired metadata for each field and optionally provide a label, for example: Author: [metadata].

• Adjust the order in which you want it to be displayed.

The changes will be visible in approximately 15 minutes.

Step 4: Adjusting layout

We adhere to a standard layout. If you want to deviate from this, you can adjust the display on the website side via custom CSS.

Why this matters

Well-structured search results help visitors understand what they see faster. Metadata like publication date and author provides context that immediately clarifies the relevance of a result. This is especially valuable for longer content, documents, or knowledge articles where context makes the difference between finding and understanding. Exactly what visitors expect from AI search experiences. 

With this update, we link technical improvements to practical readability so that your search function not only delivers more relevant results but also shows why something is relevant.