ServiceNow Service Catalog is a great tool for providing IT services, applications, and business requests in a streamlined and organized manner. But even the most organized catalog will fail in terms of utilization if its content is not optimized for discoverability. Just like websites need SEO so that they can be readily found on the web, your ServiceNow Catalog must be properly optimized so that users can easily find and order what they need.

In this document, we’ll talk about how you can maximize your ServiceNow Catalog visibility through both SEO best practices and item optimization best practices. With these best practices, you can provide a better user experience, have greater adoption of your catalog, and make service delivery easier.
What is Catalog Visibility in ServiceNow?

ServiceNow catalog visibility refers to the ease with which the users can find and access the services they need within the Service Catalog. This can be dependent on a myriad of things such as:
Searchability: The capacity for users to find and search for catalog items with speed.

Categorization: The extent to which products are organized into categories that are meaningful for the users’ requirements.

Relevance: The extent to which things are tailored and presented according to user roles and interests.
Catalog visibility is paramount to user satisfaction. If users can’t find what they’re searching for or don’t even know how to ask for it, then the purpose of the catalog is negated. By streamlining the structure and content of your catalog, you allow users to quickly and easily find the services that they need.
Why SEO and Item Optimization are essential in ServiceNow?
SEO isn’t limited to websites — it is for any platform or system where the users need to search for specific information or products. In ServiceNow, ideal catalog item optimization can:
Improve the ranking in ServiceNow search results.
Ensure products in a catalog are properly organized and can be easily found by relevance.
Improve the user experience (UX) so it’s simple to find services and finish tasks without frustration.
Good optimization and SEO habits don’t just enhance visibility but also user adoption and use. By keeping catalog items well visible and easy to find, you’re creating an environment that is more efficient and user-friendly that saves time for end-users and IT staff.
Step 1: Applying SEO Principles to ServiceNow Catalog
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) in ServiceNow is the process of optimizing catalog items and content so that they become more searchable in the internal search of the platform. Just like SEO optimizes web pages to appear higher in search engines like Google, SEO efforts in ServiceNow optimize catalog items to appear higher in user search results.

1.1. Use Clear, Descriptive Titles and Keywords

One of the most important fundamentals of SEO is using the correct keywords that your users will likely search for. In the case of catalog items in ServiceNow, it’s important to:

Use descriptive, short titles: Ensure the titles of your catalog items tell the product or service being requested. Don’t use generic or fuzzy titles like “Item 1” or “Request Service,” but instead descriptive ones like “Request New Laptop” or “Software Installation Service.”

Target keywords: Ask yourself what words and phrases users would search for in the search box. As an example, if a item is IT asset requests, include keywords like “request,” “service,” “IT,” or “asset” in the title and description.
1.2. Simplify Item Descriptions

An item description in a catalog is a key SEO consideration. Descriptions are what users will tend to make their decisions based on whether they need the item on, so a good and clear description can help make the item more discoverable and relevant to search results.
Use descriptive descriptions: Ensure there is enough information so that the users know exactly what the item provides. For example, instead of a generic “Request Laptop,” use, “Request a new office laptop, with hardware configuration, software installation, and integration with company systems.”
Use keywords naturally: Like titles, use applicable keywords within the description to help your item appear in similar search results.

1.3. Use Categories and Tags
Placing catalog products in clear categories and tags makes the site more usable and searchable. Categories allow grouping of products on a logical basis, and tags allow additional filtering.

Create well-defined categories: Organize similar items together under logical categories such as “IT Services,” “Employee Onboarding,” or “Facilities Requests.” This will make it simpler for users to find services.

Use tags: Tags are secondary terms that can further divide things. Use descriptive tags like “Hardware,” “Software,” “Support,” etc., to enhance search accuracy.
1.4. Make User Role-Based Visibility

ServiceNow SEO also involves making the correct catalog items visible to the correct user roles. Various roles in ServiceNow may require access to various services, so it is best to configure visibility based on user roles.
Use role-based visibility for catalog items so that users can only view services they can request.

Make the catalog personalized to each user based on their department, role, and privileges.

Step 2: Designing Catalog Item and Optimizing Usability
Catalog optimization isn’t just SEO. It is also about making it simple for users to be able to find and request products. Following are some best practices for catalog item design and usability optimization:

2.1. Simplify Item Naming Conventions

Catalog item names must be descriptive and uniform. Naming all catalog items the same way will allow users to immediately know what they are seeing.

Use. Use. consistent prefixes: For example, if you’re listing a series of similar items, prefix each item with a category label, such as “HR Request -” or “Software -.”
Avoid abbreviations: Though it may be a strong urge to utilize abbreviations, they perplex users. Provide clear, readable names for each of your catalog entries.

2.2. Streamline the Request Form

Excessively complicated forms with numerous fields or unnecessary steps can discourage users from placing requests. Simplifying and optimizing the request forms can improve the overall user experience and thus improve visibility by promoting usage.
Limit the number of required fields: Ask only for information required to process the request.

Use dynamic fields: Take advantage of ServiceNow’s dynamic forms to display or hide fields depending on earlier inputs, so the form becomes more user-friendly and specific to the user.

Add help text or descriptions: For every field on the request form, try to include tooltips or brief help descriptions to walk users through the process.
2.3. Enhance Visual Design and Layout
The visual layout of your ServiceNow Catalog is just as important as the content. A tidy and engaging catalog makes users want to visit it more often.

Use thumbnails or icons: Adding graphical elements such as icons or images with catalog items can help make them more identifiable and interesting.

Group similar things together: Place similar things in the same category or section. This will allow users to find and access what they need in a snap.
Enable filtering and searching: Allow users to filter or search for items within the catalog. This navigation assistance helps users find items more quickly.

2.4. Promote Best-Selling Products

You will at times have thousands or hundreds of products in your catalog, and the users won’t know where to begin. Featuring popular or in-demand products is one of the greatest methods of getting more visibility.

Highlight top-selling products at catalog top: Implement widgets or a “Featured Items” category to display the top-selling products so that users can easily locate them.

Utilize measurements to determine trends: Look at catalog usage data to determine what materials are most in demand. Give them priority for visibility so that users will readily be able to locate them.

Step 3: Catalog Monitoring and Performance Tuning

After your catalog is optimized, you must keep tracking and enhancing its performance constantly. The best way to accomplish that is by analyzing data and feedback from users. 3.1. Utilize ServiceNow Analytics ServiceNow possesses advanced analytics functionality that allows you to keep track of how your catalog items are faring. Through the analysis of search volume, click-through, and item request frequency, you are able to identify areas that need improvement. Track search trends: When products are searched for repeatedly but not located, it is probably time to re-describe or re-categorize them. Track request success rates: See how many requests for each item are being successfully completed versus abandoned. Items with low success rates may need form optimizations or better descriptions. 3.2. Gather User Feedback End-user feedback is valuable when it comes to the catalog’s performance improvement. Take feedback from end-users from time to time in order to ascertain their pain points and where the catalog needs improvement. Survey users: When a request has been fulfilled, send the users a short survey to inquire about their experience while using the catalog. This will reveal problems such as confusing item descriptions or confusing navigation. Leverage in-platform feedback capabilities: Certain organizations leverage in-platform feedback features in ServiceNow, where end-users are able to comment or rate catalog items. Conclusion: Releasing the Full Potential of Your ServiceNow Catalog Optimizing your ServiceNow Catalog for search is not just about doing something more than making services easy to find for users — it’s about delivering an efficient, user-focused experience that boosts overall service delivery. By implementing sound SEO principles and enhancing catalog item usability and design, you can help in ensuring your users are able to find the services they need quickly, boosting productivity, minimizing frustration, and attaining maximum adoption. Regular monitoring and optimization based on data and customer input will keep your catalog evolving in sync with the needs of your users. Proper SEO strategies, item optimization, and attention to user experience will turn your ServiceNow Catalog into a center of delivering services efficiently and effectively.