AI-Powered Search & Discovery
Search that understands intent, not just keywords. Your customers type 'something red and bold for steak' and actually find the right Cab Sauv.
What It Is
Traditional search matches exact keywords. AI-powered search understands meaning. Using vector embeddings, your site's search can handle natural language queries, synonyms, and conceptual matches -- so customers find what they are looking for even when they do not know the exact terminology.
Why It Matters
Bad search means lost sales. When a tourist types 'family-friendly winery with a patio' and your keyword search returns nothing, that is a missed conversion. Semantic search understands the intent and surfaces the right results, keeping visitors on your site and moving them toward a booking or purchase.
Under the Hood
How it works
I convert your content (products, pages, documents) into vector embeddings using models like OpenAI's text-embedding-3-small. These embeddings are stored in PostgreSQL with pgvector, enabling similarity search that ranks results by semantic relevance rather than keyword frequency. The search API runs as a Next.js route handler with sub-200ms response times.
Real Examples
Use cases
How Okanagan businesses are using this.
Wine Discovery Engine
Customers describe what they want in plain language -- 'crisp white wine for seafood under $25' -- and get accurate results from your catalog. Perfect for Okanagan wine shops and wineries.
Tourism Activity Finder
Visitors search for 'things to do with kids near Penticton' and get relevant activities, tours, and experiences pulled from your inventory. No more browsing through endless category pages.
Restaurant Menu Search
Diners search for 'gluten-free pasta' or 'something spicy' and the search understands dietary needs, flavor profiles, and ingredient lists across your menu.
Real Estate Listing Discovery
Buyers describe their dream home -- 'lakefront with a dock in the South Okanagan' -- and get relevant listings ranked by how well they match, beyond just price and bedrooms.
Features
What you get
Semantic Understanding
The search understands meaning, not just keywords. 'Affordable' and 'budget-friendly' return the same results because the AI knows they mean the same thing.
Sub-200ms Results
Vector search is fast. Results appear as the user types, with no perceptible delay even on large catalogs.
Hybrid Search
Combines semantic search with traditional filters (price, date, category) so users get the best of both worlds.
Search Analytics
See what customers search for, what they click, and where they give up. Use this data to improve your content and product offerings.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Ready to add ai-powered search & discovery to your project?
Tell me what you need. I'll give you an honest hour estimate.