# Semantic search & instant collections

> Search your Shopify catalog by meaning, not keywords, with Awsm Collections — describe what you want in plain English and turn the results into a live, auto-updating collection in one click.

AI tools · 3 min read · Updated 2026-06-07

Canonical: https://awsmcollections.com/docs/semantic-search

**Semantic search** finds products by *meaning* instead of exact keywords. Search "cozy autumn knitwear for layering" and you'll get the right products even if none of them say "cozy" or "layering" anywhere — because the app understands what they *are*, not just what words are in the title. Better still, you can turn any search straight into a live collection.

## 1. Find the search box

The **Semantic search** card is near the top of your dashboard, with a search field.

![Find the search box](https://awsmcollections.com/docs-assets/img/semantic-search/00-search-card.png)

## 2. Describe what you want

Type a natural description — a style, an occasion, a vibe, a use case — and click **Search** (or press Enter). You'll get the closest-matching products ranked by how well they fit, each with a match percentage.

![Describe what you want](https://awsmcollections.com/docs-assets/img/semantic-search/01-search.png)

## 3. Turn the search into a collection

If the results look right, click **Create collection from this search**. The app builds a live, auto-updating collection anchored on your search and opens it in the editor.

## FAQ

### How is this different from Shopify's normal product search?

Shopify search matches words in titles, tags and descriptions. Semantic search matches *meaning*, so it finds conceptually similar products even when the wording is different.

### Does the collection it creates stay up to date?

Yes — it's a live collection that re-evaluates on every sync, so newly added matching products flow in automatically.

### What makes a good search?

Describe the concept the way a shopper would ("breathable summer running tops", "minimalist gifts under $30"), not a single keyword. More descriptive = better matches.

### Why are some products missing from results?

Search works over products the app has analyzed. Brand-new products are included once their next analysis pass runs.

### Which plan includes semantic search?

It's part of the AI toolkit on the Pro and Enterprise plans.

## Related

- [Find merchandising gaps](https://awsmcollections.com/docs/merchandising-gaps.md)
- [Build a rule-based collection](https://awsmcollections.com/docs/build-a-managed-collection.md)
- [The Autonomous AI Merchandiser](https://awsmcollections.com/docs/ai-merchandiser.md)