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Search (Manual & Auto)

Manual search is a custom, on-demand query you enter each time across your plan’s communities. Auto Search runs scheduled passes for your saved brand setup - sites, lookback, and phrases from Settings - so you see new posts without retyping a manual query.

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The dashboard Search section has two tabs:

  • Manual search - You run a custom search on demand: enter a query for this run, pick platforms and a timeframe, then go. Results stream live with sentiment and intent. Counts toward manual search run limits. Requires an active subscription. Results stay in your browser session only-they are not saved to your account or mixed into the Auto Search tab.

  • Auto Search - Uses your brand’s saved setup (sites, cadence, lookback, and phrases in Settings) so Needle collects new posts on a schedule without you re-entering that manual query. Each pass ranks threads and surfaces intent, sentiment, and competitor names in the post when you have saved competitors. The Auto tab shows the latest posts from those passes; the header shows status. Optional digest alerts (connected chat apps or webhooks your plan supports) can notify you when there are new matches since the last digest. Configure run frequency, sites, lookback, digest cadence, and destinations under Dashboard → Settings.

During your 7-day free trial: your first Auto Search run starts as soon as onboarding finishes, and scheduled runs continue on the Solo schedule for the whole trial. When the trial ends, runs pause and resume the moment you subscribe.

Every result shows sentiment and buying intent so you can focus on people actively looking for solutions.

Supported platforms

Sources include up to 13 communities: Reddit, Hacker News, GitHub, Stack Overflow, Product Hunt, YouTube, Tumblr, X (Twitter), LinkedIn, Mastodon, Bluesky, Lobsters, and Forums (YouTube, Tumblr and Forums from Growth; X and LinkedIn on Scale). Exact availability depends on your plan - see Plans and limits and Pricing.

For audience data, example searches, and etiquette per community, see the Platforms hub (e.g. Reddit, Hacker News, Stack Overflow).

  1. Open Manual search.
  2. Enter keywords or short phrases that match how people talk - e.g. people looking for Notion alternatives or customer support software too expensive.
  3. Select platforms (defaults depend on your plan).
  4. Choose a timeframe (Solo: up to 24 hours; Growth: up to 7 days; Scale: up to 30 days).
  5. Run the search. Results stream in with sentiment and intent. They are not stored as search history-export or act on them during the session if you need a copy.

Auto Search (scheduled for your brand)

Auto Search shows the latest posts Needle has collected for the active brand from its automatic runs, using the saved sites, phrases, and schedule from Settings - not the ad hoc keywords from your last manual search unless you aligned them on purpose.

  • How often, digest alerts, sites, how far back: Set how often Needle runs again, which sites it searches, how far back each pass looks, and optional digest alert destinations and cadence in Dashboard → Settings.
  • Limits: Each manual search you start counts toward your manual search run quota. Automatic Auto Search runs do not consume that quota.

Digest alerts (Auto Search only)

Digest alerts are optional notifications when Auto Search finds new public posts for your brand since the last digest (subject to your digest cadence and plan rules). They help you act on fresh threads without opening the app every time.

  • Where to configure: Dashboard → Settings (brand / notifications) - connect supported destinations, set digest frequency where your plan allows interval digests, and keep Auto Search run cadence in sync with digest rules shown in the UI.
  • Typical destinations by tier: Google Chat on Solo; Slack, Discord, and Google Chat on Growth; Slack, Discord, Google Chat, and Microsoft Teams webhooks on Scale. Always confirm the current matrix on Pricing.
  • Manual search: One-off manual runs do not generate these scheduled digest alerts; use the in-app Manual search tab for immediate results.

Filters and results

  • Sentiment - Find frustration (opportunity) or satisfaction.
  • Intent - High scores mean stronger readiness to act.
  • Export - Growth and Scale include exports where listed on Pricing.

Reply drafts

Use Draft reply on a result card for two short suggestions from your brand profile. You control tone and product mention, including a pure value mode.

Draft generations count toward reply-draft limits on your plan (see Plans and limits).

Best practices

  • Use problem language, not only your product name.
  • Combine negative sentiment and high intent for outreach prioritization.
  • Try different timeframes to catch fresh threads.

Frequently asked questions

What platforms does Search support?

Needle searches 8 communities in one search on Solo, 11 on Growth, and 13 on Scale (Reddit, Stack Overflow, Hacker News, GitHub, Product Hunt, Mastodon, Bluesky and Lobsters on every plan; YouTube, Tumblr and Forums from Growth; X and LinkedIn on Scale). The exact list and per-plan access are on Plans and limits and the Pricing page.

How do I get better search results?

Use specific keywords and phrases that describe the problem or intent (e.g. "looking for alternatives to X", "frustrated with Y"). Choose a timeframe that matches how often the topic is discussed. Use sentiment and intent to focus on high-intent conversations.

What are AI reply drafts and does Needle post for me?

Each result card can open Draft reply for two AI suggestions based on your brand settings. You paste on the platform yourself - Needle does not auto-post or send DMs.

What is the anti-ban reply engine?

It is how we approach reply drafts: human-in-the-loop only, tone and product-mention controls (including a pure-help mode), and language aimed at natural participation - not automated blasting. Follow each platform's rules.

What are manual search limits?

Manual Search counts toward plan limits (daily search runs, max results per run). See Plans and limits and Pricing for current numbers.

What is the difference between Manual search and Auto Search?

Manual search is a custom run on demand: you enter a new query for that run, pick platforms and timeframe, and results stream live; each run counts toward manual search limits. Auto Search uses the saved phrases, sites, lookback, and schedule for your brand in Settings - not the ad hoc keywords from your last manual search unless you aligned them on purpose. Digest alerts (optional) can notify you when Auto Search finds new posts since the last digest. Automatic Auto Search passes do not use manual search quota.

What is Auto Search and brands?

Auto Search runs scheduled passes for your brand using the sites, lookback, and phrases you save in Settings (not the free-form query you typed for a one-off manual search). Each pass fetches new public posts and scores them with sentiment and buying intent. If you add competitors in Settings, posts can also show when those names appear in the text. Those automatic runs do not count toward manual search run quotas. Paid plans support up to 5 brand profiles depending on your tier (Solo includes 1 brand, Growth includes up to 3 brands, while Scale includes up to 5 brands, with Enterprise upgrades available for more).

What are competitor mentions?

When you save competitors for a brand, Needle can surface when those names appear in a post - helpful for comparisons and switching intent. Only public posts are included.

Where do I configure digest notifications and alerts?

Under Dashboard → Settings for your brand: connect supported chat or webhook destinations (Slack, Discord, Google Chat, Microsoft Teams - plan-dependent; not account email), choose digest cadence (where your plan uses interval digests), and review Auto Search run frequency. Digest alerts only fire for Auto Search when there are new posts since the last digest; they are not sent for individual manual searches.

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