We’ve just added an exciting new feature to Smart Directory Pro called Smart Search, and we can’t wait for you to try it.
This upgrade makes finding the perfect business in your directory easier, faster, and way more accurate—thanks to a little help from AI.
Don’t worry, we’ll keep this simple and show you how it works!
What is Smart Search?
Smart Search is like a super-smart librarian for your directory. Instead of just looking for exact words in a search (like “coffee shop”), it understands what people mean when they type something.
It looks at everything about a business—its name, description, categories, location, services, and even customer reviews—to find the best matches.
So, if someone searches for “cozy place to eat,” it’ll find businesses that fit that vibe, even if those exact words aren’t used.
How Does It Work?
This feature is powered by OpenAI and uses embedding to make the magic happen!
Here’s how:
Learning About Your Listings:
When you add or update a business listing, Smart Search reads all the details—title, description, and reviews—and turns them into a special “map” that our AI understands. This happens automatically in the background.
Understanding Searches:
When someone types a search, like “friendly coffee shop near me,” Smart Search creates a similar “map” for that phrase.
Finding the Best Matches:
It compares the search “map” to all your business “maps” and picks the top matches—super fast! You get results that make sense, not just random keyword/category hits.
The best part? It’s already built into your plugin, and it uses the same AI setup you’re already using for other features in the backend. We just switched to a different, budget-friendly AI model (called text-embedding-ada-002) to make this search magic happen.
Why You’ll Love It
Smarter Results:
Searches like “great food” or “relaxing spot” will find businesses based on reviews and descriptions, not just titles.
Reviews Matter:
Customer feedback is included, so a business with rave reviews about “amazing service” can pop up for searches like “best service in town.”
Easy to Use:
No extra work for you—it’s all automatic once you turn it on.
You’re in Control:
Head to Settings > Smart Search in your WordPress admin to switch it on or off whenever you want.
How Much Does It Cost?
Smart Search is super affordable:
- One-Time Setup: It costs about $0.02 to process 1,000 business listings (including reviews) the first time. That’s pennies!
- Every Search: Each search costs less than a tiny fraction of a cent (about $0.000002). Even with 1,000 searches a day, it’s just a couple cents a month.
- Track It: You can see all the costs in your OpenAI usage dashboard, right alongside the other AI features you’re using.
How to Get Started
- Update Your Plugin: Make sure you’ve got the latest version of Smart Directory Pro.
- Turn It On: Go to Settings > Smart Search in your WordPress admin and check the “Enable Smart Search” box.
- Watch It Work: Add or update a few listings, then try a search like “best pizza” or “quiet cafe.” You’ll see the difference!
If you’ve already got listings, the plugin will process them the first time you save them—or you can ask us how to do them all at once (it’s easy!).
Why We Added This
We know your directory is all about connecting people with the right businesses. Smart Search makes that happen better than ever, using reviews and details to really understand what your visitors are looking for. It’s simple, affordable, and powerful—and we think you and your users are going to love it.
Have questions? Drop us a line in the support forum or email us at [your support email]. Happy searching!
