diff --git a/services/identity/src/websockets/mod.rs b/services/identity/src/websockets/mod.rs
--- a/services/identity/src/websockets/mod.rs
+++ b/services/identity/src/websockets/mod.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 use hyper_tungstenite::HyperWebsocket;
 use identity_search_messages::{
   ConnectionInitializationResponse, ConnectionInitializationStatus,
+  SearchResult, User,
 };
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use tokio::net::TcpListener;
@@ -40,13 +41,6 @@
   username: String,
 }
 
-#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
-struct User {
-  #[serde(rename = "userID")]
-  user_id: String,
-  username: String,
-}
-
 struct WebsocketService {
   addr: SocketAddr,
 }
@@ -282,12 +276,10 @@
             }
           };
 
-        let usernames: Vec<&User> = search_response.documents().collect();
+        let usernames: Vec<User> = search_response.into_documents().collect();
 
-        let response_msg = serde_json::json!({
-          "action": "searchResults",
-          "results": usernames
-        });
+        let response_msg =
+          serde_json::json!(SearchResult { payload: usernames });
 
         if let Err(e) = outgoing
           .lock()
diff --git a/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/mod.rs b/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/mod.rs
--- a/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/mod.rs
+++ b/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/mod.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 //! Messages sent from Identity Search server to client
 
 pub mod auth_messages;
+pub mod search_result;
 
 pub use auth_messages::*;
+pub use search_result::*;
 
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 pub use websocket_messages::{
diff --git a/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/search_result.rs b/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/search_result.rs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/shared/identity_search_messages/src/messages/search_result.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+//! Search Result Messages sent by Identity Search via WebSocket.
+
+use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+pub struct User {
+  #[serde(rename = "userID")]
+  pub user_id: String,
+  pub username: String,
+}
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+#[serde(tag = "type")]
+pub struct SearchResult {
+  pub payload: Vec<User>,
+}