Troubleshooting: Member Keyword Search Result Issues

Link: https://support.brilliantdirectories.com/support/solutions/articles/12000087485

Important Note: This is a continuation of the Member Search Result Issues Overview article hence we highly recommend our users go over the original article before diving into specific search result issues.


How to Conduct a Keyword Search

Keyword searches can be conducted from any search module that offers a keyword search field, such as the Name or Keyword field in the website header:


The website header with the Name or Keyword search field highlighted.


How To Troubleshoot Keyword Search Issues

If a keyword search has been conducted and expected members are not appearing in the search result, here are a few things to check that might play a role in this:


Check How The Name Was Typed

When a keyword of 2 to 5 different words is searched, a member matches when every typed word appears somewhere in the member's first name, last name or company name, in any order. A middle name, a second last name or a different word order does not prevent the match.


For example, a member saved with the first name "Susan" and the last name "Warren Warshow" is found by a search for "Susan Warshow", and also by "Warshow Susan":


A search for Susan Warshow returning the member Susan Warren Warshow, with the typed keyword and the stored name highlighted.



A few details on how the words are matched:

  • Words are separated by spaces, and a word typed twice is only counted once.
  • Each word can match part of a longer word, so "Warsh" also matches "Warshow".
  • Every word has to be found. A search for "Susan Smith" does not return this member, because "Smith" is not in her name or company name.
  • Only the first name, last name and company name are checked word by word. A word that appears only in other profile fields, such as About Me, does not count toward this match.
  • A keyword of a single word, or of 6 or more words, is not split into words: it only matches where it appears exactly as typed, as one continuous piece of text.
  • A keyword that appears exactly as typed still matches as before, so this only adds results.


Check The Category Keyword Searches Search Setting

The Category Keyword Searches setting under Settings » General Settings » Search Settings plays an important role in member search results:


Settings, General Settings, Search Settings tab with the Category Keyword Searches setting set to Strict Match.


The Strict Match keyword search will return the category results if the keyword is an exact match for a category or a category keyword. If the user searches for a keyword that is not an exact match, it will continue looking through the rest of the member profiles and return members whose name or company name matches the keyword.


Let's use the member down below for example with the name Johnny Cook, who selected the sub-level category Fine Dining Restaurants:


Johnny Cook's public profile on the Specialties tab, with Fine Dining Restaurants highlighted in his list of categories.


If the user conducts a keyword search with the wording "fine dining", this member will not show up in the search result:


A search for fine dining under Strict Match showing the message that no results were found.


The reason for that is the Category Keyword Searches setting is set to Strict Match and there are no exact matches for a category or a category keyword. Under My Members » Member Categories » Sub Level, the category name is "Fine Dining Restaurants" (1), not "fine dining", and the category has no related keywords (2):


Member Categories, Sub Level tab filtered to fine dining, showing the category name Fine Dining Restaurants and an empty Related Keywords field.


If the user conducts a search for "fine dining restaurants" instead, the member specified will indeed show up in this keyword search result:


A search for fine dining restaurants under Strict Match returning Johnny Cook.


As this is an exact match with the sub-level category named "Fine Dining Restaurants", this member is selected.


Let's change the Category Keyword Searches setting to Broad Match instead and see the difference:


The Category Keyword Searches setting changed to Broad Match on the Search Settings tab.


The Broad Match keyword search will return the results if a keyword is a match for the start of a category name or category keyword.


If the user conducts a keyword search again with the wording "fine dining", the member specified will indeed show up in this search result this time:


A search for fine dining under Broad Match returning Johnny Cook.


For more information regarding the differences between the Broad and Strict Match keyword searches, please refer to the article down below where this is explained in detail with additional examples:


Member Keyword Search Type


Check If The Expanded Keyword Search Add-On Is Enabled

If the Expanded Keyword Search add-on is enabled on the site, under Dashboard » Manage Add-Ons:


Dashboard, Manage Add-Ons filtered to expanded, showing the Expanded Keyword Search add-on with Status: Active.


And the Member Listing post type is set to search custom fields, wordings saved in default fields like About Me, Phone Number, or custom fields created on the site will all be taken into consideration. This option is under My Content » Edit Post Settings » Member Listing » Edit » Search Results Design (1) » Additional Settings » Post Keyword Search Options, set to Search Default Fields + Custom Fields (2):


The Member Listing post type on the Search Results Design tab, with Post Keyword Search Options set to Search Default Fields + Custom Fields.


Let's use the same member as an example, in the About Me section for this member, we can see the wording "Mexico" has been used:


The About section of Johnny Cook's profile, with the word Mexico highlighted in the text.


As the Expanded Keyword Search add-on is enabled and the option above is set to Search Default Fields + Custom Fields, conducting a keyword search with "Mexico" would indeed display this member as a result:


A search for Mexico returning Johnny Cook because the word appears in his About Me text.


If the option is set to Search Default Fields instead, or the add-on is disabled, the member will no longer show up on this search result:


The same search for Mexico showing no results once the option is set back to Search Default Fields.