Search & Filters FAQs

Search and indexation

How long does it take for products to be indexed in Searchanise?

After you install Searchanise, the app automatically starts indexing your store data — products, collections, pages, and blog posts. For stores with up to 10,000 products, the first indexing usually takes 5–15 minutes. Larger catalogs may take up to an hour or slightly more, depending on the number of items and the platform API speed. For self-hosted platforms like WooCommerce, Magento, or CS-Cart, indexing time can also depend on your server performance and hosting configuration.

After the initial indexing, Searchanise automatically updates the search index whenever products are added, edited, or removed. The timing of these updates may vary depending on your platform, catalog size, and API or system processing speed.

My products aren’t appearing in Searchanise search results. What should I do?

First, check if indexing is complete in your Searchanise admin panel. If products are still missing:

• Verify they’re published and visible in your storefront.
• Check if you’ve excluded specific tags, collections, or out-of-stock items in the Searchanise admin panel > Search & Navigation section> Preferences tab.
• Run manual re-indexing in the Searchanise admin panel to ensure all recent changes are processed.
• Contact our support team with specific product examples if the issue persists.

Does Searchanise support searching by SKU or product codes?

Yes. Searchanise supports searching by SKU, variant barcode, tags, options, and other custom identifiers.

You can enable partial SKU matching and display SKUs directly in search results from the app settings.

This is especially useful for B2B stores or returning customers familiar with product codes.

Does Searchanise work with multilingual sites and translations?

Yes. Searchanise fully supports multilingual stores. It can index and display content in multiple languages, depending on your store’s setup and translation tools.

The app seamlessly integrates with the most popular translation apps and plugins on Shopify and WooCommerce.

All widget texts — such as filters, labels, and messages — can be translated in the Translations & Texts settings.

To localize your widgets and filters, check the platform-specific guide:

Does Searchanise support voice search?

For Shopify stores: Yes — Searchanise supports voice search. You can enable it in the Search and Navigation > Preferences section > Products tab in your Searchanise admin panel. Once activated, customers can search by speaking into their device, and results are processed the same way as text-based queries.

What autocomplete and typo correction features are available?

Searchanise provides instant search suggestions as users type, corrects common typos, and supports substring search (finding products even when only part of the query matches). This enhances search accuracy, enabling customers to find products more quickly. Note that typo correction is currently optimized for English-language searches.

Filters and Sorting

Why aren’t my Searchanise filters showing on collection (category) pages?

Filters are displayed only if products in the collection have attributes that match active filters (tags, options, metafields, or custom fields).

Check your Searchanise admin panel under Filters > Filter list (Filters on collections > Filter trees for Shopify) and ensure filters are enabled for collection pages.

Also, make sure the Filters on collections (Smart Navigation) feature is enabled in your theme. See more information about the feature for your platform:

• Shopify Filters on collections
• BigCommerce Smart Navigation
• WooCommerce Smart Navigation

How do I display Searchanise filters on Shopify collection pages?

There are two ways to set up filters on collection pages in your Shopify store:

1. Redirect collection links: In the Searchanise admin panel > Filters > Filters on collections section > Settings tab, enable redirect Shopify collection links. Collection pages will open Searchanise search results with filters applied.

2. Embed filters in the theme: In the same settings, choose embed HTML into Shopify template. Then in the Shopify Theme Editor, add the Searchanise Filters on collections section to your collection pages.

See Full instructions.

How do product filters and sorting work?

Filters let customers refine search results by attributes such as size, color, price, availability, or custom fields.

• Example: A product with only size M disappears if size S is selected; if it has both sizes, it remains visible.

Sorting allows results to be ordered by relevance, price, popularity, bestselling, or newest items.

• Example: Sorting by price: low to high shows the cheapest first; by bestselling, top-selling products appear first.

Can I create custom filters (e.g., by metafields)?

Yes, you can create custom filters in Searchanise on any platform. You can base filters on:

• Product attributes (e.g., size, color, material)

• Metafields / custom fields provided by your platform

• Tag prefixes (e.g., tags like Color_Red generate a “Color” filter with value “Red”)

• Variant options (e.g., size or color variants)

How can I add filters for product variants (size, color, etc.)?

Searchanise automatically provides filters for “Color” and “Size” if your products include these product options on Shopify and BigCommerce. For other variant options (e.g., material, style, custom attributes), you can create custom filters using product options in the Searchanise admin panel > Filters > Filter list section> Settings tab.

For other platforms, the filters are created automatically based on product attributes (details).

You can hide certain filters, change their order, or rename them.

Customization

Can I customize the search bar and dropdown appearance?

Searchanise is integrated directly into your theme’s search box, allowing you to customize its appearance via your theme settings.

You can adjust the style, layout, and typography of the dropdown directly in the Searchanise admin panel > Search and Navigation > Instant search widget section > Template & Style tab, making it easy to match your store’s design. For advanced customization, you can use custom CSS or HTML, or work with our team for complete design overhauls that match your brand perfectly.

How can I change Searchanise colors, fonts, or design?

Searchanise allows full visual customization of its widgets: the template, colors, and font can be changed to match your store theme through the widget customization settings. For advanced customization, you can use custom CSS (see the How to modify Searchnise widget appearance instructions ) or collaborate with our support team to create a fully customized design that perfectly fits your brand.

Can I make Searchanise match my Shopify theme design?

Yes. You can use Searchanise widget template-based styling options or apply custom CSS to align the search results interface with your store’s look and feel. Our customer support team is also available to help you achieve seamless integration with your unique theme design.

Merchandising and Marketing

What merchandising tools does Searchanise provide?

Searchanise offers several merchandising tools to promote products and boost sales:

• Product Labels – highlight special products with custom badges.

• Merchandising Rules – control product ranking in search results.

• Banners (Shopify only) – display promotional banners in search results or on collection pages.

These tools help you guide customers, emphasize promotions, and increase conversions.

How do I use banners in search results?

Banners are available only for Shopify stores. They let you promote products, collections, or campaigns in search results.

Setup:

1. Go to Searchanise admin panel > Merchandising & Promo > Banners section.

2. Click + New banner and configure: image, keywords, collections, position, and optional redirect link.

3. Apply changes.

Notes:

• Only one banner shows per search term at a time.

• Priority: exact match → partial match → default banner.

• Track performance via display count, click count, and CTR.

See the Full instructions.

Analytics

What analytics data can I get?

Searchanise provides detailed analytics, including:

• Search queries and frequency

• Queries with no results

• Clicks on products from the search

• Conversion tracking from search results

• Popular filters

Can I track what users search for and what they can’t find?

Yes. Searchanise collects search analytics, including queries that return no results. You can view this data in the Searchanise admin panel > Analytics section to identify missing products, optimize your catalog, or improve product naming and tags.