There are two search types that can be selected for the website:
- Broad Match (includes more results)
- Strict Match (includes fewer results)
Choose STRICT to only include members in a category that exactly matches the searched keyword. Choose BROAD to include additional related matches.
Go to: SETTINGS >> GENERAL SETTINGS >> SEARCH SETTINGS >> Category Keyword Searches
Broad Match Search
Broad Match Keyword Search will return the members in the category and more, if the site has the Expanded Keywords Addon, all of the profile text / keywords will be searchable.
The way in which this type of search works, if a keyword is a match for the start of a category name or category keyword, it will return the members in that category as a result. It will also return all members in all categories that match this way.
EG. Keyword searched: "Pizza"
Members in categories whose name start with "pizza" will be returned:
Pizza
Pizza Restaurant
Pizza Place
Pizzapie
Members in categories who have a keyword that starts with "pizza" will also be returned:
"restaurant, pizza"
"pizza restaurant"
"pizzapie, eatery"
Members in categories that do NOT start with "pizza", or in categories that have a keyword that does not start with "pizza" will NOT be returned:
Restaurant The Serves Pizza
Bar & Pizza
Italian Pizza
For example, a visitor is looking for the word "pizza" and if there is a member with the name Pizza or if there is a category with the name Pizza the member is going to appear. If there is a member that has the word "Pizza" in their profile but is not related to the category, the member is also going to appear:
In this example the member Woods Pizza & Beer Garden has a category called "Pizza" and the member also has the word in their name "Pizza":
This other member sells Food toys and it has on their Short Description the word "Pizza"
There is also a partial match search, for example, adding an additional category called "Pizza Wood Accessories" and a member selects the category, if a visitor searches again the member is going to appear because the word "Pizza" is on the category:
Strict Keyword Match
Strict Keyword Match will only return the members in a category if the searched keyword is an exact match for the category.
It must be an EXACT match with the category name or category keyword, and only the members in the first matching category will be returned. So in this example, the members in the first category found called "Pizza" or with the category keyword, "pizza" will be returned.
