The search sidebar has nine filters. They all narrow your results, and understanding how is the difference between a useful shortlist and an empty page.

## The nine

**Verified DJs** — a switch. Shows only DJs who completed identity verification.

**Platinum DJs** — a switch. Shows only DJs on our top plan.

**Occasion** — the event type. **Show more** reveals the full list of fourteen.

**Genres** — twenty-eight music styles, including Christian and Caribbean.

**Hourly Rate** — a slider, shown as *Up to $X/hr*.

**Rating** — minimum star rating, from one upwards.

**Experience** — a slider, shown as *X+ years*.

**Extras** — add-ons like MC services, lighting, or a photobooth.

**Profile Tags** — descriptors DJs set or earn, like *Party Starter* or *Top-Rated Talent*.

## They stack

The key thing: filters combine. Selecting four genres shows DJs who list **all four**, not any of them. Same for extras.

This is why results empty out. If you've gone from eighty DJs to none, it's almost always genres or extras.

## Which to apply first

1. **Location** — always. Everything else is pointless without it
2. **Occasion** — a wedding DJ and a club DJ are doing different jobs
3. **One or two genres** — the ones that genuinely matter
4. **Hourly rate** — set it above your comfortable number

Then stop and look at the results. Add more filters only if the list is still too long.

## The ones to be careful with

**Genres.** The most common cause of an empty page. Two is usually plenty.

**Hourly Rate.** It filters on the hourly rate, not the event total. A DJ at a higher rate for four hours can cost less than a cheaper DJ for eight. Set the slider generously.

**Verified** and **Platinum**. Both exclude everyone without the badge, including good DJs who simply haven't verified. Useful for narrowing a long list, not as a quality bar.

**Rating.** A DJ with one five-star review and one with forty four-star reviews look very different in reality. Worth reading the reviews rather than relying on the filter.

## Clearing them

**Clear all** in the sidebar resets everything. **Adjust** reopens Guided Search with your answers.

## What isn't a filter

**Availability.** Search doesn't know your date — you find out when you send a request.

**Sorting.** Results aren't sortable.

## Sharing your search

**Share this search** gives you a link with your filters, useful if you're choosing with someone else.