Loclie

Finding Local Content

Filtering & Search

Find businesses, events, attractions, jobs, amenities, and more quickly using Loclie's powerful search and filtering tools.

Time to complete: 5 minutes

Search Methods Overview

Loclie offers multiple ways to search:

  • Quick Search - Fast keyword-based search
  • Category Browse - Browse by business category
  • Filters - Refine results by attributes
  • Ask Bar - AI-powered natural language search (learn more)
  • Voice Search - Hands-free searching (learn more)

This guide focuses on traditional search and filtering techniques.

Location

Each listing page (Businesses, Events, Clubs, Groups, Attractions, Amenities) has its own search bar that filters results by name. The Ask Bar on the home page provides AI-powered natural language search across all content types.

Note: The Jobs page does not have a search bar -- use the filter panel to narrow results by category and job type instead.

What the Search Bar Filters

The search bar on each page filters differently:

  • Businesses - Filters by business name
  • Events - Filters by event name, description, venue name, or business name
  • Clubs - Filters by club name
  • Groups - Filters by group name
  • Attractions - Filters by attraction name, type, or category
  • Amenities - Filters by amenity name, type, or category
  1. Tap the search bar on the listing page
  2. Type your search term
  3. Results filter automatically as you type (no need to press Enter)
  4. Clear the text to see all results again

Category Browsing

How to Browse by Category

  1. Go to the Businesses, Events, Clubs, Groups, Attractions, or Amenities page
  2. Look for the category filter below the search bar
  3. Tap one or more categories to filter results
  4. Tap All to clear category filters and show everything

Note: Categories are specific to each page type. Businesses use a hierarchical category filter (tap a parent category, then optionally select a subcategory to narrow results further). Events, Clubs, Groups, Attractions, and Amenities use a scrollable horizontal row of category pills (swipe left/right to see more, tap to toggle). Jobs use a different filter panel with collapsible sections for job type and category.

  • Food & Drink - Cafes, restaurants, bars
  • Services - Salons, mechanics, plumbers
  • Retail - Shops, boutiques, markets
  • Health & Wellness - Gyms, yoga, doctors
  • Accommodation - Hotels, motels, B&Bs

Event Filtering

Location

Events page at /events

How Events Are Organised

Events are automatically sorted into time-based sections:

  • On Now - Events currently happening
  • This Week - Events starting within the next 7 days
  • Coming Up - All future events beyond this week

How to Filter Events

  1. Go to the Events page
  2. Use the search bar to filter by name, description, or venue
  3. Use the scrollable category pills to filter by event type
  4. Use the sort dropdown to change order (Date Earliest, Date Latest, Alphabetical)
  5. Use the Local toggle to see events from your entire Local Regional Area

Basic Search Techniques

Businesses Page Search

The businesses search bar filters by business name only:

"coffee" → Shows businesses with "coffee" in the name
"byron bay brewing" → Partial name match works

To filter by category, use the hierarchical category filter (parent categories with subcategories) instead of the search bar.

Events Page Search

The events search bar is more powerful, filtering by name, description, venue name, and business name:

"live music" → Matches events with "live music" in title or description
"beach hotel" → Matches events at venues containing "beach hotel"

Attractions Page Search

The attractions search bar filters by name, type, and category:

"park" → Matches parks and playgrounds
"trail" → Matches walking trails and hiking tracks
"beach" → Matches beach attractions

Amenities Page Search

The amenities search bar filters by name, type, and category:

"hospital" → Matches amenities named hospital or of hospital type
"parking" → Matches parking amenities

Using Sort and Filter Controls

Sorting Results

Each listing page has a Sort dropdown with options specific to that content type:

Businesses: Alphabetical, Newest First Events: Date (Earliest), Date (Latest), Alphabetical Clubs: Most Active, Most Members, Alphabetical Groups: Most Active, Most Members, Alphabetical Attractions: Alphabetical, By Category Amenities: Alphabetical, By Category

How Filtering Works

  1. Use the search bar to filter by name/keywords
  2. Use the scrollable category pills to filter by category
  3. Use the sort dropdown to change the order
  4. Results update automatically as you change filters
  5. The results count updates to show how many items match

Search Tips

DO: Be Specific

Good examples:

  • "vegan restaurants" (not just "food")
  • "dog grooming" (not just "pets")
  • "craft beer" (not just "drinks")

Why: More specific = better matches

DO: Use Category Names

Good examples:

  • "bakery" instead of "bread shop"
  • "salon" instead of "hair place"
  • "gym" instead of "fitness place"

Why: Matches how businesses are categorized

DO: Try Different Words

If first search doesn't work:

  • "cafe" → try "coffee shop"
  • "restaurant" → try "dining"
  • "mechanic" → try "auto repair"

Why: Businesses may use different terms

DON'T: Use Long Phrases in Page Search Bars

Poor example (on Businesses page):

"I'm looking for a place that serves good italian food"

Better:

"italian"

Then use the Food & Drink category pill to narrow down.

Why: Page search bars filter by name, so long phrases will not match. Use category pills for category filtering.

Tip: For natural language questions, use the Ask Bar on the home page instead!

Search Examples

Finding Breakfast

Search: "breakfast"

Refine with filters:

  • Tap the "Food & Drink" category
  • Sort by: Alphabetical or Newest First

Result: Breakfast spots in your town

Finding a Specific Business

Search: "Byron Bay Brewing"

Result: Exact match appears first

Tip: Don't need full exact name - partial matches work!

Exploring a Category

Search: "cafe"

Or: Use the hierarchical category filter: tap "Food & Drink", then select a subcategory like "Cafes"

Result: All cafes in your current town

Step-by-Step Filter Guide

1. Start on the Businesses page: All businesses in your town are shown.

2. Tap a parent category: For example, tap "Food & Drink" in the hierarchical category filter, then optionally select a subcategory.

3. Type in the search bar: Type "pizza" to further narrow results.

4. Change the sort: Use the Sort dropdown to switch to "Newest First".

Result: Food & Drink businesses with "pizza" in the name, newest first.

Common Filter Combinations

Finding Events This Weekend:

  • Go to Events page
  • Events are automatically sorted by date (earliest first)
  • Check the "This Week" section for upcoming events

Browsing Clubs:

  • Go to Clubs page
  • Sort by "Most Active" to see the liveliest clubs
  • Tap a category pill (e.g., "Sports & Fitness") to narrow down

Finding Attractions:

  • Go to Attractions page
  • Tap a category pill (e.g., "Parks", "Trails", "Beaches") to narrow down
  • Results show only that category

Browsing Groups:

  • Go to Groups page
  • Sort by "Most Active" to see the liveliest groups
  • Tap a category pill to narrow down

Finding Amenities:

  • Go to Amenities page
  • Tap the "Medical" or "Parking" category pill
  • Results show only that category

Search Results

HeroCard Display

Results on listing pages are displayed as HeroCards (not simple text lists). Each HeroCard shows rich information:

Business HeroCards show:

  • Business image (if available)
  • Business name and tagline
  • Category badges (colour-coded, supports multiple categories)
  • Opening hours and "Open now" indicator
  • Accommodation and food service indicators

Event HeroCards show:

  • Event image (if available)
  • Event name, date, time
  • Venue/location
  • Category badge
  • Town badge (when viewing area-wide)

Club HeroCards show:

  • Club name and image
  • Description and category
  • Member count

Group HeroCards show:

  • Group name and image
  • Description and category
  • Member count

Attraction HeroCards show:

  • Attraction name and image (if available)
  • Type (park, trail, lookout, museum, beach, etc.)
  • Description

Job HeroCards show:

  • Job title and business name
  • Job type, pay range, location
  • Category badges

Mobile Experience

Mobile-Specific Features

Voice Search (Ask Bar only):

  • Tap microphone icon on the Ask Bar (home page)
  • Speak your search query
  • Review transcription and tap send

Category Filter Pills:

  • Swipe the category pills left/right to scroll through them
  • Arrow indicators appear when there are more pills to scroll to
  • Tap to toggle categories on/off (multi-select)

Infinite Scroll:

  • On the Businesses and Events pages, more results load automatically as you scroll down
  • No need to tap "Next page" buttons

Troubleshooting

"No results found"

Try:

  1. Check spelling - Typos prevent matches
  2. Use simpler terms - "cafe" instead of "coffee establishment"
  3. Remove filters - May be filtering out all results
  4. Try different keywords - "salon" vs "hairdresser"
  5. Check location - May be searching wrong town

Still no results?

  • Browse categories instead
  • Use the Ask Bar for natural language
  • Try nearby towns

"Too many results"

Refine with:

  1. Add filters - Use category filter to narrow results
  2. Be more specific - "vegan cafe" vs just "cafe"
  3. Change town - Check you have the right town selected
  4. Sort differently - Try a different sort order

Check:

  1. Active filters - May be filtering unexpectedly
  2. Search term spelling - Autocorrect may have changed it
  3. Location setting - May be searching wrong area

Fix:

  • Clear all filters and try again
  • Retype search query carefully
  • Change town selection if needed

Search vs Ask Bar

Use Traditional Search When

  • You know exactly what you're looking for
  • Searching by business name
  • Browsing by category
  • Need precise filters

Use Ask Bar When

  • Asking a question
  • Want recommendations
  • Need context-aware results
  • Prefer natural language

Tip: Both tools work great together! Start with Ask Bar for ideas, then use search + filters to refine.

Best Practices

1. Start Broad, Then Narrow

Step 1: "restaurants"
Step 2: Add filter: Tap a category
Step 3: Change sort order if needed

Why: Easier to narrow down than expand

2. Save Good Finds

When you find great businesses:

  1. Save to favorites
  2. Access quickly later
  3. Build your local collection

3. Use Location Wisely

Your town selection determines results:

  • Change your selected town in the header to see different results
  • Use the area-wide toggle to see results from your Local Regional Area
  • Use the hometown toggle to switch back to your home town when traveling

Next Steps

Now that you've mastered search:

Happy searching!

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