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ScaleGrowth

Using Saved Searches and Personalized Digests for Member-Centered Discovery

About

In addition to automatic recommendations, ScaleGrowth offers powerful tools for member-driven discovery – giving your members direct control over what they’re searching for and how they stay updated.

Content

Overview

This guide covers:

What Saved Searches are and how they work
How members can subscribe to personalized digests
Why these features are essential for high-intent, recurring engagement
Best practices for platform admins

🧭 What Is a Saved Search?

Saved Searches allow members to define and save specific filter criteria within a content space – such as a listings board, opportunity hub, or member directory.

Think of it like saving a house-hunting search on Zillow or a product filter on Amazon: “Show me all open opportunities related to marketing in California.”

Once saved, members can return to that search anytime without having to reset filters manually.

💌 What Are Personalized Digests?

After creating a Saved Search, members can subscribe to email or in-app digests that alert them whenever new content matches their criteria.

This enables:

Ongoing, high-intent discovery
Re-engagement without needing to log in frequently
Trust that “the system is working for them”

Example: A member is looking for mentorship opportunities tagged “startups.” With a saved search + digest, they’ll automatically be notified whenever a new opportunity is posted that matches this interest.

🔁 How Saved Searches + Digests Work Together

Saved Search: Member defines exactly what they’re looking for

Digest Subscription: Member gets notified when something new fits that search

This combo shifts discovery from passive (“I’ll go look”) to proactive (“The system tells me when something relevant appears”).

🔧 Admin Setup

Where Saved Searches Work:

Saved Searches are enabled within content-driven spaces, such as:

Listings
Events
Opportunities
Member directories

These spaces must be:

Searchable
Filterable via smart fields or tag sets

How to Ensure Saved Searches Work Well:

Use structured smart fields (not just free text)
Clearly label filters (e.g. “Topic,” “Location,” “Format”)
Tag content consistently so searches return relevant results

🧑 💻 Member Experience

A member visits a searchable content space
They apply filters based on what they’re looking for
They click “Save this search”
Optionally, they choose to subscribe to updates
They receive notifications as matching content is published

Members can manage their saved searches and notification preferences via their account settings.

🔁 Why This Matters for Engagement

Saved Searches and Personalized Digests are especially valuable when:

Members have specific needs or goals
Content is updated regularly
The platform includes dynamic, time-sensitive listings

This feature helps reduce churn by:

Keeping members engaged even when they’re not actively browsing
Reinforcing that the platform is continuously serving their interests
Creating recurring, high-value touch points

🔍 Best Practices

Do:

Make key fields searchable and well-labeled
Encourage members to save searches during onboarding or first visit
Set up digest-friendly spaces (e.g., opportunities, resources)
Use digest emails to drive re-engagement

Don't:

Rely on free text alone
Expect members to browse without guidance
Leave listing areas unstructured or inconsistently tagged
Leave saved searches isolated from comms strategy

🧠 Pro Tip: Saved Searches vs. Recommendation Engine

Think of Saved Searches as explicit discovery – the member is telling the system what they want.

Whereas the Recommendation Engine provides automated suggestions, Saved Searches + Digests create an experience where:

Members are in control
Notifications are personalized
The platform feels responsive to individual goals

The two systems work in harmony – one proactive, one reactive.