Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Loclie in 5 minutes! This guide covers everything you need to know to start discovering your local community.

Time to complete: 5 minutes

What is Loclie?

Loclie is your local community directory. Find businesses, discover events, and connect with what's happening in your town using AI-powered search.

Perfect for:

• Residents - Discover local businesses and events
• Visitors - Find things to do and places to visit
• Business Owners - Manage your business listing
• Event Organizers - Promote community events

1. Select Your Town (30 seconds)

The first thing to do:

1. Look at the header at the top of the page
2. You'll see a town selector button with a map pin icon (e.g., "Cobram" or "Select Town")
3. Tap it to open the town selection modal, then search and select your town
4. Or allow location access when prompted to auto-detect your nearest town

Why this matters:

• Shows you relevant businesses and events
• Focuses search results on your area
• Provides accurate distance calculations

2. Try the Ask Bar (1 minute)

The fastest way to find anything

How to Use It

1. Look for the Ask Bar on the homepage (prominent search input below the Loclie pin mascot)
2. Type a question in plain English or use voice search:
   • "Where can I get coffee?"
   • "What's happening this weekend?"
   • "Best Italian restaurant?"
   • "Hardware stores open now?"
3. Press Enter or tap the Send button. Tap the microphone icon for voice input.
4. Get instant, AI-powered results

Examples

Finding Businesses:

• "Coffee shops near me" → Shows nearby cafes, sorted by distance

Finding Events:

• "What's on this weekend?" → Shows upcoming events in your town

Specific Queries:

• "Vegan restaurants open on Sunday" → Shows vegan restaurants with Sunday hours

3. Browse and Discover (2 minutes)

Browse Businesses

To find businesses by category:

1. Tap the Explore tab in the bottom navigation to open its submenu
2. Tap Businesses in the submenu
3. Use the scrollable category pills at the top to filter by category (you can select multiple)
4. Use the search bar to search by business name
5. Use the sort dropdown to change sort order (by name or newest)

Categories are loaded from the database and include options such as restaurants, cafes, retail, services, accommodation, and more.

Explore Events

Find what's happening:

1. Tap the Discover tab in the bottom navigation to open its submenu (Events is under Discover)
2. Tap Events in the submenu
3. Browse events organized into time-based sections: On Now, This Week, and Coming Up
4. Filter by:
   • Category: Use the scrollable category pills to filter by type
   • Search: Use the search bar to find specific events
   • Area: Toggle between your town only and Local (area-wide) using the toggle at the top
5. Use the sort dropdown to change sort order

See event details:

• Tap any event for full information
• Date, time, and location
• Description and photos
• Save to favorites

View Business Details

Click any business to see:

• Address and hours
• Phone number and website
• Photos
• Business category
• Map location
• "Save to Favorites" button

4. Save Your Favorites (30 seconds)

Build your personal list of places

How to Save

1. Find a business you like
2. Click the heart icon or "Save to Favorites" button
3. The business is now saved

View Your Favorites

1. Go to your Dashboard (tap your name in the header on mobile, or hover over the Account dropdown on desktop and click "Dashboard")
2. Click "Favorites" in the quick actions
3. See all your favorites in one place, filterable by type (businesses, events, amenities, attractions)

No account needed for browsing, but you'll need one to save favorites and create events. → Create an account in 2 minutes

5. Try Voice Search (1 minute)

Use natural language to find what you need

How to Use Voice Search

1. Open the Ask Bar
2. Click the microphone icon
3. Speak your question naturally
4. See AI-powered results instantly

Example voice queries:

• "Coffee shops near me"
• "What events are happening today?"
• "Show me Italian restaurants"
• "Find hardware stores"

→ Learn more about the Ask Bar

Key Features at a Glance

For Everyone

For Business Owners

For Event Organizers

Common Tasks

"I want to find a specific type of business"

Option 1: Ask Bar

• Type: "Hardware stores in Byron Bay"

Option 2: Businesses Page

• Go to "Businesses" → Use the scrollable category pills to filter → Search by name

Option 3: Search

• Use the search bar on the Businesses page

"I want to know what's happening this weekend"

Option 1: Ask Bar

• Type: "What's on this weekend?"

Option 2: Events Page

• Tap "Events" → Browse the "This Week" section

"I want to claim my business"

1. Go to the Manage portal and sign in with your Loclie account
2. Navigate to Claim a Business
3. Search for your business and select it
4. Fill out the claim form and provide verification documents
5. Wait for approval (usually 1-2 business days)
6. Once approved, manage your listing from the Manage portal

→ Full claiming guide

"I want to create an event"

1. Go to the Manage portal and navigate to your Event Dashboard
2. Tap "Create New Event"
3. Fill out event details:
   • Name and description
   • Date and time
   • Venue name and address
   • Category
4. Add photos (optional)
5. Submit for approval
6. Your event goes live on app.loclie.com.au once approved

→ Event creation guide

Pro Tips

Search Like a Pro

Be specific:

• ❌ "food"
• ✅ "pizza places open now"

Use natural language:

• "Where can I get my car serviced?"
• "Best playground for kids?"
• "Quiet cafe with wifi?"

Filter your results:

• By distance ("near me")
• By time ("open now", "open Sunday")
• By features ("outdoor seating", "gluten-free")

Use on Any Device

Access on mobile:

• Visit app.loclie.com.au on any mobile browser
• Works great on phones and tablets
• Save to home screen for app-like experience

Mobile features:

• Voice search via Ask Bar
• Location-aware recommendations
• One-tap call and directions
• Mobile-first responsive design

Quick Reference

Mobile Navigation

The bottom navigation has four main tabs: Home, Discover, Explore, and Profile.

• Home - Return to the homepage
• Discover - Opens a submenu with: Clubs, Events, Groups, Jobs
• Explore - Opens a submenu with: Town, Amenities, Attractions, Businesses
• Profile - Go to your dashboard and profile

Tapping the centre pin (when the arch is expanded) opens the "What's On" popup showing active campaigns and upcoming events in your area. Tapping it again closes the popup.

To return Home, tap the Loclie logo in the top-left of the header.

Next Steps

Now that you know the basics:

1. Take the full platform tour - See all features
2. Learn advanced search - Find anything faster
3. Set up your profile - Personalize your experience

Or jump right in:

• Start searching for businesses
• Browse upcoming events
• Save your first favorites

Need Help?

Common questions:

• Can't find your business?
• Login issues?
• General FAQ

Get support:

• Use the Help button in the app to send a support message

That's it! You're ready to explore your local community with Loclie.

Happy discovering!