Guide
Search synonyms: match the words your shoppers use.
Your product titles use your words; shoppers use theirs. Synonyms tell the search engine that "sofa" and "couch" mean the same thing, so a search for either finds both. A short, well-chosen list fixes a large share of failed searches.
Two-way and one-way synonyms
A two-way synonym treats the words as equal: "sofa" finds couches and "couch" finds sofas. A one-way synonym only expands in one direction: "shoes" can include "sneakers", but "sneakers" shouldn't show dress shoes. Use one-way synonyms when one word is broader than the other.
Where to find the right words
Start with the most frequent failed searches, not with a dictionary. A synonym nobody searches for does nothing.
- Your searches with no results: the best source by far
- Searches with results but no clicks: shoppers found the wrong things
- Regional words ("trainers" and "sneakers", "jumper" and "sweater")
- Brand names used as product names
- Abbreviations ("tv", "usb c", "xl")
Mistakes to avoid
After adding a synonym, run the search yourself and check the first results.
- Adding words that are related but not the same ("phone" and "phone case")
- Using synonyms to fix typos, which typo tolerance already handles
- Very long groups that make every search return everything
Synonyms in Gazelle
In Gazelle you add a word and the words it should also match; add the reverse entry for a two-way synonym. The dashboard also suggests synonyms from searches shoppers repeated with a different word right after a failed one. Synonyms are on the Pro and Business plans.
Questions
- Do synonyms fix spelling mistakes?
- They can, but typo tolerance is the better tool: it catches misspellings you'd never think to list.
- How many synonyms does a store need?
- Usually a few dozen groups cover most failed searches. Add them as your no-results report shows new gaps.
Related
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