One of the best ways to improve your store’s shopping experience is to make it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. Your site’s navigation plays a key role here, but many customers are in a rush—they’ll skip browsing and head straight to the search bar.
Shopify’s free Search & Discovery app is one of the most powerful tools for optimising search functionality, making it easier for customers to find the right products and ultimately increasing sales.
Here are four powerful ways to use the Search & Discovery app (which is 100% free!) to improve your website’s user experience and grow conversions.
1. Create synonym search term groups for smarter, more intuitive search results
People use different words and phrases when searching for products. For example, one customer might type “running shoes” while another searches for “sneakers” or “trainers”. If your product titles don’t match their search terms, they might not find what they’re looking for—unless you set up synonym groups using Shopify’s Search & Discovery app.
With synonym mapping, you can:
- Link similar terms so that all relevant products appear in search results.
- Help customers find what they need, even if they use different phrasing.
- Reduce lost sales due to incorrect or inconsistent search terms.
This feature ensures your search function works smarter, not harder, leading to a seamless and frustration-free shopping experience.
2. Use product boosts to highlight key promotions
A fantastic way to use Search & Discovery is by prioritising specific products in search results, making it easier for customers to find the items you want to promote.
For example, if you’re running a Valentine’s Day sale, you can configure the app so that when someone searches for “valentine’s gifts” or “love”, your best-selling Valentine’s Day products appear at the top of the search results.
This feature is especially useful for:
- Seasonal promotions (Black Friday, Christmas, Mother’s Day, etc.)
- New arrivals or featured collections
- Best-selling, viral or high-margin products
By leveraging product boosts, you can drive more traffic to key items and ensure that promotional campaigns are more effective.
3. Curate smart product recommendations to increase sales
The Recommended Products section on a product page is a prime opportunity to keep customers engaged and browsing. Shopify’s default recommendations use an algorithm to display related products, but with Search & Discovery, you can take full control over what appears in this section.
Why is this important?
- Encourages product discovery: Customers browsing one product can easily find complementary or best-selling items.
- Increases average order value: By showing products that naturally pair well together, you can encourage more purchases.
- Improves user experience: Customers don’t have to search manually for related products—they’re conveniently suggested.
Using this feature strategically, you can guide customers toward the products you know they’ll love, improving both conversion rates and overall shopping satisfaction.
4. Enhance collection pages with powerful product filters
One of Shopify’s standout features is its intuitive product filtering system, which is much easier to set up compared to platforms like WooCommerce.
With a Shopify 2.0 theme, the Search & Discovery app allows you to create robust collection filters, making it easier for customers to refine their search results by:
- Product Type (e.g., Shoes, Accessories, Home Decor)
- Tags (e.g., Sustainable, Handmade, Organic)
- Price Range (e.g., Under $50, $50–$100, Premium)
- Availability (e.g., In Stock, Pre-Order, Backorder)
- Custom Metafields (e.g., Material, Sizing, Special Features)
This functionality is a game-changer for stores with large product catalogs. Instead of endlessly scrolling, customers can filter their search and find what they need quickly and easily, leading to higher conversions and fewer abandoned sessions.
Take your store to the next level
Shopify’s Search & Discovery app is an essential tool for any store looking to optimise search, improve product discovery, and ultimately increase sales. By implementing these features, you can create a more intuitive and seamless shopping experience that keeps your customers engaged and coming back for more.
Start using this free tool today and see the difference it can make for your eCommerce business!
We can help you
At Nutmeg Studio, we craft beautifully functional Shopify stores designed to increase conversions and elevate your brand.
Learn more about our Shopify web design services here.
