Keywords

When the FindItNow find page opens, you will be given the opportunity to enter a search criteria that will define your search results. The first field to enter text into is the keyword field, which is headed "Find A Businesses Product Or Service"  This field may already have a search criteria showing, if this is the case you will need to highlight the text already showing within that field and enter the keyword or keywords that you wish use in your search.

You are able to use as many keywords as you would like in any one search, the more keywords you use the more refined your search results will become, however, you should remember that using too many keywords may eliminate some useful results.

When entering more than one keyword, they should be separated by a comma but there should not be any spaces between any of the keywords, unless using a phrase such as "Caravan Park ".  Any words or phrases between the commas will be searched for exactly as they are entered, that includes the spaces.  You do not need to enter any comma if you are only using one keyword in your search criteria. This field is not capital letter sensitive, so all results will be produced, regardless of upper or lower case letters being used.

Choose An Industry

The second field that may be required is the 'Choose An Industry' field.
This is a drop-down box that gives a choice of any one of the 21 industries represented.

By choosing a single industry you will restrict the search results to those businesses that have contain the entered keywords and operate within the particular chosen industry.

Alternatively, although it may take a little longer for the search to be completed, you may choose 'ALL' in the Industry field and the search engine will search all categories for the criteria you have entered in the keyword field.

Select a Search Radius (Distance in Km)

One of the really powerful options available in the Find It Now find page is the ability to select a specific distance from your present location, or a location you may specify.

This is very easy to do. All that is required is to use the drop-down box on the left side of the screen that is titled 'Search for web sites within'. 
You have the option of using the drop-down box and selecting the required distance from within that drop-down box.

Alternatively, you may use your keyboard to enter the distance you wish to search in that box. Any distance can be nominated and the search results will all be found from within the radius or circle distance that you have nominated.

For this to be effective, it is best to place the 'pin' on the map at the centre point of the radius in which you want to your search results to the found.  Please see the next section for details on how to place the pin correctly.

Placing the Search Centre Pin

Once the search radius (distance from the centre pin) has been selected you will want to select the centre point of the radius search.   When this is done, any search will start from the location of the pin on the map and locate business addresses and web sites that come within the distance from that pin that you have nominated and meet the key word criteria.

Placing the pin in the location that you want to start searching from is simply done by placing the mouse pointer over the pin that is showing on the map on your screen, holding down your right mouse button and moving the pin to the location you want the centre of the search radius to start, then release the mouse button.

Once the pin is in the location you want the search to start from, just click the 'Find' button and the find engine will locate the businesses and web sites that meet the criteria you have entered and also fall within a search radius circle.

It really is that simple!

Click image for larger view

Click image for larger view

Nominating a Search Centre Location

The spatial or radius search can also the made from a specified location.

For example, if you wish to search for any business or item within a specified distance of your home or office . you may specify the street address, which will then become the centre 'Pin' from which your search will commence.

The location or centre of your search using this method can be anywhere within Australia. It is not always necessary to complete all fields in the specific location search panel, however if there is insufficient information provided to the find engine it is possible that the centre point of the search area may not be accurate.

Once you have used a specific location and clicked on the 'Find' button, it is possible to zoom in on the map using the Slide control on the right. By doing this, you should be able to see the 'Pin' located in exactly where you nominated on the map.

Later within this help page, a full description is given on how to zoom in and move the map around.

Search Results Display

To the find it now search engine completes its search . it will display the results in three ways.

(1) All results that meet the search criteria shall be displayed as blue or grey dots on the map within the specified radius or distance from the centre pin. 

Blue dots represent businesses that have a web site went to be Find It Now Online Business Directory and by clicking on the blue dot or selecting the business from the list, you will be taken to the existing web site of that business. 

Grey dots represent businesses that are listed on the Find It Now Online Business Directory and do not have a linked web site.  A business with a grey dot only displays the name, address and contact number of that business.

Businesses with grey dots can easily upgrade their listing to a link to their existing web site or to a self managed web site supplied by Find It Now.

(2) In addition to the map the search results are also listed in a scroll box below the map.  The listings with web site links are listed in blue text and in priority order above the businesses without web sites.

(3) statistical information on the search results is also displayed in a window. This information includes the number of businesses located within the search area that met the criteria and informs that only the closest 200 results have been listed. If the results are two broad order to many possibilities . it is recommended that the keywords be refined even further, to get results that

When listing the web sites, the Find It Now 'Find Engine' first lists all businesses that meet the criteria and have existing web sites linked to the business by placing a blue dot on the map at that businesses location. If there is less than 200 results of businesses with web sites, businesses without web sites shall be listed as grey dots, however if there is more than a total of 200 businesses that meet the criteria, only those grey dots that are closest to the centre pin shall be displayed. This may often mean, that there is a spread of blue dots around the map and then a fairly tight group of grey dots showing close to the centre pin.

Selecting Business From Map Dots

Selecting the information about the businesses is as simple as placing the mouse pointer over the dots and a small highlighted display will open at that point, which shows the businesses address and contact details.

By clicking on a blue dot, a new window will open and the web site of the business will be displayed in that window. The Find It Now 'Find Page' will remain open and the search results remain in place for further reference until that web browser window is closed or another search is conducted.

Clicking on a grey dot will result in a small window opening, which displays the business details.

Selecting Business from Displayed List

A business may also be selected from the scroll list that appears below the map.

when you click the mouse on one of the businesses within that list, the dot on the map that represents that business will turn red.   This clearly shows the location of the business that has been selected.

When you want to display the business details of the business that you have clicked on and is showing in the map window, it is a simple matter of clicking the mouse on the small button to the left of this list that says 'open website'. Once this has been done that businesses web site will open if one is linked to this business. If the business does not have a web site link to its listing, a small window will open showing the business name, address and contact details.