> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.theregiononline.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Search and Filter Businesses on The Region Online

> Use keywords, location, category, and open-status filters to narrow your search in The Region Online business directory and find exactly what you need.

The Region Online business directory includes a full set of search and filter tools that help you zero in on the right business fast. This page walks you through every available filter option, explains how to combine them, and covers common troubleshooting questions.

## Available Filters

The filter panel sits above the listing results at [theregiononline.com/listing/](https://theregiononline.com/listing/). You can use one filter at a time or combine several to get highly specific results.

### Keywords

Type any word or phrase into the keyword search field to search business names and descriptions. This is the quickest way to find a specific business by name or to look for businesses that mention a particular service.

**Examples:**

* `pizza` — returns restaurants and food businesses that mention pizza
* `The Juarez Agency` — finds that specific business by name
* `travel` — surfaces travel agencies and related services

### Location / City

Use the **"Where to look?"** field to filter listings by city or area. Select from the available NW Indiana cities to show only businesses in that location.

**Cities available include:**

* Merrillville
* Hobart
* Highland
* Crown Point
* Schererville
* And additional NW Indiana communities

### Category

The category filter lets you browse one type of business at a time. Choose from options such as:

* **Food & Drinks**
* **Home Services**
* **Medical Services**
* **Shopping**
* And other categories available in the dropdown

Selecting a category instantly updates the results to show only businesses in that group.

### Open Status

Enable the **"Open Now"** filter to show only businesses that are currently open at the time of your search. This is especially useful when you need something right away and don't want to call ahead to check hours.

### Order By

Control the order in which results appear using the **Order By** dropdown:

| Option | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Relevance** | Ranks results based on how closely they match your search terms |
| **Recently Added** | Shows the newest listings first |

## How to Apply Filters

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the directory">
    Go to [theregiononline.com/listing/](https://theregiononline.com/listing/) to load the full business directory.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter a keyword (optional)">
    Type a business name, service, or topic into the keyword search field.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set your location (optional)">
    Click the **"Where to look?"** field and select a city from the list.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose a category (optional)">
    Open the category dropdown and select the type of business you're looking for.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Toggle Open Now (optional)">
    Enable the **Open Now** filter if you only want to see businesses that are currently open.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Choose your sort order (optional)">
    Use the **Order By** dropdown to sort by relevance or recently added.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review your results">
    The listing panel updates automatically as you apply each filter. Scroll through the results to find what you need.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How to Clear Filters

When you want to start a fresh search, click the **Clear** button in the filter panel. This resets all active filters — keyword, location, category, open status, and sort order — and returns the full directory.

<Tip>
  If your search is returning too few results, try removing one filter at a time rather than clearing everything at once. This helps you identify which filter is being too restrictive.
</Tip>

## Frequently Asked Questions

<Accordion title="Why aren't there any results for my search?">
  A few things can cause an empty result set:

  * **Your keyword is too specific.** A misspelling or very narrow phrase may not match any listings. Try a broader term — for example, use `kitchen` instead of `Southern kitchen restaurant`.
  * **Filters are too restrictive in combination.** You may have a city selected that has no businesses in the chosen category. Try removing the location filter or category filter one at a time.
  * **Open Now is enabled.** If you have Open Now turned on, businesses that are currently closed won't appear even if they match your other filters. Turn off Open Now to see all matching businesses regardless of hours.
  * **The business hasn't been listed yet.** Not every business in the Region has claimed or been added to the directory. If you know a business that should be listed, encourage them to [add their listing](/businesses/create-listing).
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="Can I search by ZIP code or neighborhood?">
  The directory's location filter currently works at the city level. You can select cities like Merrillville, Hobart, Highland, Crown Point, or Schererville, but there is no ZIP code or neighborhood-level filter at this time.

  If you're looking for businesses near a specific spot within a city, switch to **Map View** and zoom into your area of interest to see pins for nearby businesses. See [Map View](/explore/map-view) for details.
</Accordion>

<Accordion title="What does 'Order by Relevance' mean?">
  When you sort by **Relevance**, the directory ranks results based on how well each listing matches your keyword and filter selections. Businesses whose names or descriptions closely match your search terms appear higher in the list. If no keyword is entered, relevance ordering may default to a general ranking order set by the platform.
</Accordion>


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