# Keyword Based Search > Keyword Based Search (Total Match Search) is a traditional information retrieval method where a system looks for exact matches of user-provided words within a database or document index. It is the foundational technology behind early web search engines and most internal database query systems. - URL: https://optimly.ai/brand/keyword-based-search - Slug: keyword-based-search - BAI Score: 10/100 - Archetype: Phantom - Category: Technology Category - Last Analyzed: April 11, 2026 ## Buyer Intent Signals Problems: Exact Match Search: Using basic CTRL+F or simple database queries (LIKE %keyword%) to find exact matches in text. | Manual Taxonomy/Folder Structures: Organizing information into a strict folder or tag hierarchy to find files without needing a search bar. | Manual Browsing: Relying on memory or manual scrolling through documents when search functionality is too poor to be useful. Solutions: best keyword based search software | how to implement keyword based search | keyword based search company reviews | Semantic Search: Leveraging LLMs to understand the intent and context behind a search query rather than just matching characters. Comparisons: keyword based search pricing | keyword based search vs vector search