diff --git a/plugins/search-backend/README.md b/plugins/search-backend/README.md
index a5e1c1cfd8..678639d36b 100644
--- a/plugins/search-backend/README.md
+++ b/plugins/search-backend/README.md
@@ -1,13 +1,15 @@
 # search-backend
 
-Welcome to the search backend plugin!
+This plugin is part of a suite of plugins that comprise the Backstage search
+platform, which is still very much under development. This plugin specifically
+is responsible for:
 
-_This plugin was created through the Backstage CLI_
+- Exposing a JSON API for querying a search engine
+- Types related to interacting with that API
 
-## Getting started
+Documentation on how to develop and improve the search platform is currently
+centralized in the `search` plugin README.md.
 
-Your plugin has been added to the example app in this repository, meaning you'll be able to access it by running `yarn start` in the root directory, and then navigating to [/search](http://localhost:3000/search).
-
-You can also serve the plugin in isolation by running `yarn start` in the plugin directory.
-This method of serving the plugin provides quicker iteration speed and a faster startup and hot reloads.
-It is only meant for local development, and the setup for it can be found inside the [/dev](/dev) directory.
+For a better overview of how the search platform is put together, check the
+[Backstage Search Architecture](https://backstage.io/docs/features/search/architecture)
+documentation.
diff --git a/plugins/search-indexer-backend/README.md b/plugins/search-indexer-backend/README.md
index bac23fffd0..e065806052 100644
--- a/plugins/search-indexer-backend/README.md
+++ b/plugins/search-indexer-backend/README.md
@@ -1,5 +1,21 @@
 # search-indexer
 
-Welcome to the search-indexer backend plugin!
+This plugin is part of a suite of plugins that comprise the Backstage search
+platform, which is still very much under development. This plugin specifically
+is responsible for:
 
-_This plugin was created through the Backstage CLI_
+- Allowing other backend plugins to register the fact that they have documents
+  that they'd like to be indexed by a search engine (known as `collators`)
+- Allowing other backend plugins to register the fact that they have metadata
+  that they'd like to augment existing documents in the search index with
+  (known as `decorators`)
+- A scheduler that, at configurable intervals, compiles documents to be indexed
+  and passes them to a search engine for indexing
+- Types for all of the above
+
+Documentation on how to develop and improve the search platform is currently
+centralized in the `search` plugin README.md.
+
+For a better overview of how the search platform is put together, check the
+[Backstage Search Architecture](https://backstage.io/docs/features/search/architecture)
+documentation.
diff --git a/plugins/search/README.md b/plugins/search/README.md
index 62e8be1f1e..92e7eda15a 100644
--- a/plugins/search/README.md
+++ b/plugins/search/README.md
@@ -6,15 +6,15 @@ You can follow the progress and contribute at the Backstage [Search Project Boar
 
 ## Getting started
 
-Run `yarn start` in the root directory, and then navigate to [/search](http://localhost:3000/search)to check out the plugin.
+Run `yarn start` in the root directory, and then navigate to [/search](http://localhost:3000/search) to check out the plugin.
 
 ### Working on the search platform
 
-Currently, the search experience available in Backstage is 100% on the front-end, and only looks at the Software Catalog. We are actively developing [a more complete search platform](https://backstage.io/docs/features/search/search-overview), which will replace the current experience when ready.
+The above search experience is 100% client-side and only looks at the Software Catalog. We are actively developing [a more complete search platform](https://backstage.io/docs/features/search/search-overview), which will replace the current experience when ready.
 
-In order to work on the new search platform, you will need to be aware of the following:
+In order to work on this new search platform, you will need to be aware of the following:
 
-- **The use-search-platform feature flag**: The new search platform will move the primary search page to the App-level, out of the search plugin. You'll need to enable this feature flag to work on the net platform.
+- **The use-search-platform feature flag**: The new search platform will move the primary search page to the App-level, out of the search plugin. You'll need to enable this feature flag to work on the new platform.
 - **App SearchPage Component**: You'll find a new search page under `/packages/app/src/components/search`. When ready, we'll add an equivalent page to the `@backstage/create-app` template.
 - **Backend**: Don't forget, a lot of functionality will be made available in backend plugins:
   - `@backstage/plugin-search-indexer-backend`, which is responsible for the search index management