Generated by All in One SEO Pro v4.9.8, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # SearchWP The Best WordPress Search Plugin You Can Find ## Posts ### [Blog](https://searchwp.com/blog/) **Published:** August 1, 2013 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) --- ### [How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** September 8, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are you wondering how to search by SKU in WooCommerce? If you run a WooCommerce store, you likely know the importance of keeping your product search fast, accurate, and user-friendly. While the default WooCommerce search does a decent job, it doesn’t allow customers to search by SKU (Stock Keeping Unit). This can be a problem, especially if you deal with a large inventory where products are identified by SKUs. In this article, we’ll show you how to customize the WordPress search to enable search by SKU for your WooCommerce store. ## Why Enable Search By SKU In WooCommerce The Stock Keeping Unit, popularly known as an SKU, is a unique product identifier that is the backbone of inventory management. They help store owners, warehouse teams, and customers quickly identify and locate products. However, when SKUs aren’t searchable, it creates friction for customers who prefer using these unique identifiers, especially in B2B stores or when dealing with repeat orders. For instance: Imagine a customer who bought a specific pair of headphones last year. They still have the SKU from their receipt and want to reorder the same product. If your store doesn’t support SKU searches, customers will have to sift through categories or filters, which can lead to frustration and possibly to abandoning their purchase. Adding SKU search ensures: 1. **Shoppers search with what they already have on hand.** A customer holding a printed catalog, an old invoice, or a part number from a supplier will type that number straight into your search bar. If your search doesn’t recognize it, they’ll assume you don’t carry the item. 2. **A failed search costs you the sale.** Shoppers rarely retype a search a second or third time. Most just leave your site and buy from a competitor who makes the product easier to find. 3. **Support tickets pile up.** We’ve worked with many site owners who get the same question over and over: “Do you carry this SKU?” Enabling SKU search lets shoppers answer that question themselves. 4. **Large catalogs need it the most.** The bigger your product catalog, the more shoppers rely on exact identifiers, like SKUs, to cut through hundreds of similar-looking items. So, let’s see how to configure search by SKU in WooCommerce for your online store. ## How To Enable Search By SKU In WooCommerce The easiest way anyone can enable search by SKU in WooCommerce is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It’s the most powerful search plugin for WordPress that replaces the default WooCommerce search with an advanced, customizable engine. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-website-new-1030x554.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress search plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)One of SearchWP’s standout features is the ability to index and search custom fields, including SKUs. You can make almost all content on your site searchable, set custom search rules, and track search activity to better understand customer preferences. SearchWP is used by over 50,000 businesses worldwide to optimize their search experience and improve sales. Here are a few features of SearchWP: - [**Effortless WooCommerce integration**](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce Extension")**:** SearchWP works seamlessly with WooCommerce, enhancing search capabilities for product descriptions, images, and other key details. - [**Real-time search suggestions**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites")**:** You can display search results instantly as customers type, making it easier to find products and improve the overall shopping experience. - [**Tracking search activity**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website")**:** You can monitor search queries performed on your store to better understand customer behavior and preferences, allowing for more data-driven decisions. - [**Searchable documents and PDFs**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): You can extend the search functionality to include manuals, guides, and other files, helping customers locate valuable information effortlessly. - [**Exclude content from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress")**:** SearchWP lets you filter out irrelevant content, ensuring that customers quickly find what they’re looking for by removing non-essential results from the search experience. So let’s see step by step how to enable search by SKU in WordPress using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP To get started, you can [get the SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get the SearchWP package") that fits your needs, as different packages come with different features. From there, go to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. Go ahead and click **Download SearchWP** to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. Copy your license key while you’re there. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Install SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1.jpg)From the same page, copy your license key, as you will need it to activate the plugin later. You can proceed to [install and activate SearchWP just as any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once activated, you’ll see a welcome screen. To begin the onboarding process, click **Start Onboarding Wizard**. This will help you configure the basic settings. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Install SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)That’s it. You have successfully configured SearchWP. Now, we can proceed to the next step! ### Step 2: Install & Activate WooCommerce Integration In order to enable search by SKU in WooCommerce, we first need to make all WooCommerce products searchable. You can do that by installing and activating the WooCommerce integration of SearchWP. Do note that SKU search on your shop’s frontend needs the WooCommerce Integration extension, which is available on the Pro plan and up. From your WordPress dashboard, go to **SearchWP » Extensions**. Then, find **WooCommerce Integration** in the list and click **Install**. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")This extension routes your store’s product search through SearchWP’s engine instead of WooCommerce’s basic keyword matching. Finally, to enable search by SKU in WooCommerce, we need to configure the search engine. Let’s do that next. ### Step 3: Configure The Search Engine To Enable Search By SKU Now it’s time to tell SearchWP to actually search the SKU field. Head to **SearchWP » Algorithm**, where you’ll land on the **Engines** tab by default. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchWP-engine-customization-1.jpg)From here, click “Sources & Settings” to configure the Default search engine. A panel will open where you can confirm whether **Products** is enabled as a source. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)Next, you need to make this search engine index the content of all WooCommerce products. So, select **Products** from the list. Then, click the “Done” button after choosing sources that interest you. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg)Now, a new section titled “Products” will appear on the search engine block. The engine now indexes only the title, content, slug, author, and excerpt of products. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-4.jpg "Configure-SKU-search-step-4 - SearchWP")To make it index SKUs, you’ll need to add them as an attribute to the search source. Hence, click on the “Add/Remove Attributes” button under the Products section. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-5.jpg "Configure-SKU-search-step-5 - SearchWP")This will open up a modal popup where you can include custom fields and taxonomies. Type SKU into the “Custom Fields” field and choose the “***\_sku***” option from the drop-down menu. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-6.jpg "Add SKU custom field - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click **Done**. As you can see, our newly added ***\_sku*** attribute currently has the lowest relevance weight. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-8.jpg "Configure-SKU-search-step-8 - SearchWP")It means WordPress will give it the lowest priority in searches. Since we don’t want that to be the case, let’s set its weight to the maximum. To do so, move the slider next to the ***\_sku*** attribute all the way to the right. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 9](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-9.jpg "Configure-SKU-search-step-9 - SearchWP")Once done, press the “Save” button at the top right to save the changes you made. Depending on your specific case, SearchWP may ask you to update indexing. In that case, click the “Rebuild Index” button. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: Configure SKU search in WooCommerce Step 10](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-10.jpg "Configure-SKU-search-step-10 - SearchWP")That’s it. Now, your site visitors can find products even when they search for them using the product SKU. Let’s test our new WordPress search to make sure everything works fine. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search It’s time to test whether everything works properly. To do that, visit your website’s front end and perform a search by SKU. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ve added the “Blue Hoodie” product that has the “BH7564” SKU. Let’s see if WordPress can find this product solely by SKU. To do so, we’ll enter the “BH7564” query into the search field on our test site and press Search. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: See search by SKU in action step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-a-prodcut-sku.jpg "search for a prodcut sku - SearchWP")As you can see, we’ve successfully found the product by its SKU only. It means that WordPress now indexes the SKU attribute and considers it when performing a search. ![How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce: See search by SKU in action step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-product.jpg "we found our product - SearchWP")## Bonus: Add Live Search To Your SKU Results Once SKU search is working, you can take it a step further with the Live Search extension. You’ll want to install it from **SearchWP » Extensions**. From there, shoppers see matching products, including SKU matches, drop into a dropdown as they type instead of waiting for a full page reload. ![View live search settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-live-search-settings-1030x501.png "View live search settings - SearchWP")We cover the full setup in our guide on [how to add AJAX search to WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). Check it out if you want live results on your shop’s search bar. ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. Does WooCommerce support SKU search by default?** Not on its own. WooCommerce’s built-in search matches against the product title and description, so it doesn’t search the SKU field unless you add that capability with a plugin like SearchWP. **2. How do I add SKU search to my WooCommerce store?** Install SearchWP and the WooCommerce Integration extension (available on the Pro plan and up), then add the **\_sku** custom field to your engine’s Products source with a high relevance weight. After rebuilding your index, shoppers can search by SKU right from your shop’s search bar. **3. Why isn’t SKU search working on my site?** The most common causes are the product source not being enabled on your engine or the index not finishing its rebuild after you added the SKU field. If you’ve checked both and it’s still not working, our guide on [fixing WooCommerce search by SKU](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-search-by-sku-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step)") covers more troubleshooting steps, including issues in the admin product list. **4. Can shoppers search by a partial SKU?** Not by default, since SKU matching looks for the exact value stored in that custom field. SearchWP’s **Partial Matches** setting, found under **SearchWP » Settings**, acts as a fallback that kicks in only when an exact search returns no results, so it can help with a slightly mistyped SKU but isn’t a full substring search. ## Next Up Whether you manage a small boutique or a large-scale online shop, searching by SKU can significantly enhance the user experience and drive more sales. We hope you liked this tutorial and learned how to search by SKU in WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guides on [making a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [limiting search results to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)"). [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") to add advanced search features to your online store! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to add search by SKU in WooCommerce, how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU doesn't work, how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU isn't working, how to search by SKU in WooCommerce, how to search by WooCommerce product SKU, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search by sku, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/) **Published:** September 2, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are you wondering how to include shortcode results in WordPress search? Shortcodes are quite popular among the WordPress community. They allow website owners to show dynamic content in any post, page, or sidebar with a few clicks. The shortcodes often contain a lot of useful search-oriented content. Unfortunately, the default WordPress search engine doesn’t consider it. In this tutorial, we’ll show you step-by-step instructions on how to include shortcode results in WordPress search. ## What Are WordPress Shortcodes? Shortcodes are snippets of code enclosed in square brackets that enable you to add dynamic elements to your sites. Typically, shortcodes consist of a few words and sometimes include additional parameters. For instance: ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: Shortcode example](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/shortcode-example-2.jpg "Shortcode example - SearchWP")Shortcodes can be placed in posts, pages, or anywhere within the WordPress editor. Their functionality is determined by the active theme or plugins installed on your website. **Common Use Cases:** - Displaying image galleries with gallery plugins. - Adding contact forms with form builder plugins. - Embedding tables or other interactive elements. These small snippets provide significant flexibility without requiring advanced technical knowledge. Once placed, WordPress processes the shortcode and renders the appropriate content. Here’s an example of how a shortcode from a popular gallery plugin looks in the post editor: ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: How the WordPress shortcode looks like](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-the-wordpress-shortcode-looks-like-1.jpg "How the WordPress shortcode looks like - SearchWP")And here is what it renders on the website: ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: WordPress gallery displayed by a shortcode](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wordpress-gallery-displayed-by-a-shortcode-1.jpg "WordPress gallery displayed by a shortcode - SearchWP")The best thing about shortcodes is that you don’t even need to be a web developer or tech-savvy person to use them, but it lets you do things that a web developer normally does. To use them, check the list of available shortcodes supported by your theme or installed plugins. You can usually find them either on the plugin or theme description page or on their official website. ## Why Add Shortcode Results To WordPress Search? WordPress’s native search does check the raw text stored in a post, and that includes the literal shortcode tag. What it doesn’t do is render the shortcode first, so any text the shortcode pulls in from somewhere else, like an image caption from the media library or a product title from your store, never gets added to what search compares against. We’ve watched site owners spend hours troubleshooting a “broken” search box, only to find the missing content was sitting inside a shortcode the whole time. It’s an easy mistake to make because the content is clearly visible on the page. That gap adds up fast on a content-heavy site: 1. **Galleries lose their searchability.** Image filenames, captions, and alt text stay invisible, so a visitor searching for something they saw in a photo caption comes up empty. 2. **Page builder layouts go dark.** Complex sections built with shortcodes from Elementor, WPBakery, and similar builders can carry paragraphs of text that search never sees. 3. **Store and directory listings disappear.** Product names and descriptions pulled in through a `[products]` or ` All Access $699.00 – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Billed once per year until cancelled WPFilters  Standard – $99.00 Billed once per year until cancelled  Pro – $199.00 Billed once per year until cancelled Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Source – WPForms Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart WooCommerce Product Table Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart BetterDocs Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Source – Gravity Forms Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Flatsome Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart MyListing Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Legacy Data Removal Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart 123…6Next » ` shortcode won’t turn up in a search, which can cost you a sale. None of that helps visitors find what they need, and a search box that keeps coming up empty tends to send people looking for the back button instead. SearchWP fixes this with a single setting that tells the index to render shortcodes first and store what they output. That said, let’s look at a simple way you can include shortcodes in WordPress search. ## How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search To make shortcode content searchable, you’ll need a solution that extends WordPress’s default search capabilities, and [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best tool to do that. SearchWP is the WordPress search plugin trusted by more than 50,000 website owners, and it’s the fastest way to make shortcode content searchable without writing any code. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-website-new-1030x554.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress search plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It automatically integrates with any WordPress theme and indexes all content instantly. Using SearchWP, you can include shortcode results in WordPress with only one click. Here are a few other features of SearchWP that make it one of the most powerful WordPress search plugins: - [**Live Search Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Improve user experience with real-time search suggestions as users type. This feature accelerates the search process, making it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for and boosting engagement and conversions. - [**PDF & Document Content Search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Make PDFs and various document types, such as Office files, fully searchable. This feature is invaluable for WooCommerce stores that offer product manuals, guides, or specifications, allowing users to find needed information without having to download and open each file. - [**Customizable Search Rankings**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Adjust search result rankings to highlight priority content, such as new products or special promotions. This feature ensures that the most relevant results align with your business goals. - [**Customizable Search Results Page**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"): Personalize your search results page to better serve your visitors’ needs. Enhance the layout, add filters, or display additional product details, making the search experience more user-friendly and informative. - [**Search Insights and Analytics**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website"): Analyze search query patterns to understand visitor preferences. This insight helps tailor your content strategy, ensuring that your site aligns with user interests and increases overall engagement. Let’s take a look at how you can include shortcode results in a WordPress search. ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP First, you need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") from the official website. After purchasing, log in to your account and download the plugin ZIP file from the Downloads section of your profile. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Copy your license key from the same page, as you’ll need it later to activate the plugin. Using the plugin zip file, you can now [install and activate the SearchWP plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") like any other WordPress plugin. Once you activate the plugin, you’ll see a welcome screen to start your onboarding process. Click the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button. This will guide you through the initial setup. ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)Congratulations! You have successfully installed SearchWP on your website. Now, you’re ready to include shortcode results in WordPress search. ### Step 2: Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search From your WordPress dashboard, go to **SearchWP » Settings**. You’ll land on the **General** tab by default, which is exactly where you need to be. Scroll down until you see the **Parse Shortcodes** toggle, then switch it on. ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: Configure the settings for showing shortcode content in search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-shortcode-searchable.jpg "Enable parse shortcode - SearchWP")**Note:** Parse Shortcodes only affects classic shortcodes like the ones in this article. If your content uses the block editor’s built-in Gallery or Cover blocks instead, SearchWP already indexes that content without any extra setup. For a full walkthrough of every option on this screen, check out our [documentation on SearchWP’s settings](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/settings/ "SearchWP Documentation"). That’s it. You’ve successfully added shortcode results to the WordPress search! From now on, when a user performs a search on your website, they will find relevant content, even if it’s rendered from a shortcode. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search Results To test the improved WordPress search results, you need to leave the dashboard and go to the frontend of your website. Then, type anything related to a shortcode you have used into the search bar. For example, for this tutorial, we’ve created a gallery with soup pictures. Let’s check if WordPress search can find this gallery. ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: Final search.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wordpress-found-an-article-1.jpg "WordPress found an article - SearchWP")As you can see, everything works great. WordPress found an article that contains a picture of the shrimp soup. ![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search: Final output.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-soup-gallery.jpg "The soup gallery - SearchWP")This is a great result, given that the word “shrimp” is not mentioned either in the title or in the article’s content. This works because WordPress now indexes the images’ alt text, even if they’re placed inside a gallery output by a shortcode. ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. Does Parse Shortcodes work with Gutenberg blocks too?** Not directly, but you don’t need it to. SearchWP already renders Gutenberg blocks like Gallery and Cover as part of its normal indexing process, so their content is searchable whether or not Parse Shortcodes is turned on. Parse Shortcodes specifically covers classic shortcodes from plugins like WPForms, Contact Form 7, and WooCommerce. **2. Do I need to rebuild my index after turning on Parse Shortcodes?** Only for content you published before enabling the setting. New posts and any post you edit and save afterward get indexed with shortcode content automatically, but older posts need a manual rebuild from **SearchWP » Algorithm** to pick up the change right away. **3. Will indexing shortcode output slow down my site?** Indexing happens in the background, not while a visitor is searching your site, so it won’t affect frontend search speed. A full index rebuild does use extra server resources while it runs, so we recommend doing it during low-traffic hours on a large site. **4. Can I make shortcode content rank higher in search results?** Yes. Shortcode text gets stored as part of a post’s Content attribute, and you can raise that attribute’s relevance weight from the **Sources & Settings** panel on the Algorithm screen to make it count for more in the ranking. **5. Does this work with WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads shortcodes?** It does. Product listings shown through shortcodes like `[products]` or ` All Access $699.00 – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Billed once per year until cancelled WPFilters  Standard – $99.00 Billed once per year until cancelled  Pro – $199.00 Billed once per year until cancelled Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Source – WPForms Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart WooCommerce Product Table Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart BetterDocs Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Source – Gravity Forms Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Flatsome Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart MyListing Integration Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart Legacy Data Removal Free – Add to Cart Checkout Added to cart 123…6Next » ` get expanded and indexed the same way a gallery or form shortcode does, once Parse Shortcodes is turned on. ## Conclusion You have learned how to include shortcode results in WordPress search from this article. It opens up a lot of possibilities and helps your website visitors find hidden content. We hope this article helped you include shortcode results in your WordPress search, so visitors can finally find the content that was hiding behind a shortcode all along. You may also want to see our guides on [11 ways to improve WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)") and [how to add fuzzy search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How to Add Fuzzy Search to WordPress Sites"). Ready to make sure every shortcode on your site gets found? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP here"), backed by a 14-day money-back guarantee. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** parse shortcodes, SearchWP, shortcode results, Shortcode Results In WordPress Search, shortcode search, shortcodes, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [Smoother WordPress Multisite Search With SearchWP 4.6.1](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-4-6-1-wordpress-multisite-search/) **Published:** August 7, 2026 **Author:** Cristian Rossi **Content:** If you run search across a large WordPress network, you know the feeling: everything works fine on a handful of sites, then you add the fortieth subsite and things start to drag. WordPress multisite search should stay fast and dependable no matter how many sites sit behind it, and SearchWP 4.6.1 is a maintenance release focused squarely on making sure it does. This update is all about reliability and polish. There are no new settings to learn. SearchWP 4.6.1 tightens up how indexing behaves on big networks, smooths out a couple of compatibility edges, and makes the Search Forms setup screen easier to read. ## Steadier WordPress Multisite Search on Large Networks SearchWP keeps your index healthy with a background process that quietly checks in and processes new content. On very large multisite networks, that background work could get carried away, repeating setup work every time WordPress switched between sites in a single request. On networks with dozens of subsites, that added up fast enough to slow pages down or hit memory limits. SearchWP 4.6.1 makes that background work run once per site per request, the way it always should have. If you manage a network with many subsites, your WordPress multisite search stays responsive and your indexing keeps humming along in the background without dragging the rest of the site down. Smaller sites will not notice a difference, because nothing changes for them. The networks that were feeling the strain are the ones that get their breathing room back. ![SEO index dashboard: left pane lists Posts, Pages, and Media with 5 attributes each; right rail shows Index Status at 100% with 24 indexed (out of 24) and a Rebuild Index button.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/multisite-network-search-1030x282.png "multisite-network-search - SearchWP")## A Clearer Search Forms Setup The Search Forms builder got a tidy-up. The settings now read in a more natural top-to-bottom order, and a couple of labels were renamed to match what they actually do. “Type of Search” is now “Sources”, and the old “Field Label” is now simply “Placeholder”. Nothing about your existing forms changes. If you build a new search form, though, the options line up the way you would expect, so there is less hunting around for the right control. ![Custom Styling settings panel showing toggles for Category, Quick, Advanced, and Voice Search, with Engine and Results Page dropdowns and a Placeholder field labeled Placeholder.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-forms-settings-1030x1025.png "search-forms-settings - SearchWP")## Quieter Under the Hood A few smaller fixes round out the release, the kind you will never see but will quietly benefit from: - **Better compatibility with newer PHP versions** when SearchWP checks for plugin updates, so update checks keep working smoothly on modern hosting. - **Better compatibility with the WordPress 7.0 block editor**, so SearchWP’s admin styling stays where it belongs and no longer reaches the editor canvas. - **A fix for the Offsite PDF extension**, so reintroducing a PDF whose text extraction previously failed now re-parses its content instead of coming back empty. - The Hide Announcements setting now behaves as labeled, keeping promotional notices out of your dashboard while still surfacing the important notices you actually need to see. ## Update for a More Reliable Search SearchWP 4.6.1 is a free update for anyone with an active SearchWP license, and it is an easy one to take: no configuration changes, no new setup, just a steadier WordPress multisite search and a cleaner setup experience. Update from your WordPress dashboard, or review the full [changelog](https://searchwp.com/changelog/) for the details. If you want a refresher on running SearchWP across a network, the [multisite documentation](https://searchwp.com/documentation/multisite/) walks through it, and the [Search Forms guide](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/search-forms/) covers the updated builder. As always, our support team is here if you run into anything, and we would love to hear what you would like to see next. Happy searching. **Categories:** General --- ### [How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/) **Published:** August 19, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re looking to provide an exceptional user experience, then WordPress search plays a vital role. A clunky search experience can leave users lost and abandoning your site in a flash. The default WordPress search has very limited features and doesn’t provide full control. However, with the right settings and plugin, you can improve your visitors’ searching experience. In this article, we will show you how to set up WordPress search settings for best results. ### Why Change WordPress Search Settings? Think of your WordPress website’s search function as a friendly guide. It helps users navigate your content quickly and efficiently. By fine-tuning the search settings, you can enhance the user experience. A seamless search experience keeps users engaged and encourages them to come back for more. It also helps users find evergreen and valuable content on your site. Imagine writing a great blog post, but nobody can find it when they search for it on your site. With the right search settings, you can make the process more efficient and provide visitors with relevant results. That said, let’s look at how to configure WordPress search for best results. ### 1. Replace Default WordPress Search with SearchWP While the default WordPress search might be good enough for small businesses and personal websites, it might not be the right fit for large websites that have lots of content or online products. The default search has limited features and customization options. For instance, the default search only covers post titles, content, and excerpts. It does not include additional information such as categories, tags, user comments, custom fields, documents, or details like SKUs and product attributes from WooCommerce products. Plus, you can’t customize the default search settings from the WordPress dashboard. You’d have to edit code or hire a developer, which can be tricky and expensive for beginners. This is where you can replace the default search with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and helps provide more accurate search results to visitors. You can set up custom search engines for your website and include additional information in the search process without touching a single line of code. First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for an account. Simply click the ‘Get SearchWP Now’ button to get started. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)After signing up for a new account, go ahead and download the SearchWP plugin You can find the plugin in your SearchWP account area under the ‘Downloads’ tab. Simply click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button and save the file on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you can install and activate the plugin on your site. If you need help, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### 2. Add New Sources and Attributes to WordPress Search Next, you can [change WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") by editing or creating a new search engine. With SearchWP, you can run multiple search engines on your site and choose additional sources and attributes to find content on your site. To start, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can edit the existing search engine or add a new one. For this tutorial, we will simply change the default search engine. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button at the top. This will allow you to include additional sources for your WordPress search engine. For example, you can select [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"), comments, tags, and users to be included in the search process. If you’re running an online store, installing the WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, or BigCommerce integration (Pro plan and above) adds your product catalog as a source too. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")After selecting different sources, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you can change the weights assigned to each attribute for different post types by moving the slider. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")SearchWP also lets you add or remove attributes. If you click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button under the source, then you’ll see a new popup window with options to manage attributes. For instance, you can choose different Attribute Sources, select custom fields on your site, and add taxonomies to add to the search process. ![Add or remove attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-or-remove-attributes-1030x493.png "Add or remove attributes - SearchWP")### 3. Add Rules to Get the Best WordPress Search Results Next, you can also add multiple rules in SearchWP to create custom searches and help users find the best results. Simply click the ‘Edit Rules’ button for any source in the search algorithm. ![Edit rules for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-for-search-results-1030x512.png "Edit rules for search results - SearchWP")Next, a new popup window will open where you can edit the rules. Go ahead and click the ‘Add Rule’ button. ![Add new search rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-search-rule-1030x385.png "Add new search rule - SearchWP")After that, you can enter the conditions for your new rule. For instance, you can only show search results for posts and pages published before a certain date, display results from specific categories, or enter post IDs to filter content. ![Create new rule for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-new-rule-for-search-results-1030x491.png "Create new rule for search results - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Your visitors will now see search results based on the conditional logic rules you’ve set. ### 4. Add Synonyms and Stopwords to Improve Search Accuracy Another way you can configure WordPress search settings is by adding synonyms for specific search terms and adding stopwords to enhance search accuracy. This will help users find relevant content when they enter synonyms for related topics on your site. In SearchWP, you can easily specify synonyms and stopwords. Simply head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress admin panel and then go to the ‘Global Rules’ tab. ![Enter synonyms for search terms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-synonyms-for-search-terms-1030x421.png "Enter synonyms for search terms - SearchWP")After that, you can click the ‘Add New’ button and then enter the search terms and their synonyms. When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save Synonyms’ button. Next, you can scroll down to the Stopwords section and omit certain words to streamline the searching process. Stopwords are common words (like is, the, an, a, in, at, and if) that are not helpful when searching and do not carry significant meaning in identifying the content. By default, SearchWP will have a lot of stopwords added to the library and ignore them when searching. But you can also add more to improve search relevancy and performance. ![Enter stopwords for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-stopwords-for-search-results-1030x590.png "Enter stopwords for search results - SearchWP")### 5. Enable Partial and Fuzzy Searches in WordPress You can further expand WordPress search and show accurate results by enabling partial and fuzzy searches. Fuzzy search helps provide search results for terms that are phonetically similar. So, if a user enters an incorrect spelling or makes a typo when typing the search term, then they’ll still see the right content. With SearchWP, you can easily enable partial and fuzzy searches. Simply head to **SearchWP » Settings** from the WordPress admin panel and go to the ‘General’ tab. From here, scroll down to the General Settings section and click the toggle to enable Partial Matches. ![Enable partial searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-searches-1030x516.png "Enable partial searches - SearchWP")For more details, please see our guide on [how to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). ### Bonus: Improve WordPress Search Experience for Visitors Aside from changing WordPress search settings, you can also improve the overall search experience for your visitors by making small tweaks. **1. Add Live Autocomplete Search** Many popular search engines, like Google, offer an autocomplete feature that guesses what the user is searching for and provides relevant results as the user types. You can add the same autocomplete feature to your WordPress site and boost the search experience. Users can instantly find the content they’re looking for and also learn about other content on your site. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5-1030x386.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")With SearchWP, it’s very easy to add an autocomplete feature to your site’s search. You can learn more by going through our guide on [how to add live autocomplete search to WordPress sites](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). **2. Highlight Search Terms in WordPress** Do you want to point users to the right content quickly and get more clicks? A simple way to do that is to highlight search terms on the search page. Your visitors can quickly scan the page, find relevant content, and click on the link. ![we highlight search terms on our site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-highlight-search-terms-on-our-site.png "we highlight search terms on our site - SearchWP")For more details, please see our step-by-step guide on [how to highlight search terms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)"). **3. Add Filters to WordPress Search (All Access)** If your website has a lot of content or products, then you can add filters to WordPress search and make it easier for users to find what they’re looking for. For example, you can create filters based on tags, authors, post types, product categories, and more. Your visitors can then use these filters to narrow down their search and quickly find relevant posts and pages. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Search-form-in-action-1030x368.jpg "Search form in action - SearchWP")If you need help setting up filters, then see our guide on [how to add filters to WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-filters-to-wordpress-search/ "How To Add Filters To WordPress Search"). Do note that this requires WPFilters, the best filtering plugin for WordPress. And it is included in the All Access Bundle on SearchWP. **4. Add Voice Search to Your Search Form** Typing out a search query is not always the fastest option, especially for visitors on mobile devices. SearchWP lets you [add a voice search button](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)") to any search form, so visitors can just speak their query instead of typing it. You can turn this on from **SearchWP » Search Forms**, opening a form and enabling the Voice Search toggle under Custom Styling. ![Enable voice search option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-voice-search-option-1030x492.png "Enable voice search option - SearchWP")**5. Redirect Common Search Queries to the Right Page** Sometimes visitors search for something that already has a dedicated page on your site, like “contact” or “shipping.” Instead of making them dig through search results, you can redirect that search query straight to the right page. ![Enter redirect rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-redirect-rules-1-1030x441.png "Enter redirect rules - SearchWP")This feature comes with the [Redirects extension](https://searchwp.com/features/redirects/ "WordPress Search Redirect Plugin"), available on SearchWP’s Pro plan and above. For more details, please see our guide on [how to redirect search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/redirect-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Redirect Search Results In WordPress"). ## Keep Optimizing Your WordPress Search Once your search settings are dialed in, there’s more you can do to keep improving the experience for your visitors. Here are a few guides worth checking out next. - [Ways to Improve WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)") for more quick wins beyond the settings covered here - [How to Optimize the WordPress Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page") to customize how your results actually look and feel - [How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)") if you run into trouble after changing your settings - [How to Make WordPress Search PDF Files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") to extend your search sources to document content - [How to Make the Knowledge Base Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Your Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress") if your site includes a help center or docs - [How to Limit WordPress Search for Custom User Groups](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-for-custom-user-groups/ "How to Limit WordPress Search for Custom User Groups") to build on the Rules step above ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Why isn’t WordPress search finding relevant results? The default WordPress search only looks at post titles, content, and excerpts, so it misses categories, tags, custom fields, and product data entirely. That’s why searches often come back empty or show unrelated posts. Once you set up sources, attributes, and rules in SearchWP, your search engine has a lot more content to draw from and can rank the best matches first. ### Do I need to rebuild the index after changing search settings? Changing engine settings, such as sources and attribute weights, usually triggers SearchWP to rebuild the index in the background. If you don’t see updated results right away, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** and use the rebuild option to force a fresh index. We’ve found this clears up most cases where settings changes don’t seem to take effect right away. ### What’s the difference between fuzzy search and partial matches? Fuzzy search catches typos and misspellings by matching terms that are phonetically similar, so a misspelled word still finds the right content. Partial matches work differently, matching just part of a word, so searching “search” can also surface posts containing “searching” or “searched.” We recommend enabling both together for the most forgiving search experience. ### Can I limit search results to specific content or user groups? Yes, SearchWP’s Rules let you filter search results by category, post ID, publish date, and more. You can also restrict a search engine to specific user roles, which is useful for member-only content or internal search tools. We’ve used this to keep private documentation out of public search results on client sites. ### How do stopwords and synonyms improve search accuracy? Stopwords remove common words like “the” or “and” that add noise without helping match meaningful content, which speeds up searches and improves relevancy. Synonyms do the opposite by connecting related terms, so a search for one word can still return posts about a related term. Together, they help visitors find what they’re looking for even when their search terms don’t match your content word for word. We hope this article helped you learn about how to set up WordPress search settings for the best results. You may also want to see our guide on [how to include shortcode results in WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search") and [how to see search metrics in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "SearchWP Pricing") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** autocomplete search feature, SearchWP, source, woocommerce search form, wordpress fuzzy search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Filter Sidebar to WordPress Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-filter-sidebar-to-wordpress-search-results/) **Published:** August 12, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We came across a situation recently where a visitor searches “chicken” on a recipe blog and lands on a results page with forty matching recipes spanning a dozen categories. They want gluten-free dinner recipes, but nothing on that results page lets them narrow the list down to just those. WordPress’s native search returns a flat list of matches and stops there. It doesn’t give visitors any built-in way to filter that list by category, tag, or any other detail, so they’re left scrolling through everything themselves. SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, trusted by 50,000+ website owners, and its WPFilters companion plugin adds a filter sidebar to those results. Together, they turn a flat list of matches into a results page visitors can actually narrow down. In this article, we’ll show you how to add a filter sidebar to your WordPress search results page. ## What Is a Search Results Filter Sidebar? A search results filter sidebar is a column of clickable controls, like checkboxes, dropdowns, or sliders, next to a list of search results that let visitors narrow that list without typing a new search. Instead of scrolling through forty chicken recipes, a visitor can check “Dinner” and “Gluten-Free” and watch the list shrink to match. What changes once it’s set up comes down to this: visitors filter for themselves instead of guessing at a better search term, which keeps them reading your content instead of bouncing back to a search engine for a better answer. It’s the same idea behind [searching WordPress by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), just applied to every filterable field at once instead of one at a time. ## Why a Filter Sidebar Matters We’ve watched visitors give up on a search results page the moment scrolling starts to feel endless, and a missing filter sidebar is usually why. Skipping it costs a site more than a few extra clicks from a frustrated visitor. - **Fewer visitors leave empty-handed.** A broad search term like “chicken” can return dozens of unrelated matches, and visitors who can’t narrow that list down by category or tag often leave instead of scrolling through all of it. - **More time spent on your site.** Visitors who can filter down to exactly what they want, like a gluten-free dinner recipe, stay on the page instead of bouncing back to a search engine for a better answer. - **Fewer duplicate archive pages to maintain.** Instead of building a separate page for every combination of category and tag, one search results page with filters handles all of them. - **Better visibility into what visitors actually want.** Which filters people click, and which combinations return zero results, show gaps in your content that a plain search log can’t surface as clearly. That data pairs well with the broader tactics in our guide on [optimizing the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/). SearchWP and WPFilters solve all of this together. Let’s see how you can easily set up a filter sidebar in WordPress. ## Setting Up a Filter Sidebar in WordPress We recommend [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") and [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") as the easiest way to add a filter sidebar to your WordPress search results page. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), trusted by 50,000+ website owners. It improves WordPress’s limited default search with a relevance-ranked engine you control, and its WPFilters companion plugin adds powerful filtering that turns a list of matches into a results page visitors can narrow down for themselves. Here’s what makes this pairing the right fit for a filter sidebar: - **Relevance-ranked search.** SearchWP scores every result by how well it matches the query, so the most relevant match stays on top no matter how visitors filter afterward. - **Faceted filter elements (All Access).** WPFilters ships free with [SearchWP’s All Access plan](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "SearchWP All Access Plan"), or as a standalone plugin, and lets you build checkbox, dropdown, and slider filters sourced from categories, tags, custom fields, and more. - **Search-aware filtering.** When both plugins are active, WPFilters’ own search-type filters route through SearchWP’s relevance engine instead of WordPress’s native search. - **Filtering that doesn’t undo relevance ranking.** Narrowing the results with a filter doesn’t reset SearchWP’s relevance sort, so the best match still surfaces first inside the narrowed list. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP and WPFilters to add a filter sidebar to your search results. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, head over to the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") and sign up for a plan. WPFilters ships free with the All Access plan, so we recommend starting there if you don’t already have a license. Once you’ve signed up, go to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From there, click **Download SearchWP** and save the ZIP file to your computer, then copy your license key from the same screen. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to install and activate the plugin in WordPress. If you’re new to this, then please see this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin"). After the installation completes, go ahead and activate the plugin. Then click **Start Onboarding Wizard** in the setup wizard and follow the on-screen steps. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP is now active and ready to configure. You’ll notice a new SearchWP menu in your WordPress admin sidebar. ### Step 2: Install and Activate WPFilters WPFilters is a standalone plugin with its own installer, so it doesn’t show up under **SearchWP » Extensions** the way Live Search or Metrics do. To start, go to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard and click the ‘Download WPFilters’ button to save the ZIP file. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, you can upload and install the plugin to your website. If you need help with this, then please see this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin"). Once you activate it, WPFilters redirects you to its onboarding wizard. Simply click **Let’s Get Started** on the welcome screen and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 3: Create Your Filter Elements Next, you will need to navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** and click **Add New** to build your first filter. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")From here, you can select a filter type in WPFilters. For instance, let’s set its filter type to **Checkbox**. ![Create the type of filter you want](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-the-type-of-filter-you-want-1030x511.png "Create the type of filter you want - SearchWP")After that, you can scroll down to the Data Source section. From here, click the dropdown menu and set its data source to the **Taxonomies** group, then choose **Categories (category)** so visitors can filter by recipe category. ![Select category data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-create-checkbox-element-1030x579.png "Select category data source - SearchWP")Repeat the same process for a second filter, this time setting the filter type to **Dropdown** and sourcing it from **Tags (post\_tag)**. Two filters are enough to see a real sidebar working, and you can always add more later. ![Choose tag data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-create-dropdown-element-1030x579.png "Choose tag data source - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to filter blog posts by category in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"). ### Step 4: Add the Filter Sidebar to Your Search Results Page With your filters built, you can head to **SearchWP » Templates** and open the results template your search form uses. ![Edit templates page in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-templates-page-in-searchwp-1030x494.png "Edit templates page in SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, scroll down to the **Custom Styling** section and open **WPFilters Integration**. Then, you can check **Enable WPFilters** and save the template. ![Enable WPFilters Integration with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-wpfilters-integration-searchwp-template-1030x175.png "Enable WPFilters Integration with SearchWP - SearchWP")**Note:** The **Enable WPFilters** toggle needs WPFilters 1.1.0 or later. If it’s greyed out, update WPFilters first. This only works if your search form’s **Target Page** is set to **SearchWP Default**, since that’s what tells SearchWP to build its own dedicated results page instead of rendering results inside a page you’ve laid out yourself. Head to **SearchWP » Search Forms**, open your form, set **Results Page** to **SearchWP**, and confirm the **Target Page** field that appears is set to **SearchWP Default**. ![Change template and results page options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-template-and-results-page-options-1-1030x608.png "Change template and results page options - SearchWP")Once that’s confirmed, go to **Appearance » Widgets**. You’ll see two new widget areas, **SearchWP Results Left Sidebar** and **SearchWP Results Right Sidebar**, since SearchWP registers these specifically for this integration. ![View SearchWP sidebar results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-searchwp-sidebar-results-1-1030x442.png "View SearchWP sidebar results - SearchWP")Open whichever side you’d rather the filters sit on and add a **WPFilters Element** block. Each block asks you to pick which element to display, so choose your category filter in one block and your tag filter in the other. ![View SearchWP sidebar results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-searchwp-sidebar-results-1030x425.png "View SearchWP sidebar results - SearchWP")### Final Step: Test Your New Filtered Search With everything saved, visit your site and run a search for a category from the sidebar. You can then repeat this step for the tags filter as well. ![SearchWP sidebar filter widgets](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/filters-frontend-1030x764.png "SearchWP sidebar filter widgets - SearchWP")If the sidebar doesn’t appear, double-check that **Enable WPFilters** is checked on your results template and that your search form’s **Target Page** is still set to **SearchWP Default**. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### Do I need WPFilters to filter WordPress search results? Yes. WordPress’s native search returns a list of matches, and SearchWP’s own search engine returns a relevance-ranked one, but neither includes a filter sidebar on its own. WPFilters is the plugin that adds the checkbox, dropdown, and slider controls that let visitors narrow that list down. ### Does WPFilters ship with SearchWP? WPFilters ships free with SearchWP’s All Access plan, or you can buy it as a standalone plugin without SearchWP. Either way, it needs its own install and its own license key, since it isn’t listed under SearchWP » Extensions like Live Search or Metrics. ### Will filtering my search results affect SearchWP’s relevance ranking? No. WPFilters narrows the list of matches first, and SearchWP’s relevance ranking still applies within that narrowed list, so the best match stays on top. We’ve found this handled cleanly by the **Enable WPFilters** toggle in your results template’s Custom Styling section, which is what tells the two plugins to work together. ### Why isn’t my filter sidebar showing up? The **SearchWP Results Left Sidebar** and **SearchWP Results Right Sidebar** widget areas only appear on the dedicated results page SearchWP builds automatically, which requires your search form’s **Target Page** to be set to **SearchWP Default**. If you pointed **Target Page** at a page you built yourself, add your **WPFilters Element** blocks directly to that page’s layout instead of the Widgets screen. ## What’s Next… Your WordPress search results page now has a working filter sidebar that lets visitors narrow down their own results without typing a new search. SearchWP handles the relevance ranking and WPFilters handles the narrowing, and the two stay in sync automatically once the integration is turned on. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a filter sidebar to WordPress search results. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)") and [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)") to take your search experience even further. Ready to help visitors find exactly what they’re looking for? You can [get started with SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filters, results, search results, SearchWP, sidebar filters, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPFilters --- ### [How To Make WordPress Search Image Files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-image-files/) **Published:** August 5, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to make WordPress search image files on your website? The default WordPress search is primarily designed to look for text content within posts and pages. It does not include the image metadata in the search process. As a result, when a user searches using keywords within an image’s alt text, caption, or description, the default search cannot show relevant results. In this article, we’ll show you how to make WordPress search image files using SearchWP. ## What is Image Metadata in WordPress? Every image you upload to WordPress stores four key pieces of information alongside the file itself: the title, caption, description, and alt text. These are the fields WordPress gives you when you open any image in the [Media Library](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). Each field serves a different purpose. Alt text helps screen readers describe the image, captions appear below images in posts, and descriptions add context for editors and visitors. When SearchWP indexes all four fields, a visitor searching “beachfront property” can find an image whose alt text reads “beachfront property at sunset,” even if that phrase never appears in a post or page. ## Why You Need To Make WordPress Search Image Files? Whether you’re a photographer showcasing your portfolio, an [eCommerce site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress") showcasing your products, or a blogger enriching your posts with infographics, images are crucial to decorating websites. It’s not just about aesthetics, but it plays a critical role in persuading visitors to take action. So, making images findable can enhance user experience and engagement. From our experience, site owners are often surprised to discover how much the default search is skipping. Here’s what’s missing when a visitor searches for an image on a standard WordPress site: - **Media attachments aren’t included in search results by default.** Visitors who search for keywords that only appear in your image library walk away empty-handed, even when the images are there. - **Alt text isn’t searched by default.** Alt text is stored as post meta, which WordPress’s native search doesn’t query, so even a perfectly tagged image stays hidden. - **Captions and descriptions are ignored.** The text written in the caption and description fields for each image doesn’t factor into WordPress’s default search for attachments. - **No image-only filtering.** Any workaround that surfaces attachments in search results would return [PDF](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)")s, audio files, and video files alongside images, with no built-in way to filter by file type. SearchWP fixes all four of these gaps in one place, without any custom code. So, let’s learn how to make WordPress search image files on your website. ## How To Make WordPress Search Image Files Using SearchWP The easiest way to enable advanced image file indexing and search on your WordPress site is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the most powerful tool that extends beyond basic search functions, allowing for a deep search into the image metadata and other crucial attributes. SearchWP ensures that your images are searchable by their titles and metadata, such as alt text, caption, or description. On top of that, you can also make the EXIF data searchable with SearchWP. Additionally, SearchWP supports other file types and offers features such as: - **Index any image metadata:** SearchWP reads the title, caption, description, and EXIF data on every image in your Media Library. It also indexes alt text when you add custom fields and enter `_wp_attachment_image_alt` as the field name. - **Create a dedicated image search engine:** SearchWP lets you build a search engine that returns only images, keeping image results separate from your posts and pages. This is the approach we’ll use in this tutorial. - **PDF and Office Documents Indexing:** Makes document content searchable by parsing PDFs, Office documents, and plain (and rich) text documents. - **Keyword Stemming:** Expands search flexibility by [finding similar keywords](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website"), improving the comprehensiveness of search results. - **Multiple Search Engines:** Allows the creation of custom search engines tailored for different content types, such as one specifically for images. Now, let’s get started with setting up SearchWP to make your image files searchable. ### Step 1: Setting Up SearchWP on Your Site To get started, visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") and sign up for an account. Once you’re in your account dashboard, go to the **Downloads** tab, click **Download SearchWP**, and copy your license key. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From there, install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you’ve never installed a plugin before, then please follow this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your license key and finish setup. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Installing SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)SearchWP is all set. Now let’s configure it to search your image files. ### Step 2: Configure the Image Search Engine SearchWP improves the default WordPress search on your website once it is installed. Next, to make images on your website searchable, you just need to configure the search engine. Now, you have the option to modify the default Engine or create a new one specifically for searching image files. Let’s create a new Engine for this tutorial. From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**. You’ll see the engine list, starting with the default search engine used for your main site search. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-2.jpg)To keep image search separate from your main content search, click **Add New**. Next, in the **Engine Label** field, replace the default “Supplemental” name with something like “Image Search.” Once inside the new engine, check the **Media** source. This tells SearchWP to draw search results from your WordPress image library for this engine. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step2.jpg "Create-new-engine-step2 - SearchWP")After that, click ‘Done’ to save these settings. Now, you can click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button on the Media tab to specify which sources to index. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step3.jpg "Create-new-engine-step3 - SearchWP")A new popup window will open where you can edit the attributes for your source. Choose the sources you want to include in the search process, such as the **Title**, **Caption**, **Description**, and **Image EXIF** attributes. To also index alt text, enable **Custom Fields** and type `_wp_attachment_image_alt` as the field name. Then click ‘Done’ to save your changes. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step4.jpg "Create-new-engine-step4 - SearchWP")Lastly, you can confine this search engine to only returning image files in the search result. You can totally skip this step. If you do, the default behavior is that the search will return all types of media files, such as images, videos, audio, documents, etc. To do create a new rule, you can click the **Edit Rules** button. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step5.jpg "Create-new-engine-step5 - SearchWP")You can manipulate how and which results will be displayed using this Engine from this popup. Play around to come up with new ideas. To keep the search results to images only, you need to create a new rule. So click on **Add Rule**. From there, set the rule to Only show entries if: File Type: is In: Images. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step6.jpg "Create-new-engine-step6 - SearchWP")After that, you can click **Done**. Finally, click Save to store the new settings. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step7.jpg "Create-new-engine-step7 - SearchWP")Now, you may be asked to rebuild the index so that the new settings can be applied. You can also click **Rebuild Index** so SearchWP scans your media library and indexes the image metadata. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-step8.jpg "Create-new-engine-step8 - SearchWP")Depending on the state of your website, the following popup may appear. When an image or [document file](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wp-document-revisions-content-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make WP Document Revisions Content Searchable in WordPress") is indexed in SearchWP, it extracts all indexable data and stores it in its database. If you want SearchWP to re-parse every file from scratch, check **Remove stored Document Content, PDF Metadata, and image EXIF when rebuilding index** before continuing. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Configure SearchWP To Search Images Step 9](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Reset-document-content-warning-with-checkbox.jpg)Congratulations! You have successfully made WordPress search image files on our website. You can repeat this process to make other media files such as audio, video, PDFs, and [office documents](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-ms-office-files-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress") searchable in WordPress. ### Step 3: Create an Image Search Form With the image engine ready, navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from your WordPress dashboard. From there, click **Add New** to start building your image search form. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")Next, give your form a name, and then choose a Layout theme for the search form. You can tweak the search form as needed. Most importantly, you need to assign an Engine to this form. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")To do that, find the Engine and select the newly created Image Search from the dropdown. Once you’ve made other modifications to your liking, you can click “Save” to store your settings. ![Select image search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-image-search-engine-1030x612.png "Select image search engine - SearchWP")Now, visitors can only see images in their search results when they use this form. Next, there are multiple ways to embed this search form into your website. Simply click the **Embed** button next to Save, and you’ll see the instructions. ![How To Make WordPress Search Image Files: Embed Search Form Options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg)Go ahead and pick the embed method that suits you best. For more details, please see our guide on [creating an advanced WordPress search form](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). ## Step 4: Test Image Search on Your Site With your form on the page, run a test search using a term that appears in one of your image alt text or caption fields. If you tagged an image with the alt text “mountain landscape at dusk,” searching for “mountain landscape” should return that image in the results. Run a second test with a term that only exists in an image description. If the image appears, SearchWP is indexing all of your configured metadata fields correctly. ![Image search preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/image-search-preview-1030x362.png "Image search preview - SearchWP")**Pro Tip:** If your results come back empty, return to **SearchWP » Algorithm** and confirm that the **Rebuild Index** finished. Large media libraries can take a few minutes to complete indexing. ## Bonus: Add Live Search to Your Image Form Once your image search is working, you can add live search results that appear as visitors type. The **SearchWP Live Ajax Search** extension (available in Standard or higher plans) comes bundled with all SearchWP paid plans and turns any search form into a real-time dropdown. It shows a live preview of the search results in the dropdown as you type. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")For more details, you may want to see our guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free") for the full setup. ## FAQs about Making WordPress Search Images ### 1. Can WordPress search image alt text by default? WordPress’s native search doesn’t query alt text by default because it’s stored as post meta, which the native search engine doesn’t access. The native search queries post titles, excerpts, and content, but media attachments aren’t included in standard frontend search results. A plugin like SearchWP is needed to index and search image metadata. ### 2. What image metadata can SearchWP search? SearchWP can index the title, caption, description, and EXIF data for images in your Media Library. Alt text is also available by enabling **Custom Fields** and entering `_wp_attachment_image_alt` as the field name. You control which attributes are active from the **Add/Remove Attributes** panel in the engine editor. ### 3. Do I need a separate search engine for image search? You have two options with SearchWP. You can add the **Media** source to your default engine so images appear alongside posts and pages in standard search results, or you can create a dedicated image engine that returns only images. We recommend a dedicated engine when you want a standalone image-search experience separate from your main content. ### 4. How do I add the image search form to my site? After creating your form in **SearchWP » Search Forms**, add it to any page using the **SearchWP Form** block in the Gutenberg editor. You can also copy the shortcode from the **Shortcode** column in the forms list and paste it into any post or page, or add it to a widget area from **Appearance » Widgets**. ### 5. Can SearchWP search EXIF data in images? Yes. The SearchWP **Media** source includes **Image EXIF** as an indexable attribute, meaning visitors can find images by searching any term embedded in the image’s EXIF metadata. Enable the **Image EXIF** attribute from **Add/Remove Attributes** in **SearchWP » Algorithm** to include it in your index. ## What’s Next… SearchWP turns your WordPress Media Library into a fully searchable image archive by indexing the metadata the default search engine ignores. Visitors can now find images by alt text, captions, descriptions, and EXIF data the same way they search for posts and pages. We hope this article helped you learn how to make WordPress search image files. You may also want to see our guides on how to [make WordPress search PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and [customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). Ready to make your image library searchable? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** image search, make media files searchable, media files, media library, search by images, SearchWP --- ### [How to Let Visitors Filter Knowledge Base by Tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-let-visitors-filter-knowledge-base-by-tags-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 29, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Picture a visitor landing on your knowledge base looking for answers around specific topics. That’s what a filter by tags option fixes. Instead of facing a wall of 80-plus articles with no way to narrow things down, users can use a tag filter to find exactly what they’re looking for. Sadly, WordPress does not give you a built-in way to let visitors filter knowledge base search or documentation archives by tag. But with the right plugin, you can set up powerful filters for your knowledge base. In this article, we’ll show you how to let visitors filter your knowledge base or documentation search results by tags in WordPress. ## Why Filtering Knowledge Base Search by Tag Matters in WordPress Tag filtering adds a small widget, like a checkbox list or dropdown, tied to the tags already assigned to your knowledge base articles. A visitor picks a tag, and the list narrows to only the articles tagged with it, no new search required. We’ve noticed that this small addition changes how visitors experience a knowledge base. Here’s why it’s worth setting up. - **Support tickets pile up when articles are hard to find.** A visitor who can’t locate the right doc often opens a support ticket instead, and that ticket costs your team time a tag filter could have saved. - **Long, unfiltered doc lists overwhelm new users.** A knowledge base with hundreds of tagged articles turns into a wall of text without a way to narrow it down. - **Keyword search alone misses topic-based browsing.** A visitor scanning for a category, like “troubleshooting” or “billing,” isn’t always typing a specific keyword. - **Generic archives don’t reflect how support content is organized.** Your team tags docs deliberately by topic, but WordPress doesn’t expose that structure to visitors by default. Let’s fix that by adding a tag filter to your knowledge base with WPFilters. ## Adding a Tag Filter for Your Knowledge Base We recommend [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") as the easiest way to add a tag filter to any content type, including documentation, without writing code. [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the [best filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)"), built by the same team behind SearchWP. It lets you build custom filter widgets for any post type on your site, and connect them to data that’s already there, like tags, categories, or custom fields. Here are a few features that make WPFilters a good fit for a documentation or knowledge base site: - **Works with any post type.** WPFilters can filter custom post types like documentation or [knowledge base articles](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Your Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress"), not just standard posts and pages. - **Multiple filter field types.** Choose from checkboxes, dropdowns, radio buttons, and more, depending on how you want visitors to narrow results. - **Shareable filter URLs.** When a visitor selects a tag, WPFilters encodes that choice in the URL, so they can share or bookmark a filtered view. - **SearchWP integration.** If SearchWP is active on your site, WPFilters can add a keyword search field alongside your tag filter on the same results page. With that, let’s see how you can use WPFilters to filter your knowledge base by tag. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters You can start by [signing up for a WPFilters account](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Signing up for a WPFilters account"). Keep in mind that WPFilters ships with the SearchWP **All Access** license, so you’ll need that plan to get a license key. Once you’re signed up, you can head to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From there, go ahead and click **Download WPFilters** to save the plugin ZIP file. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")While you’re there, copy your license key too, since you’ll need it in a moment. Next, you can log in to your WordPress dashboard and install the plugin. If you’ve never installed a WordPress plugin from a ZIP file before, [WPBeginner’s step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") walks you through the process. After it’s installed, go ahead and activate WPFilters. A **Welcome to WPFilters** onboarding screen will pop up. You can click **Let’s Get Started** and follow the onscreen prompts to enter your license key. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")With that done, WPFilters is all set, and you’re ready to build your first tag filter. ### Step 2: Add a New Filter Element To get started, you can head to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard. From there, go ahead and click the **Add New** button near the top of the screen. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")A new element will open with a default title, and you can click the pencil icon next to it to rename it to something clear, like “Filter Docs by Tag.” Next, you can scroll down to the **Filter Fields** section. We’d recommend selecting **Checkbox** as the field type here, since it lets visitors select more than one tag at a time. ![Create the type of filter you want](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-the-type-of-filter-you-want-1030x511.png "Create the type of filter you want - SearchWP")### Step 3: Connect the Tag Taxonomy as the Data Source After that, you can scroll down to the **Data Source** section. Go ahead and click the dropdown, then look under the **Taxonomies** group. You’ll notice WPFilters pulls in every [taxonomy](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)") already registered on your site, so your knowledge base plugin’s tag taxonomy shows up here automatically. If you’re using [BetterDocs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-betterdocs-search-in-wordpress/ "How to Make a Smart BetterDocs Search in WordPress"), for example, you can look for its tag taxonomy in that same list Once you spot it, you can select that taxonomy from the dropdown. Keep in mind that BetterDocs is just one example of a compatible knowledge base plugin here. The same steps work for any plugin that tags its documentation, or even a plain **Tags** taxonomy if your knowledge base runs on standard WordPress posts. ![Choose docs tags data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-docs-tags-data-source-1030x645.png "Choose docs tags data source - SearchWP")### Step 4: Customize the Filter Settings With your data source connected, you can scroll down to the **Container** section next. Here, you can turn on **Show Title** so visitors see a label above the filter. If you’d like visitors to be able to hide the filter on smaller screens, go ahead and turn on **Collapsible** too. And if you’d rather the filter options run left to right instead of stacking, you can turn on **Horizontal**. ![Edit filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")From there, you can scroll down to the **Items** section. You can turn on **Item Count** so each tag shows how many articles match it. We’d also recommend turning on **Show Empty** if you’re running a smaller knowledge base. Without it, tags with zero matching articles disappear from the list entirely, which can look like the filter is broken when it’s actually working as expected. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")If your tags have parent and child relationships you want visitors to see, you can turn on **Hierarchical** as well. Once you’re happy with the settings, go ahead and click **Save**, then check the live preview in the right-hand panel to see how it looks. ![Save your docs tags filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-docs-tags-filter-1030x502.png "Save your docs tags filter - SearchWP")### Step 5: Display the Filter on Your Documentation Page Now that your filter is set up, you can click the **Embed** button at the top of the element editor. This will open an **Embed in a Page** popup. Under **Embed Mode**, you can choose **Gutenberg Block** if you’re editing your documentation page or template in the block editor, which is the easiest option for most site owners. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")If your theme or page builder doesn’t support Gutenberg blocks, you can choose **Shortcode** instead. Either option places the same filter on the page, so go with whichever fits your setup. Just keep in mind that this step might differ slightly depending on the WordPress theme you’re using, especially if you’re adding the filter to a sidebar or widget area. ![Add WPFilters block to docs](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-block-to-docs-1030x629.png "Add WPFilters block to docs - SearchWP")After adding the WPFilters Element block, you can then select your tags filter for your knowledge base from the settings panel on the right. When you’re done, simply publish or update your page. ![Select docs tag filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-docs-tag-filter-1030x438.png "Select docs tag filter - SearchWP")### Final Step: Test Your Tag Filter With everything in place, you can visit your documentation page on the front end to see your new tag filter in action. Go ahead and click the Getting Started tag, then confirm that only articles tagged as ‘Getting started’ appear in the list. Once that checks out, you can clear that selection and try combining the tag filter with a keyword search, if SearchWP is active on your site. ## Bonus: Combine Tag Filtering With Keyword Search If SearchWP is active on your site, you can add a **Search** field alongside your tag filter using the same **Add New** element process from Step 2. WPFilters routes that search field through SearchWP automatically, so visitors can narrow by tag and search by keyword on the same results page. This doesn’t require anything beyond WPFilters, which ships in SearchWP **All Access**, and an active SearchWP search engine. ![Enable WPFilters Integration with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-wpfilters-integration-searchwp-template-1030x175.png "Enable WPFilters Integration with SearchWP - SearchWP")Check out our guide on [how to make your knowledge base searchable in WordPres](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to make your Knowledge Base Searchable in WordPress")[s](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/) if you haven’t set up SearchWP on your documentation yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. Can I filter documentation by tag without coding in WordPress?** Yes. WPFilters adds a tag filter to your documentation or knowledge base using a visual builder, with no coding required. You pick a field type, connect it to your tag taxonomy, and embed it with a Gutenberg block or shortcode. **2. Does WPFilters work with BetterDocs or other knowledge base plugins?** WPFilters works with any plugin that organizes content using WordPress taxonomies, since every registered taxonomy on your site shows up as a Data Source option. That includes BetterDocs and most other knowledge base plugins that tag their articles. **3. Can visitors filter by more than one tag at once?** Yes, if you choose the **Checkbox** field type when building your filter element. Visitors can select multiple tags at the same time, and WPFilters narrows the results to articles matching those selections. **4. Will a tag filter work alongside my existing knowledge base search?** Yes. If SearchWP is active, WPFilters can add a Search field next to your tag filter so visitors can combine a keyword search with a tag selection on the same results page. **5. Does filtering by tag slow down my documentation page?** No. WPFilters uses AJAX to refresh results without reloading the page, and it caches filter data so repeated requests stay fast even on a larger knowledge base. ## What’s Next… You’ve now given visitors a way to narrow your knowledge base or documentation results by tag instead of scrolling through everything you’ve published. We hope this article helped you learn how to let visitors filter your knowledge base search by tag. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-in-wordpress-complete-guide/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products in WordPress (Complete Guide)") and [filtering by multiple taxonomies in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)"). Ready to make your knowledge base easier to browse? You can get started with [WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** documents filters, documents tags filter, Filter Knowledge Base Search by Tag, knowledge base, knowledge base filters, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How To Customize The WooCommerce Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-woocommerce-search-results-page/) **Published:** July 21, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Every WooCommerce store owner has seen it: a customer searches for “blue running shoes” and gets a page full of blog posts. Or they search by a product SKU and get zero results. A successful online store understands the importance of a seamless shopping experience. At the heart of that experience is the ability to find exactly what customers are looking for. This is where the search results page plays a critical role. Just like a skilled salesperson who knows exactly where every item is located, your search results page should effortlessly guide customers to their desired products. Unfortunately, the default WooCommerce search results page often lacks the finesse and customization needed to effectively highlight your products. It’s more than just finding items; it’s about presenting them in the best possible way to enhance customer engagement and boost conversions. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to customize the WooCommerce search results page to showcase your products effectively, leading to a better user experience and increased sales. ## Why Your WooCommerce Search Results Page Needs Customizing The efficiency and design of a search results page can impact everything from user engagement to overall profitability. It’s not just a nice-to-have; it can greatly boost your business. When a shopper searches your store and lands on a bad results page, the damage happens fast. We’ve watched customers abandon carts simply because the search experience felt unreliable, and every one of those exits is a sale that never happened. Here’s why a high-quality search results page is not just beneficial but essential for online stores: - **Relevant products get buried.** WooCommerce’s default search doesn’t rank results by how well they match the query. A shopper searching “waterproof hiking boots” might see your newest post first even if it has nothing to do with what they need. - **Searches by SKU, attribute, or custom field come up empty.** WooCommerce’s default engine doesn’t search product SKUs and custom fields. We’ve noticed that shoppers who know exactly what they want often search by model number, material or product spec, and those searches almost always come up empty. - **The results page looks nothing like your store.** WordPress’s default search template shows blog-style excerpts and post dates. WooCommerce doesn’t automatically replace this with product cards, images, or prices, so shoppers see a layout that feels broken rather than shoppable. - **Out-of-stock products clutter the results.** Out-of-stock products you’ve hidden from your shop page can still appear in the default search results. Shoppers see products they can’t buy, lose trust, and leave. These aren’t isolated quirks, either. They’re part of a broader pattern in how WordPress handles search across every content type, not just products, and our guide on [ways to improve WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)") covers the fixes that apply site-wide. Let’s look at how you can customize the results page in WooCommerce. ## How To Turn Your WooCommerce Search From Good To Great The default search functionality in WordPress primarily matches post titles, content, and excerpts. It doesn’t search custom fields, product attributes, or SKUs, which is where the important product details live. This presents significant challenges for WooCommerce stores. Many crucial product details, such as attributes and variations, are stored as custom post types and fields, which the default WordPress search does not include in the search process. You can overcome these limitations by using the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") plugin. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the most comprehensive search solution available for WordPress, and it has a dedicated extension for WooCommerce that ensures all product data is appropriately indexed. With SearchWP, you can make almost all content on your site searchable, set custom search rules, [track search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") to better understand customer preferences, and more. Over 50,000 businesses worldwide rely on SearchWP to optimize their search experience and drive sales. Along with making WooCommerce search great, SearchWP also comes with the following powerful features: - **Customizable Results Templates.** Choose from multiple layout themes, switch between list and grid views, and control thumbnail size, button labels, and pagination style without writing a single line of code. - **WooCommerce Integration.** SearchWP takes over WooCommerce’s default product search, ranks results by relevance, and automatically respects your store’s visibility rules, including out-of-stock filtering. - **Attribute-aware product indexing.** Configure exactly which fields SearchWP searches, including product titles, descriptions, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), custom fields, categories, and tags, each with its own relevance weight. - **Relevance-ranked results.** SearchWP scores every result by how well it matches the query, so the most relevant products always surface first instead of the most recently published. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to customize your WooCommerce search results page. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP Before you can customize the WooCommerce search results page, you need to set up SearchWP for your online store. To do that, you first need to visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP Website") and sign up for a new account. The WooCommerce Integration covered requires the Pro plan or higher, so we recommend starting there. Once you’ve signed up, go to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From there, click **Download SearchWP** and save the ZIP file to your computer, then copy your license key from the same screen. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, install and activate the plugin in WordPress. If you’re new to this, please see this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the activation is successful, you’ll be greeted with a welcome wizard. Simply click on **Start Onboarding Wizard** to receive help configuring the initial setup. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Get SearchWP step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)SearchWP is now active and ready to configure. You’ll notice a new **SearchWP** menu in your WordPress admin sidebar. ### Step 2: Install the WooCommerce Integration Extension The [WooCommerce Integration extension](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "Advanced WooCommerce Product Search Plugin") is what connects SearchWP to your product catalog and replaces WooCommerce’s default search behavior. It’s included with the Pro plan and higher. See the WooCommerce Integration documentation if you want the full rundown before installing. From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions**. Find **WooCommerce Integration** in the extensions list and click **Install**. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Once installed, SearchWP automatically intercepts WooCommerce’s frontend product search queries and routes them through its relevance engine. ### Step 3: Configure Your Product Search Engine With the extension active, you need to tell SearchWP which content to index for your WooCommerce store. From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**. From there, click **Sources & Settings** on the default engine. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Setup Search Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)You’ll see a list of available sources for the engine. You’ll want to select **Products** to add WooCommerce products as a searchable source. Then click **Done** once you’ve selected the desired sources. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Setup Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg)Once Products is added, you can further customize it and include additional details in the search process. Simply click **Add/Remove Attributes** to choose which product fields SearchWP searches. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")A new window should now open where you can manage different product attributes for your engine. For instance, you can include [product titles](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"), descriptions, SKUs, custom fields, and WooCommerce’s built-in categories, tags, and attributes in the search process. ![Manage product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-product-attributes--1030x518.png "Manage product attributes - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the Done button. Next, click the **Save** button to initiate rebuilding your search index based on the new configuration. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Setup Search Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-saving.jpg)Done! The foundation is complete. Now, it’s time to customize the [WooCommerce search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-woocommerce-search-results-page/ "How To Customize The WooCommerce Search Results Page"). ### Step 4: Customize Your Search Results Template SearchWP’s Results Templates let you control exactly how your WooCommerce search results page looks to shoppers. From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Templates**. Open the default template to start customizing, or click **Add New** to create a store-specific one from scratch. ![Add multiple results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-multiple-results-template-1030x445.png "Add multiple results template - SearchWP")Next, you can choose a layout theme. You can start by selecting one of the 6 pre-designed layout themes of your choice. The SearchWP Search Results Page effectively blends with your website’s current design and gives you significant control over the appearance of the primary elements of the search results page. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Choose search results page layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Choose-layout-theme.jpg "View theme preview - SearchWP")Overall, you have the following design elements to customize the search results page easily, you have: - 6 pre-designed themes - 3 pagination styles - 2 layout styles And countless styling combinations. You can customize the WooCommerce search results page according to your taste by tweaking the following styling options. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Customize search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Change-custom-styling.jpg "Customize search results page - SearchWP")You should be able to modify these settings as you like without any difficulties, as the options are pretty self-explanatory. Don’t worry if you don’t see the modification reflected in the sample design above, as your customization will appear on the live search results page. Once you are satisfied with the customization of your WooCommerce search results page, click **Save** to store your modification. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Save custom settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Save-search-results-page.jpg "Save-search-results-page - SearchWP")### Step 5: Create and Configure Your Search Form Now that you have modified your search results page according to your needs, it’s time to put it into action. You can use the SearchWP search results page with all search forms created with SearchWP. To start, navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and click **Add New**. You can learn more about [how to create an advanced search form by visiting this tutorial](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-create-search-form-1030x366.jpg)You can now tweak the search form according to your needs. Name the search form, pick a layout theme, and make other styling changes. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Create Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-1-create-search-form.jpg)Our main objective is to link the search results page to this search form. To do that, scroll down to find **Results Page** and select **SearchWP** from the dropdown. ![Change template and results page options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-template-and-results-page-options-2-1030x597.png "Change template and results page options - SearchWP")Two additional fields will appear. Under **Target Page**, choose the page where results will display, or leave it set to its default and let SearchWP handle the routing automatically. Under **Template**, select the results template you customized in Step 4. Once you’ve completed other modifications to the search form, click **Save** at the top right corner. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Create Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Saving-search-form-1.jpg "Saving-search-form - SearchWP")Now, all that is left to do is publish the search form, as the search results page will only appear after a search is performed through the search form. To do that, edit the shop page on your WooCommerce store. In the content editor, click the **+** icon, then find and select the **SearchWP Form** block from the list. ![Add SearchWP form to shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-to-shop-page-1030x526.png "Add SearchWP form to shop page - SearchWP")Then, pick the search form you created a few moments ago from the dropdown in the SearchWP Form block. You should now see the search bar displayed in your desired location. ![Select search form for shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-for-shop-page-1030x415.png "Select search form for shop page - SearchWP")Simply click Update or Publish to show the search form created for the custom WooCommerce search results page. Finally, visit your website front-end and see your custom WooCommerce Search Results Page in action. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Create Search Form Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/example_search_results_page.jpg)**Pro Tip:** To create a dedicated results page for your store, create a new WordPress page and add the **SearchWP Results** block to it. Publish the page and then select it under **Target Page** in your search form settings. With everything configured, visit your WooCommerce store and run a few test searches. We recommend starting with a search that WooCommerce’s default engine would have struggled with, such as a product material, a custom attribute, or a product SKU. ## Taking WooCommerce Search Results Page to the Next Level Optimizing the search results page of your online store is vital for improving user experience and driving engagement with your products. Let’s explore several effective strategies to refine your search results, all of which can be seamlessly integrated using SearchWP’s advanced capabilities. - [Implement Live Search for Instant Feedback](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Modernize your online store’s search experience by incorporating live search functionality. With Ajax-powered live search, users receive instant feedback as they type, creating a more dynamic and engaging browsing experience that encourages exploration of your product offerings. - [Prioritize and Order Search Results Strategically](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): You can guide your customers to the most relevant products by strategically ordering search results. When you customize the WooCommerce search results page, you can highlight featured products or promotions, increasing their visibility and driving conversions - [Showcase Related Products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress"): Showcasing related products alongside search results boosts engagement and encourages discovery. By presenting complementary or similar items, you can entice shoppers to explore additional products and increase their likelihood of making a purchase. - [Exclude Non-Relevant Content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Enhance the quality of search results by excluding irrelevant products or categories. By fine-tuning SearchWP settings to filter out non-relevant content, you can streamline the search process and ensure that users find what they’re looking for quickly and easily. - [Incorporate a Well-Designed Search Form](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"): A well-designed search form simplifies your customers’ search experience. By providing intuitive search options and filters, you empower users to refine their search queries and discover products that meet their specific needs. ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. Does SearchWP work with WooCommerce products?** Yes, SearchWP includes a dedicated **WooCommerce Integration** extension *(Pro+)* that replaces WooCommerce’s default product search. It routes all frontend product search queries through SearchWP’s relevance engine and automatically respects WooCommerce’s visibility rules, including out-of-stock filtering. We use it on WooCommerce stores of all sizes, and it works reliably out of the box. **2. How do I change what appears on the WooCommerce search results page?** To control which products appear in results, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** and configure your engine’s sources and attributes. Add the **Products** source, then click **Add/Remove Attributes** to choose which product fields are searched. Adjust the relevance weight sliders and click **Save**, then click **Rebuild Index** to apply the changes. **3. Can I display product images on the WooCommerce search results page?** Yes. SearchWP’s Results Templates let you display product images, titles, descriptions, prices, and call-to-action buttons in your search results. Navigate to **SearchWP » Templates**, open your template, and configure the image size and layout settings to match your store’s design. From our experience, switching to the grid layout with images enabled makes the biggest difference in how shoppable the results page feels. **4. Does SearchWP search WooCommerce product attributes and SKUs?** SearchWP can search any product field you configure in the engine editor, including SKUs, custom fields, and product attributes. Navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**, open your engine, click **Add/Remove Attributes** for the **Products** source, and enable the fields you want searched. This covers product categories, tags, custom fields, and any data WooCommerce stores in post meta. **5. What plan do I need to use SearchWP with WooCommerce?** The **WooCommerce Integration** (Pro+) extension requires the Pro plan or higher. The core SearchWP plugin at the Standard plan already includes Results Templates, Search Forms, and all indexing features. Upgrading to Pro adds the **WooCommerce Integration** along with other eCommerce extensions for Easy Digital Downloads and BigCommerce. ## What’s Next… You now have a WooCommerce search results page that’s relevance-ranked, fully customizable, and built to convert. SearchWP handles the product search, the results layout, and the shopper experience from a single admin panel, and the whole setup takes under 10 minutes. We hope this article helped you learn how to customize the WooCommerce search results page. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widgets-step-by-step/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)") and [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)") to take your store’s search experience even further. Ready to improve your store’s search? [You can get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "You can get started with SearchWP here"). **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How to Make WP Document Revisions Content Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wp-document-revisions-content-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 14, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WP Document Revisions helps teams manage contracts, policies, and manuals with a full history of who changed what and when. Making WP Document Revisions content searchable matters just as much as storing it, since a revision history only helps when someone can find what’s inside each file. We’ve seen this catch teams off guard. WordPress’s native search only reads a document’s title, excerpt, and content, not the text inside the file WP Document Revisions is tracking. SearchWP fixes that gap by indexing the actual text inside the latest revision of every document. In this article, we’ll show you how to make WP Document Revisions content searchable in WordPress. ## Why Include WP Document Revisions in WordPress Search? WP Document Revisions is a document management and version control plugin for WordPress. It lets teams of any size collaboratively edit files and manage a workflow, storing every file as a [document post](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-documents-from-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How to Exclude Documents from Search Results in WordPress") with a full revision history behind it. Every document shows up in your dashboard under the Documents menu. WordPress’s native search reads that post’s title, excerpt, and content, but it doesn’t check the text inside whatever file is attached to the latest revision. That gap adds up fast on a site with dozens of contracts, policies, or manuals. A visitor who searches for a clause they know is inside a [PDF](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") gets nothing back, even though the right document exists and its latest revision is sitting right there. That said, let’s look at how you can make WP Document Revisions searchable in WordPress. ## How to Make WP Document Revisions Searchable With SearchWP The easiest way to make WP Document Revisions content searchable is with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the #1 WordPress search plugin, trusted by 50,000+ website owners. It improves the [default WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") and gives you control over exactly what your site search includes, such as the text inside every file WP Document Revisions manages. Besides that, you can enhance the search experience by including additional details that are in taxonomies like categories and tags, custom fields, product attributes, and more in the search process. Here are some key features offered by SearchWP: - **Document content indexing.** SearchWP’s [WP Document Revisions Integration extension](https://searchwp.com/features/wp-document-revisions-integration/ "WP Document Revisions Integration") pulls the text out of the latest revision’s attached file, whether that’s a PDF, Word document, or another supported format, and adds it to your search index. - **Custom Fields attributes.** SearchWP lets you choose exactly which fields count toward a search match, including the field this integration adds, and weight it however heavily you want. - **Full engine control.** You can enable the Documents source on your default engine or build a dedicated one, giving you the same flexibility you already have for posts, pages, and products. - **Background indexing.** SearchWP rebuilds your index without slowing down your site, so adding document content to search doesn’t affect frontend performance. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to make WP Document Revisions content searchable. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can visit the SearchWP website and sign up for an account. Once you’re in your account dashboard, go to the **Downloads** tab, click **Download SearchWP**, and copy your license key. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can upload the plugin files to your WordPress site and install and activate SearchWP. If you’ve never installed a plugin before, WPBeginner has a step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") that walks you through it. After activation, go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the on-screen instructions to connect your license key and finish setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP is all set. Now let’s install the extension that makes your documents searchable. ### Step 2: Install the WP Document Revisions Integration Extension Next, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard and look for **WP Document Revisions Integration** in the list. ![Install WP Document Revisions integration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-wp-document-revisions-integration-1030x438.png "Install WP Document Revisions integration - SearchWP")This extension is available on the [SearchWP Pro plan and higher](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "SearchWP Pro plan and higher"), so if your account is on Standard, you’ll need to upgrade your plan. Go ahead and click **Install** to add it to your site. Once it’s active, SearchWP can pull the text out of the latest revision’s attached file for every document WP Document Revisions manages. Now let’s tell SearchWP’s engine to actually use that content. ### Step 3: Add the WP Document Revisions Field to Your Engine From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** and open the engine you want to update, whether that’s your default engine or a new one. Then, you’ll need to click **Sources & Settings**. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup will appear over the page where you can select the sources for your engine. Make sure **Documents** is checked, since SearchWP automatically turns the Documents post type WP Document Revisions registers into a selectable source, the same way it does for posts, pages, and [products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-in-wordpress-complete-guide/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products in WordPress (Complete Guide)"). ![Select documents as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-documents-as-source-1030x465.png "Select documents as source - SearchWP")When you are finished, click **Done**. From there, you’ll need to click **Add/Remove Attributes** on the ‘Documents’ source. ![Attributes for document source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/attributes-for-document-source-1030x529.png "Attributes for document source - SearchWP")Next, you will see a popup window with all the attributes for the source. By default, the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author will be selected. Go ahead and search the list for **WP Document Revisions** under [Custom Fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and select it. You can include the **Workflow States** in the search process under Taxonomies in SearchWP. ![Add document attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-document-attributes-1030x489.png "Add document attributes - SearchWP")Once you’re happy with the setup, click the **Save** button at the top. Then click **Rebuild Index** so SearchWP processes every existing document’s latest revision. This step is required for documents you already have; new documents will be indexed automatically going forward. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 4: Test Your Document Search Now let’s confirm everything is working by testing the search on your site. For example, if one of your documents is a vendor contract whose PDF text includes the phrase “net-30 payment terms,” go to your site’s frontend and search for that exact phrase. If SearchWP is set up correctly, that document should appear in the results even though the phrase never shows up in the post title or description. ![View document search preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-document-search-preview-1030x472.png "View document search preview - SearchWP")Run a second test with a phrase from a different document to confirm the index picked up more than one file. If both searches return the right document, your WP Document Revisions content is fully searchable. ## Frequently Asked Questions **1. Does this work with file formats besides PDF?** Yes. The **WP Document Revisions Integration** extension pulls text out of the latest revision’s attached file using SearchWP’s built-in parser, which covers PDF, plain text, RTF, [Word (.docx)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-ms-office-files-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress"), Excel, and PowerPoint files. Older legacy .doc files aren’t supported. **2. Do I need a specific SearchWP plan for this?** Yes. The **WP Document Revisions Integration** extension *(Pro+)* isn’t available on a Standard license, so you’ll need to be on the Pro plan or higher to install it. Upgrading your account is the only way to unlock this specific extension. **3. Will documents I already added be indexed automatically?** Not until you run a full reindex. Once you enable the extension and add the **WP Document Revisions** field to your engine’s Custom Fields attribute, click **Rebuild Index** from **SearchWP » Algorithm** to process every existing document’s latest revision. **4. Does SearchWP store the extracted text as a custom field on the document?** No. The extracted text only lives inside SearchWP’s search index, not in the document’s actual custom fields. That means you won’t see it if you look at the document’s postmeta directly, but it’s fully searchable once the index is built. **5. What if a document’s text doesn’t show up in search results?** Check that the document’s latest revision actually has a supported file attached, whether that’s a PDF, Word document, or another supported format, since this integration can only extract text from a file format it recognizes. It’s also worth confirming the **Rebuild Index** step finished, since a large document library can take a few minutes to fully index. ## What’s Next… That’s everything it takes to make WP Document Revisions content searchable in WordPress. Once SearchWP finishes indexing your documents, visitors can find any contract, policy, or manual by the words inside it, not just its title. We hope this article helped you learn how to make WP Document Revisions content searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to limit WordPress search to post content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/ "How to Make WordPress Search in Post Content") and [make your knowledge base searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Your Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress"). Ready to make your documents searchable? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** document, search PDF documents, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WP Document Revisions, WP Document Revisions searchable --- ### [6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin for 2026 (Expert Review)](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/) **Published:** September 3, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When you’re running a website, you need to prepare for all types of situations. For instance, your website could disappear tomorrow due to server crashes, hacking attempts, accidental deletions, or plugin conflicts. Any of these could wipe out months or years of hard work in seconds. So what’s the solution? Use a backup plugin that provides a reliable backup to restore your site in case something goes wrong. Our testing showed that Duplicator, UpdraftPlus, and Jetpack VaultPress are the top options. In this article, we’ll show you the best WordPress backup plugins. Here’s a quick overview of the plugins we tested. **\#****WordPress Backup Plugins****Best For****Pricing**1.[Duplicator](https://duplicator.com/ "Duplicator")Site migration & cloningPaid 2.[UpdraftPlus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/ "UpdraftPlus")Free automated backupsFree3.[Jetpack VaultPress Backup](https://searchwp.com/recommends/jetpack-vaultpress-backup/ "Jetpack VaultPress Backup")Automatic daily backupsPaid4.[Solid Backups NextGen](https://searchwp.com/recommends/solid-backups/ "Solid Backups")All-in-one solutionPaid5.[BlogVault](https://searchwp.com/recommends/blogvault/ "BlogVault")Large websitesPaid 6.[WPvivid](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpvivid-backuprestore/ "WPvivid")Free with premium featuresFree## How We Test WordPress Backup Plugins When we test backup plugins, we create real WordPress sites with actual content, then put each plugin through situations you might face. This includes testing full site restores, partial file recovery, and database-only restores to see how each plugin handles different emergency scenarios. We also test backup speed with sites of various sizes. For example, some plugins work great on small blogs but struggle with large [eCommerce sites](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads (2025)") that have thousands of products and images. Besides that, the most important test isn’t how well a plugin creates backups, it’s how reliably it restores them. For example, if you’re [improving WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)"), then it’s a good idea to have backups and easily restore them in case something goes wrong. That’s why we restored test sites dozens of times using each plugin, checking for missing files, broken links, and database errors. Some plugins create perfect backups but fail during the restore process, leaving you worse off than before. The best backup plugins should also get your site back online quickly with minimal technical knowledge required. So we test restores to different hosting environments to ensure the backups work even when moving between hosting providers. That said, let’s dive into the details for each backup plugin. ## [1. Duplicator – Best for Site Migration and Cloning](https://duplicator.com/ "Duplicator") [![Duplicator](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/duplicator-1030x486.png "Duplicator - SearchWP")](https://duplicator.com/)[Duplicator](https://duplicator.com/ "Duplicator") is the best WordPress plugin for backups we have tested so far. When you need to move a WordPress site or create an exact copy for testing, most backup plugins fall short. That’s not the case with Duplicator, as it creates a backup and also help migrate sites between hosting providers or create staging environments. What sets Duplicator apart is how it packages your entire site (files, content, database, and all) into a single installer package that works anywhere. It’s like having a complete copy of your website that you can deploy on any hosting provider. The plugin creates two files: an archive containing all your website files and an installer script that rebuilds your site automatically. We found this approach much more reliable than traditional backup methods when moving between different hosting environments. The installer handles all the technical details like updating database URLs and file paths. We’ve used Duplicator to migrate over 50 websites in the past two years, including moving WPBeginner’s development sites between different servers. Another interesting thing we found was Duplicator’s scheduling feature that lets you create regular backup packages automatically. Besides that, the Pro version also includes cloud storage integration and larger site support. **Pros:** - Excellent for site migrations between hosting providers - Creates complete, portable site packages - Handles complex sites with custom configurations - Free version works well for basic migrations - Professional migration service available **Cons:** - Free version offers limited features for larger websites **Why Select Duplicator:** After testing, Duplicator is the go-to choice when you need daily backups, migrate WordPress sites, or create exact copies for development. **Pricing:** Duplicator offers premium plans starting from $49.99 per year. There is also a [Lite version](https://wordpress.org/plugins/duplicator/ "Duplicator Lite") that you can use for free. ## [2. UpdraftPlus – Best Free Backup Solution](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/ "UpdraftPlus") [![UpdraftPlus](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/updraftplus-1030x330.png "UpdraftPlus - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/)Finding a backup plugin that’s both powerful and free seems impossible, but [UpdraftPlus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/updraftplus/ "UpdraftPlus") delivers exactly that. We recommend UpdraftPlus to beginners because it offers automated backups without charging a monthly fee. The free version handles everything most small websites need, including scheduled backups and one-click restores. When we installed UpdraftPlus on our testing site, we were pleased to see that it automatically creates backups to our chosen schedule and stores them in the Google Drive account. When we restored some accidentally deleted posts, the process took less than five minutes from start to finish. That said, the plugin separates your backups into logical components, such as database, plugins, themes, uploads, and core files. This means you can restore just your database if you need to recover posts, or only your uploads folder if you accidentally deleted images. UpdraftPlus also works with different cloud storage services, including Dropbox, Google Drive, and Amazon S3. The free version limits you to basic cloud storage options, but that’s perfect for most sites. **Pros:** - Completely free for basic automated backups - Works with popular cloud storage services - Advanced restore options for specific components - User-friendly interface perfect for beginners - Large community and excellent support **Cons:** - Advanced features require premium upgrade - Can be slow with very large sites - Limited backup destinations in free version **Why Select UpdraftPlus:** UpdraftPlus offers the best balance of features and affordability we’ve found in a backup plugin. The free version handles routine backup needs perfectly, making it ideal for small business websites and personal blogs. **Pricing:** UpdraftPlus is a free WordPress plugin. It also offers [premium plans](https://searchwp.com/recommends/updraftplus/ "UpdraftPlus Pro") from $70 per year. ## [3. Jetpack VaultPress Backup – Best for Automatic Backups](https://searchwp.com/recommends/jetpack-vaultpress-backup/ "Jetpack VaultPress Backup") [![Jetpack VaultPress backup](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/jetpack-vaultpress-backup-1030x516.png "Jetpack VaultPress backup - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/jetpack-vaultpress-backup/)When you want backups that happen automatically without any setup or maintenance, [Jetpack’s VaultPress Backup](https://searchwp.com/recommends/jetpack-vaultpress-backup/ "Jetpack's VaultPress Backup") is hard to beat. Once installed, it creates daily backups automatically and stores them securely on Jetpack’s servers without requiring any configuration. This feature impressed us the most because it doesn’t impact your site’s performance, as the backup process doesn’t take place on your hosting service. The restore process is exceptionally smooth through Jetpack’s dashboard. We were able to restore entire sites and individual posts with ease. VaultPress also integrates seamlessly with other Jetpack features, creating a unified management experience. The security scanning and uptime monitoring complement the backup service well, giving you a complete site protection package. However, this integration means you’re committed to the Jetpack ecosystem. **Pros:** - Completely automated with zero maintenance required - Real-time backup capabilities for active sites - Excellent restore interface with granular control - Integrated security scanning and monitoring - Reliable cloud storage on Jetpack’s servers **Cons:** - More expensive than standalone backup plugins - Requires Jetpack installation and account - Limited customization options **My Verdict:** VaultPress Backup excels when you want a premium, fully automated backup solution. It’s particularly valuable for busy sites where manual backup management isn’t practical. **Pricing:** Jetpack VaultPress Backup prices start from $4.95 per month. This is also a [free version](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jetpack-backup/ "Jetpack VaultPress Backup Free Version") of the plugin you can try. ## [4. Solid Backups – Cloud Based Backup Solution](https://searchwp.com/recommends/solid-backups/ "Solid Backups") [![Solid backups nextgen](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/solid-backups-nextgen-1030x648.png "Solid backups nextgen - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/solid-backups/)[Solid Backups](https://searchwp.com/recommends/solid-backups/ "Solid Backups") by SolidWP (formerly known as BackupBuddy) is the next backup plugin for WordPress on our list. What sets it apart is how it combines automated backups, easy restores, and site migration tools into one comprehensive package. The standout feature for us was the Solid Backup Stash, their cloud storage service that comes included with every plan. It is a secure, remote storage destination for your Solid Backups. Unlike other plugins that require you to connect your own storage accounts, Stash provides cloud-based backup storage right out of the box. We also tested the restoration process extensively, and the plugin handles both complete site restores and granular file recovery exceptionally well. **Pros:** - Comprehensive solution combining backups, migration, and security - Included cloud storage eliminates setup complexity - Strong restore and migration capabilities - Malware scanning adds extra security layer - Good support and documentation **Cons:** - Higher price point than specialized backup plugins - Interface can feel overwhelming for simple backup needs - No free version **My Verdict:** Solid Backups works best when you want a cloud based plugin to handle all your backup and migration needs. **Pricing:** Solid Backups NextGen prices start from $8.25 per month for 1 website. ## [5. BlogVault – Best for Large Websites](https://searchwp.com/recommends/blogvault/ "BlogVault") [![BlogVault](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/blogvault-1030x583.png "BlogVault - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/blogvault/)[BlogVault](https://searchwp.com/recommends/blogvault/ "BlogVault") specializes in managing backups for large WordPress sites and is a SaaS based backup solution for WordPress. The plugin’s incremental backup system only captures changes since the last backup, dramatically reducing the time and server resources required. We tested the plugin on a large eCommerce site, and BlogVault completed daily backups in under 10 minutes. On the other hand, a few other plugins would take hours to complete the backup process. Another thing we really liked was the staging environment feature that’s invaluable for testing updates on large sites. You can create a complete copy of the production site for testing, then push approved changes back to the live site with confidence. **Pros:** - Excellent performance with large, complex sites - Incremental backups reduce server load and backup time - Integrated staging environment for safe testing - Real-time monitoring and detailed reporting - Handles high-traffic sites without performance impact **Cons:** - Higher pricing than simpler backup solutions - High learning curve for advanced features **My Verdict:** We recommend BlogVault for anyone looking for a SaaS based solution. It justifies its premium pricing for large websites where backup speed and reliability are critical. **Pricing:** BlogVault prices start from $149 per year for 1 site with the Plus plan. The price goes up if you add more sites or require more features. ## [6. WPvivid – Best Free Alternative ](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpvivid-backuprestore/ "WPvivid") [![WPvivid](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpvivid-1030x337.png "WPvivid - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpvivid-backuprestore/)[WPvivid](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wpvivid-backuprestore/ "WPvivid") surprised us by offering premium-level features in its free version that many paid plugins charge for. We recommend the plugin to users who need advanced features but can’t justify premium plugin costs. The free version includes automated scheduling, multiple cloud storage destinations, and advanced backup options. For instance, you can easily set up automated backups to Google Drive, Dropbox, Amazon S3, Microsoft Onedrive, DigitalOcean Space, and FTP services in the free version. The backup process is also reliable, and the restore functionality works smoothly through the WordPress admin interface. **Pros:** - Substantial features available in free version - Staging site functionality without premium cost - Reliable migration and restore capabilities - Multiple cloud storage options included - Regular updates and active development **Cons:** - Some advanced features still require premium upgrade - Documentation could be more comprehensive **My Verdict:** WPvivid offers remarkable value by including premium features in its free version. It’s an excellent choice for users who need advanced backup capabilities but want to minimize costs without sacrificing functionality. **Pricing:** WPvivid is a free WordPress backup plugin. It also offers a Pro version with prices starting from $49 per year. ## Which WordPress Backup Plugin Should You Choose? Protecting your WordPress site doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. The right backup plugin gives you peace of mind while running automatically in the background. Based on our extensive testing, our top recommendation is [Duplicator](https://duplicator.com/ "Duplicator"). It provides reliable site migration capabilities and solid backup functionality that covers the essential protection most websites need. The plugin’s ability to create complete site packages makes it invaluable for both routine backups and emergency site moves. Duplicator also offers additional cloud storage options and automated scheduling make it worth the investment for growing businesses. The professional migration service can save hours of technical work when moving complex sites between hosting providers. ## FAQs about Backup Plugins for WordPress Here are some questions about WordPress backup plugins. #### 1. How often should I backup my WordPress site? We recommend daily backups for active websites that get regular updates or new content. For static sites that rarely change, weekly backups are usually sufficient. However, you should always create a manual backup before making major changes like updating themes or plugins, regardless of your regular schedule. **2. What’s the difference between full and incremental backups?** Full backups create a complete copy of your entire website every time, while incremental backups only save files that have changed since the last backup. We prefer incremental backups for large sites because they’re faster and use less storage space, but full backups are simpler to manage for smaller websites. **3. Can backup plugins slow down my website?** Well-designed backup plugins run in the background and shouldn’t affect your site’s loading speed for visitors. However, backup creation can temporarily use server resources. We recommend scheduling backups during low-traffic periods, typically late at night or early morning. We hope this article helped you pick the best WordPress backup plugins. You may also want to see our pick for the [best WordPress search plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and [how to create a professional-looking search page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** backup plugin, backups, BlogVault, Duplicator, jetpack, Jetpack VaultPress Backup, SearchWP, Solid Backups, UpdraftPlus, wordpress backup plugins, WordPress search, WPvivd --- ### [How To Redirect Search Results In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/redirect-search-results-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 7, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to redirect search results in WordPress to a specific page or a post? Let’s say, when a visitor on your site searches for “Black Friday sale” two weeks before your promotion launches, they land on a results page full of last year’s posts. When someone types “return policy” and gets a blog post from three years ago instead of your actual Returns page, they leave. These are costly moments, and they’re preventable. Sadly, there’s no built-in way to redirect search results in WordPress, so visitors land on whatever the default results page serves them. That’s where SearchWP comes in. It includes a dedicated Redirects extension that lets you map specific search queries to exact URLs on your site, without writing a single line of code. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to redirect search results in WordPress to a specific page or post and how this can benefit your online business. ## What are Search Redirects in WordPress? A search redirect is a rule that intercepts a specific search query and sends the visitor to a URL you choose, instead of showing a [results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). When someone types a matching term into your search bar, they skip the results entirely and land directly on the destination page you set. Think of it like a shortcut: a visitor searches “contact,” and instead of seeing a list of blog posts that happen to mention contacting customers, they land straight on your Contact page. The best part? The setup requires no theme changes or code. Once a rule is active, matching queries bypass the results page entirely. ## Why Redirect Search Results In WordPress? Most site owners don’t think about search redirects until they notice a problem. Over the years, we’ve worked with many site owners who were losing visitors on high-intent searches simply because the results page wasn’t doing its job. Here are the situations where redirects make the biggest difference: - **Discontinued products.** When visitors search for something you no longer carry, they hit an empty results page and bounce. A redirect to an alternative product or a “this item is no longer available” page keeps the conversation going instead of ending it. - **Renamed or restructured pages.** After a site reorganization, familiar search terms return results for the old version of content. A redirect maps legacy terms to the right location so the visitor always lands where you want them. - **Unreleased campaigns.** A visitor searching for “summer sale” a week before your launch gets stale results. Redirect them to a “coming soon” page, and you build anticipation instead of confusion. - **High-intent brand queries.** When visitors type your flagship product name or a key brand term into search, a landing page built for conversion beats a list of blog posts every time. Redirecting these queries turns intent into action. - **Support shortcuts.** Common support queries like “refund” or “cancel” can be routed straight to the relevant help page, cutting down on support tickets before they’re submitted. We’ve seen this make a noticeable difference for sites that set it up. With the right redirect rules in place, your search bar stops serving random results and starts guiding visitors exactly where they need to go. Now, let’s look at how to set it up with SearchWP. ## How to Redirect Search Results Using SearchWP The easiest way to redirect search results in WordPress is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the best search plugin for WordPress, and it not only enables you to redirect searches but also enhances the native WordPress search capabilities. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") on the market, trusted by 50,000+ website owners. It replaces WordPress’s default search with a powerful, fully customizable engine and gives you precise control over what your visitors find and where they land. This is where SearchWP shines. It allows your website to perform in-depth searches across various content types, set specific search guidelines, and track search behavior to understand what your visitors are looking for. Here are the features offered by SearchWP: - **Query-to-URL Redirect Rules:** SearchWP’s Redirects extension lets you intercept any search query and send visitors to a specific page on your site. You can create as many rules as you need and set them up without writing any code. - **Partial Match Support:** Toggle on partial matching for a rule, and SearchWP fires the redirect whenever any word from your saved query appears inside the visitor’s search, instead of requiring an exact match. - **Engine targeting:** Scope a redirect to one specific search engine or apply it across every engine on your site, so the right rules fire in the right context. - **PDF and Office Documents Indexing:** Makes document content searchable by parsing [PDFs, Office documents,](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-ms-office-files-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress") and plain (and rich) text documents. - **WooCommerce Integration:** Automatically integrates with WooCommerce, enhancing search capabilities for product images and more. - **Keyword Stemming:** Expands search flexibility by [finding similar keywords](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/ "Partial Matches, Fuzzy Matches, Spelling Corrections"), improving the comprehensiveness of search results. - **Multiple Search Engines:** Allows the creation of custom search engines tailored for different content types, such as one specifically for images. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to redirect search results in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a plan. Once that’s done, go to your account dashboard and then head to the **Downloads** tab. From here, click **Download SearchWP** and save the ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Remember to copy your license key from the same page; you will need it for activation. Next, you can upload the plugin files to your WordPress site and install and activate SearchWP [like any standard WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once activated, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button and follow the on-screen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now your website’s default search has been automatically replaced with SearchWP, and we are ready to redirect search results in WordPress to specific pages. ### Step 2: Install the Redirects Extension The next step is to install the [Redirects extension](https://searchwp.com/features/redirects/ "Redirects") in SearchWP. Do note that the Redirects extension is available on the Pro plan and above. To start, from your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions**. On the extensions screen, you can find the **Redirects** extension in the list and click **Install**. ![How to redirect search results in WordPress: Configuring Redirect with SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/configure-redirect-extension-step3.jpg "configure-redirect-extension-step3 - SearchWP")Once the extension activates, a **Redirects** tab appears in the SearchWP Settings navigation. You’re ready to start building redirect rules. ### Step 3: Add a Search Redirect Rule From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to **SearchWP » Settings** and click the **Redirects** tab. You’ll see the Redirects screen with an empty table ready for your first rule. Go ahead and click **Add New**. A new row appears with four fields to fill in. ![View redirects in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-redirects-in-searchwp-1030x633.png "View redirects in SearchWP - SearchWP")In the **Query** field, type the search term you want to intercept. For this example, type `red sneakers` and then enter `/coming-soon/` in the **Redirect URL** field, as the path for the destination, and enable Partial Match. If you want to match the exact query only, then you can leave the **Partial Match** toggle off. Besides that, leave the **Engine(s)** field empty so the rule applies to all engines on your site. ![Enter redirect rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-redirect-rules-1-1030x441.png "Enter redirect rules - SearchWP")From there, click **Save**. SearchWP stores the rule, and it becomes active immediately. Do remember that the **Redirect** field accepts relative URL paths only, not full URLs. Enter `/contact/` rather than `https://yoursite.com/contact/`. **Pro Tip:** The **Partial Match** toggle is useful when visitors might search for a variation of your query term. When enabled, SearchWP tokenizes both the stored term and the visitor’s query, then checks whether your term appears as a substring. Keep it off for precise queries like brand terms and use it selectively for broader ones. You can also redirect search queries to specific blog posts by following a similar process. Just add the blog post slug in the **Redirect URL** field, and you’re done! ### Step 4: See the Redirected Search Results in Action To check if everything is working correctly, visit the front end of your website. Write one of the queries in the search form and press Enter or click the search button. For example, let’s write down “red sneaker” and hit Enter for our case. ![How to redirect search results in WordPress: Final result Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/final-result-step1.jpg "final-result-step1 - SearchWP")You’ll land on the redirected page instead of seeing the search results page. Notice we still landed on the right page even though our search wasn’t an exact match. With Partial Match on, SearchWP redirects as soon as any word from your saved query, like “red”, shows up in what the visitor typed. ![How to redirect search results in WordPress: Final Result Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/final-result-step2.jpg "final-result-step2 - SearchWP")If your website lacks a good search form, you can learn [how to create an advanced search form in this comprehensive tutorial](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). ## Bonus: Track Redirect Performance With Statistics The Redirects extension includes a built-in statistics tracker. To turn it on, scroll to the **Settings & Tools** section on the **Redirects** tab and toggle on **Enable Statistics**. ![Enable statistics for redirects](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-statistics-for-redirects-1030x490.png "Enable statistics for redirects - SearchWP")Once enabled, a **Statistics** section appears on the same page and logs every redirect that fires. The table shows the **Search Query**, **Redirect URL**, **Engine**, **Count**, and **Last Redirected** date for each rule, so you can see which queries are being intercepted most often. ![See redirect statistics table](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/see-redirect-statistics-table-1030x549.png "See redirect statistics table - SearchWP")For a fuller picture of how visitors use your site’s search, our guide to [finding the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website") is worth reading alongside this. To clear the data, click **Reset Statistics** in the **Settings & Tools** section. ## FAQs about Redirecting Search Results **1. Can I redirect partial search queries, not just exact terms?** Yes, the Redirects extension includes a **[Partial Match](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How to Add Fuzzy Search to WordPress Sites")** toggle on each rule. When enabled, SearchWP tokenizes both the stored query and the visitor’s search term, then checks whether your term appears as a substring of what they typed. Keep in mind that common stopwords may be stripped during tokenization, which can loosen the match. We recommend using exact match by default and enabling partial matching only where broader coverage is useful. **2. What happens if a visitor’s query matches more than one redirect rule?** The first rule in the list wins. SearchWP scans redirect rules in the order they appear in the **Redirects** table, so drag your most specific rules to the top and click **Save** to apply the new order. **3. Does redirecting a search query affect SEO?** Search redirects fire before any page output is sent, so visitors land on the destination page rather than a results page. These are HTTP 302 (temporary) redirects by default. They don’t pass SEO authority the way a 301 permanent redirect does, but since they only fire when someone actually runs a search (not on your normal, indexable pages) the effect on your page rankings is minimal. **4. Can I import or export my redirect rules?** Yes. Scroll to the **Import/Export** section inside **Settings & Tools** on the **Redirects** tab. Paste a JSON export into the **Import** field and click **Import Redirects** to load rules from another site or a backup. Use the **Export** field to copy your current rules as JSON. You now have a working search redirect configured on your WordPress site. SearchWP’s Redirects extension makes it straightforward to intercept any query and guide visitors exactly where you want them, without touching a line of code. We hope this article helped you learn how to redirect search results in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on how to [optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page") and how to [customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). Ready to take full control of your WordPress search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, redirect search results, search results, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [Filter SearchWP Results With WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-4-6-0-wordpress-faceted-search/) **Published:** June 30, 2026 **Author:** Cristian Rossi **Content:** You want visitors to filter your search results. Pick a category, narrow by tag, focus on one post type. That’s what WordPress faceted search is supposed to do, yet the moment you bolt a filter plugin onto your search page, the carefully ranked results that SearchWP returned go out of order, and the most relevant matches drift below results that happen to match the filter exactly. SearchWP 4.6.0 closes that gap. Drop WPFilters controls onto any Results Template and they now narrow your search results while keeping SearchWP’s relevance ranking intact. The two plugins finally compose properly, so your visitors get both the relevance they need and the filtering UI they expect. ## WordPress Faceted Search That Respects Your Ranking The new WPFilters integration runs at the same layer SearchWP uses to score results, which means filtering happens **before** ranking, not after. Selecting “Post Type: Product” or “Category: Tutorials” narrows the result pool, and SearchWP then sorts whatever remains by relevance to the search keyword. The top of the list is still the most relevant match, just within the narrower set the visitor asked for. To switch it on, open any Results Template and look for the new **WPFilters Integration** toggle in the Custom Styling section. Flip it on for that template and any WPFilters elements you place on the page will start narrowing the result list. ![Results Templates editor showing the new Enable WPFilters toggle in the Custom Styling section](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-toggle-1030x966.png "wpfilters-toggle - SearchWP")Filter changes survive across pagination and Load More, so a visitor who picks a category and scrolls through five pages of results never loses their filter. The Search element from WPFilters also plays nicely with the SearchWP keyword on the same page, so the two search boxes stay in sync instead of fighting each other. The integration is paired with WPFilters 1.1.0, which ships alongside this SearchWP release. If you have an older WPFilters installed, SearchWP will tell you: the Enable WPFilters toggle stays disabled with a friendly prompt to update, and a matching reminder appears in the SearchWP notifications panel. Update WPFilters and both signals clear on their own. No broken pages, no silent no-ops. ## Place Filters Next to Your Results SearchWP 4.6.0 also registers two new widget areas built for WordPress faceted search: **SearchWP Results Left Sidebar** and **SearchWP Results Right Sidebar**. They appear under **Appearance → Widgets** and they render on the SearchWP-powered search results page only, so they don’t clutter the rest of your site. Drop a WPFilters element into either sidebar and the search results page automatically switches to a responsive two-column layout. If you fill both sidebars, you get a three-column layout with results in the middle. Use only one sidebar (or none) and SearchWP picks the right variant for you. On phones and narrow viewports the columns collapse to a single column so the page stays readable. ![WordPress faceted search in action: filter elements in the left sidebar narrowing a list of SearchWP results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/filters-frontend-1030x764.png "SearchWP sidebar filter widgets - SearchWP")The sidebars only render on the search results route SearchWP serves, which is the place where you previously couldn’t drop widgets at all. On pages you build yourself (a shortcode page, a Gutenberg layout, a Bricks or Elementor page) you already control the layout, so SearchWP gets out of the way and lets you place filter elements wherever you want them. ## One WordPress Faceted Search UI for Everything You Index The integration works for posts, custom post types, taxonomy terms, custom fields, and authors. If you’re running a documentation portal, your readers can filter by section. If you’re running a WooCommerce store, your shoppers can filter products by category, attribute, or any custom meta you index. If you’re running a knowledge base, support can narrow by tag while still surfacing the article most likely to answer the question. Each filter is its own element configured in WPFilters: pick a filter type (checkbox, dropdown, slider), point it at a data source (a taxonomy, custom field, post type, or author), and a live preview shows the values your visitors will actually see. SearchWP then composes with whatever you build. ![WPFilters element editor configuring a Category filter with Checkbox type and a Categories data source, with a live preview of filter options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-element-editor-1030x885.png "wpfilters-element-editor - SearchWP")Selecting a filter updates the result list in place. No full page reload, no broken back-button history. For a deeper look at how filtering plays with product catalogs, our guides on [filtering WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-in-wordpress-complete-guide/) and [adding a color filter](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-color-filter-in-woocommerce/) walk through real-world setups you can adapt to use SearchWP-ranked results underneath. ## More Improvements in This Release - **Right plugin, right update.** If you run both SearchWP and WPFilters, WordPress now shows the correct update notice for each plugin — no more crossed wires between the two on the Plugins screen. - **Filters apply on empty searches.** Visitors who land on a Results Template page without a search term see their selected filters apply to the result list right away. - **Clean handling of two search boxes.** The integration lets a WPFilters Search element sit alongside your SearchWP search keyword on the same Template page. Reset clears both the filters and the keyword together, in one click. - **Routine security improvements.** We’ve strengthened internal data handling as part of our ongoing security review. There’s nothing you need to do beyond updating, but we recommend updating promptly. For the full list of changes, see the [SearchWP changelog](https://searchwp.com/changelog/). ## Upgrade Your Site Search Today SearchWP 4.6.0 is rolling out now. If automatic updates are on you’ll get it without lifting a finger. Otherwise head to **Plugins → SearchWP** in your dashboard and click update. Once you’re on 4.6.0, make sure you’re running **WPFilters 1.1.0 or later** alongside it, open a Results Template, flip the **Enable WPFilters** toggle, and drop a filter element into one of the new sidebars. Your visitors will thank you the next time they search. If you run into anything or want to tell us what to build next, our support team is happy to hear from you. We’re already lining up the next set of improvements, so let us know what would make your search work harder for you. **Categories:** Announcements, Releases **Tags:** SearchWP, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/) **Published:** July 2, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are you trying to add search by category in WordPress sites? Most WordPress site owners don’t realize how confusing their search results look until they try to add search by category in WordPress. A visitor types “chicken” into a cooking blog’s search bar and gets dinner recipes mixed with kitchen gadget reviews, nutrition guides, and old posts, all from completely different categories. We’ve seen this firsthand with content-heavy sites across every niche. WordPress’s built-in search doesn’t natively let visitors filter results by category, so every keyword search returns everything on the site at once with no way to narrow things down. In this article, we’ll show you how to add search by category in WordPress using SearchWP. ## Why Add Search By Category In Your WordPress Site? Category search is a search form that includes a category dropdown, letting visitors type a keyword and choose which section of your site to search at the same time. When someone selects “Recipes” and searches “chicken,” they only see posts from that category, not your gear reviews or newsletter archive. We know from experience that this feature makes a real difference across every type of site. Here are the pain points it solves: - **Overwhelming search results:** When visitors search on a content-heavy site, they often get dozens of off-topic posts for any keyword. Without a category filter, there’s no way to separate your beginner guides from your advanced tutorials, or your product posts from your editorial content. - **No built-in filter in WordPress:** WordPress’s default search doesn’t natively support [category filtering](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)") without custom code. Every blog, store, and membership site hits this wall the moment they grow beyond a handful of posts. - **Missed sales on eCommerce sites:** Shoppers on a [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") can’t filter search to “Electronics” or “Sale Items,” so they browse less and convert less. We’ve watched visitors abandon a search entirely when they couldn’t find similar products grouped. - **Lost readers on blogs and eLearning sites:** A beginner looking for introductory content on a site with years of advanced posts will leave frustrated if they can’t filter to the right category. That’s a loyal reader lost over something that takes minutes to fix. That said, let’s look at how you can add a category search in WordPress. ## Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners) [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the easiest way to add a category search form to WordPress without touching any code. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/ "7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)"). It replaces WordPress’s default search with a powerful, customizable engine that gives you full control over what your visitors find and how they find it. Here’s why site owners use SearchWP to add category search: - **Category Search forms.** SearchWP’s built-in **Category Search** layout theme adds a category dropdown to any search form, letting visitors filter results to a specific category with no coding required. - **Relevance-ranked results.** SearchWP’s engine indexes your content and returns the most relevant results first, not just the newest. Visitors find what they’re actually looking for instead of scrolling through off-topic posts. - **Lightning-fast live search.** Install the **Live Ajax Search** extension (included with Standard and up) to show results in a dropdown as visitors type, with no page reload required. - **Full customization.** Control which categories appear in the dropdown, choose which engine powers the results, and style the form to match your site’s design. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to add search by category in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com "SearchWP website") and sign up for an account. After that, go ahead and log in and head to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From there, click **Download SearchWP** to save the ZIP file to your computer. Make sure to also copy your license key, as you’ll need it during setup. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you’ve never installed a plugin before, you can follow this [WordPress plugin installation guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") for step-by-step instructions. Once the plugin is active, go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen instructions to configure SearchWP for your site. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP is all set and ready to build your first category search form! ### Step 2: Customize Your WordPress Search Algorithm (Optional) SearchWP automatically starts indexing the content on your site upon activation. However, you can take complete control over the search engine. **Note:** This step is optional. SearchWP’s default engine works with the Category Search form without any manual changes here. To customize the algorithm manually, you can visit **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup SearchWP Engine ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg)The default configuration indexes Posts, Pages, and Media files. You can choose which sources you’d like by clicking on the **Sources & Settings** button. **Bonus tip:** you can use dedicated Engines for different types of content (or conditions) by leveraging the [Supplemental Engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/ "Supplemental Engine")*.* ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)A new popup window will now open with the default sources for the search engine. Then, select the sources you’d like to make searchable. Once that’s finished, click “Done” to apply changes. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step4.jpg "Screenshot 2024-07-24 at 101156 PM - SearchWP")You can also determine how much each attribute contributes by adjusting the Applicable Attribute Relevance. Simply move the slider next to each attribute to adjust the weight. Sliding it to the right increases its importance in search results while sliding it to the left reduces its impact. This helps you fine-tune how search results are prioritized on your site. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step5.jpg "setup-Engine-step5 - SearchWP")If you wish to ignore any attribute, you can simply do that by clicking on the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. A new window will popup where you can uncheck the ones you’d like to remove, and click ‘Done’ to update the settings. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step7.jpg "setup-Engine-step7 - SearchWP")When you are satisfied with the configuration, click “Save” to apply the changes. Your Engine setup is now complete. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step8.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")The index rebuilds periodically to stay up to date with the changes. However, if you see a notice that says, “The index needs to be rebuilt,” you should click the **Rebuild Index** button to force a full manual index rebuild. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Setup Search Engine 9](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step9.jpg "setup-Engine-step9 - SearchWP")### Step 3: Create A Search By Category Form In WordPress Next, you can head to **Search » Search Forms** from your WordPress dashboard. From there, go ahead and click **Add New** to start building your category search form. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg.)Give your form a descriptive name like “Search by Category” to keep things organized. After that, you’ll see a **Choose a theme** section with five layout options. Go ahead and select **Category Search** from the list. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp3.jpg "create-search-from-satp3 - SearchWP")Next, make sure the correct Engine is selected. If you have created multiple search engines, it’ll show in the dropdown. m ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp4.jpg "create-search-from-satp4 - SearchWP")Under **Results Page**, choose either **Default** (your theme’s normal search results page) or **SearchWP** (SearchWP’s own results template). The benefit of choosing SearchWP is that you’ll be able to [make advanced changes to the Search Results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page") ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp5.jpg "create-search-from-satp5 - SearchWP")Now, add the types of content you want to search for in the “Type of search” field. The sources you selected in the Algorithm (from the previous step) will appear here. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp6.jpg "create-search-from-satp6 - SearchWP")From there, use the **Select Category** field to choose which categories appear in the dropdown on your site. You can include all categories or pick specific ones to keep the dropdown focused. This is the most critical part of this tutorial; you need to select categories that you want to include in the search by category form in the “Select Category.” Only the ones you pick will appear in the dropdown. **Please note:** you will only see categories that are currently in use. If a category is not listed, it typically means there is no content associated with it. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp7.jpg "create-search-from-satp7 - SearchWP")When you’re done, scroll to the top of the page. From here, you can click the **Save** button. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Create Search Form Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp8.jpg "- SearchWP")### Step 4: Add the Form to Your Site There are multiple ways to add the search by category form on your website. Go ahead and click the **Embed** button next to Save to see all options. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 0](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step00.jpg "- SearchWP")In the popup modal, you’ll see multiple ways to add the search by category form to your website. You can choose from a Gutenberg Block, Shortcode, or PHP Code. Follow the one that suits you best. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 01](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg)Let’s see an example of how you can add a search by category form in WordPress using the Gutenberg Block. Open the page where you want to add the search form in the WordPress content editor. From there, click the **+** button and search for the **SearchWP Form** block. From the block’s settings panel, choose the category search form you created from the dropdown. After that, go ahead and publish or update the page, and your form is now live. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step2.jpg "Screenshot 2024-07-25 at 23132 AM - SearchWP")**Note:** You can also embed the form using a shortcode. Each saved form in **Search » Search Forms** includes a shortcode option you can paste into any page, post, or widget area. Simply choose the search form you just created using SearchWP. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step3.jpg "embed-search-form-step3 - SearchWP")Finally, you can click “Publish/Update”, depending on your scenario, and that’s it! ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step4.jpg "embed-search-form-step4 - SearchWP")Open the published page to start using your search by category form in WordPress! ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step5.jpg "How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form - SearchWP")## Bonus: Add Live Search to Your Category Form Once your category search form is live, a great next step is adding live search so results appear as visitors type. The **Live Ajax Search** extension (included with Standard and up) works alongside your category form and displays a results dropdown in real time with no page reload needed. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")To learn how to set it up, check out our guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ## FAQs for Category Search in WordPress **1. Does WordPress search by category by default?** No, WordPress’s built-in search doesn’t natively let visitors filter results by category. The default search form searches across all post titles, excerpts, and content at once with no category filter included. Adding a category search form with a plugin like SearchWP is the easiest way to give visitors that control without any coding. **2. How do I add a category filter to my WordPress search form?** The easiest way is to use SearchWP’s built-in **Category Search** layout theme. After installing SearchWP, head to **Search » Search Forms**, click **Add New**, and select the **Category Search** theme. From there, use the **Select Category** field in the **Custom Styling** panel to choose which categories appear in the dropdown, then save and add the form to any page using the **SearchWP Form** block. **3. Can I choose which categories appear in the SearchWP dropdown?** Yes. When you select the **Category Search** theme in the form editor, the **Custom Styling** panel includes a **Select Category** field where you can pick exactly which categories appear in the dropdown. We’ve found this especially useful for sites that want to hide internal or uncategorized posts from the filter. **4. Does SearchWP’s category search work with WooCommerce products?** Yes, SearchWP’s category search form works with WooCommerce product categories in the dropdown. From our experience, you’ll want to make sure your WooCommerce products are enabled as a source in **SearchWP » Algorithm**, so they appear in results. For deeper WooCommerce search features including product variations and SKUs, SearchWP’s WooCommerce extension (Pro and up) adds more advanced product search capabilities. **5. Do I need to know how to code to add category search to WordPress?** No coding is required. SearchWP’s **Category Search** layout theme handles the entire setup through the WordPress dashboard with no changes needed to your theme files or functions.php. From our experience, most site owners have a category search form live in under 10 minutes. ## What’s Next… You’ve now added search by category to your WordPress site using SearchWP’s built-in **Category Search** form. Visitors can narrow their search to any category with a category dropdown, with no custom code needed. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [ways to improve WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)"). Ready to add search by category to your site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** categories, exclude a category from WordPress search, search by category, search by category wordpress code, SearchWP, taxonomy filter, WordPress search, wordpress search custom taxonomy, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Limit WordPress Search for Custom User Groups](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-for-custom-user-groups/) **Published:** June 30, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re running a membership site, then you have worked hard to gate the right content for the right members. But when a free member types a keyword into the search bar, Premium-only posts appear right in the results with their titles and excerpts on full display. That gap is exactly the problem many site owners run into when they try to limit WordPress search by user group. WordPress’s native search has no awareness of the access rules a third-party plugin has configured. SearchWP fixes this as it includes a PrivateContent Integration that makes search results honor every user-group restriction on your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to set up SearchWP to limit WordPress search for custom user groups, step by step. ## What Is Search Access Control? Search access control means your search results respect the same rules as the rest of your site. If a user can’t browse to a post, they shouldn’t be able to find it by [typing a keyword](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-clickable-keywords-below-the-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress") into the search bar either. Most WordPress access-restriction plugins do a thorough job of hiding content at the page-browsing layer. But search is a separate system that runs its own database query, and without a specific integration, that query ignores every access rule you’ve configured. Once search access control is in place, your search bar becomes a trusted navigation tool for every user group. Members stay inside the content scope their subscription entitles them to, and restricted content stays private, no matter how a user tries to find it. ## Why Limiting Search by User Group Matters Running a site with tiered content access is only as strong as its weakest entry point. From our experience, search is the most commonly overlooked gap in an otherwise well-configured access setup. Here’s where the pain shows up: - **Content leaks.** Restricted posts appear in search results for members who aren’t authorized to see them. Even when the post itself is locked, the title and excerpt reveal the content before the visitor ever clicks through. - **Broken trust.** When a lower-tier member discovers gated content through search, it breaks the trust your membership tiers are built on. It creates confusion, support tickets, and churn from members who feel the site is inconsistently managed. - **Manual workarounds don’t scale.** [Excluding individual posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress") from search one by one works for a handful of articles, but it falls apart as your content library grows. New posts slip through, and the maintenance burden compounds. - **Access control is only as strong as its weakest point.** Any site that gates content at the browsing layer but leaves search unrestricted has an open gap. Search is a navigation surface and deserves the same care as your page-access rules. With SearchWP’s PrivateContent Integration, you can close that gap without touching a line of code. Here’s how to set it up. ## Limit WordPress Search by User Group with SearchWP We recommend [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") as the easiest way to make search results respect every user-group access rule on your site. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)"), trusted by 50,000+ website owners. It improves WordPress’s default search with a fully configurable engine, and its PrivateContent Integration automatically filters every search query based on who’s logged in. Here’s what SearchWP has to offer: - **Access-aware search results.** The PrivateContent Integration hooks into every search query and filters results in real time, so members only see posts their user category is authorized to access. - **Multiple search engines.** Build separate engines for different site sections. The PrivateContent Integration applies access filtering across all of them automatically, with no per-engine configuration needed. - **Real-time filtering.** Access checks run on every query, so a user’s results always reflect their current category, even when their membership status changes. - **Zero-code setup.** Once the PrivateContent Integration is installed, it runs silently in the background with no template edits, custom PHP, or shortcode changes required. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to limit search by user group on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com "SearchWP website") and sign up for a new account. The PrivateContent Integration requires SearchWP Pro or higher, so make sure you choose the right plan before downloading. Then, from your account dashboard, go to the **Downloads** tab and click **Download SearchWP** to save the ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Also, copy your license key from the same screen, as you will need it to activate SearchWP. After that, install SearchWP on your WordPress site like any other plugin. And if you need help, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin.](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") After activation, SearchWP will prompt you to run the setup wizard. Simply click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen steps to connect your license key and configure the default search engine. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Install PrivateContent and the SearchWP Integration The SearchWP [PrivateContent Integration](https://searchwp.com/features/privatecontent-integration/ "PrivateContent Integration") works alongside the PrivateContent plugin to filter search results by user group. Note: You’ll need PrivateContent installed and active on your site before the integration can work. Once PrivateContent is active, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. Scroll through the list until you see the **PrivateContent Integration** card and click **Install**. ![Install PrivateContent extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-privatecontent-extension-1030x530.png "Install PrivateContent extension - SearchWP")SearchWP will automatically install and activate the PrivateContent Integration. That’s everything you need to configure inside SearchWP. The PrivateContent Integration automatically filters every search query once it’s active, with no additional settings screen to configure in SearchWP. ### Step 3: Create User Categories and Restrict Your Content With the integration active, the next step is to set up your user groups inside PrivateContent. Navigate to **PrivateContent » User Categories** from your WordPress dashboard to get started. ![Add a new users group](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-users-group-1030x586.png "Add a new users group - SearchWP")Then, under **Add New User Category**, give your group a name, such as “Gold Members” (restricted tier) and “Free Members” (standard tier). You can repeat this step for any lower-tier groups and create a second category for users with standard access. From here, you can navigate to **PrivateContent » Users List** to assign a test user to each category so you’re ready to verify the restriction in the next step. ![Add new user list](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-user-list-1030x429.png "Add new user list - SearchWP")Simply click the **Add New** button to add a new user or click on an existing user in the list. When editing the user, make sure to assgin a category you created earlier. ![Select user category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-user-category-1030x367.png "Select user category - SearchWP")Now, open a post or page you want to restrict and find the **PrivateContent – Restrictions Wizard** metabox in the post editor sidebar. Go ahead and head to the **Redirect** section, then set **Who can access this page?** to the user category you created. ![Choose who can access this page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-who-can-access-this-page-1030x821.png "Choose who can access this page - SearchWP")When you are done, save the post. PrivateContent now knows which category can access that content, and SearchWP will automatically honor that rule on every search query going forward. ### Step 4: Test Your Access-Restricted Search With everything configured, it’s time to confirm the restriction is working. Log in as a user who belongs to the group that doesn’t have access to the post you restricted in the previous step (for instance, Gold members). Now, you can run a search using a keyword that appears in the restricted post’s title or content. The post shouldn’t appear in the results. ![View search results for user groups](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/08-search-results-filtered-by-user-group-1030x580.png "View search results for user groups - SearchWP")Next, log in as a user who belongs to **Gold Members** and run the same search. The restricted post should now appear normally, confirming the PrivateContent Integration is working correctly. ## Bonus: Index PrivateContent User Reserved Pages in Search PrivateContent includes a separate feature called **User Reserved Pages**, which automatically creates a personal page for each registered user on your site. These pages can store account details, personalized content, or any user-specific information you want to scope to a single individual. By default, User Reserved Pages are excluded from SearchWP’s index. To make them discoverable, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** and then click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")A popup window will now open where you can select the sources for your engine. You can check the **PrivateContent – User Reserved Pages** checkbox under the Sources section. ![Index PrivateContent User Reserved Pages in search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/index-PrivateContent-User-Reserved-Pages-in-search-1030x535.png "Index PrivateContent User Reserved Pages in search - SearchWP")**Note:** User Reserved Pages have their own access controls inside PrivateContent, separate from the user-category restrictions you set up in the tutorial above. Before enabling this source, confirm your PrivateContent settings are configured to control who can view each user’s personal page. ## FAQs About Limiting Search to User Groups **1. Does SearchWP limit search results for logged-out visitors too?** Yes. When no user is logged in, the PrivateContent Integration checks the current user’s access state on every query. A guest has no user categories assigned, so any post restricted to a specific category is automatically excluded from search results for logged-out visitors as well. **2. Does the PrivateContent Integration work with all SearchWP engines?** The PrivateContent Integration hooks into SearchWP at the query level, so it applies to every engine on your site, including the default engine, any supplemental engines, and any engines attached to custom search forms. There’s no per-engine configuration needed inside SearchWP. **3. What happens if a user’s category changes after they’ve already run a search?** Search results are filtered in real time on every query, so the current user’s access state is always applied. If a member upgrades from Free Members to Premium Members, their very next search will reflect the new access level immediately, with no cache to clear. **4. Do I need to rebuild the SearchWP index after setting up PrivateContent restrictions?** No. The PrivateContent Integration filters results at query time, not at indexing time. Your SearchWP index stays unchanged, and the integration simply removes restricted posts from the results returned to the current user. You don’t need to rebuild after adding, updating or removing PrivateContent restrictions. **5. Can I use SearchWP to restrict search without the PrivateContent plugin?** The out-of-the-box PrivateContent Integration specifically requires the PrivateContent plugin. If your site uses a different access-control plugin, SearchWP’s developer API includes the `searchwp\query\mods` filter, which lets a developer inject custom access rules into any search query, but that approach does require custom PHP code. ## What’s Next… You now have a complete setup for limiting WordPress search results by user group. SearchWP’s PrivateContent Integration quietly filters every query based on who’s logged in, so members stay inside their content scope, and restricted posts stay private no matter how a user tries to find them. We hope this article helped you learn how to limit WordPress search to user groups. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). Ready to give every user group a search experience tailored to their access level? [You can get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** limit search to user groups, PrivateContent, PrivateContent extension, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce product search by tags, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widgets-step-by-step/) **Published:** June 10, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Imagine a customer lands on your WooCommerce store looking for a blue merino wool sweater. They type “blue merino” into the search bar and get zero results, even though you have exactly what they need. That’s the default WooCommerce search at work, and we’ve seen it cost store owners real sales every single day. The problem is that the default WooCommerce search only matches keywords against product titles and basic content. It completely ignores product attributes, variations, tags, categories, and custom fields stored in your database. Adding a custom WooCommerce search widget is how you fix that. You can place a properly configured search form in your sidebar, header, shop page, or anywhere else on your site, and connect it to a search engine that actually understands your products. In this article, we’ll show you how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your store step by step, without writing a single line of code. ## What Are Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets? A custom WooCommerce search widget is a search form you place anywhere on your site and connect to a configured search engine. Unlike the default search bar, it gives you control over what the engine searches, how results are ranked, and where the form appears. Classic WordPress themes use the **Widgets** screen to place search forms in areas like the sidebar, header, or footer. Block-based FSE (full-site editing) themes use the block editor instead, where you can drop a search form block onto any template or page. Either way, the widget itself is only the front-end display. The real upgrade comes from what’s powering it. ## Why Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets? A well-placed search widget turns your store navigation into a direct path to purchase. Here’s what you gain by replacing the default experience: - **Better product discoverability.** The default search misses products stored with custom attributes like color, size, SKU, or material. A custom widget backed by a real search engine finds products no matter which attribute the customer searches by. - **More sales from existing traffic.** Visitors who use site search convert at significantly higher rates than those who browse. Every time a search returns zero results, you lose a conversion you already paid to attract. - **Control over what gets searched.** With a custom widget, you decide exactly which product data the search engine reads — title, description, tags, variations, custom fields, or any combination. You can even create different search widgets for different pages, each tuned for a different purpose. - **Search analytics.** Once the search is working, you can track exactly what customers are searching for and which queries return zero results. Our guide on [how to find the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/) walks through this in detail. - **A clean, professional experience.** A search bar that returns relevant results instantly builds trust. We’ve worked with many store owners who noticed a direct drop in bounce rate after fixing their product search. The good news is that setting all of this up takes about ten minutes with the right plugin. Let’s learn how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your website below. ## How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Easily) The easiest way to add a custom search widget to WooCommerce is to use a plugin, and [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best WordPress search plugin for this task. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WooCommerce search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins-to-boost-your-sales/ "5+ Best WooCommerce Search Plugins to Boost Your Sales"), trusted by over 50,000 website owners to replace the default WordPress search with a fast, accurate engine. It builds a search index across your site’s content, posts, pages, [products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), media, custom fields, and more. And lets you control exactly what gets searched, how results are ranked, and where search forms appear. Here are the key features that make it ideal for WooCommerce stores: - **WooCommerce Integration.** SearchWP’s dedicated WooCommerce extension powers your product search with a real relevance engine. It respects product visibility rules, handles catalog sorting, and makes product attributes, variations, and tags fully searchable. - **Custom search engines.** Create multiple engines and connect each one to a different search form. You can run a product-only search in the shop sidebar and a site-wide search in the header at the same time. - **Search analytics.** The Metrics extension shows you exactly what your customers are searching for, which searches return zero results, and where you’re losing sales to your own search bar. - **Multiple placement options.** Add search forms as widgets, Gutenberg blocks, shortcodes, or page-builder elements — no theme restrictions. - **PDF and office document indexing.** If you sell books or other text-based resources, your users will be able to find them more easily. SearchWP considers the content of document files in your media library when searching. - **Visitor statistics and insights.** You get to see what your visitors are searching for. You can use this information to improve your services. With that, let’s see how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your site using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") and sign up for a new account. Once you’ve created an account and you’re in your account dashboard, go to the **Downloads** tab. From there, click **Download SearchWP** to save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. Copy the license key on the same page, as you’ll need it during setup. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can upload the plugin files and then install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you need a hand, check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen with a setup wizard. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen instructions, including entering your license key when prompted. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Great work, SearchWP is now installed and ready to configure. The next step is to add WooCommerce support. ### Step 2: Install the WooCommerce Integration Extension SearchWP has a dedicated WooCommerce Integration extension that powers your product search with a full relevance engine. It handles product visibility rules, catalog sorting, and ensures SearchWP reads your product data correctly. To install it, simply navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Next, find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension in the list and click **Install**. It activates automatically within a few seconds. Now SearchWP has full access to your WooCommerce products and product data. Let’s configure the search engine next. ### Step 3: Set Up a SearchWP Custom Search Engine SearchWP uses search engines, which let you set up configurations that control what gets searched and how results are ranked. You can create multiple engines and connect each one to a different search form on your site. To customize your SearchWP engine, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)From there, click **Sources & Settings**. A modal will pop up with a list of sources to choose from. Then, check the box next to **Products** to make your WooCommerce products searchable. You can also include other default sources like **Posts,** **Pages,** or **Media** if you want the widget to search across your whole site. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg)Click **Done** when you’re finished. Now scroll down to the **Products** section to fine-tune what SearchWP reads from each product. To start, click **Add/Remove Attributes** to open the attributes panel. Here you can add product custom fields (like SKU, color, or size) and taxonomies (like product tags and categories) to the search index. ![Manage product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-product-attributes--1030x518.png "Manage product attributes - SearchWP")When you’re done selecting attributes, click **Done**. Then click **Save** so that SearchWP can start rebuilding your search index based on the new settings. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-saving.jpg)If you want to narrow the widget down to products only and remove other content types from results, see our guide on [how to limit your WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-your-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Limit Your WordPress Search Results (For Newbies)"). Your search engine is now tuned for WooCommerce products. The final step is to add the search widget to your site. ### Step 4: Add WooCommerce Search To Your Website Now you need to create a search bar so your customers can search for their desired products. Whether you need to use a widget or a block to create the search bar depends on the theme you are using. A WooCommerce Search Widget is your best choice if you are using a classic theme. On the other hand, if you are using a modern FSE (full-site editing) theme, then utilizing a WooCommerce search block is the standard method. You can add a search bar anywhere on your website, regardless of the method you use. Here’s how you can add WooCommerce search to your website for both cases. #### Step 4.1 Add WooCommerce Search Widget For Classic Themes You can add a custom WooCommerce search widget anywhere on your site if your theme supports it. Let’s see how you can add the widget to the sidebar. You can also put it anywhere on your site, such as the header and footer. It depends on your needs, but the process is similar. Simply navigate to **Appearance » Widgets** from the WordPress dashboard. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Adding Search Widget Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-search-widget-step1-1.jpg "adding-search-widget-step1 - SearchWP")On the widgets settings page, select the area where you want to add the widget and click the + icon. In this tutorial, we’ll be adding the search widget to the WooCommerce sidebar area. Type SearchWP into the field, and then select the **SearchWP Form** widget block. ![Add SearchWP forms to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x718.png "Add SearchWP forms to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once the SearchWP Form block is added, you can click the dropdown menu and select a search form. Then, click **Update** in the upper right corner. ![Select your form for WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-form-for-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x391.png "Select your form for WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Your sidebar now has a custom WooCommerce search widget. Now visit your website front-end and see your WooCommerce search widget in action! ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Search box preview on frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WooCommerce-custom-search-results.png)#### Step 4.2 Add WooCommerce Search Block For Modern FSE Themes Before displaying the search bar, you’ll need to create a search form. The process is quick and easy with SearchWP and doesn’t involve writing any code. To create a search form, go to SearchWP > Search Forms and click “Add New.” ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-create-search-form.jpg "- SearchWP")Pick a name for your search form, select a theme layout, and configure it according to your needs. Please note that SearchWP enables you to configure multiple Engines, leveraging which you can serve different content in different locations on your website. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 1-1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-1-create-search-form.jpg "Choosing a search form template - SearchWP")Choosing SearchWP as the Results page gives full control and optimization of the WordPress search results page. Here’s a detailed tutorial on [how to optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page"). ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-2-create-search-form.jpg "step-2-create-search-form - SearchWP")Once you are done configuring the search form, click **Save**. If you are interested in learning more, here’s a detailed tutorial on [how to create an advanced search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-3-create-search-form.jpg "- SearchWP")Now, open the page where you want to display the search bar in Edit mode. Click the “+ Add block” icon, then find and select the SearchWP Form from the list of blocks. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Once the SeachWP Form block is added, you can select the form you just created. Simply click the dropdown menu to do that. ![Choose a form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-form-from-dropdown-1-1030x423.png "Choose a form from dropdown - SearchWP")\[wpcode id=”554512″\] You should now see the search bar displayed on your desired location. Lastly, you can click the Update or Publish button in the top corner. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Showing Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-3-show-search-form.jpg "step-3-show-search-form - SearchWP")Now visit your website front-end and see your WooCommerce search in action! You can search for different products to check if the search is working properly. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Search Form Live on Frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-search-bar-live.jpg "woocommerce-search-bar-live - SearchWP")## FAQs about WooCommerce Search Widgets **1. What is a custom WooCommerce search widget?** A custom WooCommerce search widget is a search form placed on your site and connected to a configured search engine. Unlike the default WordPress search bar, it searches product attributes, variations, tags, and custom fields. You can place it in any widget area or page using a plugin like SearchWP. **2. Does SearchWP require the WooCommerce Integration extension to search products?** SearchWP indexes WooCommerce products as a post type by default. The WooCommerce Integration extension adds product-specific behavior — including visibility rules, catalog sorting compatibility, and correct handling of the WooCommerce shop archive search. It is recommended for any WooCommerce store and is included with the SearchWP Pro plan. **3. Can I add a WooCommerce search widget to my header or footer?** Yes. If your theme supports header or footer widget areas, navigate to **Appearance » Widgets**, open the header or footer widget area, and add the Search block. For FSE themes, you can embed the **SearchWP Form** block directly in the header or footer template via the Site Editor. **4. Why does the default WooCommerce search miss products?** The default WordPress search runs a basic SQL LIKE query against post titles and content. WooCommerce stores product attributes, tags, SKUs, and variations in separate database tables as post meta and taxonomy terms, which the default search never reads. A plugin like SearchWP builds a custom index that includes all of this data. **5. Can I create different search widgets for different pages?** Yes. SearchWP lets you create multiple search engines and link each one to a different search form. You can have a product-only search engine powering a widget on your shop page, and a separate site-wide engine powering the search bar in your header. Each engine can be configured to search different sources and attributes. You now have a custom WooCommerce search widget on your site, powered by an engine that understands your products. With SearchWP indexing your product attributes, tags, variations, and custom fields, your customers can find what they need, no matter how they search for it. We hope this article helped you learn how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets. You may also want to see our guides on [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only") and [how to hide a WooCommerce product from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)"). Ready to upgrade your WooCommerce search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** search widget, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search widget, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Make WordPress Search Media Files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/) **Published:** February 19, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’ve ever uploaded important PDFs, product images, or downloadable guides to your WordPress site, you know how frustrating it is when visitors can’t find them. We’ve watched people use our search bar looking for a specific resource guide or product photo, only to get zero results. The file exists on our site, but WordPress acts like it doesn’t. This happens because the default WordPress search completely ignores your media library. It doesn’t look at image filenames, PDF content, or any document you’ve uploaded. In this article, we’ll show you how to make WordPress search media files. ## Why Do You Need To Make WordPress Search Media Files? Enhancing your WordPress site to search all types of media files, such as images, videos, audio clips, and documents, transforms how visitors interact with your content. Being able to search media files can directly impact sales. Imagine you sell electronic gadgets online. A customer comes to your site looking for a ‘digital camera.’ If they can’t search through images or manuals, they might miss the perfect match, especially if it’s only detailed in file attributes and not well-described on the page. By searching across media types, you can make sure that your customers can find the right product on their first try with minimal effort. Therefore, let’s see how to make the most common media file types searchable in WordPress: ## How To Make WordPress Search Media Files The simplest way to make WordPress search media files is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the most powerful search plugin for WordPress and will significantly enhance your website’s search results. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP makes all your media files fully searchable. It indexes their titles and metadata, including alt text, captions, and descriptions. The plugin can also search through document content and EXIF data in your images, significantly enhancing your site’s search functionality. Using SearchWP, you can make nearly everything on your site searchable. It also offers multiple search engines, customizable search rules, access to search statistics, and a ton of other features. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners worldwide use this tool to outperform competitors and improve visitor search experiences. Furthermore, here are some critical features of SearchWP that make it invaluable for online businesses: - WooCommerce Integration: SearchWP seamlessly integrates with WooCommerce, improving search capabilities for [product media files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)") and beyond. - PDF and Office Documents Indexing: You can make the content of [PDFs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), Office documents, and rich text documents searchable by parsing their content. - Multiple Search Engines: You can create specialized search engines for different types of content, including a dedicated engine for media files. - Search Behavior Analysis: [Tracks user search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") trends on your site, providing valuable insights into customer preferences and behaviors. - Prioritize Search Results: You can easily adjust the order of search results to [highlight specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress") or items, enhancing visibility with just a few clicks. Now, let’s get started with setting up SearchWP so that you can make WordPress search media files. ### Step 1: Setting Up SearchWP On Your Site First, you will need to choose a [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") that fits your needs. After purchasing, head to the ‘Downloads’ section on your Account page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from the bottom left corner of this page. You’ll need it in just a moment to activate the plugin. Now, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this step, check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate SearchWP, you’ll see the welcome screen with the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Set Up Search Engine to Make Media Files Searchable SearchWP automatically replaces the default WordPress search on your site once installed. You’ll need to configure the search engine to enable searching for media files. You can either modify the existing default Engine or create a new Supplementary Engine dedicated to searching media files. For the purpose of this tutorial, let’s set up a new Engine. Simply visit **SearchWP » Algorithm** and click the ‘Add New’ button in the Engines tab to get started. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-2.jpg)In the popup window that appears next, select the **Media** option and give your engine a descriptive name. As a result, this engine will only show media files in the search results. If you want to add more content types, please check other sources you’d like to have. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-media-engine.jpg "create-media-engine - SearchWP")Once you’ve done that, click ‘Done’ to save your settings. Now, you can click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button located on the Media tab so that you can identify what to index. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-to-engine.jpg "add-attribute-to-engine - SearchWP")Next, you will see a popup window where you can select different attribute sources. For example, you can make document content, PDF metadata, title, description, and other attributes searchable. There is also an option to include custom fields and taxonomies in the search process. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-sources.jpg "select-sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and click the **Done** button. You can also adjust the attribute relevance for search results using the slider. The greater the relevance, the higher the content will rank on the search results page. ![Adjust media weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adjust-media-weights-1030x492.png "Adjust media weights - SearchWP")Next, you will need to scroll to the top of the page. Finally, click **Save** to store the new settings. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine.jpg "save-engine - SearchWP")Now, you might need to rebuild the index in order for the changes to take effect. To do this, click **Rebuild Index** to initiate the process manually. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/rebuild-index.jpg "rebuild-index - SearchWP")Based on your website’s current configuration, you might see a popup during this process. When SearchWP indexes an image or document file, it gathers all indexable data and saves it in its database. If you prefer to replace the existing index data with new data, check the ‘Remove stored Document Content, PDF Metadata, and image EXIF when rebuilding index’ option and then click **Continue Index Rebuild**. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Configure Engine Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Reset-document-content-warning-with-checkbox.jpg)Congratulations! You have successfully made WordPress search media files on your website! ### Step 3: Create a Search Form to Search Media Files Now, you can use this Engine with any search form you create using SearchWP. To do this, navigate to SearchWP > Search Forms, then click “Add New.” ![How to make WordPress search media files: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step1-1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Next, you can start by entering a name of the search form SearchWP also offers multiple Layout themes to choose from. Simply select one and customize it according to your needs. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Create Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-step-2.jpg "- SearchWP")After that, you should be able to customize the search form as necessary. Most importantly, you’ll need to assign an **Engine** to this form. To do this, locate the Engine section and select the newly created ‘Media Engine’ from the dropdown menu. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Create Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-step-3.jpg "search-form-step-3 - SearchWP")Once you’ve made other modifications according to your needs, you can click **Save** to store your settings. Now, visitors will see media files such as PDFs, documents, videos, audio, and images in the search results made using this search form. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Create Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-step-4.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")SearchWP provides multiple ways to embed this search form into your website. Go ahead and click the **Embed** button next to Save, and you’ll see different options. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Publish Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg)You can enter the search form using a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. Pick the embed method that suits you best. For more details, please see this guide on [how to create an advanced search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How To Create Advanced Search Forms In WordPress (Easily)"). Next, you can simply visit your website and test the search form. ![Search for image on your site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-image-on-your-site-1030x439.png "Search for image on your site - SearchWP")For example, on our demo site, we have image saved as ‘Coffee.’ Searching for the media file name showed that it appears in the search results. ![View image search result](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-image-search-result-1030x511.png "View image search result - SearchWP")When we click on image, it opened the correct file. This shows that the media file search is working properly. ## FAQs About Making Media Files Searchable Here are some common questions we get about making media files searchable in WordPress. **1. Will SearchWP search inside PDF files?** Yes, SearchWP can read and index the actual text content inside your PDF files. This means visitors can find PDFs based on the words written inside them, not just the filename. Just make sure that your files are uploaded to the Media Library. **2. Can I make only certain file types searchable?** Absolutely. SearchWP lets you choose exactly which media attributes to include in your search. You can make only images searchable, or only PDFs, or any combination of file types you want. **3. Will this slow down my website?** No, SearchWP creates its own search index in the background. This means searching happens quickly without putting extra load on your server or slowing down your site for visitors. **4. Do I need coding skills to set this up?** Not at all. We’ve walked you through the entire process in this tutorial, and it only requires clicking a few buttons in your WordPress dashboard. No code editing needed. We hope this tutorial helepd you learn how to make WordPress search media files. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)") and [how to highlight search terms in WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/). [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to equip your website with advanced search capabilities. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, media files, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce product search by tags, WordPress search --- ### [How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/) **Published:** January 29, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** The search results page on your website acts like a curator in a gallery, presenting the finest pieces most engagingly. If the curator falters, even the most exquisite art fails to impress. Similarly, if your search results page is clunky, the best of your products or content might go unnoticed. It’s not just about finding the right items; it’s about displaying them well. In this article, we’ll show you how to customize the WordPress search results page using SearchWP. So, it can be the expert curator your website deserves, leading to increased engagement and growth. ## Why Do You Need A Good Search Results Page? Having a well-designed and efficient search results page is crucial for a website or any online business, and the absence of one can have significant negative impacts. Here are some reasons why a good search results page matters. - **User Experience**: A poor search results page can create a frustrating user experience. If customers cannot find what they are looking for quickly and easily, they are more likely to leave the website and seek alternatives. This not only reduces the chance of immediate sales but can also damage the long-term reputation of the business. - **Conversion Rates:** The primary goal of a website or an online business is to convert casual visitors into paying customers. A search results page that is confusing, slow, or irrelevant can significantly lower conversion rates. Visitors who find what they are looking for have a positive experience and are more likely to make a purchase and return in the future. - **Customer Insights:** A good search results page provides valuable data about customer preferences and behavior. This data can be used to improve inventory management, marketing strategies, and overall user experience. Without [effective search analytics](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "SearchWP Metrics "), a business may miss out on these insights, hindering its ability to adapt and grow. - **Competitive Advantage:** In a crowded online marketplace, having a superior search experience can be a significant competitive advantage. It demonstrates attention to customer needs and technological proficiency, setting the business apart from competitors with less effective search features. - **Brand Loyalty and Trust:** A good search results page helps build brand loyalty and trust. When customers know they can easily find what they need, they are more likely to return and recommend the site to others. ## Customizing Your WordPress Search Results Page Your WordPress website’s default search results page has many restrictions. For instance, it provides limited customization options and cannot showcase non-post content types such as authors, categories, or tags. This is where you need a plugin that lets you take control of your website’s search results page, like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that provides the most advanced search result customization for your website. Over 50,000 website owners use it to improve their search results and keep users engaged. SearchWP allows you to bypass the limitations of your theme and build a search page that actually helps your visitors. The best part is that you can create multiple search results templates and connect to different search forms. Besides that, here are some key SearchWP features has to offer: - **Fuzzy search:** This feature lets your visitors find what they need even if they make a typo in the search bar. - **PDF indexing:** You can make the content inside your [PDF files searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), which is great for document-heavy sites. - **Visitor insights:** We use this to see exactly what people are searching for and find gaps in our content strategy. - **Exclude specific content:** It allows you to hide specific pages or outdated posts from showing up in the results. With that, let’s look at the steps to customize the WordPress search results page. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you need to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Here") by visiting the website and signing up for an account. After picking your plan, go to the ‘Downloads’ tab on your SearchWP account. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the **Download SearchWP** button to save the ZIP file to your computer. Remember to copy your license key from this page, as you’ll be needing it in the setup process. Next, install SearchWP like you would with any WordPress plugin. If you need help with this part, you can check out a beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate the plugin, you will see a welcome screen with a setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the simple onscreen instructions to set everything up. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Setting Up Your Search Engine With SearchWP Next, you can customize the search engine in SearchWP to provide a better search experience. The default WordPress search is pretty basic and can’t handle custom post types, [eCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), document content, or taxonomies. To improve search process, simply go to your WordPress Dashboard and head to **SearchWP » Algorithm**. ![click the Save button to start the engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/start-the-search-engine.jpg "start the search engine - SearchWP")Here, you can edit the sources for your search engine and include products, documents, jobs, and more. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you include additional information stored in custom fields, categories, and tags as well. You can simply edit the attributes for each of your sources and add them to the search process. To customize your search engine, please see our detailed guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Customize The WordPress Search Results Page The groundwork is done. Now you can start customizing the search results page of your WordPress website. To do that, navigate to the WordPress dashboard and go to **SearchWP » Templates**. From here, you can add a new results template or edit the default template. ![Add new results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-results-template-1030x512.png "Add new results template - SearchWP")SearchWP understands that your search results page is unique, and only you know which style would work best for your visitors. That’s why there are 6 predesigned theme layouts for you to pick and choose. You can see the preview right underneath. Do note that the final appearance may vary depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. ![pre-designed theme layouts for search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/theme_layouts_predesigned.jpg "Pre-designed theme layouts for search results page - SearchWP")After picking a style, you can scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. Here you can change the look and feel of the search results page to match the rest of your website. For that, you have the following options. - **Layout Style:** Switch between a ‘Grid’ or ‘List’ view for your search results. Additionally, you can decide the number of results to display in each row. - **Basic Styling:** Customize the appearance of various elements, such as titles and images. - **Description**: You can show or hide the description of the content/products from search results. - **Images:** Define the size of the images on your search results page. Choose from small, medium, large, or none. - **Title Style:** Adjust the font color and size for the titles in the search results. - **Price Style:** If you have WooCommerce or [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress") products on your website, you can change the color and font size of their prices. - **Button:** If you choose to display a button (like ‘Read More’), this setting allows you to toggle it on or off and customize the button label, background color, font color, and font size. - **Results per Page:** Determine how many search results you want to show per page, which helps manage the length of your search results pages. - **Pagination Style:** Customize the pagination navigation style at the bottom of the search results page. You can choose ‘No Box,’ ‘Boxed,’ or ‘Circular’ styles to match your site’s design. ![customizing options for search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/styling_options_for_search_resutls_page.png "styling_options_for_search_resutls_page - SearchWP")When you are done customizing the WordPress search results page, click **Save** at the top to complete the process. ### Step 4: Make The Search Results Page Visible The Search Results Page in SearchWP works hand in hand with Search Forms. To create a search form, you can go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and click **Add New** or edit an existing search form. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")Next, you can edit the search form by choosing a template, renaming it, and more. For more details, please see our guide on [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How To Create Advanced Search Forms In WordPress (Easily)"). ![Choose your template for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-template-for-search-form-1030x459.png "Choose your template for search form - SearchWP")During search form creation, scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. Here, you’ll see a field titled **Results Page**. Please select SearchWP from the dropdown menu. There is also an option to change the target page and choose the template (if you have created more than 1). When you’re done, simply save your settings. ### Step 5: Embed the Results Page on Your Site (Optional) Now, before we proceed, dot note that this is an optional step. Search results templates can be used without the need to embed them in a page. In the form settings, if the Results Page is “SearchWP” and the Target Page is “SearchWP Default”, then the template will be used instead of the default WordPress template. No need to embed the template. However, if you want to manually embed the templates, then you can click the **Embed** button on the Templates page in SearchWP to get started. ![Embed results page button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-results-page-button-1030x543.png "Embed results page button - SearchWP")SearchWP will offer 3 options to embed your search results template, and they include a Gutenberg block, shortcode, and PHP code. You can either choose an existing page or a new page to display the results template. ![Choose search results embed option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-results-embed-option-1030x482.png "Choose search results embed option - SearchWP")For instance, selecting the Gutenberg block and a new page will take you to the content editor. Here, your SearchWP Results block is added to your page. **Note:** The results are displayed according to the engine and template assigned in the Search Form settings. Under the block settings in the panel on the right, you have the option to choose a different template and the engine to display the results. This is not typically required and should be used only if necessary to override the setting set by the search form. ![Add results template to new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-results-template-to-new-page-1030x509.png "Add results template to new page - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the Publish or Update button in the content editor. Now, perform a search in the form you just created and linked with the Search Results page on the front end of your website. You’ll see your tailor-made search results page appear. Here’s how the results template appeared on our demo eCommerce store: ![Final result after learning how to customize the wordPress search results page easily](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/example_search_results_page.jpg "example_search_results_page - SearchWP")## FAQs about Customizing WordPress Search Results We know that changing core WordPress pages can bring up a few questions. Here are the answers to some of the most common questions we get asked about this topic. **1. Can I customize the search results page without a plugin?** Yes, you can, but it requires editing your theme’s `search.php` file with PHP code. We have found that this method is risky for beginners because one wrong line of code can break your site. Using a plugin like SearchWP is much safer and faster for most users. **2. Will this work with my specific WordPress theme?** SearchWP is designed to work with almost every WordPress theme out there. Since we are creating a brand new page and using a shortcode to display results, it usually plays nicely with your existing design. Plus, SearchWP supports popular website builders like [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-elementor-search-form-not-working/ "How to Fix Elementor Search Form Not Working (5 Easy Ways)"), Oxygen, [Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-form-using-beaver-builder-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Form Using Beaver Builder in WordPress"), and [Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"). **3. Can I style the search results to match my brand colors?** Absolutely. SearchWP templates come with the option to change the main color, edit titles, buttons, and more. This makes it super easy to match your brand colors without the need to use custom CSS for styling. Your search results page is not merely about enhancing aesthetics; it’s about creating a seamless, intuitive experience for your users. We hope this article helped you learn how to customize the WordPress search results page easily. You may also want to see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)") and [how to make comments searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"). [Get SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!") to join the ranks of sites that prioritize excellence in every user interaction! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a search page template in WordPress, customize a WordPress search results page, how to customize a WordPress search results page, results template, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce product search results page, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/) **Published:** March 5, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to learn how to find the most searched product on your website? Imagine the journey of an online fashion retailer who checked their website’s search info and found lots of people looking for vintage-style dresses. It was a clear signal from their audience. So, the retailer quickly increased their vintage dress inventory, showcased these finds on their homepage, and launched targeted campaigns. The result? The sales went up, customers were happier, and they became the top spot for vintage fashion. You can do the same for your website. By learning what your visitors are searching for, you can better decide what to sell, plan your marketing, and improve the overall shopping experience. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will show you how to find the most searched product on your website. ## Why Track Product Searches on Your Site? Before we get to the tutorial, let’s talk about how tracking product searches can transform your business. **1. Stop Guessing What Customers Want** Running an online store without search data is like flying blind. You make decisions based on hunches instead of facts. We’ve seen store owners spend thousands on inventory they think will sell, only to watch it sit untouched. Meanwhile, customers search for products that aren’t even in stock. When you track searches, you see exactly what people type into your search bar. This raw data shows their genuine intent before they give up and leave your site. **2. Improve Your Product Inventory** Search data tells you which products deserve more attention. Maybe customers keep searching for “blue running shoes,” but you only stock them in black. That’s a clear signal to adjust your inventory. Without this data, you’d never know why potential customers leave your site. **3. Create Better Marketing Campaigns** Your most searched products should be your most promoted products. It’s that simple. If “organic dog food” gets searched fifty times a week, that topic deserves a featured spot on your homepage. You can also create targeted email campaigns around these popular items. Search data removes the mystery from content creation. You’ll know exactly which blog posts to write and which products to highlight in your newsletters. **4. Boost Sales with Data-Driven Decisions** Every search represents a potential sale. When you track these searches, you can optimize your entire store around what actually sells. You’ll spot trends before your competitors do. Maybe searches for “waterproof jackets” spike every October, giving you time to stock up before the rush. This information helps you price products correctly, create better product descriptions, and even improve your site navigation. All of these changes lead directly to more sales. Now, let’s see how you can find the most searched products on your site. ## Easiest Way To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website Finding the most searched product on your WordPress website becomes effortless when you use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It’s the most robust WordPress search plugin, designed to supercharge your site’s search functionality. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP goes the extra mile by indexing all the products on your website, whether they’re from WooCommerce or [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress"). It empowers your users to search using metadata and essential custom fields. Here are a few features of SearchWP that will help you stand out from your competitors: - **Live Search Results:** Elevate your customers’ experience with live search results. It means they get instant results as they type, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for and potentially boosting your sales. - **Custom Search Forms**: Improve user experience by integrating tailored search engines throughout your site. Link these engines to [specific forms](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"), making it easier for users to find exactly what they need where they expect to find it. - **Product Tag Searches**: Simplify the shopping journey for your customers by enabling searches based on [product tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)"). This feature allows customers to navigate through your inventory more intuitively, increasing the likelihood of more sales. - **Search Results Control**: Take control of the order in which search results appear. This allows you to prioritize certain products or pages in search results, helping you guide customer focus and enhance page views. - **Keyword Stemming**: SearchWP employs [keyword stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming"), which means it looks for terms similar to the ones you entered. For example, if you search for ‘run,’ you’ll also see results for ‘running’ and ‘runner.’ - **Exclude specific products:** Hide out-of-stock or discontinued items from search results to avoid disappointing customers. Now, let’s see how to find the most searched product on your WordPress website using SearchWP in these 3 simple steps. ### Step 1: Installing and Activating SearchWP First, you need to [get your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") and sign up for a new account. Once you’re done, simply go to your SearchWP dashboard and click the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you should also copy your SearchWP license key. You’ll need it to activate the plugin on your site. Now, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. Check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/) tutorial if you need help with that. Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Making Products Searchable on WordPress SearchWP starts indexing all content of your website the moment you activate the plugin and replaces the default WordPress search with its powerful Engine. If your online store is created using WooCommerce, you should activate the WooCommerce Integration extension. This helps improve the product search by indexing Product Variation so that the Product Variation makes the parent Product appear in search results. To do so, visit **SearchWP » Extensions.** Find WooCommerce Integration from the list and click **Install**. ![Installing the WooCommerce Integration extension for SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-woocommerce-extension.jpg "installing-woocommerce-extension - SearchWP")You’ll see the successfully installed and activated message appear momentarily. On the other hand, if you’re using Easy Digital Download to sell products online, you should activate the EDD Integration extension for SearchWP. For that, please visit the **SearchWP Extensions** page. Find ‘EDD Integration’ from the list and click **Install.** ![Installing EDD integration for SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-edd-extension.jpg "installing-edd-extension - SearchWP")It will be installed and activated in a few moments. Now, to ensure all products are indexing correctly, you can visit **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. From the Engines tab, click on **Sources & Settings**. ![Configuring engine source in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/configuring-engine-source.jpg "configuring-engine-source - SearchWP")Please make sure that among the sources, **Products** is checked if you’re using WooCommerce. Similarly, ensure that Downloads is checked if you’re using Easy Digital Downloads. ![saving engine settings to rebuild index.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-engine-settings.jpg "saving-engine-settings - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click **Done** to save your settings. ### Step 3: Tracking Down The Most Searched Products All the groundwork has been done; just one more thing to do before you can bear the fruit of your hard work. In order to see the search analytics of your website, you need to activate the [Metics](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "Metrics") extension of SearchWP. To do that, please visit **Settings » Extensions** once again from the admin panel. From here, find Metrics from the list and click **Install**. ![installing and activating the Metrics extension to Find The Most Searched Product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-metrics-extension.jpg "installing-metrics-extension - SearchWP")In a few moments, the extension will activate automatically. You’ll now see that the **Status** has been changed to **Active.** From now on, all searches performed on your website will be tracked. Now, give it some time to collect data. Then, head over to **Settings » Metrics**. You’ll see a breakdown of the top search terms for the selected date range. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")Products topping this list are the most valuable products that your audience is really interested in. ## Turning Insights Into Action Knowing what your customers are searching for is like reading their minds. It’s not just about satisfying curiosity; it’s about leveraging data to make informed decisions that drive sales, enhance user experience, and streamline your inventory management. Here are a few proven strategies to help you turn insights into actions. #### 1. Spotlight On Popular Products If certain products are consistently topping the search charts, they deserve a front-row seat on your homepage. Consider creating special promotions or spotlight articles that highlight these products. This not only improves visibility but also makes your customers feel understood, potentially increasing conversion rates. #### 2. Inventory Insights A surge in searches for a specific product could indicate rising demand. Use this insight to adjust your inventory accordingly, ensuring that you’re always stocked up on your site’s hidden gems. This proactive approach can save you from stockouts and keep your customers happy. #### 3. Tailored Marketing Campaigns Understanding what your customers are looking for allows you to create marketing campaigns that speak directly to their desires. Use the exact search terms from SearchWP as keywords in your advertising campaigns, social media posts, and email marketing efforts to increase engagement and click-through rates. ### 4. Enhanced User Experience Notice a trend in the types of products being searched? Use this information to refine your site’s navigation, making it easier for customers to find what they’re looking for. Adding new categories or filters based on popular search terms can significantly enhance the shopping experience. #### 5. New Product Development Sometimes, the most searched products might be items you don’t currently offer. These insights can be a gold mine for product development, guiding you toward what your customers want you to sell. Leveraging this data can help you expand your product line in a way that’s almost guaranteed to meet customer approval. ## Summing Up Providing your customers with the best search experience is a must for making your online business successful. However, you should also keep track of their search activities so that you can gain valuable insights. You can never know what you’ll discover and how this will positively impact your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to find the most searched product on your website. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make your WordPress site consider product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)") and [how to set up WordPress search settings for best results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results"). [Get the SearchWP plan](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that caters to your needs and level up your business. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to track the most popular search keywords on your site, Metrics, most searched product, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/) **Published:** February 12, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to know how to add a search box to a WordPress page? It’ll encourage your visitors to perform a search, boost your content discoverability, and increase the number of pageviews you get. From this guide, you’ll learn how to add a search box to your pages in a few clicks, even if you’re a complete newbie to WordPress. Let’s begin! ## Benefits of Adding a Search Box to a WordPress Page Adding a search bar to your pages will help you: - **Get more pageviews**: When visitors see a search bar in a blog post or page, there is a great chance they’ll use it, especially if you motivate them to do that. - **Boost your content discoverability**: Give your content with low view counts another chance to be discovered. - **Deliver more relevant search results**: Help your visitors faster find what they’re looking for by limiting your search boxes to specific content types or categories. - **Increase the average session duration**: The more of your content visitors explore, the longer they stay on your site. - **Rank higher in search engines**: A high average session duration is a strong signal to Google that your site is worth getting better positions in search results. With that, let’s see how you can add a search box to a page in WordPress. ## How to Add a Custom Search Bar in WordPress The easiest way to add a custom search bar to your WordPress pages is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the most beginner-friendly WordPress search plugin that comes with a ton of useful features. With SearchWP, you can completely customize the work of search on your site to meet your business goals. For example, you can [change the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), limit search to only posts, add [live autocomplete search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"), and many more. And that’s just a short list of the plugin’s features! SearchWP also allows you to: - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/): This way, you can find out what your audience is interested in and give them the content they want. - **[Add multiple search forms to your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")**: It allows you to create custom search forms for specific needs and place them across your site. - **[Highlight search terms in search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)")**: It makes it easier for your visitors to recognize if they’ve found what they’re looking for in your search results. - [**Enable fuzzy search on your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/): Due to that, your visitors will find the right content, even if they make a typo in a search query. Over 50,000 website owners already use SearchWP to enhance their search and deliver more relevant search results to their visitors. Ready to join them? Then, let’s see how you can use this plugin to add a search box to your pages. ### Step 1: Install SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, simply head over to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, copy the license key in the bottom left corner. The next step is to install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your WordPress website. First, you’ll need to upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site. You can check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need help with that. After that, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. After installing SearchWP, navigate to your WordPress dashboard, point your cursor over the **SearchWP** button at the top bar and click **Activate License**. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to customize your search engine. ### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine Next, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard to customize the search engine. You can consider search engines as a set of rules that they follow when performing a search. By customizing these rules, you can change how search works on your site. For example, you can include custom fields, [exclude specific pages from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"), enable search by post tags, and many more. To get started, click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open where you can select the sources for your search engine. As you can see, there are 4 search sources: **Posts**, **Pages**, **Media**, and **Users**. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Let’s say you want this search engine to search only among posts. This way, we can clean up search results on our site and help our visitors find the right content faster. Then, uncheck all search sources except **Posts**. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")When you’re finished customizing your search engine settings, press **Done**. Next, you can also give our visitors the ability to search for posts by tags and custom fields. To get started, simply head to the **Posts** section and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, a new window will popup, where you can specify what custom fields and taxonomies you want to consider when performing a search. For example, let’s say you have a real estate website. You can include a custom field like number of bedrooms in the search process. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")Next, you can also allow search by post tags and categories. First, click on the **Taxonomies** field and then select ‘Tags (post\_tag)’ or ‘Categories (category)’ from the dropdown menu. ![Select post tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags--1030x597.png "Select post tags - SearchWP")Next, find the **Tags** taxonomy and click on it. Now visitors of our site can search for posts by their tags and custom fields. When you’re finished managing the attributes, press **Done** to save the changes. The final step is to save your search engine. To do that, click the **Save Engines** button in the upper right corner. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 3: Create a Search Form Now that you’ve customized the search form, the next step is to create a new search form. First, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and then click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can change the name of the form at the top. After that, SearchWP offers different theme layouts to choose from. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")If you scroll down, then you’ll see more options to customize the form. Plus, you get to select which engine, results page, and more for your form. ![Select search engine for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-engine-for-search-form-1030x586.png "Select search engine for search form - SearchWP")To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### Step 4: Add a Search Bar to Your WordPress Page Now, SearchWP also offers an option to automatically embed the search form on any page. You can simply click the Embed button in the Search Form page. ![Embed the search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embeding-search-form-1030x728.jpg "Embed the search form - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open with different embed options, which includes Gutenberg Block, Shortcode, or PHP code. For this tutorial, we’ll select the ‘Gutenberg Block’ and add it to a new page. ![Embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-new-search-form-1030x550.png "Embed new search form - SearchWP")Alternatively, you can also add a SearchWP block to any page and display a search box. To get started, navigate to **Pages » Add New** in your WordPress dashboard. ![add a new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-page.png "add a new page - SearchWP")After you get to the page editor, click the **+** button to add a new block. Simply navigate to the **SearchWP Form** block and add it your page. ![Add SearchWP form block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-1030x488.png "Add SearchWP form block - SearchWP")After that, you will need to select your search form. Simply click the dropdown menu in the SearchWP Form block and choose the form. ![Select your search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-search-form-1030x461.png "Select your search form - SearchWP")When you’re done, go ahead and click the **Publish** button. Once the page is live, you can check out your new search page. Here is how this page looks on our test site: ![how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/our-search-form.png "our search form - SearchWP")Let’s also test our search box to make sure it works correctly. We have many posts on our site related to WordPress in various categories, but only one of them is attached to the **Tutorials** category. Let’s see what results we’ll get by searching for **WordPress**. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-11.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we only find our single post that’s placed within the **Tutorials** category. It means that our search box works the way it’s supposed to. ![we found the post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-post-1.png "we found the post - SearchWP")## Add Search Box to WordPress Page Builders The best part about using SearchWP is that you get to add the search form to some of the most popular WordPress website and landing page builders. Let’s look at how you can easily add a search box to each of them. ### 1. Oxygen Builder Oxygen is a robust visual site builder that gives you granular control over your site’s design. If you are using Oxygen to build your layout, you can easily integrate a search form using the SearchWP Form element. ![Add new element in oxygen](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-element-in-oxygen-1030x541.png "Add new element in oxygen - SearchWP")Simply add the element and pick your form from the dropdown menu. There is also a SearchWP results element that you can add to your landing page. For more details, please see our guide on [how to add a search box using Oxygen visual site builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-using-oxygen-visual-site-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box Using Oxygen Visual Site Builder"). ### 2. Elementor As one of the most popular page builders in WordPress, Elementor makes dragging and dropping elements simple. SearchWP integrates seamlessly with Elementor, allowing you to place a search widget anywhere on your page. ![Add search form block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search form block in Elementor - SearchWP")This way, you can add powerful search forms to your stunning landing pages in Elementor. You can find more details in our guide on [how to add a search box to an Elementor page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)"). ### 3. WPBakery WPBakery Page Builder remains a popular choice for many WordPress sites, offering both front-end and back-end editing capabilities. You can utilize specific content elements to place a search form within your WPBakery rows and columns. To add a search form in WPBakery, you can simply add the SearchWP Form element anywhere on the page. ![Add the SearchWP form element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-searchwp-form-element-1030x521.png "Add the SearchWP form element - SearchWP")For step-by-step instructions, please see our guide on [how to add a search box in WPBakery page builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-in-wpbakery-page-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder"). ### 4. Breakdance Breakdance is a modern builder known for its speed and user-friendly workflow. Adding a functional search form to your Breakdance design is a straightforward process that ensures your visitors can find exactly what they need. ![Add SearchWP form element in breakdance](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-element-in-breakdance-1030x657.png "Add SearchWP form element in breakdance - SearchWP")You can learn more by following this guide: [how to create a search form in Breakdance](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-form-in-breakdance/ "How to Create a Search Form in Breakdance (Easy Way)"). ### 5. Beaver Builder Beaver Builder is one of the most popular page builders and provides a reliable and clean interface for constructing your pages. If this is your preferred tool, you can use the built-in modules to display a search form that is fully compatible with SearchWP. ![Add search form module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-module-1030x719.png "Add search form module - SearchWP")You can follow this guide for all the details on [how to add a search form using Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-form-using-beaver-builder-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Form Using Beaver Builder in WordPress"). ### 6. Bricks Builder Bricks is a performance-focused builder that is gaining popularity among developers. You can easily insert search forms into your Bricks templates to improve site navigation and user experience. ![Add search form block in Bricks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-block-in-bricks-1030x558.png "Add search form block in Bricks - SearchWP")For more details, you can follow our guide on [how to add search forms in WordPress using Bricks](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-forms-in-wordpress-using-bricks/ "How to Add Search Forms in WordPress Using Bricks"). ### 7. Divi Divi is a powerful visual builder that allows for extensive customization of your site’s theme. Beyond just adding a search bar, SearchWP helps you customize the experience all the way through to the search results page. You can simply add the SearchWP Form module anywhere on the page and quickly pick your search form. ![Add SearchWP forms module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-module-1030x551.png "Add SearchWP forms module - SearchWP")You can find all the instructions in our guide on [how to create a Divi search results page template](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"). ## Bonus: Add a Search Box to WordPress Navigation Menu You can also add a search box to the navigational menu of your site. It makes it more visible for your visitors and encourages them to perform a search. ![add a search bar to the navigational menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-search-bar-to-the-navigational-menu.png "add a search bar to the navigational menu - SearchWP")For more details, check out the step-by-step tutorial on [how to add a search bar to WordPress menu](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)"). We hope it’ll help you deliver a more convenient way for your visitors to search for content on your site. We hope this article helped you learn how to easily add a search box to a page. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a search box to the Elementor page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)") and [how to make WordPress search in post content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/ "How to Make WordPress Search in Post Content"). Ready to create a smart search box and add it to your pages? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to a WordPress page, add a search field to a WordPress page, how to add a custom search bar in WordPress, how to add a search box to a WordPress page, how to add search bar in header WordPress, SearchWP, WordPress search, WordPress search bar plugin, wordpress search bar shortcode --- ### [11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/) **Published:** April 24, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are your website visitors getting lost on your WordPress site, all because they can’t find what they’re looking for? A frustrating search experience is a surefire way to drive users away, impacting engagement, conversions, and ultimately sales. The default WordPress search, while functional on the surface, often falls short for websites with a lot of content or products. That’s why we’ll be sharing some simple ways to improve WordPress search and provide a more accurate and efficient search experience. ### Understanding the Limitations of Default WordPress Search For websites with growing content and users who need to quickly find specific information, the default search might not be effective. It has many limitations, such as: - **Limited to Post Titles and Content:** Out of the box, WordPress search primarily focuses on searching within post titles and content. It’s designed to look within these two main areas and largely ignores other valuable parts of your website’s data. - **Doesn’t Handle Partial Word Matches or Typos Well:** The default search struggles with anything less than an exact match. Partial word matches are often missed, and even minor typos or misspellings can lead to no results or irrelevant content. - **Ignores Custom Fields, Categories, and Tags:** Similarly, the default WordPress search completely ignores custom fields, categories, and tags. These are critical for organizing content and storing structured data, but they are invisible to the default search engine. - **No Stemming or Fuzzy Matching Support:** You’ll also notice that the default WordPress search lacks any advanced linguistic processing. It doesn’t understand stemming (finding root words like “run” for “running”) or fuzzy matching (handling typos like “pineappl” for “pineapples”). That said, let’s look at different ways to improve WordPress search on your site. You can click the links below to jump ahead to any section. - [Use a Search Plugin to Replace Default Search](#aioseo-1-use-a-search-plugin-to-replace-default-search) - [Show Results as Users Type Using Live Search](#aioseo-2-show-results-as-users-type-using-live-search) - [Include Custom Fields in WordPress Search](#aioseo-3-include-custom-fields-in-wordpress-search) - [Make PDFs and Other Documents Searchable in WordPress](#aioseo-4-make-pdfs-and-other-documents-searchable-in-wordpress) - [Make Blog Comments Searchable in WordPress](#aioseo-5-make-blog-comments-searchable-in-wordpress) - [Add a Smart eCommerce Search in WordPress](#aioseo-6-add-a-smart-ecommerce-search-in-wordpress) - [Show a Search by Category Feature in WordPress](#aioseo-7-show-a-search-by-category-feature-in-wordpress) - [Change Default Search URL in WordPress](#aioseo-8-change-default-search-url-in-wordpress) - [Set Up Fuzzy Search and Synonym Rule for WordPress Search](#aioseo-9-set-up-fuzzy-search-and-synonym-rule-for-wordpress-search) - [Display Clickable Keywords Below Search Bar](#aioseo-10-display-clickable-keywords-below-search-bar) - [Exclude Posts or Pages from Search Results](#aioseo-11-exclude-posts-or-pages-from-search-results) ### 1. Use a Search Plugin to Replace Default Search Since the default WordPress search is quite limited, you can replace it with a search plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Trusted by over 50,000 website owners, it is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and offers powerful features. It utilizes a more advanced search algorithm that goes beyond basic keyword matching. Unlike the default WordPress search, which primarily focuses on post titles and content, SearchWP allows you to index virtually every aspect of your WordPress site. This includes custom fields created by plugins like Advanced Custom Fields and Metabox, ensuring that valuable information stored there becomes searchable. Moreover, SearchWP can also includes the text content within uploaded documents, such as PDFs. For eCommerce websites, SearchWP is particularly powerful as it can include WooCommerce product data, including attributes, variations, SKUs, documents, and other product-specific details that are crucial for product discovery. It even extends to the search experience by providing control over which categories, tags, and taxonomies are included in the search process. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### 2. Show Results as Users Type Using Live Search You can improve WordPress search by using a live search feature, which shows search results as visitors type. It suggests what your users are looking for and shows results in a dropdown menu. There are many benefits of adding this feature, as it helps your website visitors find what they’re looking for instantly. The live autofill feature also suggests other results as users type in their queries, so they can discover more content or products on your site. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")You can add live autocomplete search to WordPress without editing code. It is easy for anyone to do and takes only a few minutes to set up. Using the free [SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://en-gb.wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") plugin, you can add live autocomplete search to your website. The best part is that it works out of the box, and you don’t have to perform any additional steps for configuration. You can follow our detailed guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ### 3. Include Custom Fields in WordPress Search Custom fields often hold critical information, especially for specialized websites. For example, you can make any custom data searchable like product attributes (color, size, brand), movie details (director, genre), and recipe ingredients. This unlocks a wealth of content that is completely invisible to default WordPress search, allowing users to find specific information they might otherwise miss. With SearchWP, making custom fields searchable is very easy. It works with popular custom fields plugins like [Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") and [Meta Box](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-meta-box-fields-to-wordpress-search/ "How to Add Meta Box Fields to WordPress Search (Easy Way)"). ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### 4. Make PDFs and Other Documents Searchable in WordPress If you’re offering different documents like PDF files, spreadsheets, and other Office files, then making them searchable can boost the search experience in WordPress. Users can easily find them on your site, which in return can boost downloads and conversions. Sadly, the native WordPress search can look for PDF files in your media library, but it will only consider the title and short description when searching. This means you won’t always get relevant results. This is where a WordPress search plugin like SearchWP comes in handy. It doesn’t only index your PDF files’ titles, content, and short descriptions. Your users will be able to search using the metadata and other important custom fields. You can also adjust how relevant you want SearchWP to consider each attribute when searching. ![Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-media-source-as-document-pdf.jpg "selecting-media-source-as-document-pdf - SearchWP")To learn more, you can follow our guide on [how to make WordPress search PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"). ### 5. Make Blog Comments Searchable in WordPress Another limitation of WordPress search is that it doesn’t search within comments. Your blog comments are often a goldmine of valuable user-generated content, questions, and discussions that directly relate to your blog posts. When users search your site, they are missing out on all of this information because the standard WordPress search simply ignores comments. This means that helpful insights, answers to common questions, and engaging conversations happening in your comment sections are essentially invisible to visitors. But with SearchWP, you’ll be able to include comments in the search process. For a step-by-step tutorial, please see our guide on [how to make comments searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"). ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step2-1030x462.jpg "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress - SearchWP")By making your blog comments searchable, you significantly improve the user experience on your WordPress site. Users can now easily find specific information, answers, or discussions that might be buried within the comments of your posts. This leads to better content discoverability, increased user engagement, and ensures that the valuable contributions in your comments section are fully utilized and accessible to everyone visiting your site. ### 6. Add a Smart eCommerce Search in WordPress If you’re running an online store, then providing a great search experience can be the difference in getting visitors to convert or making them exit your site. With a smart eCommerce search, you can include [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress") like SKU, color, size, tags, price, and product type in the search process. This will help users find the products they’re looking for with ease and help boost sales on your store. ![View product details in search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-details-in-search-1030x502.png "View product details in search - SearchWP")To learn more, you can follow our detailed guides on: - [How to Search in Category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") - [How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)") - [How to Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-woocommerce-product-documents-searchable/ "How to Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable") - [How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress") - [How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") ### 7. Show a Search by Category Feature in WordPress Did you know that you can allow users to search content on your site by categories? If you have lots of content covering many topics, then you’ll benefit from adding a search by category form. It’ll help your visitors find what they are looking for easily and quickly. They can simply select a category from the dropdown menu and search for the relevant content. ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step5-1030x436.jpg "How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form - SearchWP")For example, let’s say you’re running an online store for pet food and have many articles with the same keyword (like Organic diet) for different kinds of pets. By enabling a category-based search, you are not only helping users find their desired content, but also introducing them to new articles that catch their interest. This approach can lead to increased engagement, higher conversion rates, and growth for your business. For more details, please see our guide on [how to add search by category in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"). ### 8. Change Default Search URL in WordPress WordPress, by default, uses a standard URL structure for search results pages. You’ll typically see something like: `yourdomain.com/?s=your+search+query`. While this works, it might not be the most ideal URL structure for everyone. Perhaps you’d prefer a cleaner, more branded URL, or maybe you’re aiming for better SEO by customizing your URL structure. A more user-friendly search URL would be: `yourdomain.com/search/search+term`. There are different ways to change the default search URL in WordPress. You can either edit the .htaccess file or use a plugin to insert the following custom code to your website’s codebase. ``` function custom_search_url_rewrite() { if ( is_search() && ! empty( $_GET['s'] ) ) { wp_redirect( home_url( "/search/" ) . urlencode( get_query_var( 's' ) ) ); exit(); } } add_action( 'template_redirect', 'custom_search_url_rewrite' ); ``` You can follow our guide on [how to change the default search URL in WordPress safely](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-default-search-url-in-wordpress/ "How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress (Safely)") for more details. ### 9. Set Up Fuzzy Search and Synonym Rule for WordPress Search Enhancing your WordPress search functionality goes beyond simply making more content searchable, it’s also about making the search smarter. The default WordPress search is quite literal, meaning it looks for exact keyword matches. This can lead to missed results and user frustration in a couple of key scenarios. Firstly, users might use synonyms for the terms you’ve used in your content. For example, if your content uses “purchase,” but a user searches for “buy,” then they might not find relevant results with the standard WordPress search. To solve this issue, you can add synonym rules. These essentially tell your search engine to treat certain words as interchangeable. In SearchWP, you can easily [set up a synonym rule](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search") and enter words that act as synonyms for certain search terms. ![Enter search terms and synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-search-terms-and-synonyms-1030x490.png "Enter search terms and synonyms - SearchWP")Besides that, users often make typos or slight misspellings when typing their search queries. A literal search will fail to find results if there’s even a minor spelling mistake. This is where fuzzy search comes into play. It allows the search engine to find results that are similar to the search query, even if there are misspellings and variations. With SearchWP, you can enable the partial search or fuzzy search option to find relevant results. You can learn more by following our guide on [how to add fuzzy search to WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). ### 10. Display Clickable Keywords Below Search Bar Sometimes, website visitors land on your site and want to find something specific, but they aren’t quite sure what to search for. They might have a general topic in mind, but lack the precise keywords to start their search. To help guide these users and improve content discovery, you can [display clickable keywords](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-clickable-keywords-below-the-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress") directly below your search bar. ![Display clickable keywords](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-form-1-1030x326.jpg "Display clickable keywords - SearchWP")Showing clickable keywords can significantly enhance the user experience by proactively offering search suggestions. Instead of showing a blank search bar, users see a curated list of relevant keywords related to your site’s content. These keywords act as prompts, showcasing popular topics or key areas of interest. When a user clicks on one of these keywords, it automatically performs a search for that term, instantly directing them to relevant search results. ### 11. Exclude Posts or Pages from Search Results Another way you can improve WordPress search is by [excluding posts and pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") from the results. There are often situations where you don’t want certain posts or pages to appear in search results. Think about landing pages, thank you pages, admin-related content, or outdated information. Including these types of pages in your search can clutter the results, confuse users, and show irrelevant content. Sadly, the native WordPress search doesn’t offer a built-in way to easily exclude specific posts or pages from search results. But with SearchWP, you can specify which posts, pages, categories, tags, or even custom post types that you want to remove from the search results. For example, let’s say you’d want to exclude pages from the search results, then you can simply uncheck them as a source. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Exclude-all-pages-1030x440.jpg "Exclude all pages - SearchWP")Besides that, SearchWP also lets you set up Engine rules to exclude content. For any source, you can set conditions to ignore content from categories, published date, or ID while searching. ![Set up exclude rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-up-exclude-rules-1030x506.png "Set up exclude rules - SearchWP")If you have a WooCommerce store, then you can also [exclude products from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce"). For instance, let’s say you have discounts for a certain group of visitors, such as your newsletter subscribers. You can exclude these products, so only the right users can find them. Similarly, when some of your products are no longer available but they’re still on your website. If your customers come across such products in a search and decide to buy them, they’ll face disappointment. Another advantage of using SearchWP is that it offers an [Exclude UI extension](https://searchwp.com/features/exclude-ui/ "Exclude UI"). It adds a checkbox in the content editor, allowing you to easily exclude an entry from search results. ![Check exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post-1030x984.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")### What’s Next… With that, you can stop letting poor search be a barrier between your valuable content and your website visitors. Simply follow these tips and tricks to improve the overall search experience of your website. We hope this article helped you learn how to improve WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to use boolean search to exclude content from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-boolean-search-to-exclude-content-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content from WordPress Search") and [how to track your WordPress site search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). Ready to unlock the full potential of your WordPress search? [Try SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!") and experience the difference! **Categories:** General **Tags:** add live Ajax search to WordPress site, advanced custom fields search & filter, default search, live search, pdf search wordpress, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Make Multilingual Sites Searchable In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-multilingual-sites-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** April 23, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress? Imagine stepping into a bustling marketplace, eager to explore its treasures. But wait, the shopkeepers speak a different language! Even though you can walk around the marketplace, you cannot ask for help or get any assistance. Frustration sets in, and you leave empty-handed. That’s what happens to visitors on your multilingual websites without multilingual search. They cannot easily find what they need despite being interested in your content. This is why having a search form on your multilingual website is crucial for your business. In this article, we will show you how to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress. ## Why It’s Essential To Make Multilingual Sites Searchable In WordPress Users often need help finding information on websites with multiple languages because there’s no search feature, or the existing one shows content in the wrong language. You can help visitors quickly find the content they want by making your multilingual website searchable. This improves their experience and keeps them on your website for longer. Moreover, studies show that 76% of shoppers prefer to shop on websites in their native language. This highlights the importance of removing language barriers and creating a seamless experience for all visitors. Adding multilingual search is not only about upgrading technology; it’s a smart move that reaches more people, makes users happier, and increases conversions. Therefore, let’s learn how to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress. ## How To Make Multilingual Sites Searchable In WordPress The fastest and easiest way to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that instantly makes your multilingual site searchable without writing a single line of code. Here are some of the things SearchWP does for multilingual sites: - **Language-Aware Indexing:** SearchWP indexes your content by language so search results stay relevant to the active language on your site. - **Multilanguage Plugin Integration:** SearchWP works directly with the most popular multilingual tools like Universally, and plugins like WPML and Polylang. - **Custom Fields Search:** SearchWP searches translated custom field data too, not just titles and post content. - **Fuzzy Search:** Visitors who make small spelling mistakes still get the right results, in the right language. - **Voice Search:** Allow users to speak their queries instead of typing and provide a smooth user experience. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to make your multilingual site fully searchable. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once signed in, go to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, click **Download SearchWP** and save the ZIP file to your computer. You can also copy the license key, as you’ll need it during setup. Next, install and activate the plugin on your WordPress site. If you need a hand with this, see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, the onboarding wizard will appear. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the steps to complete the initial setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Configuring SearchWP For Multilingual Search By the time you get here, SearchWP has indexed your website content. You can ensure that by visiting **SearchWP » Algorithms**. If the Index Status is 100%, then indexing has been completed. ![Alt: How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Checking index status ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg)As SearchWP automatically indexes content, it also indexes all translated content. Plus, if you’ve made your multilingual site with Universally, WPML, or Polylang, SearchWP integrates smoothly for a seamless search experience. Here’s how to set up the integrations. #### **Step 2.1: How To Make a Universally Multilingual Site Searchable** [Universally](https://universally.com/ "Universally") is an AI-powered WordPress translation plugin that automatically translates your entire site into 110+ languages. It covers everything from posts and pages to menus, WooCommerce products, and SEO metadata, without touching your WordPress database or requiring any code. The translated content lives on an external layer, so your site stays fast, and your existing setup stays intact. [![Universally AI powered translation plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/universally-ai-powered-translation-plugin-1030x552.png "Universally AI powered translation plugin - SearchWP")](https://universally.com/)With SearchWP, you don’t need to set up anything additional, with Universally already running on your site. It will automatically make your AI-translated content searchable in WordPress. So when a user switches to their preferred language and searches for a blog or product, SearchWP will be able to show them accurate results. #### Step 2.2: How To Make WPML Multilingual Site Searchable To make your WPML site searchable, all you need to do is visit **SearchWP » Extensions**. Next, find [WPML Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/wpml-integration/) from the list and click Install. That’s it! ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: WPML integration install.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WPML-ingetration-1.jpg "WPML ingetration-1 - SearchWP")Your WPML multilingual site content is now searchable. #### Step 2.3: How To Make Polylang Multilingual Site Searchable To make your Polylang site searchable, all you need to do is visit **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. After that, navigate to the [Polylang Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/polylang-integration/) from the list and click Install. That’s it! ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Polylang integration install.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Polylang-ingetration-1.jpg "Polylang ingetration-1 - SearchWP")Once installed, it activates automatically. Your Polylang multilingual site content is now searchable. ## Step 3: How To Add A Search Form To Your Multilingual Website Now that the content of your multilingual website has been properly indexed. You need to add a search form that users can use to enter their search query. It’s effortless to do with SearchWP, and you don’t need coding experience. To add a search form to your website, please follow these steps: 1. **Create A Search Form:** Visit **SearchWP » Search Forms**, and click the ‘Add New’ button. It’ll create a search form with a system-generated name. Please give an appropriate name. ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Creating a search form step-1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add_new_form.jpg) 2. **Configure The Form:** Choose a layout that fits your website and adjust the form as needed. Make sure to select the proper engine and results page for the form. ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Creating a search form step-2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-engine-and-search-result-page.png) 3. **Saving The Search Form:** Once you modify the form according to your needs, please click “Save” on the top right corner. ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Creating a search form step-3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-Serach-Form.jpg "saving Serach Form - SearchWP") 4. **Add The Search Form:** Now, to publish the form on the front end, please click on “Embed” right beside the “Save” button. You’ll see a modal popup with instructions on how to publish it. The easiest way is to open the page in edit mode where you want to add the form. Then, use the “Search Form” block to add the form. ![How to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress: Creating a search form step-4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) For detailed instructions on setting up a search form, please take a look at our guide on [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/). ## FAQs about Multilingual Search in WordPress **1. Does SearchWP work with Universally, WPML and Polylang?** Yes, SearchWP works seamlessly with Universally, and it has dedicated integration extensions for WPML and Polylang plugins. We’ve tested it on sites running both configurations, and the language-aware indexing works reliably with either setup. **2. What happens if a page hasn’t been translated to a particular language?** SearchWP will only return results for content that exists in the active language. If a page hasn’t been translated, it won’t appear in search results for that language, which prevents visitors from landing on content they can’t read. Do note that WPML has an option to fall back to the original language. When enabled, SearchWP will respect that option. **3. Can I search translated custom fields and metadata?** Yes. SearchWP indexes translated custom field data when you add those fields in the **Add/Remove Attributes** section of the search engine configuration. From our experience, this step is often overlooked, so it’s worth double-checking after the initial setup. **4. Do I need a separate search engine for each language?** No. SearchWP handles language-specific filtering automatically through the Univserally, WPML, or Polylang integration. One search engine configuration covers all your languages without needing separate instances. You can instantly elevate your multilingual website browsing experience by adding the search functionality. The return on investment (ROI) will speak for itself. We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to make multilingual sites fully searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix the custom post type search not working in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-custom-post-type-search-not-working-in-wordpress/ "How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress") and [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). [Get SearchWP now](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") to create a powerful, personalized search experience that transcends languages. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** multilingual sites, Polylang, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, WPML, WPML Integration --- ### [How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/) **Published:** June 17, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Picture this: a visitor lands on your site, types a question into the search bar, and hits Enter. They wait for the page to reload. They scan a plain list of results. Then they leave. We’ve seen this pattern play out on countless sites, and the frustrating thing is that most site owners don’t know it’s happening. The problem isn’t that your content is missing. The problem is that WordPress has no built-in live search. Every default search form works the same way: the visitor submits a query, WordPress reloads the page, and the results appear. That reload is where you lose people. The good news is that you can add live search to WordPress for free, without API keys, without a cloud account, and without touching a single line of code. In this article, we’ll show you how to add live search to WordPress for free. ## What Is Live Search in WordPress? Live search, also called AJAX search or search-as-you-type, shows results in a dropdown below the search form as the visitor types. There’s no Enter key, no page reload, no waiting. Results update with every keystroke. For example, simply type “con” into a live-search-enabled bar, and you’d immediately see options like “Contact Us,” “Content Marketing Guide,” and “Contour Chair” appear below the input in real time. For visitors, the experience feels familiar because it’s how search works on Google, YouTube, and most modern websites. When your site offers the same instant feedback, visitors are more likely to keep searching instead of bouncing. ## Why Your WordPress Site Needs Live Search Adding a live search to your website isn’t just about keeping up with technology trends. Here are a few ways live search enables you to serve your customers better and helps you stay ahead of your competitors: 1. **Speedy Results:** Users see results instantly as they type, significantly speeding up the search process. This enables them to learn if you have what they are looking for. By respecting their time, you are valuing your customers. 2. **Reduced Bounce Rates:** Quick and relevant results keep users engaged and interested. This engagement reduces the chances that they will leave your site out of frustration, thereby decreasing your site’s bounce rates. 3. **Increased Conversions:** Faster searches help users make decisions more quickly. This speed can lead to higher conversion rates, as users are more likely to complete purchases or sign-ups without hesitation. 4. **Improved Accessibility:** Live search is particularly beneficial for users who may not remember the exact terms or correct spellings of what they are looking for without the full query. Making it easier and faster for them to find their desired items. 5. **Enhanced User Experience:** Live search transforms the search experience by providing an interactive and responsive journey. This modern approach makes your website feel more dynamic and user-friendly. 6. **Paid Tools create Unnecessary Cost and Complexity:** We’ve worked with many site owners who looked at services like Algolia or ElasticPress and walked away because the API setup, usage-based pricing, and external data storage felt like overkill for their needs. Your data should stay on your own server. Ready to fix this? Let’s walk through how. ## How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free Once you decide to add live search to your website, the rest is easy! All you need to do is use the free [SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") plugin. It’s a powerful WordPress search plugin that makes the complex task of adding live search to WordPress very easy and beginner-friendly. Anyone can add live search to their WordPress website using the Live Ajax Search plugin with only a few clicks; no coding knowledge is required. Let’s see how to add live search to WordPress for free, step by step. ### Step 1: Install The SearchWP Live Ajax Search Plugin To get started, go to **Plugins » Add New Plugin** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, type “SearchWP Live Ajax Search” into the search field and find the plugin by SearchWP. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Install Live Ajax Search Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-live-ajax-search-step2.jpg "install-live-ajax-search-step2 - SearchWP")Go ahead and click **Install Now**, then click **Activate** once the installation finishes. Not sure how to install a plugin? Check out [this beginner’s guide on how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Install Live Ajax Search Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-live-ajax-search-step3.jpg "install-live-ajax-search-step3 - SearchWP")Once the plugin is active, you will see the settings page. You’ll notice that the **Enable Live Search** toggle will be on by default. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Modify Search Results Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modify-search-results-step1.jpg "modify-search-results-step1 - SearchWP")### Step 2: Creating A Search Form Next, it’s time to create your first live search form. To start, you can head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Create Live Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-live-search-form-step1.jpg "create-live-search-form-step1 - SearchWP")Here, you can add new forms or select existing forms. To start, click **Add New** to create your first live search form. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Create Live Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-live-search-form-step2.jpg "Add a new search form - SearchWP")After that, give your search form a proper name. In this case, let’s call it “Homepage Search.” Then, you can choose a theme for your search form from the pre-designed layout themes. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Create Live Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-live-search-form-step3.jpg "create-live-search-form-step3 - SearchWP")After selecting a layout, you can further edit the form. Simply customize the search form’s style to match your site’s aesthetics. You can tweak everything from colors to font sizes. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Create Live Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-live-search-form-step4.png "create-live-search-form-step4 - SearchWP")When you’re done, click **Save** to finish creating your live search form. That’s it, your search form is ready. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Create Live Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-live-search-form-step5.jpg "create-live-search-form-step5 - SearchWP")See our guide on [how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)") for a full walkthrough. ### Step 3: Customizing Search Results Appearance You can also customize the search results’ appearance to ensure they appear how you want them to. To do that, simply navigate to SearchWP » Settings from the WordPress dashboard. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Modify Search Results Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modify-search-results-step1.jpg "modify-search-results-step1 - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to choose a theme. SearchWP offers 4 predefined layout themes for how the results should appear. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Modify Search Results Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modify-search-results-step2.png "modify-search-results-step2 - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the **Results** section. Here, you can set the result pane position relative to the search form, adjust the number of results displayed per page, set the minimum number of characters before live search fires, and customize the message visitors see when no results are found. The **Custom Styling** section above it controls the visual styling of each result: image size, title color, and (if WooCommerce or EDD is active) price and add-to-cart styling. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Modify Search Results Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modify-search-results-step3.png "modify-search-results-step3 - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply scroll back to the top. Then click “Save” to apply the changes. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: Modify Search Results Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modify-search-results-step4.jpg "modify-search-results-step4 - SearchWP")### Step 4: Displaying the Search Form Now that you have created your first live search form and customized how you want the results to look. The next step is to display it on your website. There are a few ways to add search forms to your website. Let’s see how to add a live search form to WordPress using the Gutenberg block. To do that, edit the page where you want to show the search form. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Then, find your desired location and click the **+ Add block** button. After that, look for the “SearchWP Form” block and select it. Next, you will need to choose the form you created to show in this location from the “Select a Form” dropdown. ![Choose your form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-form-from-dropdown-1030x411.png "Choose your form from dropdown - SearchWP")When you are done, simply click the Save or Update button and make the live search form available for your visitors. Now let’s confirm everything is working. To do that, you can visit the front end of your site and click into any search form. Start typing a partial query and watch the results dropdown appear below the input field as you type. You should see the post and page titles update in real time with each character you add. Here’s the live search form in action! ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Live-search-final-preview.gif "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally - SearchWP")When you upgrade to [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy "Get SearchWP Today"), you can build multiple Search Engines that surface different content and assign a different engine to each Search Form on your site ## Bonus: Power Up Your Live Search With SearchWP SearchWP Live Ajax Search uses WordPress’s native search query, which matches against post titles, excerpts, and content. If a visitor searches for a product SKU, a custom field value, or content inside a [PDF](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), the free plugin won’t find it. That’s where the full SearchWP plugin comes in. Installing SearchWP upgrades the live search results to a custom relevance engine that searches custom fields, WooCommerce product attributes, tags, categories, PDFs, and more. Sites running WooCommerce can add the WooCommerce extension to also search product attributes and SKUs ![Change new engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-new-engine-settings-1030x569.png "Change new engine settings - SearchWP")For the full upgrade walkthrough, see our guide on [how to add live autocomplete search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). ## FAQs about Live Search in WordPress **1. Does live search slow down my WordPress site?** SearchWP Live Ajax Search uses lightweight AJAX requests that are debounced, meaning they only fire after the visitor pauses typing for a brief moment. Each request retrieves only the search results, not a full page. On most WordPress sites, the load added by live search is negligible compared to a full page reload, and the experience feels faster to visitors even though a server request is still involved. **2. Will live search work with my existing WordPress theme?** Yes. From our testing, it works with Elementor, Divi, Astra, Kadence, GeneratePress, and most other popular themes and page builders right out of the box. No theme edits are required. **3. Can I show WooCommerce products in the live search dropdown?** Yes. When WooCommerce is active on your site, SearchWP Live Ajax Search detects it automatically. For a complete WooCommerce search setup, see our guide on [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)"). **4. What’s the difference between the free plugin and SearchWP?** SearchWP Live Ajax Search is free and provides live search dropdowns powered by WordPress’s native search query, which matches post titles and content. The paid SearchWP plugin upgrades those results to a custom relevance engine that also searches custom fields, taxonomies, and PDF documents at the Standard tier. Adding the WooCommerce extension (Pro and up) extends search to WooCommerce product attributes and SKUs. **5. How do I add a live search bar to my WordPress header or menu?** Add a search form widget to a widget area that appears in your header, or place a search form block in your header template using the block editor. Once a search form is present anywhere on the page, SearchWP Live Ajax Search upgrades it with a live dropdown automatically, with no extra configuration needed. That’s it! You’ve added live search to your WordPress site for free, with no API keys, no cloud accounts, and no code. Visitors can now get instant results from any search form on your site the moment they start typing. We hope this article helped you learn how to add live search to WordPress for free. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)") and [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). Ready to take your live search further? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a live Ajax search to your WordPress site without a plugin, add live Ajax search to WordPress site, live ajax search, live auto search, live autocomplete search, live search, SearchWP, WordPress live search ajax without plugin, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/) **Published:** June 11, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Did you know that your visitors expect to find what they’re looking for the moment they use the search bar? When results are good, they stay and convert. A search form lets visitors quickly find specific content, products, or information on your website without having to navigate multiple pages. This saves time and enables them to take the desired action faster, whether it is to make a purchase or read content, depending on the nature of your website. In this article, we’ll show you how to create a custom search form in WordPress in 3 easy steps. ## What Is A Custom WordPress Search Form? A custom search form is a search box you’ve set up specifically for your site. You control what it searches, how it looks, and where it appears on your pages. The [default WordPress search bar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") is a one-size-fits-all form that ships with every install. A custom search form is designed around your content, your branding, and your visitors. That said, let’s see why you need a custom search form for your WordPress site. ## Why Having A Search Form Is Important There are plenty of websites on the Internet without a search form because they are optional. But having a search form can greatly accelerate your growth. Imagine a retail business in your neighborhood that sells various home goods. Everything from furniture to kitchen appliances is available in the store. When you visit them, do you go there to shop for everything you need to decorate a new home? No. You visit the store only when something in your house breaks or you need to buy a new item. So, you’re stepping into the shop with a specific goal in mind. It’s the same for almost all visitors to your website. People who visit your online shop or blog already know what they want. And your growth directly correlates to how easily they can complete this desired action. Here are a few known benefits of having a search form on your website: - **Increases Store Sales:** Integrating a search form can directly increase sales by enabling visitors to locate and purchase products quickly. By reducing friction, search forms hugely influence buying decisions. - **Enhances User Experience:** A search form simplifies how visitors can find content, products, or information on a website. Removing the need to navigate pages individually enhances the overall user experience. This efficiency can lead to longer visits and more interactions on the site. - **Boosts User Engagement:** Search forms help visitors quickly find the content they’re interested in. This ease of access encourages users to engage more deeply, whether by reading articles, browsing products, or signing up for services, all of which improve engagement. - **Increases Conversion Rates:** A straightforward search tool lets users find what they need, reducing decision-making time and quickly increasing accessibility. This can lead to a higher likelihood of purchase or other key actions, thus boosting conversion rates. - **Helps Gather Insights:** Information from [search queries provides valuable insights](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)") into user preferences and behaviors. These insights can inform content creation, product offerings, and strategic planning, ultimately influencing the website’s development and marketing strategies. So, let’s see how to create a custom search form in WordPress with only 3 easy steps. ## How to Create a Custom Search Form in WordPress The easiest way to create a custom form in WordPress is by using the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") plugin. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is a complete search solution for WordPress that provides an incredibly powerful search engine for internal search and works as a no-code search form builder. With this plugin, you can make almost anything on your site searchable. You’ll also be able to have multiple search engines, set custom search rules, view search statistics, and much more! Over 50,000 WordPress site owners worldwide actively use it to stay ahead of their competitors and provide their audiences with the best search experience for their users. Here are some other things you can do with SearchWP: - [**Display live search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites")**:** Would you like to show search results on your site as the users type? SearchWP provides this and many other features with its many useful extensions. - [**On-site search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**:** Do you want to see what visitors are looking for? SearchWP lets you track all searches, enabling you to understand your audience’s needs better. - [**Prioritize search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Want to bring a particular page or item to the top of your site’s search results? With SearchWP, you can customize the order of search results with just a few clicks. - [**Make documents and PDFs searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)")**:** Do you have PDFs and office documents on your site? SearchWP can make them searchable and provide better search results. - **[Built-In Voice Search:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)")** Add a microphone button to your search form so visitors can speak their queries. Voice search is built directly into SearchWP and works in Chrome, Edge, and Safari. Now, let’s proceed to the step-by-step guide on how to create a custom search form in WordPress using SearchWP, the no-code search form builder for WordPress. ### Step 1: Install & Activate The SearchWP Plugin To get started, visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com "SearchWP Website") and sign up for a new account. Choose the plan that fits your site and complete your purchase. Once you’ve signed up, log in to your account and head to the **Downloads** tab. Next, you can click **Download SearchWP** to save the ZIP file to your computer, then copy your license key from the same page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once that’s done, upload the plugin files to your website and install the plugin. You can follow this guide on [installing WordPress plugins](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need a step-by-step walkthrough. A welcome screen will appear after activation. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen steps to enter your license key and configure your first search engine. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Start SearchWP Onboarding Wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard.jpg "searchwp-welcome-wizard - SearchWP")SearchWP is all set! You’re ready to create your first custom search form. ### Step 2: Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress To create a custom search form, visit **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and then click the “Add New” button. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Add New](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg)Next, give your form a clear name so you can identify it later. SearchWP shows you five pre-built visual themes to choose from. Select the one that best matches your site’s look. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Layout Theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming-search-form.jpg "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Layout Theme - SearchWP")After that, you can define which engine this search form will use, as SearchWP lets you [set up multiple Engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/ "Multiple Search Engines") to index/serve different content. Also, you can use the SearchWP Results Page if you want to [optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page"). ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Results Page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-results-page-in-SearchWP.jpg)You can easily configure your search form as you see fit. For detailed instructions on making advanced customizations, please see our guide on [how to create an advanced search form in WordPress.](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)") ![Change search form custom styling](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-search-form-custom-styling-1030x633.png "Change search form custom styling - SearchWP")Finally, you can also customize the search form design according to your website theme. You’ll have different controls for changing the color and size of both the search form and the button styles. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Styling Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/styling-search-form.jpg "Edit form styling - SearchWP")Once you’re satisfied with the settings, scroll to the top. From here, click **Save** to store the form. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Saving Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-search-form.jpg "saving-search-form - SearchWP")### Step 3: Display Your Custom Search Form Now that you have created your first custom search form in WordPress, you can display it anywhere on your website. There are a few ways to add search forms to your website. Simply click **Embed** right next to the Save button to get instructions. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Embedding Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embeding-search-form.jpg "Embed the search form - SearchWP")SearchWP lets you display a search form in 3 ways. You are free to choose your desired method. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Publishing Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg)For this tutorial, let’s see how you can display your custom search form using the Gutenberg Block. To do that, open the post or page where you want to show the search form in Edit mode. Then, find your desired location in the content editor and click the “+” button. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, look for the **SearchWP Form** block and select it. Then you’ll need to choose the form you created to display on this location from the “Select a Form” dropdown. ![Choose your form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-form-from-dropdown-1030x411.png "Choose your form from dropdown - SearchWP")Once you’re done, go ahead and click “Save” or “Publish,” depending on your case, to make the search form available to your visitors. Now, visit the front end of your website to see the search form displayed in your desired location. Congratulations! You’ve just learned how to create a custom search form in WordPress and publish it in your desired location. ## Bonus: Add Live Search to Your Custom Form Your custom form sends visitors to a results page when they submit their search. You can upgrade that experience by adding [live autocomplete search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") so results appear in a dropdown as visitors type. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")SearchWP’s Live Search extension (listed in the Extensions tab as **Live Search**) works automatically with any form you’ve created. Install it from **SearchWP » Extensions** and your forms will start showing live results immediately, with no additional configuration needed. ## FAQs About Custom Search Forms **1. Can I create multiple custom search forms in WordPress?** Yes, SearchWP lets you create as many forms as your site needs. Navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and click **Add New** for each new form. You can assign different forms to different search engines, so a form on your blog searches posts while a form in your shop searches products and custom fields. **2. Does a custom search form replace the default WordPress search bar?** Yes. When SearchWP is active, it takes over the default WordPress search across your site. Any form you create in **SearchWP » Search Forms** uses SearchWP’s relevance engine, which scores matches against your full index (including custom fields, taxonomies, and PDFs) instead of relying on the limited title/excerpt/content matching that WordPress runs natively. **3. Can I add a custom search form to my WordPress navigation menu?** Yes. Copy the shortcode for your form from the **Embed** panel inside **SearchWP » Search Forms**. You can paste it into a Text widget in a header widget area, or use the **SearchWP Form** element inside your page builder to place it directly in the navigation area. **4. Can I add voice search to my WordPress search form?** Yes. SearchWP includes a [built-in voice search feature](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)") you can enable per form. Open your form in **SearchWP » Search Forms**, scroll to **Custom Styling**, and toggle on **Voice Search**. A microphone button will appear on the form, and visitors on Chrome, Edge, or Safari can use it to search by speaking. **5. Do I need coding skills to create a custom search form in WordPress?** No. SearchWP’s form builder is entirely visual. You can configure the design, connect it to a search engine, and embed it on any page using a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. You now have a custom search form running on your WordPress site, styled to fit your brand and connected to a real search engine that returns relevant results for your visitors. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a custom search form in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)") and [how to make your WordPress blog more searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-blogs-searchable/ "How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable (For Beginners)"). [Get SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") to provide the best experience for your customers and stay ahead of your competitors! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a custom search form for a WordPress site, search form, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/) **Published:** June 9, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** A visitor types a product name into the search bar and gets zero results. They close the tab and find a competitor, taking what could have been a sale with them. WordPress search not working is one of the most common problems we hear from site owners, and it almost always traces back to one of four root causes. The default engine can’t search custom fields, doesn’t offer weighted relevance control, runs slowly on large databases, and can break entirely when permalinks are misconfigured or the search box is not visible. In this article, we’ll show you how to fix WordPress search not working by walking through each of the four most common issues and how to resolve each one. ## 4 Reasons Why WordPress Search is Not Working Even though WordPress is a powerful website-building platform, its search capabilities are limited. By default, WordPress only searches specific content types like the titles of posts, pages, or media files. This means your users won’t be able to find matches in comments, reviews, or product descriptions. Even worse, you may be experiencing issues with WordPress search not working at all. These issues can arise from different sources, making them difficult to fix. Search functionality is an important part of every website. If your WordPress search is not working properly, it’s almost impossible for users to find what they’re looking for. This can make them leave your site faster, leading to poor sales or lower conversions. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution for WordPress search issues. If you want to solve a problem with WordPress search not working, you need to find the root cause of the error. Therefore, let’s talk about some of the most common WordPress search errors below. ### 1. WordPress Search Box Doesn’t Appear This is a common search issue WordPress users experience on their sites. In this case, your site visitors can’t search your website because they don’t see a search bar. There are a number of reasons why WordPress may not be displaying the search form on your site. Here are 2 possible causes: - By default, your theme doesn’t have a search bar. Some WordPress themes add a search form to your site header or sidebar by default. If you change to a new theme, you may find that your old search box doesn’t appear anymore. - Compatibility issues with your theme or plugins. Even when you manually add a search form to your site, you may still experience some issues. Changes made to your theme or plugins can easily affect the search function, causing the search form to stop working properly or even disappear completely. ### 2. WordPress Search Doesn’t Show Relevant Results You may have noticed that your site isn’t returning expected content when visitors search for keywords. ![How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Main Issues Fixed): No results search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/no-results-found.jpg "no-results-found - SearchWP")Here is the most common reason why this may be happening. You see, the default WordPress search isn’t powerful enough. It doesn’t include everything on your website and isn’t always accurate. This means your site users may not always find relevant results when they search your site. This can be solved by using a WordPress search plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") to improve your WordPress search. ### 3. WordPress Search is Slow If you’ve been using WordPress for a while now, you may have noticed that your site search is slow. It can be even worse when you have a large website with hundreds of content such as posts, pages, and products. The reason for this is simple: the type of database WordPress uses is not well-suited to performing search queries. Hence, your site will struggle to return results and become slow as you scale up your content. The easiest way to fix this is to use a dedicated search engine solution such as SearchWP. ### 4. WordPress Search Showing 404 Error – Page Not Found Another example of a WordPress search not working is seeing a 404 error or “Page Not Found” page. 404 errors are a common WordPress issue. When WordPress returns this error, it simply means the system cannot find the page you’re requesting. ![How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Main Issues Fixed): Page not found example](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/404-not-found.jpg "404-not-found - SearchWP")When it comes to WordPress search, these are the two possible reasons you’re seeing the 404 error: - Your site is experiencing a permalink redirect error. A permalink is the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) WordPress uses to find a specific post or page on your site. Every time you try to access your search results, WordPress redirects you to a new permalink. If something is wrong with your site’s rewrite rules, you get a 404 error. - Your theme is missing the search.php file or using the wrong template. The search.php file is the template for displaying your search results page. If WordPress can’t find this file, it’ll display the 404 error. The good news is that you can resolve the issues listed above without writing any code. All you need to do is install a powerful WordPress plugin or change a few settings in your WordPress dashboard. Let’s show you how to go about it. ## How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working Most WordPress search issues are related to the limitations of the platform’s default search. You can easily fix these issues by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most advanced [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/ "7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)") available on the market. With SearchWP, you can fix the most common reasons that make WordPress search not work properly. For example, SearchWP can speed up your site search so your users don’t have to wait several seconds to see their search results. It can even search through taxonomies such as categories and tags, making sure your visitors do not leave empty-handed. This can increase customer satisfaction, engagement, and sales. Here are some key SearchWP features that help fix broken search: - **Dedicated search index** — SearchWP builds and maintains its own index of all content sources, so every query runs against a fast, prebuilt dataset instead of scanning the WordPress database in real time. - **Full content coverage** — Posts, pages, custom post types, tags, categories, custom fields, and WooCommerce product details are all indexed and searchable, so visitors find accurate results no matter what they type. - **Custom search forms** — SearchWP generates search forms that can be embedded anywhere using a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or dedicated elements for popular page builders, including Elementor, Divi, and Beaver Builder, solving the missing search bar problem without touching any theme code. - **Reliable search routing** — SearchWP takes over routing from the search form to the results page, which can avoid the 404 errors caused by mismatched permalink structures. Now, let’s show you how to use SearchWP to improve your WordPress site search. ### How To Install & Set Up SearchWP To fix WordPress search not working, you need to add SearchWP to your site. Get started by visiting the SearchWP website and signing up for a new account. Once done, go to the **Downloads** tab in the SearchWP account dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From there, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to the computer. Go ahead and copy the license key on that same tab, as you’ll need it during setup. The next step is to install and activate SearchWP on the WordPress site. Not sure how to do that? Check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the SearchWP welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen instructions to activate the license key and run the first index build. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once the wizard finishes, SearchWP has replaced the default WordPress search and built its first index. From here, each fix below takes only a few minutes to apply. Now, let’s talk about the specific cases in which WordPress search still does not work. Here’s how you can fix the common WordPress search errors mentioned above. ### Fix 1: How To Fix WordPress Search Bar Not Appearing If the search bar isn’t showing on the site, the most likely cause is that the active theme doesn’t include a search widget area or search block in its layout. SearchWP solves this by generating its own search forms that can be placed anywhere, regardless of theme support. After installing SearchWP, it automatically replaces all your native WordPress search forms. It integrates well with other third-party themes and plugins. To add one, navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and click **Add New**. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")From the form editor, give the form a name and choose a theme for the search form. When finished, click **Save** in the top right corner. ![How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Main Issues Fixed): Creating search form step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-3-create-search-form.jpg)SearchWP gives you multiple options to place the search form anywhere on your site. You can use the Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. For more details on placing search bars in different areas of the site, see our guide on [how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)"). If the search box is still not showing, a plugin you recently installed may also be the cause. You can deactivate or delete some plugins to see if the error continues. Follow this guide to learn [how to properly uninstall a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-properly-uninstall-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Properly Uninstall a WordPress Plugin (Beginner’s Guide)"). ### Fix 2: How To Fix WordPress Search Not Showing Relevant Results When search returns unrelated posts or no results at all, it’s almost always because WordPress doesn’t natively check taxonomies, custom fields, or attachment content. SearchWP gives full control over what gets indexed and how much weight each field carries in the results. With SearchWP, your site checks all your site content for search results. This means your users will now see relevant results that match their search. SearchWP also allows you to rank content based on attributes. Attributes such as title, content, slug, author, excerpt, and product variations store important information about your content. When this content is utilized in search, your visitors will find information on your website more easily. For example, using the SearchWP Engine, you can choose to [rank a post’s excerpts higher than its title](https://searchwp.com/wordpress-search-results-sorted-by-relevance/ "Search Results Sorted by Relevance"). This means when users search, your site will look for matches in excerpts before checking titles. ![How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Main Issues Fixed): Selecting attributes in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-attribute-relevance.jpg "set-attribute-relevance - SearchWP")You can also choose to [limit search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)") to specific post types. Similarly, if you are running an online store, here’s a tip for [restricting your product search to the product title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only"). ### Fix 3: How To Fix Slow WordPress Search Installing SearchWP automatically speeds up your WordPress site search. It builds a new search index for itself and returns search results faster than the default WordPress search. Other ways you can make WordPress search faster include: - **Add live search to your site:** The attention span of the average visitor is decreasing every day. By implementing a search that instantly shows results as users type in the search bar, you can speed up the search experience. Here’s a complete step-by-step guide on [how to add live search to your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). - **Increase your hosting server resources:** This may be necessary if you have a large site with lots of traffic. When your search form is getting a lot of action, it may take some time for the hosting server to handle these requests. You can buy more server RAM and bandwidth to improve this. After following these tips, you can expect your site users to enjoy faster search. ### Fix 4: How To Fix WordPress Search Showing 404 Error A search 404 error almost always comes from an outdated permalink structure. To troubleshoot this issue, you can start by checking if the problem is a permalink error. You can do this by updating your permalink settings. The quickest fix is to go to **Settings » Permalinks** in the WordPress dashboard and click **Save Changes** without changing anything. ![Permalink settings WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/permalink-settings-wordpress-1030x504.png "Permalink settings WordPress - SearchWP")WordPress rebuilds the rewrite rules each time that screen is saved, which resolves most search-related 404 errors immediately. For more details, check this simple guide on [how to fix WordPress returning 404 errors](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-fix-wordpress-posts-returning-404-error/ "How to Fix WordPress Posts Returning 404 Error (Step by Step)"). If the WordPress search is still showing a 404 error, then the search form may be missing a search results page. If the 404 persists after flushing permalinks, the search form on the page may be pointing to the wrong results URL. Navigate to the **SearchWP Search Forms** page, open the affected form, and set the **Results Page** dropdown to **SearchWP**. A **Target Page** picker will appear, where you can select the page where search results should display. Save the form and test again ![Point target page to results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/point-target-page-to-results-template-1030x661.png "Point target page to results template - SearchWP") **Bonus**: If you want to take control of the look and feel of the results page, here’s a detailed tutorial on [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)") to fit your needs. ## FAQs about WordPress Search Not Working ### 1. Why is my WordPress search not working? WordPress search fails for a few common reasons: the search bar isn’t visible, the default engine doesn’t natively check taxonomies, custom fields, or attachment content, or a permalink mismatch sends results to a 404 page. We’ve seen all of these on sites of every size, and they’re all fixable without coding using SearchWP. ### 2. How do I fix WordPress search showing no results? The most common cause is that WordPress doesn’t check tags, categories, or custom fields by default. In SearchWP, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**, open **Sources & Settings,** and enable the right content sources. From there, use **Add/Remove Attributes** to include any missing fields, then save and click **Rebuild Index**. ### 3. Why does WordPress search return a 404 error? A search 404 almost always means the site’s rewrite rules are out of sync. Go to **Settings » Permalinks** and click **Save Changes** to flush and rebuild the rules. If that doesn’t resolve it, check that the form under **SearchWP » Search Forms** and then set **Results Page** to **SearchWP**. From here, use the Target Page picker to confirm it points to the right results page. ### 4. Does fixing WordPress search require coding? No. Every fix in this guide is handled through SearchWP’s admin settings. Configuring sources, adjusting relevance weights, creating search forms, and embedding them all happen through point-and-click settings in the WordPress dashboard. ### 5. Can SearchWP also fix WooCommerce search problems? Yes. SearchWP’s WooCommerce integration indexes product attributes like SKUs, colors, and sizes so customers can find products by any detail they’d search for. The WooCommerce integration is available on the Pro plan. For a full walkthrough, see our guide on [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only"). WordPress search fails predictably, and SearchWP fixes all four of the most common issues through a dedicated index, configurable relevance settings, and search forms that work with any theme. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix WordPress search not working. You may also want to see our guides on [how to optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page") and [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). Ready to fix WordPress search on your site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** fix WooCommerce product search not working, search not working in wordpress, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search button not working, wordpress search form not working, wordpress search not working, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Filter WooCommerce Products in WordPress (Complete Guide)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-in-wordpress-complete-guide/) **Published:** June 5, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Many store owners struggle to filter WooCommerce products in WordPress without calling a developer. But we’ve watched customers land on a WooCommerce shop page, scroll through a few rows of products, and click away without buying, not because the right product wasn’t there, but because they had no way to find it. WooCommerce doesn’t give shoppers a built-in way to narrow results by what actually matters to them. Without a filter for size, color, price range, or category, every visitor faces the same wall of products and has to scroll through all of it to find what they need. In this article, we’ll show you how to filter WooCommerce products in WordPress using WPFilters. We’ve covered every filter type below, from category and tags to shipping class and custom fields, so you can build exactly the shopping experience your customers need. Just click the links below to jump ahead to any section. - [What is WooCommerce Product Filtering?](#aioseo-what-is-woocommerce-product-filtering-6) - [Why WooCommerce Product Filters Matter?](#aioseo-why-woocommerce-product-filters-matter-13) - [How to Set Up Filters in WooCommerce](#aioseo-how-to-set-up-filters-in-woocommerce-21) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Category](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category-45) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags-57) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes-64) - [Add a Color Filter to Your WooCommerce Store](#aioseo-add-a-color-filter-to-your-woocommerce-store-72) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Brand](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-brand-81) - [Add a Price Range Filter to WooCommerce](#aioseo-add-a-price-range-filter-to-woocommerce-92) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Product Type](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-product-type-102) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Shipping Class](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-shipping-class-110) - [Add a Search Box Filter to WooCommerce](#aioseo-add-a-search-box-filter-to-woocommerce-118) - [Filter WooCommerce Products by Custom Fields](#aioseo-filter-woocommerce-products-by-custom-fields-126) - [Combine Multiple Filters on Your WooCommerce Store](#aioseo-combine-multiple-filters-on-your-woocommerce-store-134) - [Add a Reset Button to WooCommerce](#aioseo-add-a-reset-button-to-woocommerce-141) - [FAQs about WooCommerce Filters](#aioseo-faqs-about-woocommerce-filters-149) ## What is WooCommerce Product Filtering? WooCommerce product filtering lets shoppers narrow the product catalog to only items that match their specific needs. That might mean a category like “Running Shoes,” a price range of $20 to $60, a color like “Navy,” or a combination of all three working together. WooCommerce ships with basic widgets that cover filtering by category, attribute, and price. They only work inside sidebar widget areas, they’re limited to WooCommerce’s built-in attribute types, and every filter selection triggers a full page reload. But a WordPress filtering plugin works differently. It supports multiple filter field types, such as Checkbox, Radio, Dropdown, Dropdown (Multiselect), Slider, and Search. And it connects to any data on your WooCommerce store. The best part is that filter results update instantly via AJAX without reloading the page, and every filter element can be placed anywhere using the Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or a sidebar widget. We’ve found that stores with well-placed product filters keep shoppers engaged longer and convert at a higher rate. Shoppers who can narrow results quickly are far more likely to find something worth buying. You can also learn about different filter display options in our guide on [how to create a dropdown filter for WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-dropdown-filter-for-woocommerce-products/ "How to Create a Dropdown Filter for WooCommerce Products (Quick Way)"). ## Why WooCommerce Product Filters Matter? We know from experience that the biggest obstacle between a shopper and a purchase is rarely the product. It’s the friction of finding it. Here’s what that friction looks like in practice: **1. Shoppers leave when they can’t find what they need.** A store with 200+ products and no filters forces every visitor to scroll through the full catalog manually. Most won’t make it to the item they’re actually looking for. **2. WooCommerce’s default experience doesn’t guide buyers.** Without a size, color, or price filter, shoppers have no clear path from “browsing” to “buying.” They’re left guessing which product might match their needs. **3. The built-in Layered Navigation has real limits.** WooCommerce’s widgets only work in sidebar areas, cannot be placed inside the shop page layout, and reload the full page on every selection. **4. Every extra click costs conversions.** We’ve noticed that the more steps it takes to get from the shop page to the right product, the less likely that session ends in a purchase. The good news is that adding any of the filters below takes minutes, not days, and no developer is required. Let’s look at a simple way of adding filters to your WooCommerce store. ## How to Set Up Filters in WooCommerce The easiest way to filter WooCommerce products in WordPress is with a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the [best filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)"). It’s built by the same team behind SearchWP and gives store owners a visual builder for creating any type of product filter without writing a single line of code. From our experience, WPFilters is the fastest way to add an Amazon-style filtering experience to a [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). You can create filters, customize how they look, and place them anywhere on the site in minutes. Here are some of the features you get with WPFilters: - **All WooCommerce filter types in one plugin**: Checkbox, dropdown, radio, price slider, and keyword search elements are all built in and ready to use without any extra add-ons. - **Filter any WooCommerce data**: Connect filters to product categories, tags, attributes like color and size, custom fields, price, product type, shipping class, and more. - **AJAX-powered instant refresh**: Filter results update immediately without reloading the page, so shoppers stay in the flow and never lose their place in the catalog. - **Place filters anywhere**: Add filter widgets to the WooCommerce shop sidebar, directly inside the shop page layout using the widget block or shortcode. With that, let’s look at every type of WooCommerce product filter you can add to your store. **How to Install WPFilters** Before you start, make sure WooCommerce is installed and active on your site. Then, you can visit the SearchWP website and [sign up for a WPFilters account](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "Sign Up for WPFilters"). Once you’re logged in, head to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, you will need to click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from this page now, as you’ll need it shortly. Next, upload and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you haven’t done this before, see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, the setup wizard will appear on your screen. Go ahead and click the **Let’s Get Started** button and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")Once the setup is complete, you’ll see the **WPFilters** menu in your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can start building filter elements for your store. ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Category A category filter lets shoppers narrow the product catalog to one or more WooCommerce product categories, like Clothing, Electronics, or Home & Garden, with a single click. We’ve found that category filters are the most-used filter type on general WooCommerce stores, since shoppers almost always start by picking a broad category before narrowing by price or attribute. Without a category filter, every shopper lands on the same wall of products regardless of what they’re looking for. Giving visitors a way to pick a category first means they spend less time scrolling and more time finding products worth buying. With WPFilters, you can select the **Data Source** as **Product categories** from the dropdown. ![Choose product category source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-product-category-source-1030x614.png "Choose product category source - SearchWP")From here, simply save the element and embed it on your shop page or sidebar using the Gutenberg block. Now, your visitors can easily sort products by filtering through their desired category. ![View product category filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-category-filter-1030x592.png "View product category filter - SearchWP")For a complete step-by-step tutorial, you may want to see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags A tag filter lets shoppers find products that share a specific keyword label, like “sale,” “new arrival,” “handmade,” or “seasonal.” Tags work well for stores that use them to group products across multiple categories. A shopper looking for “handmade” items shouldn’t have to browse each category separately. If you use tags to group products across categories, like “sale,” “handmade,” or “new arrival,” a tag filter turns those labels into live browsing options. Shoppers looking for seasonal picks or limited-edition items don’t need to hunt by category first. ![Choose data source for WooCommerce tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-data-source-for-woocommerce-tags-1030x569.png "Choose data source for WooCommerce tags - SearchWP")For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes An attribute filter lets shoppers narrow results by product-specific properties like size, material, or fit, anything stored as a WooCommerce product attribute. From our experience, attribute filters make the biggest difference in stores that sell products with strong variation, since a shopper looking for a medium cotton hoodie doesn’t want to click into every product to check the label. On stores with a wide range of product variations, attribute filters do more than save time. They prevent frustration. When a shopper can select “Medium” and “Cotton” before browsing, they only see products that actually match, and they reach a buying decision faster. ![Select product attribute data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-attribute-data-source-1030x525.png "Select product attribute data source - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)"). ## Add a Color Filter to Your WooCommerce Store A color filter is a specialized attribute filter built around the `pa_color` product attribute. It’s one of the most-used filter types on apparel, accessories, and home decor stores, and we love using it because it removes one of the most common reasons shoppers leave early, having to open each product individually just to see what colors are available. Shoppers on apparel and home decor stores almost always have a color preference before they start browsing. Without a color filter, they’re forced to click into each product just to check available colors, and most won’t stick around long enough to do that. With WPFilters, you can easily create a color filter in WooCommerce and also allow users to sort products based on their desired colors. ![View color filter in action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-color-filter-in-action-1030x699.png "View color filter in action - SearchWP")You can learn more by following our step-by-step guide on [how to add a color filter in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-color-filter-in-woocommerce/ "How to Add a Color Filter in WooCommerce (Easy Way)"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Brand A brand filter lets shoppers narrow the catalog to products from a specific manufacturer or label. It’s common in multi-brand stores, electronics retailers, and any shop that carries products from multiple suppliers. ![View brands filter in sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-brands-filter-in-sidebar-1030x649.png "View brands filter in sidebar - SearchWP")We’ve worked with many store owners who carry 10 or more brands, and without a brand filter, shoppers loyal to a specific manufacturer had no way to browse just that brand’s products. They had to scroll the full catalog and check each product individually, and many gave up before finding what they wanted. But with WPFilters, setting a filter for your brands is very easy. You can simply select the filter type and select brands as a source. ![Select brands as data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-brands-as-data-source-1030x541.png "Select brands as data source - SearchWP")For complete information, please go through our guide on [how to filter brands on your WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-brands-on-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Filter Brands on Your WooCommerce Store "). ## Add a Price Range Filter to WooCommerce A price range filter lets shoppers drag a slider between a minimum and maximum value to show only products within their budget. It’s one of the first filters shoppers look for on any WooCommerce store, and WPFilters’ **Slider** element automatically reads the minimum and maximum prices from your live product catalog. ![Select slider filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-slider-filter-field-1030x587.png "Select slider filter field - SearchWP")Price is one of the top purchase criteria for most shoppers, and without a slider, budget-conscious buyers have no choice but to scroll through products they can’t afford. Adding a price filter keeps shoppers focused on products that actually fit their budget and reduces the time it takes to get from browsing to buying. ![Range filter preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/range-filter-preview-1030x549.png "Range filter preview - SearchWP")To set up a range slider, you can see our guide on [how to create range filters in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Product Type A product type filter lets shoppers narrow the catalog by WooCommerce’s built-in product type taxonomy. The available types include simple products, variable products, grouped products, and external products. This filter is most useful on stores that mix physical and digital products, since shoppers looking for a downloadable item shouldn’t have to scroll past physical goods to find it. Stores that carry a mix of product formats, like bundles, standalone items, and external affiliate products, benefit most from this filter. Without it, shoppers have no way to separate grouped bundles from individual products or skip past external items they can’t purchase directly on the site. ![Select product type data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-type-data-source-1030x600.png "Select product type data source - SearchWP")For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by product type](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-by-product-type/ "How to Filter WooCommerce by Product Type (5 Easy Steps)"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Shipping Class A shipping class filter lets shoppers narrow results to products within a specific shipping category. This is particularly valuable on stores where shipping costs vary significantly, like shops that carry both lightweight accessories and heavy freight items. We’ve noticed that shoppers on stores with varied inventory often want to know shipping costs before committing to a product. Surfacing shipping class as a filter upfront removes that friction and helps shoppers looking for free shipping or standard rate items find them without opening each product page. ![View shipping class test](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-shipping-class-test-1030x591.png "View shipping class test - SearchWP")You can read our guide to all the steps in [how to set up product shipping class filters in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-product-shipping-class-filters-in-woocommerce/ "How to Set Up Product Shipping Class Filters in WooCommerce"). ## Add a Search Box Filter to WooCommerce A search box filter adds a keyword input field that shoppers can use to narrow products by name, description, or any indexed field. Unlike a standalone search form, it works alongside all the other WPFilters elements on the same page, so a shopper can combine a keyword search with a category filter and a price slider at the same time. ![Select search filter option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-filter-option-1030x734.png "Select search filter option - SearchWP")The built-in WordPress search sends visitors to a separate search results page. This breaks the shopping experience and pulls customers away from your store. A search box filter solves this by letting customers type a keyword and have the product list narrow down in real time, right where they are. There is no page reload and no redirect. To learn more, you can view our guide on [how to add a search box filter to your WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-filter-to-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Add a Search Box Filter to Your WooCommerce Store"). ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Custom Fields A custom field filter lets shoppers narrow results using data stored in product post meta. That might be material weight, care instructions, warranty length, or any other field added to products via Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) or another custom field plugin. We’ve tested WPFilters on many store setups using ACF, and any custom field assigned to WooCommerce products shows up in the Data Source dropdown automatically. That means if you’ve already spent time adding custom data to your products, you can turn any of it into a filter without building anything from scratch. ![Choose custom fields to filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-custom-fields-to-filter-1030x613.png "Choose custom fields to filter - SearchWP")For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on [how to create custom field filters in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-field-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Custom Field Filters in WordPress (Step by Step)"). ## Combine Multiple Filters on Your WooCommerce Store WPFilters lets you display as many filter elements as needed on the same page or sidebar. Each active filter works with the others. For example, when a shopper selects “Hoodies” from the category filter, drags the price slider to $20–$50, and checks “Blue” in the color filter, only blue hoodies under $50 appear. ![View multiple taxonomy filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-multiple-taxonomy-filters-1030x538.png "View multiple taxonomy filters - SearchWP")We’ve also noticed that shoppers use shareable filter URLs in ways store owners don’t always expect, bookmarking a filtered view to come back to or sending a link to a specific set of products to a friend. Every combination of active filters in WPFilters generates a unique URL, so those links always reproduce the same results when opened. For a complete step-by-step walkthrough of combining filters across different data types, see our guide on [how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)"). ## Add a Reset Button to WooCommerce A reset button clears all active filters at once and returns the shopper to the full unfiltered product catalog. It’s a small detail, but once a store has three or four active filter elements, shoppers need a fast way to start over without reloading the page. We recommend adding a reset button to every store that has more than two filter elements on the page. Without it, shoppers who want to start fresh have to manually deselect each filter, and many will simply reload the page or leave instead. ![Reset filter button preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/reset-filter-button-preview.gif "Reset filter button preview - SearchWP")For a complete step-by-step walkthrough, see our guide on [how to add a reset filter button in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-reset-filter-button-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Reset Filter Button in WordPress (No Coding)"). ## FAQs about WooCommerce Filters **1. Does WooCommerce have built-in product filters?** WooCommerce includes Layered Navigation widgets for filtering by category, attribute, and price. These widgets only work in sidebar areas, can’t be placed inside page layouts, and don’t refresh results via AJAX. For filters that work anywhere on the site and support more data types, a dedicated plugin like WPFilters is needed. **2. What is the best plugin to filter WooCommerce products?** WPFilters is the top choice for most WooCommerce stores. It supports checkboxes, dropdowns, price sliders, and keyword search out of the box, works on any page or sidebar without coding, and comes with a 14-day money-back guarantee. It’s built by the same team behind SearchWP. **3. Can I add multiple filters to my WooCommerce shop page at once?** Yes. Create a separate filter element for each data type (category, price, color, size), then add each to the sidebar widget on the shop page. **4. Can I use WPFilters without SearchWP?** Yes. WPFilters works as a standalone plugin and does not require SearchWP to be installed. When SearchWP is active on the same site, the **Search** filter element routes through SearchWP’s relevance engine for smarter. **5. Do WooCommerce product filters slow down the site?** WPFilters uses WordPress’s object cache and request-scoped caching to keep filter queries efficient. Results refresh via AJAX without reloading the full page, which actually reduces server load compared to a full page reload on every filter selection. WPFilters gives any WooCommerce store the full range of product filters shoppers expect, from category and color to custom fields and price ranges, without writing a single line of code. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce products in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix WooCommerce shop page not showing products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-shop-page-not-showing-products/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Shop Page Not Showing Products") and [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only"). Ready to make your store easy to navigate for every shopper? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Filter WooCommerce Products, product filters, WooCommerce Filters, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable (For Beginners)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-blogs-searchable/) **Published:** June 2, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Picture a reader who spent an hour on your blog last week. They loved an article about a topic they care about, told a colleague about it, and came back two days later to share the link. They typed a few words into your search bar and got back nothing useful. So they left, and that conversation you sparked never went anywhere. We’ve seen this happen on blogs of all sizes, and the culprit is almost always the same: the default WordPress search wasn’t built for real content discovery. It only scans titles and body content, ranks by date instead of relevance, and fails the moment a reader makes a typo. The good news is that fixing it doesn’t require any coding. In this article, we’ll show you how to make your WordPress blog searchable with SearchWP in a few straightforward steps. ## Why It’s Necessary To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable When your blog search doesn’t work, the damage goes beyond a single frustrated visitor. Here’s what breaks down over time. - **Visitors can’t find older posts.** Your archive is one of your most valuable publishing assets. A reader who can’t locate a post they half-remember will leave, and that content may never surface for them again. - **Default search ignores tags and categories.** WordPress’s native engine doesn’t search categories and tags. A post tagged “beginner tutorial” won’t appear when someone searches “beginner tutorial,” even if that’s the most accurate description of what it covers. - **One typo ends the search.** Native WordPress search is exact-match only. “Wordprss tips” returns nothing, and “beginer guide” returns nothing. Readers shouldn’t have to spell perfectly to find your best work. - **You have no idea what readers want.** Without search analytics, you’re publishing without feedback. You can’t see which topics your audience is actively looking for, which means you’re missing the clearest editorial signal available to you. - **Lost readers rarely come back.** We’ve noticed that failed searches have an outsized effect on bounce rates. A visitor who searches and finds nothing has no reason to stay and no clear way to try again. That said, everything above is fixable with one plugin. Let’s look at how you can make blog posts searchable in WordPress. ## How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable The easiest way to make WordPress blogs searchable is by using the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") plugin. It’s the most efficient and complete search solution for WordPress and provides an incredibly powerful search engine. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is a no-code tool that enables you to configure almost all search settings for your WordPress blog by only clicking a few buttons. You can make almost anything on your website searchable, including WordPress blog posts, media files, blog post comments, and even custom post types. More than 50,000 WordPress site owners globally rely on SearchWP to deliver an optimal search experience to their users. Here’s what makes it the right tool for your blog: - **Relevance-ranked results.** SearchWP scores every post by how closely it matches the query, so the most useful result shows up first, not the most recent one. - **Fuzzy matching.** Readers don’t need to spell perfectly. SearchWP returns accurate results even when the [query contains typos](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How to Add Fuzzy Search to WordPress Sites"), so no visitor leaves empty-handed. - **Full content indexing.** SearchWP indexes post titles, body content, excerpts, tags, categories, and custom fields all at once, making your entire archive discoverable. - **Search analytics.** The built-in Metrics dashboard shows [what visitors are searching for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)"), how often, and which queries return zero results, so you always know what content gaps to fill. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to make your WordPress blog searchable. ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin You can start by visiting the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com "SearchWP website") and signing up for an account. Once you’re in, click the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From here, click **Download SearchWP** to save the ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from that same page before moving on. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Be sure to copy your license key from the same location; you’ll need this key later to activate your SearchWP plugin. Next, you can install and activate the plugin on your WordPress site. If you haven’t installed a plugin before, here is a beginner-friendly guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, a welcome wizard will appear with the option to click “Start Onboarding Wizard” to help with the initial setup configuration. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Simply follow the on-screen instructions in the wizard to complete the setup. SearchWP will begin building its search index in the background right away. ### Step 2: Make WordPress Blogs Searchable From your WordPress dashboard, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**. This is where you’ll control what to include in the search process and how much weight each piece of content carries in search results. To start, click **Sources & Settings** to open the sources panel. You’ll see your post types listed here, and **Posts** should already be enabled. The default Engine indexes Posts, Pages, and Media files by default. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Customize Default Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)If you want only to make WordPress blogs searchable, select Posts from the Source list and unselect the rest. This will make sure only blog posts are returned in the search results. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Choose Post as Source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choosing-source-blog-post.jpg "choosing-source-blog-post - SearchWP")Click **Done** to save the changes when you’re finished. Next, you can head to the Posts section and click **Add/Remove Attributes** to include additional information, like categories and custom fields, in the search process. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")By default, SearchWP will make the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author searchable. Besides that, you can also include custom fields in the search process. For example, let’s say you have a food blog and have custom fields to show ingredients or cooking equipment. You can add them under the Custom Fields section. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")Go ahead and click **Done** when you’ve made the changes. When you’re happy with the settings, click **Save** in the top right corner. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 3: Add A Search Bar To Your Preferred Location Before you can feature a search bar on your site, you’ll need to create one. Fortunately, with SearchWP, setting up a search bar is straightforward and doesn’t require any coding. From your WordPress dashboard, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and click **Add New**. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Add New Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg)On the next screen, you can name your search form and choose a theme layout. Then, configure and style it according to your needs. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Name Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming-search-form.jpg)SearchWP allows you to set up multiple Engines, so you can specify which engine this search form uses, optimizing it for different content types. Additionally, you can use the SearchWP results page to customize and enhance the WordPress search results page fully. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Select Results Page and Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-results-page-in-SearchWP.jpg)When you are done, simply scroll to the top of the page. Then click **Save** after configuring your search form to finalize your setup. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Save Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-search-form.jpg)Next, to display the search bar on your website, click **Embed** located next to the Save button. This action will provide you with simple instructions on how to embed the search form on your site. ![How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable: Embed Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embeding-search-form.jpg)SearchWP lets you display a search form in 3 ways: Gutenberg block, shortcode, and PHP code. Plus, you can choose an existing page or create a new one to embed your search form. ![Embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-new-search-form-1030x550.png "Embed new search form - SearchWP")For this tutorial, let’s add a search bar using a Gutenberg Block and create a new page. Next, you will need to enter a name for your new page and then click the **Let’s Go** button. ![Enter name for new filters page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-filters-page-1030x504.png "Enter name for new filters page - SearchWP")On the other hand, you can also add the SearchWP Form block to any page on your website. To do that, open the page where you want the search bar in the content editor and click the **+** icon to add a new block. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you will need to select the **SearchWP Form** block from the list. Once the block is added, you can click the dropdown menu and select the search form you just created. ![Choose a form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-form-from-dropdown-1-1030x423.png "Choose a form from dropdown - SearchWP")You can click the **Publish** button, and that’s it! You’ve successfully added a search bar to your WordPress blog. ### Step 4: Test Your Blog Search You can now visit your search form and test the new search form to see if it is looking up search forms. For instance, run two test searches with intentional typos: “Wordprss beginer tips” and “tutorail for WordPress.” SearchWP’s fuzzy matching should return relevant posts for both, even though neither phrase is spelled correctly. If you’re seeing accurate results ranked by relevance rather than publish date, your blog search is working exactly as it should. From our experience, this is usually the moment site owners realize how much content their visitors simply couldn’t access before. ## Take Your WordPress Blog Search To The Next Level With SearchWP, you can enhance the search capabilities of your WordPress blog significantly and enhance user experience. Here’s how you can use SearchWP to introduce advanced features that not only make WordPress blogs searchable but also intelligently responsive to your users’ needs: **Show Related Content:** With SearchWP, you can showcase [related content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress") based on what users are currently viewing. This feature enriches their browsing experience by suggesting relevant articles or posts, increasing their time on your site. Implementing related content encourages deeper exploration of your blog, which can lead to improved page views and lower bounce rates. **Add Live Search:** [Live search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free") transforms user interaction with your blog by providing real-time feedback as they type in the search box. This immediate response can help users refine their search queries quickly, making the search process seamless and intuitive. It enhances user satisfaction by finding the right content with minimal effort. **Set up Custom Redirects:** Custom redirects can be a powerful tool to guide your users directly to the most appropriate content or page based on their search queries. This feature allows you to create a smoother user experience by redirecting searches for specific terms to a predetermined page, such as a landing page, special offer, or a popular article. It’s especially useful for marketing campaigns or when you want to highlight specific content. **Make Content Private**: If your site uses the third-party PrivateContent plugin to gate content for specific user roles, SearchWP’s PrivateContent Integration extension ensures those access rules are respected in search results. ## FAQs About Making Blogs Searchable **1. Does WordPress have a built-in search function?** Yes, every WordPress site includes a basic search function out of the box. It scans post titles and body content, returns results in reverse-chronological order, and breaks when a visitor makes a typo. It also skips tags, categories, and custom fields entirely, which makes it unreliable for any blog with a real content archive. **2. Why is my WordPress blog search not showing all posts?** The most common cause is that WordPress’s default engine only includes post titles and body content. Posts that are primarily described through their tags, categories, or custom fields simply don’t appear in results. Installing SearchWP and including those fields as indexed attributes fixes the issue without any coding. **3. How do I add a search bar to my WordPress blog?** After installing SearchWP, go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and create a new form. You can embed it on any page using the **SearchWP Form** Gutenberg block, the shortcode, or a sidebar widget. For more placement options, see our guide on [how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)"). **4. Can WordPress search find content inside post tags and categories?** Not with the default engine. WordPress’s built-in search skips taxonomy terms entirely, which means posts labeled only through their tags or categories are invisible to visitors. SearchWP indexes tags, categories, and any custom taxonomies as searchable attributes. Your WordPress blog now has an accurate, relevance-ranked search that indexes every post, tag, category, and custom field. Readers can find what they’re looking for even with typos, and you’re no longer losing visitors to blank search result pages. We hope this article helped you learn how to make WordPress blogs searchable. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)") and [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). Ready to make your WordPress blog searchable? [You can get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "You can get started with SearchWP "). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, blogs searchable, make blogs searchable, search blog posts, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/) **Published:** May 28, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WordPress comes with a built-in search bar, and on the surface, it looks like it should work just fine. You type something in, hit enter, and the results show up. But spend a little time digging into those results, and you’ll notice something odd. Relevant content keeps getting left out, and sometimes completely unrelated pages show up instead. The truth is, the default WordPress search only looks at a small slice of your content. It scans post titles and body content, and that’s about it. If you store important details in custom fields, use tags to organize posts, or sell products with specific attributes, none of that shows up in search results. Your content is there, but your visitors can’t find it. We’ve seen this play out on all kinds of sites, from blogs to online stores to membership sites. The search bar sits there looking useful, but it’s quietly sending visitors away frustrated. That’s a real problem, because a visitor who can’t find what they need will simply go somewhere else. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to set up a search bar that actually works the way visitors expect it to. ## Why Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site? Poor site navigation is one of the major reasons why people leave websites. If you want to offer your site visitors the best user experience, you need to pay attention to your site search. Users need the search feature to find what they’re looking for on your website. This is even more important if you have a large website with lots of content. Adding a powerful search bar that searches your site will save your visitors a ton of time. If your site is experiencing a high bounce rate, it may be because your site visitors need to search through many pages and posts just to find what they’re looking for. Adding a search bar that searches everything on your site can help you reduce your bounce rate. But adding just any search bar is not enough. You also want to make sure that your site’s search shows your visitors all the content you have to offer. Take the default WordPress search for an example. It lacks power and doesn’t always give the user the results they need. Because it only scans titles, excerpts, and content bodies for keywords. Additionally, custom fields and content types created by plugins won’t be included in searches. However, don’t lose hope. Are you ready to make a search bar that searches your site? We’ll show you how you can easily do it with the best search engine available on the market. So your users can find just what they are looking for! ## How To Make a Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site To make a search bar that searches your WordPress site content, you can start by getting [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), the best WordPress search plugin. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the go-to tool for everyone for improving WordPress website search capabilities. Even if you’re not tech-savvy, you can accomplish this with just a few clicks. No writing code! SearchWP gives you full control over how you want your site to look for search terms, and your visitors get to enjoy instant, appropriate search results in seconds. Over 50,000 website owners already use the plugin to improve their business. Here are some of the powerful features you get using SearchWP: - **Search your entire site**. SearchWP indexes everything on your website. When your users type in the search bar, your site will look for results in [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), database table content, and even custom fields. - **Multiple search engines**. You can use multiple search engines to create unique search experiences across your website pages. Configure each engine to meet your users’ needs at different points of their journey on your site. - **Text document indexing**. Do you have PDF and Office documents on your website? With SearchWP, your search bar can index the full text inside PDF and Office documents. It’s really useful for sites that publish guides, manuals, or reports. SearchWP will help you transform your site search and give your users the best experience possible. You can even use the plugin to [add live autocomplete search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). Here’s how to make a search bar that searches your WordPress site easily in 3 simple steps. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once you’ve signed up, log in to your SearchWP account dashboard and click on the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From there, click the Download SearchWP button to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. While you’re on that page, go ahead and copy your license key as well, because you’ll need it shortly to activate the plugin on your site. Next, you’ll need to install SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you need a hand with this part, you can follow this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen along with the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP is all set and ready for use! Now, it’s time to configure your first search engine. ### Step 2: Set Up Your Search Engine As soon as you’ve activated SearchWP, it starts indexing your website content right away! To verify, go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Now, you can either choose to edit the default search engine according to your needs or add a new one. SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines to your website. This way, you can offer unique search experiences in different locations of your site. To configure your search engine, simply click **Sources & Settings**. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg "Config-engine-source-setttings - SearchWP")Now, it’s time to select the sources you want SearchWP to look at when searching for results. By default, the posts, pages, and media sources will be selected. But if you have an online store, then you can include eCommerce products as a source. You can learn more from our guide on [how to improve WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (7 Easy Ways)"). You can also decide if you want support for [keyword stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming") (search for similar keywords). Plus, you can use SearchWP to search your WordPress admin backend by selecting the Admin Engine option. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-selection.jpg "Choose sources for your engine - SearchWP")Click ‘Done’ afterward once you finish making changes. Next, you can further customize the attributes for each source. For instance, scroll down to the Posts source section and click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")By default, SearchWP will look at the post title, content, slug, excerpt, and author for matches. You can also include custom fields and taxonomies like post tags, categories, and more in your search process. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-attribute-selection.jpg "Config-engine-attribute-selection - SearchWP")When finished, go ahead and click **Done** after choosing all your preferred attributes. Also, you can add specific rules to customize the search experience further. To do this, click the **Edit Rules** button. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-edit-srule-step1.jpg "Config-engine-edit-srule-step1 - SearchWP")Now, a new popup will open to add and edit your rules. To start, click **+ Add Rule** to create a new rule. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-edit-srule-step2.jpg "Config-engine-edit-srule-step2 - SearchWP")With rules, you can choose to exclude or search for only posts that are published after a certain date or select a taxonomy (category or tag). For instance, if you don’t want any posts from a certain category to appear in the search results, then you add a rule to exclude it. ![Set up exclude rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-up-exclude-rules-1030x506.png "Set up exclude rules - SearchWP")Once you’ve added the rule, simply click **Done**. Now, you can go ahead and click **Save** once you’re done configuring the search engine according to your needs. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Configure Search Engine Step 9](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-saving.jpg "Config-engine-saving - SearchWP")SearchWP will then apply your new settings and build your search index again. ### Step 3: Display The Search Bar On Your Site Before you can display the search bar on your site, you first need to create a search form. The best part of using SearchWP is that you can create a search form with only a few clicks without worrying about writing code! To create a search bar, go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** and click ‘Add New.’ ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg "Creating-search-form1 - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see different options to customize your form. To start, name the form, pick a theme layout, and configure it according to your needs. ![Choose a form template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-form-template-1030x520.png "Choose a form template - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down and pick the engine this search form will use, as SearchWP lets you set up multiple Engines to serve different content. You can also select SearchWP as the Results page in order to take control and [optimize the WordPress search results page.](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/) ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-results-page-in-SearchWP.jpg)When you’re done, click “Save” to complete setting up the Search Form. To learn more about customizing the form, please see our guide on [how to create an advanced search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/). ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form-save.jpg "Creating-search-form-save - SearchWP")Now we are ready to display the search bar on any location of your website. To do that, click **Embed** right next to the Save button at the top. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/showing-search-form-embed.jpg "Screenshot 2024-03-13 at 35925 AM - SearchWP")You’ll see instructions on how to embed the search form with only a few clicks. For instance, if you want to put the search form using a shortcode, select Shortcode from the list, and you’ll be presented with the shortcode associated with the form. Simply copy and paste it to your desired location. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) For this tutorial, let’s see how you can add a search bar to your WordPress site using a Gutenberg Block. It’s pretty simple. Just open the page where you want to display the search bar in Edit mode and then click the **+** icon. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you can look for the SearchWP Form block. Go ahead and select it. After adding the SearchWP Form block, you can pick the search form you just created. Simply click the dropdown menu in the block to choose your search form from the list. That’s it! ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/shwoing-search-form-guten-block3.jpg "shwoing-search-form-guten-block3 - SearchWP")Congratulations! You’ve just learned how to make a search bar that searches your WordPress site. Here’s a preview of what it looks like on our demo site. ![How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site: Showing Search Bar Step 9](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/shwoing-search-form-guten-block4.jpg "shwoing-search-form-guten-block4 - SearchWP")You can now go a step further and test your search form. See if it is showing content from different categories, check if it’s obeying the rules you set up, and test for accuracy. ## FAQs About WordPress Search Bars Here are some of the most common questions about setting up and improving their WordPress search bar. **1. Will SearchWP replace my existing search bar automatically?** Once you install and activate SearchWP, it automatically takes over the default WordPress search. You don’t need to swap out any code or move anything around. Your existing search bar will start using SearchWP right away. **2. Can I add a search bar to a specific page or post?** Absolutely. SearchWP lets you create custom search forms and embed them anywhere on your site. You can use a Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or a widget to place your search bar exactly where you want it. **3. Will SearchWP work with my WordPress theme?** In our experience, SearchWP works well with almost every WordPress theme out there. It’s also compatible with popular page builders like Elementor, Divi, [Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-form-using-beaver-builder-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Form Using Beaver Builder in WordPress"), and WPBakery. **4. Can the search bar find content inside PDF files?** Yes, it can. SearchWP has a document indexing feature that lets your search bar find text inside uploaded PDF files and other documents. This is really useful for sites that publish guides, manuals, or reports. **5. What if my visitors make typos when searching?** SearchWP has a fuzzy search feature that handles typos really well. When it’s turned on, your search bar will still return relevant results even if a visitor misspells a word. **6. Can I see what my visitors are searching for?** SearchWP includes a [Metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)") that tracks every search made on your site. You can view this data right inside your WordPress dashboard, which is great for understanding what your visitors are looking for. Now, when visitors roam around your website, they’ll see a search bar that can search everything on your website. You can use this feature to improve your site’s user experience and help your customers find the content they need faster. We hope this article helped you learn how to make a search bar that searches your WordPress site. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-multilingual-sites-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Multilingual Sites Searchable In WordPress") and [how to change the order of search results on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"). [Get SearchWP now](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") to add an advanced search bar to your website! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search bar in wordpress, add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode, how to add a custom search bar in WordPress, search bar that searches everything in wordpress site, search bar that searches your site, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/) **Published:** May 27, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Imagine a customer lands on your WooCommerce store looking for a blue merino wool sweater. They type “blue merino” into the search bar and get zero results, even though you have exactly what they need. That’s the default WooCommerce search at work, and we’ve seen it cost store owners real sales every single day. The problem is that the default WooCommerce search only matches keywords against product titles and basic content. It completely ignores product attributes, variations, tags, categories, and custom fields stored in your database. Adding a custom WooCommerce search widget is how you fix that. You can place a properly configured search form in your sidebar, header, shop page, or anywhere else on your site, and connect it to a search engine that actually understands your products. In this article, we’ll show you how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your store step by step, without writing a single line of code. ## What Are Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets? A custom WooCommerce search widget is a search form you place anywhere on your site and connect to a configured search engine. Unlike the default search bar, it gives you control over what the engine searches, how results are ranked, and where the form appears. Classic WordPress themes use the **Widgets** screen to place search forms in areas like the sidebar, header, or footer. Block-based FSE (full-site editing) themes use the block editor instead, where you can drop a search form block onto any template or page. Either way, the widget itself is only the front-end display. The real upgrade comes from what’s powering it. ## Why Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets? A well-placed search widget turns your store navigation into a direct path to purchase. Here’s what you gain by replacing the default experience: - **Better product discoverability.** The default search misses products stored with custom attributes like color, size, SKU, or material. A custom widget backed by a real search engine finds products no matter which attribute the customer searches by. - **More sales from existing traffic.** Visitors who use site search convert at significantly higher rates than those who browse. Every time a search returns zero results, you lose a conversion you already paid to attract. - **Control over what gets searched.** With a custom widget, you decide exactly which product data the search engine reads — title, description, tags, variations, custom fields, or any combination. You can even create different search widgets for different pages, each tuned for a different purpose. - **Search analytics.** Once the search is working, you can track exactly what customers are searching for and which queries return zero results. Our guide on [how to find the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/) walks through this in detail. - **A clean, professional experience.** A search bar that returns relevant results instantly builds trust. We’ve worked with many store owners who noticed a direct drop in bounce rate after fixing their product search. The good news is that setting all of this up takes about ten minutes with the right plugin. Let’s learn how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your website below. ## How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Easily) The easiest way to add a custom search widget to WooCommerce is to use a plugin, and [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best WordPress search plugin for this task. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WooCommerce search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins-to-boost-your-sales/ "5+ Best WooCommerce Search Plugins to Boost Your Sales"), trusted by over 50,000 website owners to replace the default WordPress search with a fast, accurate engine. It builds a search index across your site’s content, posts, pages, [products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), media, custom fields, and more. And lets you control exactly what gets searched, how results are ranked, and where search forms appear. Here are the key features that make it ideal for WooCommerce stores: - **WooCommerce Integration.** SearchWP’s dedicated WooCommerce extension powers your product search with a real relevance engine. It respects product visibility rules, handles catalog sorting, and makes product attributes, variations, and tags fully searchable. - **Custom search engines.** Create multiple engines and connect each one to a different search form. You can run a product-only search in the shop sidebar and a site-wide search in the header at the same time. - **Search analytics.** The Metrics extension shows you exactly what your customers are searching for, which searches return zero results, and where you’re losing sales to your own search bar. - **Multiple placement options.** Add search forms as widgets, Gutenberg blocks, shortcodes, or page-builder elements — no theme restrictions. - **PDF and office document indexing.** If you sell books or other text-based resources, your users will be able to find them more easily. SearchWP considers the content of document files in your media library when searching. - **Visitor statistics and insights.** You get to see what your visitors are searching for. You can use this information to improve your services. With that, let’s see how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets to your site using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") and sign up for a new account. Once you’ve created an account and you’re in your account dashboard, go to the **Downloads** tab. From there, click **Download SearchWP** to save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. Copy the license key on the same page, as you’ll need it during setup. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can upload the plugin files and then install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you need a hand, check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen with a setup wizard. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen instructions, including entering your license key when prompted. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Great work, SearchWP is now installed and ready to configure. The next step is to add WooCommerce support. ### Step 2: Install the WooCommerce Integration Extension SearchWP has a dedicated WooCommerce Integration extension that powers your product search with a full relevance engine. It handles product visibility rules, catalog sorting, and ensures SearchWP reads your product data correctly. To install it, simply navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Next, find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension in the list and click **Install**. It activates automatically within a few seconds. Now SearchWP has full access to your WooCommerce products and product data. Let’s configure the search engine next. ### Step 3: Set Up a SearchWP Custom Search Engine SearchWP uses search engines, which let you set up configurations that control what gets searched and how results are ranked. You can create multiple engines and connect each one to a different search form on your site. To customize your SearchWP engine, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)From there, click **Sources & Settings**. A modal will pop up with a list of sources to choose from. Then, check the box next to **Products** to make your WooCommerce products searchable. You can also include other default sources like **Posts,** **Pages,** or **Media** if you want the widget to search across your whole site. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg)Click **Done** when you’re finished. Now scroll down to the **Products** section to fine-tune what SearchWP reads from each product. To start, click **Add/Remove Attributes** to open the attributes panel. Here you can add product custom fields (like SKU, color, or size) and taxonomies (like product tags and categories) to the search index. ![Manage product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-product-attributes--1030x518.png "Manage product attributes - SearchWP")When you’re done selecting attributes, click **Done**. Then click **Save** so that SearchWP can start rebuilding your search index based on the new settings. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: how to setup a WordPress search engine step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-saving.jpg)If you want to narrow the widget down to products only and remove other content types from results, see our guide on [how to limit your WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-your-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Limit Your WordPress Search Results (For Newbies)"). Your search engine is now tuned for WooCommerce products. The final step is to add the search widget to your site. ### Step 4: Add WooCommerce Search To Your Website Now you need to create a search bar so your customers can search for their desired products. Whether you need to use a widget or a block to create the search bar depends on the theme you are using. A WooCommerce Search Widget is your best choice if you are using a classic theme. On the other hand, if you are using a modern FSE (full-site editing) theme, then utilizing a WooCommerce search block is the standard method. You can add a search bar anywhere on your website, regardless of the method you use. Here’s how you can add WooCommerce search to your website for both cases. #### Step 4.1 Add WooCommerce Search Widget For Classic Themes You can add a custom WooCommerce search widget anywhere on your site if your theme supports it. Let’s see how you can add the widget to the sidebar. You can also put it anywhere on your site, such as the header and footer. It depends on your needs, but the process is similar. Simply navigate to **Appearance » Widgets** from the WordPress dashboard. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Adding Search Widget Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-search-widget-step1-1.jpg "adding-search-widget-step1 - SearchWP")On the widgets settings page, select the area where you want to add the widget and click the + icon. In this tutorial, we’ll be adding the search widget to the WooCommerce sidebar area. Type SearchWP into the field, and then select the **SearchWP Form** widget block. ![Add SearchWP forms to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x718.png "Add SearchWP forms to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once the SearchWP Form block is added, you can click the dropdown menu and select a search form. Then, click **Update** in the upper right corner. ![Select your form for WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-form-for-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x391.png "Select your form for WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Your sidebar now has a custom WooCommerce search widget. Now visit your website front-end and see your WooCommerce search widget in action! ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Search box preview on frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WooCommerce-custom-search-results.png)#### Step 4.2 Add WooCommerce Search Block For Modern FSE Themes Before displaying the search bar, you’ll need to create a search form. The process is quick and easy with SearchWP and doesn’t involve writing any code. To create a search form, go to SearchWP > Search Forms and click “Add New.” ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-create-search-form.jpg "- SearchWP")Pick a name for your search form, select a theme layout, and configure it according to your needs. Please note that SearchWP enables you to configure multiple Engines, leveraging which you can serve different content in different locations on your website. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 1-1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-1-create-search-form.jpg "Choosing a search form template - SearchWP")Choosing SearchWP as the Results page gives full control and optimization of the WordPress search results page. Here’s a detailed tutorial on [how to optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page"). ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-2-create-search-form.jpg "step-2-create-search-form - SearchWP")Once you are done configuring the search form, click **Save**. If you are interested in learning more, here’s a detailed tutorial on [how to create an advanced search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Creating Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-3-create-search-form.jpg "- SearchWP")Now, open the page where you want to display the search bar in Edit mode. Click the “+ Add block” icon, then find and select the SearchWP Form from the list of blocks. ![Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-in-wordpress-1030x607.png "Add SearchWP forms block in WordPress - SearchWP")Once the SeachWP Form block is added, you can select the form you just created. Simply click the dropdown menu to do that. ![Choose a form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-form-from-dropdown-1-1030x423.png "Choose a form from dropdown - SearchWP")You should now see the search bar displayed on your desired location. Lastly, you can click the Update or Publish button in the top corner. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Showing Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-3-show-search-form.jpg "step-3-show-search-form - SearchWP")Now visit your website front-end and see your WooCommerce search in action! You can search for different products to check if the search is working properly. ![How to Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets: Search Form Live on Frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-search-bar-live.jpg "woocommerce-search-bar-live - SearchWP")## FAQs about WooCommerce Search Widgets **1. What is a custom WooCommerce search widget?** A custom WooCommerce search widget is a search form placed on your site and connected to a configured search engine. Unlike the default WordPress search bar, it searches product attributes, variations, tags, and custom fields. You can place it in any widget area or page using a plugin like SearchWP. **2. Does SearchWP require the WooCommerce Integration extension to search products?** SearchWP indexes WooCommerce products as a post type by default. The WooCommerce Integration extension adds product-specific behavior — including visibility rules, catalog sorting compatibility, and correct handling of the WooCommerce shop archive search. It is recommended for any WooCommerce store and is included with the SearchWP Pro plan. **3. Can I add a WooCommerce search widget to my header or footer?** Yes. If your theme supports header or footer widget areas, navigate to **Appearance » Widgets**, open the header or footer widget area, and add the Search block. For FSE themes, you can embed the **SearchWP Form** block directly in the header or footer template via the Site Editor. **4. Why does the default WooCommerce search miss products?** The default WordPress search runs a basic SQL LIKE query against post titles and content. WooCommerce stores product attributes, tags, SKUs, and variations in separate database tables as post meta and taxonomy terms, which the default search never reads. A plugin like SearchWP builds a custom index that includes all of this data. **5. Can I create different search widgets for different pages?** Yes. SearchWP lets you create multiple search engines and link each one to a different search form. You can have a product-only search engine powering a widget on your shop page, and a separate site-wide engine powering the search bar in your header. Each engine can be configured to search different sources and attributes. You now have a custom WooCommerce search widget on your site, powered by an engine that understands your products. With SearchWP indexing your product attributes, tags, variations, and custom fields, your customers can find what they need, no matter how they search for it. We hope this article helped you learn how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets. You may also want to see our guides on [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only") and [how to hide a WooCommerce product from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)"). Ready to upgrade your WooCommerce search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** search widget, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search widget, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Color Filter in WooCommerce (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-color-filter-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** May 21, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Shoppers who want to filter WooCommerce products by color run into the same wall on most stores. They land on the shop page, see a mixed grid of every color available, and have no way to narrow it down without clicking into every single product. WooCommerce does not include a color filter for the shop page out of the box. Without one, your product grid shows everything at once, and a customer looking for a specific color has to scroll through every listing to find it. A color filter solves this by letting shoppers click a color and instantly see only the products that match. We have seen this single addition keep customers on the page longer and reduce the frustration that sends them to a competitor. In this article, we will show you how to add a color filter to your WooCommerce store without writing any code. ## Why Add a Color Filter to Your WooCommerce Store? From our experience, stores that sell products in multiple colors lose the most sales to this exact problem. A shopper with a specific color in mind gives up when the grid forces them to hunt for it. Think of it like a clothing store where every shirt, regardless of color, hangs on the same rack with no way to sort. Nobody wants to flip through a hundred mixed options to find the one red shirt they came in for. This matters most for stores selling clothing, home decor, accessories, or any product where color is a deciding factor. When customers can’t find their color quickly, they leave, and that sale goes somewhere else. Adding a color filter puts the right products in front of the right customers in seconds. With that in mind, let’s look at how to add one to your store. ## Adding a Color Filter to WooCommerce The easiest way to add a color filter to WooCommerce is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the [best filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)"), built by the same team behind SearchWP. It lets you add Amazon-style filters to any WooCommerce store without writing a single line of code. WPFilters pulls your color values directly from your WooCommerce product attributes and turns them into clickable filter options on the shop page. You can also combine the color filter with other filter types like a [price range slider](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), category checkboxes or a keyword search box for an even more precise shopping experience. Here are some things you can do with WPFilters: - **Filter by any product attribute:** Pull color values directly from your WooCommerce Color attribute and display them as checkboxes that customers can select. - **Multiple display formats:** Show color options as [checkboxes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"), a dropdown, or a radio list to match your store’s design. - **Combine with other filters:** Stack the color filter alongside a size, brand or price filter so customers can narrow results from multiple angles at once. - **Instant AJAX refresh:** The product grid updates the moment a customer selects a color, with no page reload required. Now, let’s walk through how to set up a color filter on your WooCommerce store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a [WPFilters account](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Sign Up for WPFilters Account"). Once you have an account, log in to your account area and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Then, click the **Download WPFilters** button to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from this page, as you will need it during setup. Next, upload and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you have not done this before, see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, the setup wizard will appear. Simply click the **Let’s Get Started** button and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")WPFilters is all set! Now let’s prepare your WooCommerce product data. ### Step 2: Set Up a Color Attribute in WooCommerce Before you can build the filter, you need a Color product attribute set up in [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). WPFilters pulls its values directly from your product attributes, so this is a required step if you have not done it already. **Note:** If you already have a Color attribute with terms assigned to your products, you can skip ahead to Step 3. To start, first go to **Products » Attributes** from your WordPress dashboard and then add your attributes. ![Add product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-product-attributes-1030x499.png "Add product attributes - SearchWP")For step-by-step instructions, you can see this guide on [how to properly set up product tags, attributes, and categories in WooCommerce](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-product-tags-attributes-and-categories-to-woocommerce "How to Add Product Tags, Attributes, and Categories to WooCommerce"). ### Step 3: Create a Color Filter Element in WPFilters Now navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")Next, you can give your filter a name at the top of the editor, such as Filter by Color. After that, you will need to head to the **Filter Fields** section and select the **Checkbox** option. This creates a list of checkboxes for each color that customers can select to narrow the product grid. ![Select color filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-color-filter-field-1030x621.png "Select color filter field - SearchWP")From here, you can scroll down to the **Data Source** section and click the dropdown menu. Under the WooCommerce section, select the **Product Color (pa\_color)** attribute you created in the previous step. WPFilters will automatically pull all of your color terms and add them to the filter. ![Select product color attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-color-attribute-1030x552.png "Select product color attribute - SearchWP")### Step 4: Customize the Color Filter Settings With the data source connected, you can fine-tune how the filter looks and behaves for your shoppers. Scroll to the **Container** section and enable the **Show Title** toggle to display a label above the checkboxes, and turn on **Collapsible** if you want visitors to be able to hide the filter widget to save space on mobile. ![Edit filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")Next, scroll to the **Items** section. Here, enabling the **Item Count** option shows customers how many products are available for each color so they can make faster decisions. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you are done, scroll to the top and click the **Save** button. You will see a live preview of the filter in the panel on the left. ![Save color filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-color-filters-1030x495.png "Save color filters - SearchWP")### Step 5: Add the Color Filter to Your WooCommerce Store With your filter saved, the final step is to place it on your store. We recommend adding it to the sidebar [widget area](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)") on your shop page, where it stays visible as customers scroll and fits the standard WooCommerce layout. To start, go to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Note that this step may look different depending on the theme you are using. From here, you will need to find the sidebar area your shop page uses (usually WooCommerce Sidebar) and click the **+** button to add a new block. Then search for **WPFilters Element** and add the widget. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once you add the WPFilters Element widget block, you can select your color filters. In the **Element Settings** panel on the right, open the **Select Element** dropdown and choose the ‘Filter by Color’ filter. ![Select filter by color](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-filter-by-color-1030x438.png "Select filter by color - SearchWP")When you are done, click **Update**. Now visit your shop page and test the filter. Select the Charcoal color and confirm only products appear in the grid that have the assigned color. ![View color filter in action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-color-filter-in-action-1030x699.png "View color filter in action - SearchWP")## FAQs about Adding Color Filters **1. Does WPFilters automatically pull my color values from WooCommerce?** Yes. Once you connect the filter to your WooCommerce Color product attribute, WPFilters pulls all of your color terms automatically and displays each one as a checkbox option. You do not need to enter the colors manually inside the plugin. **2. Can I combine the color filter with a price or category filter?** Yes. You can create separate filter elements for price, category, size, or any other attribute in WPFilters and add them all to the same sidebar. Customers can then narrow results from multiple angles at once, such as filtering by both Red and a price range under $50. **3. Will the color filter work with variable WooCommerce products?** Yes. WPFilters works with all standard WooCommerce product types, including variable products. When a customer filters by a color, WPFilters surfaces any product that has a variation matching that color, even if other variations are available in different colors. **4. Can customers select more than one color at a time?** Yes. The Checkbox field type allows customers to select multiple colors simultaneously. If a customer checks both Blue and Black, WPFilters shows all products available in either color. Switch to the Radio field type if you want to limit customers to one selection at a time. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce products by color. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)") and [how to filter WooCommerce products by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)"). Ready to give your customers a faster way to find products by color? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, color, color filter, filter by colors, woocommerce product search by tags, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Add Fuzzy Search to WordPress Sites](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/) **Published:** May 19, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Over the years, we’ve learned that the default WordPress search loses visitors in a way most site owners never notice. A shopper types “runing shoes” instead of “running shoes,” or “coffe table” instead of “coffee table,” and the site returns zero results, even though the product is right there. WordPress search is exact-match only by default. One transposed letter or dropped vowel is enough to produce an empty results page, and the visitor leaves, assuming you don’t carry what they need. We’ve watched this happen in stores with hundreds of products and on knowledge bases with years of content. Fuzzy search fixes this by closing the gap between what visitors type and what actually exists on your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to add fuzzy search to WordPress using SearchWP. By the end, visitors who make typos will still find exactly what they’re looking for. ## What Is Fuzzy Search & Why Enable It? Typos are not a niche problem, they’re a daily reality. Mobile keyboards autocorrect unpredictably, visitors type too fast, and shoppers searching in a second language produce imperfect queries on every single visit. When those queries return zero results, visitors don’t assume they made a mistake. They assume your site doesn’t have what they need, and they go somewhere else. Unfortunately, WordPress does not recognize these typos and show relevant results by default. So, if your visitors type a word or a product name incorrectly, they won’t get any results and will leave your site unsatisfied. This is where fuzzy search comes in handy. Fuzzy search is a search feature that you can use to expand search results on your site. It can be best described with an example. When a fuzzy search is enabled, the search term “socker” (even though misspelled) will include results for “soccer” (which is the correct spelling). In other words, fuzzy matching provides phonetically similar search results. It allows your visitors to find the right content even if they make typos or misspellings in the search query. ![how to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites: example of fuzzy search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-does-fuzzy-search-work.png "how does fuzzy search work - SearchWP")Fuzzy search allows you to keep visitors on your site and increase the number of pageviews you get. Now that you’ve learned what fuzzy search is and what the benefits of adding it to your site are, let’s see how you can utilize it below. ## How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites The easiest way to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites without writing code is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the #1 WordPress search plugin on the market, trusted by over 50,000 site owners worldwide. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It allows you to get complete control over your site search and easily customize it to meet your needs. For example, with SearchWP, you can [create custom search fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), limit search to specific categories, and much more. The best thing is that this plugin is super easy to use, so you can easily set it up even if you’re a WordPress newbie. Here are some other things SearchWP lets you do with just a couple of clicks: - **Show search results in live mode**. Install the SearchWP Live Search extension, and all the search fields on your site will automatically start [displaying search results in real time](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") to your visitors. - **Change the order of search results**. Don’t like the current [order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") on your site? Using SearchWP, you can completely customize it the way you want. - **Exclude pages from search results**. Want to hide some pages from displaying in search results? With SearchWP, you can [exclude both individual pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") and groups of pages from the search to make it easier for your visitors to find what they came for. - **Make WordPress index PDF files**. Upload [PDFs or other documents](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") to your site? Make these files searchable with SearchWP so that your visitors can quickly find them using a search bar. - **Fuzzy and partial matching**. Tolerates typos and partial words, so visitors find results even when they don’t spell things perfectly - **Custom fields and WooCommerce indexing**. Indexes ACF fields, product attributes, tags, SKUs, and more, so no content goes unnoticed in search Now that you know why SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, let’s see how you can add fuzzy search to WordPress sites using it. ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP To get started, visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. When you’re done, head to your SearchWP account and click the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From there, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. We’d also recommend copying your license key on the same page, as you’ll need it during setup. Next, install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress site. If you need a refresher on how to do that, check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, the SearchWP welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Go ahead and click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP is all set! You’re ready to enable the fuzzy search feature on your site. ### Step 2: How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress With SearchWP Once SearchWP is set up, head to **SearchWP » Settings** from your WordPress dashboard. Here, you’ll see the **General Settings** section, which contains the options that control how SearchWP handles imperfect search queries. This is where you’ll turn on the **Partial Matches** option for your site. ![Enable partial searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-searches-1030x516.png "Enable partial searches - SearchWP")**Partial Matches** only activates for search terms that don’t already return exact results. It first tries wildcard matching, so “coffe” surfaces “coffee” and “search” returns results for “searching” and “researcher.” If that still yields nothing, it falls back to spelling correction, which is how “runing” finds “running.” While you’re there, we’d also recommend enabling **Closest Match**. When a search returns no results, SearchWP automatically reruns it using the closest matching term and shows visitors a “Did you mean…” style notice. Do note that it requires Partial Matches to be active first. If you also want to match words by their shared root, so “run,” “running,” and “runner” all surface together, then enable [Keyword Stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming") on the **SearchWP » Algorithm** screen for each engine. Now, let’s test fuzzy search on your website. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To do that, you’ll need to go over to your site from the WordPress dashboard. The fastest way to do that is to click the **Visit Site** button under your site’s name at the top left corner. ![how to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites: visit website frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/visit-website.jpg "visit website - SearchWP")Once you get to your site, enter a search term containing a typo into a search box to check if a fuzzy search works. For example, we have a blog article titled **How to Install a WordPress Theme** on our test site. Let’s see if we can find it using the intentionally misspelled search term – “wortpress theame”. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-9.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found the post even though there were a considerable number of typos in our search query. ![we found the post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-post.png "we found the post - SearchWP")Or, here is another example. Let’s try to search for “e mail makreting”. We also had no problem finding a post on email marketing because the fuzzy search is enabled on our test site. ![we found another post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-another-post.png "we found another post - SearchWP")## FAQs about Fuzzy Search in WordPress **1. What is fuzzy search in WordPress?** Fuzzy search is a type of search that returns results even when the query contains typos or misspellings. Instead of requiring an exact match, it calculates how “close” a search term is to the actual content using algorithms like Levenshtein distance. SearchWP adds fuzzy search to any WordPress site through its built-in algorithm settings, with no code required. **2. Does WordPress support fuzzy search by default?** No. WordPress’s native search performs exact keyword matching only — it searches post titles, content, and excerpts for a precise match, and one typo returns zero results. To add fuzzy search to WordPress, you need a plugin like SearchWP that replaces the default matching logic with a more tolerant engine. **3. How does SearchWP handle typos in search queries?** It first tries wildcard matching, so “coffe” surfaces “coffee” and “search” returns “searching.” If that still yields nothing, it applies spelling correction, which is how “runing” finds “running.” The optional **Closest Match** toggle reruns the search using the nearest spelled term and shows a “Did you mean…” style notice. **4. Will enabling fuzzy matching slow down my WordPress site?** SearchWP’s matching logic runs against a pre-built index stored in your database, so searches stay fast even with fuzzy matching active. The plugin processes queries efficiently without adding load to your server for each visitor search. From our experience, the performance impact is minimal on well-hosted WordPress sites of any size. **5. Does fuzzy search work with WooCommerce products?** Yes. With the **SearchWP WooCommerce Integration** addon, SearchWP indexes WooCommerce products including custom attributes, SKUs, tags, and categories. Once fuzzy matching is enabled, visitors can find products even when they misspell a name or search by a product detail stored in a custom field. Adding fuzzy search to WordPress means your visitors stop hitting dead ends. Whether they’re shopping, reading, or searching your knowledge base, a small typo won’t cost you the visit or the sale. We hope this article helped you learn how to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make multilingual sites searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-multilingual-sites-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Multilingual Sites Searchable In WordPress") and [how to create a dropdown filter for WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-dropdown-filter-for-woocommerce-products/ "How to Create a Dropdown Filter for WooCommerce Products (Quick Way)"). Ready to stop losing visitors to typos? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add fuzzy search in WordPress, add fuzzy search to your WordPress site, fuzzy search, how to add fuzzy search in WordPress, how to add fuzzy search to your WordPress site, SearchWP, wordpress fuzzy search, WordPress search --- ### [How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/) **Published:** May 14, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Searching for content on a website should feel effortless. When a visitor types a word into your search bar, they expect to see helpful results almost instantly, not wait for a brand new page to load with a list that may or may not be useful. Live autocomplete search makes that instant experience possible. As a visitor types, matching results appear in a dropdown right below the search bar. It works a lot like the search bar on Google, where suggestions pop up before you even finish typing your query. We’ve worked on many WordPress sites over the years, and one of the first things we always set up is live autocomplete search. It’s one of those small changes that makes a big difference to how visitors interact with a site. The default WordPress search just doesn’t come close to delivering that kind of experience. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add live autocomplete search to your WordPress site. You don’t need to write a single line of code, and the whole setup takes just a few minutes. ## What Is Live Autocomplete Search & Why Does It Matter? These days, online users have high expectations for search. Search engines like Google offer advanced features, including live autocomplete search and predictive suggestions. These features give better search results and save time, enhancing overall user experience. If you want to improve your site’s search experience, you need to add live autocomplete search. It allows search engines to guess what a user is searching for and, in return, provides relevant suggestions as they type. With this feature, users don’t need to manually complete their search or load a different page to see the results. Adding this feature to your site has tons of benefits. For example, adding live autocomplete search to WordPress will help your website visitors find what they’re looking for instantly. The live autofill feature suggests results as users type in their queries. Your site will also show more relevant results based on its content. ![WordPress live autocomplete search in action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WordPress-live-autocomplete-search-in-action.gif "WordPress live autocomplete search in action - SearchWP")Besides improving the search experience, autocomplete educates users about your site. Even when the suggestions don’t match the search intent, the user knows your site contains the suggested product or content. Since your users no longer need to type many keywords, they can avoid typos and reduce search time. This ensures a better user experience, and your visitors can spend more time on your site and buy more products. The good news is that you can easily add live autocomplete search to WordPress. Let’s see how to do it step by step. ## How To Add Live Autocomplete Search (Easy Way) To add live autocomplete search to your website, you need the free SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin. It automatically attaches to your existing WordPress search forms with no code required. If you’d also like more powerful features, such as multiple search engines, PDF or document indexing, WooCommerce integration, and custom relevance settings, we recommend the premium version of [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the best WordPress search plugin, trusted by 50,000+ website owners. Now, let’s walk through the setup step by step. ### Step 1: Install And Activate The SearchWP Live Ajax Search Plugin To install SearchWP Live Ajax Search, simply go to **Plugins » Add New** in your WordPress dashboard. On the plugins page, type ‘SearchWP’ in the search bar. You’ll see a list of SearchWP extensions. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Adding SearchWP Ajax Live Search Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-plugin-2-1-hr.jpg "add-new-plugin-2-1-hr - SearchWP")Once you find the SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin, click **Install Now** and then Activate. If you need help with this, then please go through this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Adding SearchWP Ajax Live Search Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-plugin-2-2-hr.jpg "add-new-plugin-2-2-hr - SearchWP")The Settings page will open automatically once you activate the SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin. ### Step 2: Customize Your Live Search You will notice that the **Enable Live Search** toggle is active by default. ![View live search settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-live-search-settings-1030x501.png "View live search settings - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down and select a layout theme. SearchWP offers multiple prebuilt layouts to choose from, and you get to see a preview as well. ![Choose live search theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-live-search-theme-1030x457.png "Choose live search theme - SearchWP")From here, you can further customize the layouts by viewing the Custom Styling section. For instance, there are options to enable description, display image, price, add to cart, and more. ![Edit live search styling](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-live-search-styling-1030x603.png "Edit live search styling - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the Results section. Here, you’ll find options to include styling, change the positioning, enable auto width, change max results, and more. ![Change results settings for live search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-results-settings-for-live-search-1030x589.png "Change results settings for live search - SearchWP")When you’ve made the changes, simply click the **Save** button at the top. ### Step 3: See The Live Autocomplete Search In Action After installing SearchWP Live Ajax Search, test the new autocomplete feature. You can do this by navigating to your site’s front end. When you type in any query on your existing search forms, you’ll see the live autocomplete search in action. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-sample-5.gif "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Live Search Working Proof - SearchWP")## How To Add An Autofill Search Form In WordPress Now that your site has a live autocomplete search, it’s time to decide where you want to display the search forms. You can add live autocomplete search to your site’s sidebar, header, and footer areas, or any blog post or page. Let’s see how to display the search bar in any of these locations. ### Displaying Autofill Search Form In WordPress Sidebar/Footer/Header Most WordPress site owners like to display the search form in the sidebar. In this location, your visitors can quickly complete their search no matter what page they’re on. The footer and header may be ideal for pages like the homepage or shop page. You can add a search bar to any of these locations using the widget function. To access it, go to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Do note that the widget area may vary based on the theme you are using. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Adding SearchWP Ajax Live Search To Sidebar Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-sidebar-search-1-hr.jpg "add-sidebar-search-1-hr - SearchWP")On this page, you can add a live search bar to any area you choose using the block-based widget editor. First, click on the widget area you want and then the ‘+’ icon. When the widgets list pops up, type ‘Search’ in the search bar. Then click the SearchWP Live Search widget to add the autofill search field. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Adding SearchWP Ajax Live Search To Sidebar Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-sidebar-search-2-hr.jpg "add-sidebar-search-2-hr - SearchWP")Now, please customize the search bar according to your needs. After that, click **Update** in the upper-right corner. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Adding SearchWP Ajax Live Search To Sidebar Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-sidebar-search-3-hr.jpg "add-sidebar-search-3-hr - SearchWP")Your search field is now ready for display. Please note that, depending on your active WordPress theme, you may not be able to use some widget areas. ### Displaying Autofill Search Field On Any Page Of Your Website You can also add a search field to any page of your website. The Block Editor makes it easy to add a search bar here. To do this, open any page in Edit mode and click the ‘+’ icon on the location where you want to add the search bar. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Showing SearchWP Ajax Live Search On Pages Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-1-hr.jpg "search-form-1-hr - SearchWP")Next, type ‘search’ and select the Search block. Once you customize the block according to your choice, click **Update**. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Showing SearchWP Ajax Live Search On Pages Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-2-hr.jpg "search-form-2-hr - SearchWP")You have successfully added the live autocomplete search to your WordPress site. You can also follow these same steps to add a live search bar to any post. ### How To Customize The Live Autocomplete Search Form On one hand, the WordPress default search form offers limited features, which may frustrate your visitors. On the other hand, creating an ideal search form is challenging as it’s time-consuming and requires expert coding skills. However, the [SearchWP premium version](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") makes it super easy to do. You can add an advanced search form almost immediately without writing a single line of code! An advanced search form will help you reduce frustration and increase engagement with your content, providing an improved user experience and decreased bounce rate. Please follow our detailed guide on [how to create advanced search forms in WordPress (easily)](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). After adding the live autocomplete search to your site, you may want to [improve your website’s search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)") further. You can program your site’s search results based on a custom priority scale. This will significantly enhance the search experience. One of the reasons why SearchWP is immensely popular is the fact that it offers tons of advanced features for adjusting your search algorithm. You can do all these without writing any line of code. With the premium version of SearchWP, you can adjust the relevance of each source, content attribute, or decide which content to index. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Configuring Search Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-engine-setup-hr.jpg "search-engine-setup-hr - SearchWP")You can also create and use different search engines on different site locations. This will help you offer a unique search experience in each of these locations. To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ## FAQs About Live Autocomplete Search in WordPress **1. Will live autocomplete search work with my current WordPress theme?** Yes, SearchWP is designed to work with almost every WordPress theme. The Live Search extension automatically connects to the existing search forms on your site, so you don’t need to make any changes to your theme files to get it working. **2. Can I control what content appears in the autocomplete dropdown?** SearchWP gives you full control over what sources your search engine looks through. You can include or exclude posts, pages, custom post types, WooCommerce products, and more by adjusting the sources. **3. Does live autocomplete search work with WooCommerce products?** Yes, it does. SearchWP has a dedicated WooCommerce Integration extension that makes your products fully searchable. Once that extension is installed, your live autocomplete search will start showing WooCommerce products in the dropdown as visitors type. **4. Can I add live autocomplete search to multiple search forms on my site?** SearchWP allows you to create multiple search forms and link each one to a specific search engine. This means you can have live autocomplete search running on every search form across your site at the same time. So in summary, live autocomplete search is a powerful feature you can use to boost your site conversions and average visit duration. SearchWP Live Ajax Search makes it very easy to add this feature to your native WordPress search. We hope this article helped you learn how to add live autocomplete search to your WordPress site. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make the knowledge base searchable on WordPress ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Your Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress")and [how to limit search on your site to WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)"). [Get SearchWP premium](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started wit SearchWP Today") to take control of every aspect of WordPress search. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** autocomplete, live ajax search, live auto search, live search, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/) **Published:** May 12, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you have PDF files on your WordPress site, chances are visitors cannot find the content inside them using the default search bar. We see this a lot on sites that host documentation, whitepapers, case studies, or resource libraries. Someone searches for a term they know is in a PDF, but WordPress returns nothing because it only searches post and page titles and content, not the text inside uploaded files. The good news is that this is a quick fix. In this article, we will show you how to make WordPress search PDF files in just 2 easy steps. ## Why Search PDF Files in WordPress? WordPress supports many document file formats, including PDFs. One of the most common formats for sharing content online. If you host documentation, guides, or downloadable resources, those files are only useful if visitors can actually find them. Are you an author or do you run an online bookstore? WordPress gives you everything you need to showcase and sell your work. Even if you run a blog, you can convert long guides and tutorials into PDF files so your users can download and read them later. You can offer PDFs for free or sell them as digital products. And if your WooCommerce store sells PDFs, you can also [add a search box filter to your WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-filter-to-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Add a Search Box Filter to Your WooCommerce Store") to make every product findable. Whichever approach you take, your site visitors need to be able to find these files quickly. The native WordPress search can locate PDF files in the Media Library, but it only looks at the filename and short description. From our experience, that’s rarely enough. A visitor searching for “liability clause” in a legal guide you uploaded will get zero results unless that exact phrase is in the file title. That’s why you need a plugin that can index and search both the full text content and the metadata of every PDF on your site. This way, your site visitors can find your PDF files faster and get results that actually match what they’re looking for. You can also [search other media files in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") using a similar setup. But PDFs are worth addressing first, given how much valuable content they typically contain. So, let’s show you how to make WordPress search PDF files without any previous technical experience. ## How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files Using SearchWP The easiest way to make WordPress index and search PDF files is to use a plugin. [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the most powerful WordPress search plugin available in the market. It offers many advanced features that help improve your site’s search capabilities. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, trusted by over 50,000 website owners. It lets you index and search the full text of every PDF in your Media Library, along with metadata like author, title, and subject, without writing a single line of code. - **Document Content Indexing:** When SearchWP processes a PDF, it reads and stores the complete text layer of the file. Any phrase that appears anywhere inside the document becomes searchable, not just the filename. - **PDF Metadata Search:** SearchWP also indexes PDF metadata fields like the author’s name, document title, and subject. A search for “John Smith” will surface every PDF authored by John Smith, even if his name only appears in the metadata and not in the visible body text. - **Multiple Search Engines:** SearchWP lets you [create advanced search forms](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)") powered by dedicated engines. You can build one engine that only searches your PDF library and attach it to a resource page, while your main site search continues to work separately. - **File Type Rules:** You can restrict any engine to specific file types using the built-in Rules system. Whether you want a form that returns only PDFs or one that [limits search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-your-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Limit Your WordPress Search Results (For Newbies)") to a specific section of your library, Rules gives you that control. SearchWP provides full-fledged search functionalities that improve your native WordPress search in just a few clicks. Now, let’s see how to use SearchWP to make WordPress search PDF files. All you need to do is follow these 2 steps. ### Step 1: Install And Activate SearchWP Are you ready to make WordPress search your PDF files? The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP here.](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") Next, you can download the plugin zip file from the Downloads tab of your account page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Your license key is also available here, right next to your package name. We recommend that you also copy this Key to activate SearchWP in your WordPress dashboard later. Now, log in to your WordPress dashboard to install and activate the SearchWP plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). When you’re done, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Congratulations! You’ve successfully activated the SearchWP plugin. It’s now ready for use. Now, we’ll customize the search engine to search PDF files. ### Step 2: Set Up SearchWP Engine to Make WordPress Search PDF Files After activating SearchWP, you need to set up a search engine that searches PDF files on your site. Setting up a search engine is like adding a mini Google search algorithm to your site. It allows you to control how SearchWP will look for search results. You can choose from different content sources like posts, pages, or the media library. You also get to decide how relevant each attribute from these sources should be when searching. To make WordPress search PDF files, you need to select the media library as a source for your site search. Simply navigate to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. ![Navigate to Algorithm Page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Algo-page-2.jpg "- SearchWP")Now, you can either edit the default search Engine or create a new one for searching PDF files. For this tutorial, let’s click **Add New** to configure a new engine from scratch. ![Add New Engine in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-2.jpg "Create-new-engine - SearchWP")Now, from the popup that appears, make sure that the ‘Media’ source is checked and then enter a name for your engine. When you are finished, click **Done** to store the settings. ![Selecting media as a source for the engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-media-source-2.jpg "select-media-source - SearchWP")Now scroll to the **Media** tab and click **Add/Remove Attributes**. This is where you get to choose which elements of the media library SearchWP should index. ![Setting media attributes for the Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-remove-attribute-2.jpg "edit-rules-of-pdf - SearchWP")Next, a new popup will open where you can edit the attribute sources and include taxonomies and custom fields in the search process. From here, make sure to check the **Document Content** and **PDF metadata** boxes, as you want to make WordPress search PDF files and other types of documents. ![Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-document-source-2.jpg "Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP - SearchWP")After doing this, simply click the **Done** button. You can also add specific rules to the **Media** tab. Click **Edit Rules** to do this. ![Setting custom rules in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-of-pdf-2.jpg "edit-rules-of-pdf - SearchWP")For example, you can decide to show results for PDF files only. To do so, you can click **Add Rule.** You’ll need to set the Engine to show entries only when the file type is in PDFs. Click on the blank field and choose **PDFs**. ![Showing only PDF files in the search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/editing-rules-2.jpg "editing-rules-2 - SearchWP")After adding the rule, you can click the **Done** button. Finally, click **Save Engines** to save the new Engine settings. ![Saving engine to store the changes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-engine-22.jpg "saving-engine-22 - SearchWP")SearchWP will then apply your new preferences by rebuilding your search index. However, depending on the state of your website, you may need to rebuild the index manually. In which case, go ahead and click **Rebuild Index**. ![Manually rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/rebuild-index-2.jpg "rebuild-index-2 - SearchWP")The following popup will appear soon after. What it means is that when a PDF or document file is indexed in SearchWP, it extracts all indexable data, such as text, and stores it in its database. In other terms, a copy of the PDF or the document file is stored in the SearchWP database. ![Document content reset warning](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Reset-document-content-warning-2.jpg "Reset-document-content-warning-2 - SearchWP")SearchWP is so advanced that it even lets you modify the extracted content from the original file. So you can take more control over the content. To do that, you need to open up the file from **Media.** Click on the PDF or document file of your choice, and it will pop up a modal. From here, you can click on **Edit more details**. ![Going to Document Content via Media](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/going-to-document-content-2-1.jpg "going-to-document-content-2 - SearchWP")Now, you’ll see a section for SearchWP Document Content. This is where the extracted content is stored. If you wish, you can modify the data from here. ![Modifying PDF or document file content](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modifiying-document-content-2-1.jpg "modifiying document content-2 - SearchWP")Let’s come back to the **Reset Document Content** modal. If you’ve modified any file and want to keep the changes, you must leave the checkbox as is. However, if you want to reset and scrape all the modifications you’ve made to all the files, then you need to check “Remove stored Document Content, PDF Metadata, and image EXIF when rebuilding index.” This will erase all modifications and restore all files to their initial format. Therefore, we advise you to proceed cautiously. ![Reset document content finalizing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Reset-document-content-warning-with-checkbox.jpg "Reset-document-content-warning-with-checkbox - SearchWP")Finally, you can click **Continue Index Rebuild**. Congratulations! Your WordPress site can now index and search PDF files. You can plug this Engine into any search form created with SearchWP. We have created a detailed guide on [how to create advanced search forms](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)") in different locations and use different Engines. Now, when your site visitors search for a keyword that’s in the PDF file text or an author’s name, they can find all the relevant PDF results. ![make WordPress search PDF files successful result](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WordPress-search-PDF-files-result.png "WordPress search PDF files result - SearchWP")## **FAQs About WordPress PDF Search** **1. Does SearchWP work with all PDF files?** Yes, as long as the PDF contains actual text (not scanned images). SearchWP reads the text layer of a PDF. If the file is a scanned image without embedded text, there is no text content to index. For scanned PDFs, you would need to run OCR on them first to make them text-searchable. **2. Will existing PDFs be indexed automatically?** Yes. After you enable the Media content source and save your settings, SearchWP will index all existing PDFs in your Media Library, not just newly uploaded ones. **3. Can I control which PDF files appear in search results?** Yes. You can use SearchWP’s Rules feature to include or exclude specific file types, categories, or even individual files from your search index. This gives you full control over what appears in search results. **4. Does indexing PDF files slow down my WordPress site?** No. SearchWP runs its indexing process in the background and does not affect front-end performance. The indexing happens server-side and only runs when content is added or updated. We hope this article helped you learn how to make WordPress search PDF files. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a WordPress search by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)") or [add a WooCommerce search form to your shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"). Ready to make your WordPress site search PDF files? [Get started with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP")! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** make PDFs searchable, pdf download plugin, pdf search wordpress, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Create a Dropdown Filter for WooCommerce Products (Quick Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-dropdown-filter-for-woocommerce-products/) **Published:** May 7, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Shopping online should feel easy. But when a store has dozens or hundreds of products crammed onto a single page, finding the right item feels more like digging through a pile of clothes at a yard sale than browsing a well-organized shop. That’s a problem a lot of WooCommerce store owners run into. The products are all there, the store looks great, but customers still can’t find what they need fast enough. And when that happens, they leave. A dropdown filter fixes this by letting shoppers narrow down products by category, size, color, price, or any other attribute with just a single click. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a dropdown filter for WooCommerce products. ## Why Your WooCommerce Store Needs a Dropdown Filter Picture walking into a clothing store where nothing is organized. Shirts, pants, shoes, and jackets are all mixed on the same rack. You’re looking for a blue jacket in a medium, but the only way to find it is to go through every single item one by one. Most people would walk right out. That’s exactly what happens on a WooCommerce store without dropdown filters. When customers land on your shop page and see a wall of products with no way to sort them, frustration kicks in fast. They don’t want to click through ten pages of items just to find the one thing they came for. Most of them won’t bother. They’ll close the tab and buy from a competitor whose store is easier to navigate. We’ve seen this play out in stores that have great products but poor filtering. The traffic is there, but the sales don’t match up. Customers are landing on the shop page and leaving without buying anything. A dropdown filter is often the missing piece. Here’s what makes dropdown filters such a practical fix. They give shoppers a clean, familiar way to narrow down results. Instead of scrolling through 200 products, a customer can open a dropdown, pick “Large,” “Red,” or “Under $50,” and instantly see only the products that match. It’s the kind of experience that keeps people on your site longer and moves them closer to checkout. Without this, you’re leaving a lot of sales on the table. And the good news is that setting one up doesn’t require a developer or any technical know-how. Let’s look at how you can easily add a dropdown filter to your WooCommerce store. ## How to Display a Dropdown Filter in WooCommerce The easiest way to add a dropdown filter to WooCommerce is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the [best filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)") that lets you add Amazon-style filters to your WooCommerce store without writing a single line of code. It is built by the same team behind SearchWP, so we know it works reliably and efficiently handles your product data. With WPFilters, you can create dropdown menus that let customers filter products by category, tag, [product attribute](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)"), or any custom taxonomy. You can also combine dropdown filters with other filter types like price sliders, checkboxes, or a keyword search box. Some of the things you can do with WPFilters: - Create dropdown filters for [product categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"), tags, attributes, and custom fields - Display multiple filters together in the sidebar or above the product grid - Customize labels, placeholder text, and display options without touching code - Filter results in real time without a page reload Now, let’s walk through how to set up a dropdown filter on your WooCommerce store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters The first thing you’ll need to do is head over to the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you’ve created your account, log in and click on the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. From there, click the **Download WPFilters** button to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from this page, since you’ll need it during setup. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to upload and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you’ve never done this before, you can follow this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, the WPFilters setup wizard will appear on your screen. Go ahead and click the **‘Let’s Get Started’** button. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")Now we can move on to building your first dropdown filter. ### Step 2: Add a New Filter Element Now that WPFilters is up and running, it’s time to build your dropdown filter. To get started, navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")At the top of the screen, you’ll see a field where you can give your filter a name. It’s a good idea to use something descriptive here, like “Product Categories” or “Filter by Tags,” especially if you plan to add more filters down the road. A clear name makes it much easier to stay organized. ![Select dropdown filter option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-dropdown-filter-option-1030x478.png "Select dropdown filter option - SearchWP")Next, you can look at the **Filter Fields** section just below the name. This is where you choose how the filter will look and behave on your store. WPFilters gives you several options here, including checkboxes, radio buttons, sliders, and more. Since we’re building a dropdown filter, go ahead and select the **Dropdown** option. You’ll notice a live preview of the filter appears in the right-hand panel as soon as you save your settings. ### Step 3: Connect the Filter to a WooCommerce Data Source With the dropdown filter type selected, the next step is telling WPFilters where to pull its information from. This is what makes the filter actually useful for your shoppers. Scroll down to the **Data Source** section and click the dropdown menu. You’ll see a list of available data sources to choose from. Since we’re working with a WooCommerce store, you’ll want to pick a WooCommerce-specific option from the list. For example, you can select **Product categories** if you want customers to filter by category, or **Product tags** if you’ve tagged your products. ![Choose data source for WooCommerce tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-data-source-for-woocommerce-tags-1030x569.png "Choose data source for WooCommerce tags - SearchWP")You can also choose specific product attributes like color, size, or material if you’ve set those up in WooCommerce. Once you’ve done that, WPFilters will automatically pull in the relevant data and connect it to your dropdown filter. ### Step 4: Customize the Dropdown Filter Settings Now that your filter is connected to a data source, it’s time to make it look and feel just right for your store. WPFilters gives you a good set of customization options without overwhelming you with settings. You can scroll down to the **Container** section first. This is where you control the overall behavior of the filter. You can enable the **Show Title** option so visitors know exactly what the dropdown is for. ![Edit filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")You’ll also see an option to make the filter **Collapsible**. This is handy if you plan to add multiple filters to your sidebar, as it keeps things tidy and stops the page from feeling too cluttered. There’s also a **Horizontal** option if you’d prefer to display the filter choices side by side instead of stacked vertically. Next, scroll down a little further to the **Items** section. Here you can enable options like **Item Count**, which shows shoppers how many products are available for each option in the dropdown. ![Item settings shipping class](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/item-settings-shipping-class-1030x434.png "Item settings shipping class - SearchWP")Once you’re happy with how everything looks in the live preview on the right, scroll back to the top and click the **Save** button to store your changes. ### Step 5: Add the Dropdown Filter to Your WooCommerce Store With your dropdown filter saved, it’s time to put it somewhere your customers can actually use it. WPFilters gives you a few different ways to do this. **1. Adding the Dropdown Filter to Your Shop Page** The shop page is one of the best places to add a dropdown filter since that’s where most of your customers will be browsing. To get started, click the **Embed** button in the top right corner of the filter element page. A popup window will appear with a few embed options. You can choose between a **Gutenberg block**, a **shortcode**, or **PHP code**. For most store owners, the Gutenberg block is the easiest option to work with. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")Select the **Gutenberg Block** option and then click **Select Existing Page**. From there, type in the name of your shop page and select it from the dropdown menu. Once you click the **Let’s Go** button, WPFilters will load your shop page in the WordPress content editor with the filter block already added. ![Embed product filter on shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-product-filter-on-shop-page-1030x486.png "Embed product filter on shop page - SearchWP")When you’re happy with how it looks, go ahead and click the **Update** button to save your changes. **2. Adding the Dropdown Filter to Your Sidebar (Recommended)** Adding the filter to your sidebar is another great option, and one we recommend for most WooCommerce store owners. That’s because if you want it to stay visible as customers browse different pages in your store. To do this, head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Keep in mind that this step may look slightly different depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. Find the sidebar section for your WooCommerce store and click the **+** button to add a new block. Search for the **WPFilters Element** widget block and add it. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once the block is added, look at the settings panel on the right. Simply click the **Select Element** dropdown menu and choose the dropdown filter you just created. When you’re done, click the **Update** button to save everything. ![Select your filter from widgets settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-filter-from-widgets-settings-1030x429.png "Select your filter from widgets settings - SearchWP")### Step 6: Test Your Dropdown Filter Now that the filter is live on your store, it’s important to make sure everything is working the way it should. Testing only takes a minute, but it saves you from having customers run into any issues later. Go ahead and visit your WooCommerce store on the front end of your site. Head over to the page or sidebar where you added the dropdown filter and take a look at how it appears to your visitors. From here, you can click on the dropdown and select one of the available options. For example, if you set up the filter to sort by product tags, go ahead and pick a tag from the list. ![Dropdown tag filter preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/dropdown-tag-filter-preview-1030x505.png "Dropdown tag filter preview - SearchWP")The products on the page should immediately update to show only the items that match your selection. If the filter is working correctly, you’ll see the product grid narrow down to only the relevant results. ## FAQs About Dropdown Filters for WooCommerce **1. Can I add multiple dropdown filters at once?** Yes. You can create as [many filter elements](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)") as you need and place them together in the same location. For example, you could stack a “Filter by Category” dropdown with a “Filter by Color” dropdown and a price range slider so customers can narrow results from multiple angles at once. **2. Does the dropdown filter work with product variations?** Yes. WPFilters works with all standard [WooCommerce product types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-by-product-type/ "How to Filter WooCommerce by Product Type (5 Easy Steps)"), including variable products. If you filter by a product attribute like Color or Size, WPFilters will show products that have matching variation options. **3. Does filtering happen instantly or does the page reload?** Filtering happens in real time without a page reload. When a customer selects an option from the dropdown, the product list updates immediately, which keeps the shopping experience fast and smooth. **4. Can I use this with a custom taxonomy I added myself?** Yes. WPFilters supports custom taxonomies in addition to the built-in WooCommerce product categories and attributes. If you have registered a custom taxonomy for your products, it will appear as an option in the Data Source dropdown when configuring the filter. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a dropdown filter for WooCommerce products. You may also want to check out our guides on [how to add a search box filter to a WooCommerce product list](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-filter-to-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Add a Search Box Filter to Your WooCommerce Store") and [how to create range filters in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"). Ready to give your customers a better way to find products? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "Get Started with WPFilters Toay"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** dropdown filter for woocommerce, dropdown filters, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, WooCommerce products, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [5 Best WordPress Voice Search Plugins for 2026 (Expert Review)](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-voice-search-plugins/) **Published:** May 5, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Voice search is no longer a novelty feature reserved for smart speakers and phone assistants. It’s quickly becoming a standard way people interact with the web. According to recent data, roughly 27% of people worldwide use voice search on their mobile devices. For WordPress site owners, that shift creates a real opportunity. However, WordPress’s default search doesn’t support voice input at all. Out of the box, your visitors have no way to search by speaking, even if their browser fully supports it. That’s where WordPress voice search plugins come in. The right plugin can add a microphone button to your search bar, transcribe what visitors say, and return relevant results. All without you writing a single line of code. In this article, we researched and reviewed 5 best WordPress voice search plugins, so you can make an informed decision and choose the right option for your website. Here’s a quick comparison before we dive in: \#PluginBest ForPrice1.[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) ?Best overall search with voice for WordPressFrom $99/year2.[FiboSearch](https://fibosearch.com/ "FiboSearch")WooCommerce stores voice searchFree / From $59/year3.[WP Fastest Site Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-site-search/ "WP Fastest Site Search")AI-powered search with voiceFree / From $299/month4.[Audible Site Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/audible-site-search/ "Audible Site Search")Ultra-lightweight voice setupFree5.[Voice Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/voice-search/ "Voice Search")Simple mic button pluginFree## How We Tested and Reviewed Voice Search Plugins We didn’t just read the plugin descriptions, we dug into actual user experiences. Here’s what we looked at for each plugin: - **Voice search functionality**: Does it work reliably? Does it auto-submit after transcription? How does it handle different accents or background noise? - **Ease of setup**: Can a non-technical user get it running in under 10 minutes? Does it require creating third-party accounts or API keys? - **Search result quality**: Once voice input is transcribed, are the results actually relevant? This depends heavily on how the underlying search engine works. - **Mobile performance**: Since voice search is most commonly used on mobile, we paid special attention to how each plugin behaves on phones and tablets. - **Compatibility**: Does it work with popular themes and other search plugins? Does it conflict with common page builders? - **Pricing and value**: Is the free version genuinely useful, or is it just a teaser? Are the paid plans fairly priced for what they offer? We also pulled in real user reviews from multiple sources to give you an honest picture of where each plugin shines and where it falls short. That said, let’s look at some of the best voice search plugins for WordPress. ## [1. SearchWP — Best Overall Voice Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the most powerful WordPress search plugin on the market, trusted by over 50,000 website owners. While it isn’t a dedicated voice-only plugin, it’s the most complete solution on this list. It supercharges your site’s search engine, includes additional details in the search process, and helps you make PDFs, documents, [media files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"), categories, tags, and other sources searchable. Think of it this way: voice search is only as good as the search engine behind it. A voice plugin that transcribes speech perfectly is useless if the underlying WordPress search returns irrelevant or incomplete results. SearchWP solves the search engine problem completely. That said, we found [SearchWP’s voice search features](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)") really easy to use and set up. You can quickly enable the option from the search form settings. ![Enable voice search option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-voice-search-option-1030x492.png "Enable voice search option - SearchWP")What is more interesting is that it also offers an Automatic Form Submission option. What this does is that it automatically submits the search once the speech recognition is complete. Other than that, the voice search works with browsers that support Web Speech API, which includes Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. **Key Features:** - **Customizable search algorithm**: Use a visual interface to control what gets indexed and how results are ranked. - **Live Ajax search**: Instant, as-you-type search results without a full page reload. - **WooCommerce integration**: Search products by name, description, attributes, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), and customer reviews. - **Search analytics (Metrics)**: See exactly what visitors are searching for, what returns no results, and how search behavior evolves. - **Keyword stemming**: Users don’t need to type exact keywords. SearchWP understands variations, partial matches, and related terms. - **PDF and document search**: Index and search the content inside uploaded [PDFs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") and Office documents. - **Multiple search engines**: Create separate search configurations for different parts of your site. - **Priority and custom result ordering**: Manually pin or promote specific results for key search queries. **Pros:** - The most powerful and flexible search engine on WordPress - Indexes virtually any content type, including PDFs, custom fields, and WooCommerce products - Keyword stemming and [fuzzy matching](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") deliver highly relevant results - Search analytics reveal what visitors actually want to find - Trusted by 50,000+ sites with an excellent support reputation - Works seamlessly with voice input plugins for a complete solution **Cons:** - No free version available **Verdict:** SearchWP is the best choice for anyone who wants their voice search actually to work well. If you care about search quality and want a future-proof setup that supports voice, live search, WooCommerce, and analytics, SearchWP is the clear winner. Pricing: SearchWP prices start with the Standard plan for $99/year (1 site). Plus, all plans come with a 14-day money-back guarantee. ## [2. FiboSearch — Best Voice Search Plugin for WooCommerce Stores](https://fibosearch.com/ "FiboSearch") [![FiboSearch](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/fibosearch-plugin-1030x571.png "FiboSearch - SearchWP")](https://fibosearch.com/)[FiboSearch](https://fibosearch.com/ "FiboSearch") is a popular WooCommerce-specific search plugin. Its voice search feature is available on the Pro plan and lets shoppers speak their product queries directly into the search bar. FiboSearch is purpose-built for e-commerce, and it shows. Its core strength is the instant, as-you-type autocomplete experience that displays product images, prices, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), and even an “Add to Cart” button in the live search results dropdown. **Key Features:** - **Voice search** (Pro): A built-in microphone button lets shoppers search by speaking. Works with both the default Solaris and the alternative Pirx search layouts. - **Ultra-fast custom search engine**: FiboSearch builds its own optimized inverted index, delivering results up to 10x faster than standard WooCommerce search, even on stores with 50,000+ products. - **SHORTINIT mode**: Loads only the essential WordPress files during a search, preventing themes and other plugins from slowing down results. - **Details panel**: On hover, an expanded panel shows product image, price, SKU, description, and an Add to Cart button — no need to leave the page. - **Searches by title, description, SKU, attributes, categories, and tags**: Comprehensive product data coverage out of the box. - **Mobile-first design**: Dedicated mobile search mode with optimized UX for small screens. - **Parallel indexing**: Re-indexing happens in the background, so your search never goes down while updates run. - **One-click theme integration**: Pre-built integrations with 54+ popular themes, including Astra, Divi, Blocksy, and Flatsome. **Pros:** - Extremely fast, purpose-built search engine for WooCommerce - Voice search built into the Pro plugin (no third-party pairing needed) - Beautiful live search results with product images, price, and Add to Cart - Works on stores with 50,000+ products without slowing down - 54+ one-click theme integrations **Cons:** - Voice search is a Pro feature, not available on the free plan - Designed exclusively for WooCommerce & not suitable for non-store sites **Verdict:** If you run a WooCommerce store and want voice search built directly into a polished, fast product search experience, FiboSearch Pro is the best dedicated option available. **Pricing:** FiboSearch voice search is available on paid plans starting at $59/year. ## [3. WP Fastest Site Search — Best for AI-Powered Search with Voice](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-site-search/ "WP Fastest Site Search") [![WP Fastest site search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wp-fastest-site-search-1030x334.png "WP Fastest site search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-site-search/)[WP Fastest Site Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-fastest-site-search/ "WP Fastest Site Search") is the WordPress plugin for ExpertRec, a cloud-based AI search platform. It replaces WordPress’s default search with a fully hosted, cloud-powered search engine that includes voice search, autocomplete, typo correction, PDF search, image search, and advanced faceted filters. Unlike the other plugins on this list that we tested, WP Fastest Site Search is a hosted SaaS solution. It works by crawling your site, building a search index on ExpertRec’s servers, and serving results through a customizable search widget embedded on your site. On the downside, WP Fastest Site Search is an expensive solution that might be suitable for large businesses handling thousands of products or pieces of content on their site. **Key Features:** - **Voice search**: A microphone button in the search widget enables hands-free queries. Currently supported in the Chrome browser. - **AI-powered relevance**: A self-learning search algorithm continuously improves result quality based on user behavior. - **Autocomplete with typo correction**: Fast typeahead suggestions that work even when users misspell their queries. - **PDF and image search**: Index and return results from uploaded documents and media files. - **Advanced filters and facets**: Build category, tag, price, or custom attribute filters without coding. - **Full UI customization**: Change colors, layout, fonts, and display options to match your site’s design. - **WooCommerce compatible**: Searches products by metafields, attributes, SKU, and custom product data. - **AI features**: Includes a ChatGPT-based page summary, agentic search, and RAG-based direct question-answering mode. - **Analytics**: Track search usage and identify what visitors are looking for. **Pros:** - Genuinely fast, search runs on external servers, not your hosting - Voice search is included across paid plans - AI-powered relevance that improves over time - Extensive customization options with no coding required - Works across all devices and screen sizes **Cons:** - An expensive solution to run - Ongoing monthly cost — not a one-time purchase - Voice search is limited to the Chrome browser - Relies on an external service (site search depends on ExpertRec’s uptime) - Some premium features require contacting support rather than self-serve configuration **Verdict:** WP Fastest Site Search is a strong choice if you want a cloud-powered, AI-driven search engine with voice capability. It’s especially worth considering for larger content sites or stores where search performance at scale is a priority. Pricing: WP Fastest Site Search base plugin is free. But it requires ExpertRec to work, and prices start from $299 per month (50k search requests). ## [4. Audible Site Search — Best Lightweight, No-Fuss Voice Search Plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/audible-site-search/ "Audible Site Search") [![Audible site search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/audible-site-search-1030x338.png "Audible site search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/audible-site-search/)[Audible Site Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/audible-site-search/ "Audible Site Search") is the most stripped-down option on this list. After testing the plugin, we found that it is a small, focused plugin that does exactly one thing: adds voice-powered search input and real-time AJAX search suggestions to your WordPress site. There’s no account to create, no dashboard to configure, no API keys, and no external service dependency. You install it, activate it, drop a shortcode where you want the voice search bar to appear, and you’re done. **Key Features:** - **Voice recognition**: Uses the Web Speech API (the same browser-native API built into Chrome) to transcribe spoken queries. - **AJAX-powered live suggestions**: As a query is processed, real-time search suggestions appear without a page reload. - **Shortcode placement**: Use `[audisise_voice_search]` to embed the voice search bar anywhere. - **Lightweight and responsive**: Minimal footprint and a clean, mobile-responsive design. - **Works with default WordPress search**: Routes voice queries through your existing WordPress search setup — no replacement engine required. **Pros:** - Completely free with no account or API key required - Extremely lightweight — minimal impact on page load - Simple shortcode implementation - Works out of the box with any WordPress theme - No external service dependency **Cons:** - Very new plugin — limited user reviews and community track record - Voice recognition is limited to Chrome (desktop and mobile) - No standalone settings panel or customization options - Search quality depends entirely on your existing WordPress search engine - Not suitable for WooCommerce or complex search needs **Verdict:** Audible Site Search is the right choice if you want to add a microphone button to your site with zero setup, zero cost, and zero complexity. **Pricing:** Completely free, no paid tier ## [5. Voice Search — Best Simple Mic Button for Existing Search Forms](https://wordpress.org/plugins/voice-search/ "Voice Search") [![Voice Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/voice-search-1030x334.png "Voice Search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/voice-search/)[Voice Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/voice-search/ "Voice Search") is a solid, reliable choice for adding a simple microphone button to your existing WordPress search form. It’s completely free, works with no configuration, and has a small but steady community of happy users. While testing, we found that the plugin hooks into the default WordPress `get_search_form()` function and injects a mic button alongside the search input. When a visitor clicks it, the browser requests microphone access, listens for speech, transcribes it, and auto-submits the search, just like it would if the user had typed and hit Enter. **Key Features:** - **Microphone button injection**: Automatically adds a mic icon to any search form that uses the standard WordPress `get_search_form()` function. - **Web Speech API**: Uses the browser’s native speech recognition — no external APIs or accounts needed. - **Auto-submit on completion**: After transcription, the search form submits automatically without requiring the user to tap again. - **Zero configuration**: No settings panel needed. Install, activate, and it works. **Pros:** - Completely free with zero configuration required - Auto-submits after voice transcription - Tested and confirmed working on iOS Chrome and Android - No external services or accounts needed **Cons:** - Limited to Chrome on desktop and mobile for full functionality - Minor CSS conflicts are possible with certain themes - Less actively maintained compared to commercial plugins - Search quality depends entirely on your underlying search engine **Verdict:** Voice Search is the simplest, most no-fuss way to add a microphone button to your WordPress search bar. It’s best for sites that already have solid search results but just want to add a hands-free voice input option. **Pricing:** It is a free WordPress plugin to use. ## Which WordPress Voice Search Plugin Is Right for You? If you want the best possible voice search experience on WordPress, [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the answer. It is the strongest search plugin available for WordPress, as it indexes everything on your site, delivers highly relevant results through a customizable algorithm, and works seamlessly with other tools and plugins. You get the complete package: hands-free input and intelligent results, without compromise. For most WordPress sites, such as blogs, business sites, membership platforms, and WooCommerce stores alike, SearchWP is the one we recommend. For more specialized needs, two plugins are worth mentioning. FiboSearch Pro is a strong choice if you run a WooCommerce store and want voice search bundled into a dedicated product search experience. WP Fastest Site Search is worth considering if you prefer a fully hosted, cloud-powered solution and don’t want to manage indexing on your own server, with AI-driven relevance improvements built in over time. However, this is an expensive solution and is recommended for large corporations or sites that have thousands of content pieces or products. ## FAQs About WordPress Voice Search Plugins **1. What is WordPress voice search?** WordPress voice search is a feature that allows visitors to search your site by speaking rather than typing. A voice search plugin adds a microphone button to your search form. When clicked, it listens to the user’s speech, transcribes it into text using the browser’s speech recognition API, and submits it as a search query. **2. Does WordPress support voice search by default?** No. WordPress’s built-in search has no voice input support. You need to install a dedicated voice search plugin, or use an advanced search plugin like SearchWP or FiboSearch that includes voice functionality. **3. Will voice search work on mobile devices?** Yes. Mobile is actually where voice search is most commonly used. Most voice search plugins rely on the browser’s Web Speech API, which is supported in Chrome on both desktop and Android. Safari on iOS also has support for the Web Speech API, so users on iPhones with Safari or Chrome can typically use voice search without issues. **4. Do voice search plugins work with WooCommerce?** It depends on the plugin. SearchWP and FiboSearch Pro have native WooCommerce voice search built in. Plugins like Voice Search and Audible Site Search will pass the transcribed query to whatever search engine is running on your site, so if WooCommerce search is enabled, it will be used. **5. Do I need coding skills to set up voice search on WordPress?** No. All five plugins reviewed here are designed for non-technical users and can be set up without writing any code. Voice search is no longer a futuristic add-on. It’s an expected feature for sites that take user experience seriously. With over 157 million voice assistant users projected in the U.S. alone by the end of 2026, giving your visitors a way to search by speaking is a straightforward win. The good news is that adding voice search to WordPress doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. With SearchWP, it is easy and takes only a few minutes. We hope this article helped you select the best voice search plugin for WordPress. You may also want to see our list of [best WordPress filter plugins that actually work](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)") and our guide on [how to find the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website"). [Get the SearchWP plan](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") that caters to your needs and level up your business. **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** make content searchable with voice, searchable documents, SearchWP, voice search, Voice Search Feature, voice search plugins, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WooCommerce voice search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WordPress voice search plugins --- ### [How to Create an Advanced DirectoryPress Search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-an-advanced-directorypress-search-in-wordpress/) **Published:** April 21, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** DirectoryPress gives you the tools to build impressive listing sites. You can add custom fields for pricing, locations, amenities, and dozens of other details that make each listing unique. But here’s the frustrating part, we keep hearing about from directory owners. All those carefully organized custom fields don’t actually help visitors find listings because the default search can’t see them. A visitor types “downtown coffee shop with wifi” into your search bar. Your directory has five perfect matches, but the search returns zero results or shows completely unrelated listings instead. This happens because DirectoryPress search only looks at basic fields like titles and descriptions. It completely ignores the custom fields where you’ve stored all the important details that actually matter to searchers. In this article, we’ll show you how to create an advanced DirectoryPress search in WordPress. ## Why Create an Advanced Search for Your DirectoryPress Site Before we jump into the tutorial, let’s talk about the real problems directory sites face without proper search functionality. **1. Visitors Can’t Find Specific Listings** Your directory might have the perfect listing for what someone needs, but if they can’t find it through search, it might as well not exist. The default search only scratches the surface of your listing data. When someone searches for specific criteria like “waterfront property” or “24-hour gym,” they expect results that match those exact features. Basic search can’t connect those queries to your custom fields. **2. You’re Losing Potential Leads** Every visitor who leaves empty-handed is a missed opportunity. Directory sites succeed when they connect people with the right listings quickly. We’ve watched directory owners lose leads simply because their search couldn’t handle location-based queries or price filtering. Those visitors went to competitor sites with better search **3. Poor Search Experience Damages Your Reputation** First impressions matter tremendously for directory websites. When visitors can’t find listings on their first try, they assume your directory doesn’t have what they need. This creates a negative perception even when you actually have dozens of relevant listings. The problem isn’t your content but how people access it. **4. You’re Not Making the Most of Your Data** DirectoryPress lets you add incredible amounts of detail to each listing through custom fields. Features, amenities, pricing, contact information, and specifications all live in those fields. But if visitors can’t search that data, you’ve wasted time collecting it. Advanced search turns all that structured information into powerful filtering options. ## What You Can Do With Advanced DirectoryPress Search The easiest way to create an advanced search for your DirectoryPress site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that gives you complete control over how search works on your site. It integrates seamlessly with DirectoryPress to make all your listing data searchable. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners already use SearchWP to deliver better search results to their visitors. Using this plugin, you can make custom fields searchable, include taxonomies in search results, and give visitors the filtering options they need to find the right listings. Here are other things you can do with SearchWP: - **Track search activity:** See exactly [what visitors are searching for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") on your directory to understand what listings they need most. - **Display live search results:** Show instant results as visitors type their queries, making it faster to find the right listings. - **Prioritize premium listings:** Put featured or paid listings at the top of search results to give advertisers better visibility. - **Enable fuzzy search:** Let visitors find listings even when they [make typos](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") in their search queries. - **Exclude outdated listings:** Hide expired or inactive listings from search results to keep everything current. Now, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to create an advanced DirectoryPress search on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. When you’re done, simply go to your SearchWP dashboard and click the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once you get to the ‘Downloads’ tab, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We’ll also recommend that you copy your license key from the bottom-left corner after you’ve finished downloading, as you’ll need it later in the setup process. Next, you’ll need to install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress website. Not sure how to do that? Check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After setting up SearchWP, you’re ready to move to the next step and install the DirectoryPress Integration extension. ### Step 2: Install the DirectoryPress Integration Extension This extension ensures seamless SearchWP integration with [DirectoryPress](https://searchwp.com/features/directorypress-integration/ "DirectoryPress Integration"), allowing you to fully customize the way search works in your directory. To install it, simply navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Install DirectoryPress extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-directorypress-extension-1030x518.png "Install DirectoryPress extension - SearchWP")Next, you will need to find the DirectoryPress Integration extension and click **Install** under its section. After that, you’re ready to start customizing your search engine to make it search through all your DirectoryPress listing data. ### Step 3: Configure Your DirectoryPress Search Engine Now it’s time to point SearchWP at your directory listings. Navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Here you’ll see the default search engine, which is already set up to search standard WordPress post types. You need to update it to include your DirectoryPress listings and exclude content that isn’t relevant to your directory visitors. Go ahead and click the **Sources & Settings** button to open the content source manager. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")In the popup, you’ll see all available sources for the engine. By default, SearchWP will use posts, pages, and media as sources. Go ahead and check the box next to **Listings**. ![Select listings as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-listings-as-source-1030x545.png "Select listings as source - SearchWP")You can also uncheck **Posts** and **Pages** if you want search results to only show directory content. However, we will keep them selected for this tutorial. When you’re finished, simply lick **Done.** ### Step 4: Add Custom Fields and Taxonomies to the Engine This is where SearchWP really separates itself from the default search. You can include additional information in custom fields, categories, and tags in the search process. From the Algorithm screen, scroll down to your DirectoryPress listings section and click **Add/Remove Attributes.** ![Edit attributes for listings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-attributes-for-listings-1030x473.png "Edit attributes for listings - SearchWP")A new popup will appear where you can choose exactly what SearchWP indexes for each listing. By default, the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author are already selected. To make your directory truly searchable, you’ll want to add the custom fields and taxonomies that store your listings’ key data. To start, open the **Custom Fields** dropdown and select the fields you want to include in the search. Common DirectoryPress fields include business address, phone number, website URL, business hours, price range, and any specialty or service fields your directory uses. ![Add listing custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-listing-custom-fields-1030x554.png "Add listing custom fields - SearchWP")Next, you can click the **Taxonomies** dropdown and select your directory’s taxonomies. For example, you can include things like category, tags, location, neighborhood, industry type, or rating tier. ![Include listing taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-listing-taxonomies-1030x596.png "Include listing taxonomies - SearchWP")You can also adjust the relevance weight sliders for each attribute. For example, you can give the listing title a higher weight, followed by category and location taxonomies, then custom fields. This way, a listing that matches on both name and category will rank above one that only matches a custom field. When you’re happy with the setup, click **Done.** ### Step 5: Rebuild the Search Index Now that your sources and attributes are configured, SearchWP needs to re-index your site to process the new settings. Go ahead and click **Save** in the upper-right corner of the Algorithm screen. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")After saving, click **Rebuild Index.** SearchWP will crawl all your DirectoryPress listings and build a fresh index that includes all the custom fields and taxonomies you selected. ### Step 6: Test Your New Directory Search With the index rebuilt, it’s time to see the results. Head to your site and type a search query into your directory’s search field. Try searching for something that would have failed with the default WordPress search, like a specific service type, a neighborhood name, or a business attribute stored in a custom field. You should now see DirectoryPress listings that match based on all the attributes you configured, not just titles. For example, if a visitor searches “dog groomer downtown,” SearchWP will find listings where “downtown” is stored as a location taxonomy and “dog grooming” is stored as a category or custom field, even if neither word appears in the listing’s title. That’s it. Your DirectoryPress search now covers the full depth of your listing data. ## Bonus: Add a Custom Search Form to Your Directory Now that your search engine is configured, you can take things a step further by adding a dedicated search form to your directory pages. SearchWP includes a built-in search form builder under **SearchWP » Search Forms.** You can create a custom form, link it to your directory search engine, and place it anywhere on your site using a shortcode or block. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")This is especially useful if you want a prominent search bar on your directory homepage that only returns listing results. For full details, see our guide on how to add a custom search form in WordPress. ## FAQs about Creating Advanced DirectoryPress Search **1. Will SearchWP replace the default WordPress search automatically?** Yes. Once activated and configured, SearchWP takes over as your site’s default search engine. You don’t need to change any template files or shortcodes. **2. What if my DirectoryPress listings use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)?** SearchWP includes ACF fields the same way it handles any other custom fields. In the **Add/Remove Attributes** popup, your ACF fields will appear in the Custom Fields dropdown. **3. Can I have one search engine for my directory and another for my blog?** Absolutely. SearchWP supports multiple search engines on the same site. You can create a second engine in SearchWP and configure it to search only blog posts, then assign each engine to different search forms or page templates. **4. What happens when I add new listings to my directory?** SearchWP indexes new and updated content automatically in the background, so new listings become searchable without you needing to trigger a manual rebuild. **5. Can I track which directory listings visitors are searching for most?** Yes. SearchWP’s built-in analytics, found under **SearchWP » Metrics,** show you the top search terms, how many results each search returned, and which searches came up empty. That last one is especially useful for directory owners, as it tells you exactly what listings your visitors want that you don’t have yet. Adding an advanced search to your DirectoryPress site doesn’t require custom code or a developer. With SearchWP, you can configure a search engine that covers every custom field, taxonomy, and attribute in your directory listings in just a few minutes. We hope this article helped you learn how to create an advanced DirectoryPress search in WordPress. For more ways to get the most out of your directory site’s search, take a look at our guides on [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to fix custom post type search not working in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-custom-post-type-search-not-working-in-wordpress/ "How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress"). Ready to give your directory visitors a search that actually works? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create advanced directory search, DirectoryPress, DirectoryPress Search, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/) **Published:** March 17, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Voice search is no longer something only big tech companies need to think about. More people are using it every day, whether they’re asking their phone a question while cooking or telling a smart speaker to look something up. In fact, the way people search with their voice is very different from the way they type. Instead of short, choppy keywords, they use full sentences and natural phrases. But wouldn’t it be amazing if you could also add a voice search feature to your WordPress website? The good news is that with SearchWP, it is now possible. You can enhance your search experience and allow users to simply speak their queries. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to add voice search to your WordPress website, with no coding needed. ## Why Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Site? Most people don’t think twice about talking to their devices anymore. They ask their phone for the nearest coffee shop, dictate a quick text while driving, and check the weather without touching a screen. That same behavior follows them everywhere, including your website. When they land on your site and see a search bar, their instinct might be to speak rather than type. If your site can’t support that, you’ve already lost them. Adding voice search closes that gap. It connects the way your visitors naturally want to interact with what your site can actually do. There’s also an accessibility angle that’s easy to overlook. For visitors who deal with conditions like arthritis, dyslexia, or motor disabilities, typing can be slow, frustrating, or even painful. A mic button next to your search field doesn’t sound like much, but for those visitors, it can make your site genuinely easier to use. That’s the kind of thoughtful detail that makes a real difference. That said, let’s look at a simple way of adding a voice search feature to WordPress. ## Adding Voice Search Feature to WordPress Usually, adding a voice search feature to WordPress would mean editing code or hiring a developer. But the easiest way to go about it is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the best WordPress search plugin on the market, and over 50,000 website owners already use it to give their visitors more relevant search results. Out of the box, WordPress search is pretty limited. It only looks through post titles, content, and excerpts. That’s fine for a basic blog, but it falls short the moment your site grows or your visitors start searching in more natural, conversational ways. SearchWP fixes that. It offers advanced features, helps improve search on your site by including additional details, and delivers accurate search results. Here are some of the things you can do with SearchWP: - **Voice Search:** Add a mic button to your search form and let visitors speak their queries directly into the search field. - **Live Search:** Display search results in real time as your visitors type or speak, without needing to hit a search button. - **Fuzzy Search:** Let visitors find the right content even if they [misspell a word](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") or phrase it differently than expected. - **Custom Fields Search:** Make additional content stored in custom fields searchable, so nothing on your site gets missed. - **Search Analytics:** See exactly what your visitors are searching for directly inside your WordPress dashboard. - **WooCommerce Integration:** Make [product SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-search-by-sku-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step)"), attributes, categories, and tags searchable in your store. - **PDF and Document Indexing:** Include the content inside uploaded documents and PDFs in your search results. With that, let’s look at how you can use SearchWP to add voice search to your WordPress site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once you’re in, head to your SearchWP account dashboard and click the Downloads tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. While you’re on that page, copy your license key too, as you’ll need it shortly during setup. Next, you’ll need to install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress website. If you’ve never installed a plugin before, check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). After activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once SearchWP is ready, you can move on to the next step and create your search form with voice search enabled. ### Step 2: Create a Search Form in SearchWP Now that SearchWP is installed, the next step is to create a search form. This is the form your visitors will use to search your site, and it’s where you can enable the voice search feature. To get started, head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")From here, you can edit an existing form or click the **Add New** button to create a fresh search form. After that, you’ll see a form editor where you can name your form and start customizing how it looks and behaves. ![Choose a form template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-form-template-1030x520.png "Choose a form template - SearchWP")Go ahead and give your form a clear name at the top so you can easily identify it later. This is especially helpful if you plan to create multiple search forms for different parts of your site. Next, you can select a layout for your form. SearchWP offers pre-built templates to choose from, which makes it easy to get started. Once that is done, you’re ready to move on and enable the voice search feature inside the form settings. Simply scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section in your form settings. ![Enable voice search option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-voice-search-option-1030x492.png "Enable voice search option - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the toggle for **Voice Search**. Once you do, a mic button will automatically appear next to the search field on your site. No extra configuration needed. You’ll also notice an option called **Automatically Form Submission**. With this enabled, SearchWP will automatically trigger the search as soon as it picks up your visitor’s spoken query. Your visitor speaks, the words appear in the search field, and the results show up, all without any extra clicks. ![Save search form settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-search-form-settings-1030x520.png "Save search form settings - SearchWP")When you’re happy with your settings, scroll up and click the **Save** button to store your changes. If you want to learn more about customizing your form, then please see our guide on [how to create an advanced WordPress search form](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). That’s it. Your search form now has voice search. The next step is to add this form to your site so your visitors can actually use it. ### Step 3: Add the Voice Search Form to Your Site Now that your search form is ready, it’s time to place it somewhere on your site where visitors can find it. SearchWP gives you three ways to embed your search form. You can use a Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or PHP code. Simply click the **Embed** button at the top of the Search Form page, and you’ll see these 3 options. ![Embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-new-search-form-1030x550.png "Embed new search form - SearchWP")Besides that, there is also an option to manually insert the search form on any page using the SearchWP block. For example, you can edit the page and head to the content editor. From here, click the **+** button and add the **SearchWP Form** block. ![Add SearchWP form block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-1030x488.png "Add SearchWP form block - SearchWP")After that, you will see the SearchWP Forms block on your page. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu to select the search form you just created with voice search. ![Choose your form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-form-from-dropdown-1030x411.png "Choose your form from dropdown - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply save your page. Next, you can visit your website to see the search form in action. ![View the voice search icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-the-voice-search-icon-1030x393.png "View the voice search icon - SearchWP")You should now see the microphone button next to the search field. Go ahead and click the mic button. Your browser might ask for permission to access your microphone, so make sure to click Allow, as this is required for voice search to work. Once permission is granted, speak a search query out loud. Watch as your words are transcribed in real time directly into the search field. If you turned on the ‘Automatic Form Submission’ option, the search will fire on its own as soon as you finish speaking, and your results will appear without any extra clicks. If the results look right, you’re all set. Voice search is now live and working on your WordPress site. ## Bonus: Optimize Your Content for Voice Search Queries Adding the voice search feature to your site is a great first step. But getting the most out of it means making sure your content is actually ready to match the way people speak. Typed searches are short and sharp. Voice searches are longer and more conversational. For example, someone might type “chocolate cake recipe” but say, “how do I make a chocolate cake from scratch at home.” Here are a few things we’ve found helpful when optimizing content for voice search: - **Use conversational headings**: Write headings the way people actually speak. Instead of “Chocolate Cake Recipe,” try “How to Make a Chocolate Cake from Scratch.” This matches the natural phrasing of voice queries much more closely. - **Answer questions directly**: Voice search users are often looking for quick, clear answers. Structure your content so that questions are followed immediately by a direct answer in plain language. - **Use long-tail phrases in your content**: Think about the full sentences your visitors might speak and work those naturally into your writing. - **Make the most of SearchWP’s indexing**: SearchWP can [index custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"), taxonomies, PDFs, and documents. The more of your content you make searchable, the better your chances of surfacing the right result for a voice query. - **Enable fuzzy search in SearchWP**: This helps catch spoken queries that get slightly mistranscribed due to accents or background noise. Small changes like these can make a big difference in how well your site responds to voice-based searches. ## FAQs about Voice Search in WordPress We know that adding a new feature to your site can bring up a few questions. Here are some of the most common ones we get about voice search in WordPress. **1. Does voice search work on all browsers?** Voice search relies on the Web Speech API, which is supported by most modern browsers, including Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. It may not work on older browsers or browsers that don’t support the Web Speech API. **2. Does my site need HTTPS for voice search to work?** Yes, it does. Browsers require a secure connection before they allow microphone access. If your site is still running on HTTP, you’ll need to install an SSL certificate first. Most hosting providers offer this for free through Let’s Encrypt. **3. Will voice search work on mobile devices?** Absolutely. In fact, mobile is where most voice searches happen. The mic button works on smartphones and tablets just as well as it does on desktops, as long as the browser supports the Web Speech API. **4. What happens if a visitor denies microphone permission?** If a visitor declines microphone access, the voice search feature simply won’t activate. They can still use the search field by typing as normal. Nothing breaks, and the experience stays intact. **5. Can I use voice search with WooCommerce?** When you combine SearchWP’s voice search feature with the WooCommerce Integration extension, your visitors can speak product names, SKUs, or attributes and get accurate results from your store. Voice search is one of those features that may seem small but makes a real difference for the people using your site every day. With SearchWP, adding it to your WordPress site takes just a few steps and no coding at all. You get a clean mic button on your search form, real-time transcription, and the option to automatically deliver results the moment your visitor finishes speaking. We hope this article helped you learn how to add voice search to your WordPress website. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add live search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin") and [how to find the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website"). Ready to add voice search to your site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP "). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** make content searchable with voice, microphone, SearchWP, voice search, Voice Search Feature, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Search Box Filter to Your WooCommerce Store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-filter-to-your-woocommerce-store/) **Published:** April 14, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a WooCommerce store with a lot of products can make it hard for customers to find exactly what they need. For instance, imagine your visitors land on the shop page, scroll through dozens of products, and leave without buying anything simply because they could not find the right item fast enough. The best fix for this is adding a search box filter directly to your shop page. This lets shoppers type a keyword and instantly filter the product list right on the shop page, without being taken to a separate results page. In this article, we will show you how to add a search box filter to a WooCommerce product list. ## Why Add a Search Box Filter to Your WooCommerce Store? By default, [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)") does not include a way for customers to search and filter products directly on the shop page. The built-in WordPress search sends visitors to a separate search results page. This breaks the shopping experience and pulls customers away from your store. A search box filter solves this by letting customers type a keyword and have the product list narrow down in real time, right where they are. There is no page reload and no redirect. Think about a clothing store with 300 products. Without a filter, a customer looking for a “black hoodie” has to scroll through every item to find it. With a search box filter, they type the keyword and see only relevant products in seconds. This keeps shoppers focused, reduces frustration, and makes it easier to find and buy products. For store owners, that usually means higher conversion rates and fewer abandoned sessions. That said, let’s look at how you can add this to your store without any coding. ## How to Show a Search Box Filter to WooCommerce The easiest way to add a search box filter to your WooCommerce product list is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best [filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)") that lets you add Amazon-style filters to your WooCommerce store without writing a single line of code. It is built by the same team behind SearchWP, so we know it works reliably and handles your product data efficiently. With WPFilters, you can create a dedicated search box that filters your product list in real time. You can also pair it with other filters like price sliders, [category checkboxes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"), or tag filters to give customers full control over their shopping experience. Some of the things you can do with WPFilters: - Add a keyword search box that filters products instantly as customers type - Create [price range sliders](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), category checkboxes, and tag filters - Display filters using the Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code - Customize appearance settings like displaying a title or making it collapsible Now, let’s see how you can use WPFilters to add a search box filter to your WooCommerce store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you have an account, head over to the Downloads tab in your dashboard. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Here, click the Download WPFilters button to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from this page, as you will need it shortly. Next, you need to upload the plugin file to your WordPress site and install it. If you are not sure how to do that, please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate the plugin, the setup wizard will appear. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a New Search Filter Element Now that the plugin is active, it is time to build your search box filter. To start, simply navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard. Then, click the Add New button to create a blank filter element. ![Add a new filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-filter-1030x529.png "Add a new filter - SearchWP")Go ahead and give your filter a name at the top of the page. Something like “Product Search or Keyword Search Filter” works well. Next, look at the Field Type section and select the Search option. ![Select search filter option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-filter-option-2-1030x530.png "Select search filter option - SearchWP")This creates a live text input box that customers can type into to filter the product list. Go ahead and click the **Save** button at the top right corner. You will now see a preview of the search box appear in the panel on the right. ### Step 3: Customize the Search Box Settings Next, you can customize how the search box looks and behaves for your visitors. Scroll down to the Container section. Here, you can toggle on the Show Title option to display a label above the search box. You can also enable the Collapsible option if you want visitors to be able to hide the filter. ![Change container settings for search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-container-settings-for-search-box-1030x385.png "Change container settings for search box - SearchWP")Once you are happy with the settings, scroll to the top and click the **Save** button. ### Step 4: Add the Search Filter to Your WooCommerce Store With your search filter ready, the last step is to place it where customers can find and use it. WPFilters gives you a few different ways to do this. To get started, click the **Embed** button in the top right corner of the element page. ![Click the embed filter button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-embed-filter-button-1030x571.png "Click the embed filter button - SearchWP")A popup window will appear with several embed options. These include a Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or a PHP snippet for developers. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")Plus, you can also choose whether to select an existing page or create a new page. Another popular option is placing the search box in the sidebar of your shop page. This keeps the filter visible at all times as customers scroll through products. To do this, head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Note that this step may look different depending on your WordPress theme. Find the sidebar area used by your shop page and click the + button to add a new block. Search for the **WPFilters Element** widget. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once you add it, select your keyword search filter from the **WPFilters Element** Settings dropdown in the Settings panel. Click the **Update** button when you are done. ![Select your keyword search filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-keyword-search-filter-1030x520.png "Select your keyword search filter - SearchWP")Now, visit your WooCommerce shop page to see the search box filter in action. When a customer types a keyword into the box, the product list will filter in real time to show only matching items. ![View keyword search filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-keyword-search-filter-1030x481.png "View keyword search filter - SearchWP")## FAQs About Adding a Search Box Filter to WooCommerce **1. Does this work with variable products?** Yes, it does. WPFilters works with all standard WooCommerce product types, including simple, variable, and grouped products. The search box will match against the product title and description regardless of the product type. **2. Can I combine this with other filters like price or category?** Absolutely. You can create multiple filter elements and place them together in the sidebar or above the product grid. For example, you can stack the search box with a category checkbox filter and a price range slider so customers can narrow down results from multiple angles at once. **3. Do I need SearchWP installed to use WPFilters?** No, WPFilters works as a standalone plugin. SearchWP and WPFilters are separate products built by the same team, so they integrate well together, but neither one requires the other to function. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search box filter to your WooCommerce product list. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)") and [how to add live autocomplete search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). Ready to give your customers a faster way to find products? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filters, Search Box, search box filter, SearchWP, WooCommerce, WooCommerce Filters, woocommerce product search, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Set Up Product Shipping Class Filters in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-product-shipping-class-filters-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** April 1, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Shoppers on WooCommerce stores often make buying decisions based on more than just price and product features. But how a product ships matters too, especially when one item offers free delivery, and another requires a paid express option. The problem is that WooCommerce doesn’t give visitors a way to filter products by shipping class out of the box. That means a shopper who only wants free shipping items has to open each product individually to check. We’ve worked with many store owners who didn’t realize how much this friction was costing them. Once they added a shipping class filter, customers spent more time browsing and completed more purchases. In this article, we’ll show you how to set up product shipping class filters in WooCommerce. ## Why Add Shipping Class Filters to Your WooCommerce Store? Shipping costs are one of the top reasons customers abandon their carts. In our experience, we’ve seen this firsthand with stores that carry a mix of free shipping and paid shipping products. When visitors can’t filter by shipping class, they waste time clicking into products only to find the shipping option doesn’t work for them. That experience feels broken, and most visitors won’t stick around long enough to find what they need. Adding a shipping class filter to your [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") gives shoppers immediate control. A visitor who only wants free shipping items can filter the catalog in one click rather than scrolling through dozens of products. This also benefits stores that offer different fulfillment options, like standard shipping, express shipment, or local pickup. Letting customers self-select by shipping type reduces support inquiries and makes the buying process smoother. Now let’s look at how you can add shipping class filters to your WooCommerce store without any coding. ## Set Up Shipping Class Filters in WooCommerce The easiest way to add shipping class filters to WooCommerce is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the [best filtering plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "Best WordPress Filter Plugins for (Expert Review)"), built by the same team behind SearchWP. It lets you add Amazon-style filters to any WooCommerce store without writing a single line of code. Here are some things you can do with WPFilters: - **Shipping Class Filtering:** Let customers narrow products by their shipping class, like free shipping, express, or standard delivery. - **Multiple Filter Types:** Display shipping classes as checkboxes or a dropdown. There is also an option to display filters as a [range slider](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)") or a radio list, depending on your store’s design. - **Item Count Display:** Show visitors exactly how many products belong to each shipping class before they filter. - **Flexible Placement:** Embed filters on any page, in the sidebar, or a dedicated widgets area on your WooCommerce shop page. With that, let’s see how you can use WPFilters to add shipping class filters to your store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you’re signed in, head to the **Downloads** tab in your account dashboard. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, you can click **Download WPFilters** and save the ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying the license key now so you have it handy for later. After that, you’ll need to upload and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you’re new to this process, see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the setup wizard will appear on your screen. Go ahead and click **Let’s Get Started** and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a New Filter Element To build your shipping class filter, you will need to navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, simply click the **Add New** button to open the filter builder. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")On the next screen, give your filter a clear name at the top, like “Filter by Shipping Class” or “Shipping Class.” Next, look at the **Filter Fields** section and choose a field type. We recommend **Checkbox** for shipping class filters because it lets shoppers select multiple shipping options at once. On the other hand, if you’d prefer visitors to choose just one shipping type, **Radio List** works well too. But for this tutorial, we will use the Checkbox option. ![Select shipping filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-shipping-filter-field-1030x575.png "Select shipping filter field - SearchWP")### Step 3: Connect to the Shipping Class Data Source Next, you can scroll down to the **Data Source** section. Then, click the dropdown and look for **Product Shipping Class** under the [WooCommerce taxonomy](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)") options. ![Choose shipping class filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-shipping-class-filter-1030x553.png "Choose shipping class filter - SearchWP")Selecting this connects your filter directly to the shipping classes you’ve set up in [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"). Any shipping class you’ve created in your store will appear as a filter option automatically. **Note:** If you don’t see Product Shipping Class in the list, make sure WooCommerce is active and that you’ve created at least one shipping class under WooCommerce Settings. ### Step 4: Customize the Filter Settings After connecting the data source, it’s time to adjust how the filter looks and behaves on your site. Scroll to the **Container** section. You can turn on **Show Title** so visitors see a label like “Shipping Class” above the filter choices. ![Shipping class container](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/shipping-class-container-1030x520.png "Shipping class container - SearchWP")You can also enable **Collapsible** to let shoppers collapse the filter if they want to save screen space. The **Horizontal** layout option works well if you’re placing the filter at the top of a product grid rather than in a sidebar. Now, scroll down to the **Items** section. Here, you can enable **Item Count** so shoppers can see how many products each shipping class contains before clicking. ![Item settings shipping class](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/item-settings-shipping-class-1030x434.png "Item settings shipping class - SearchWP")Once you’re happy with everything, scroll to the top and click Save in the upper-right corner. You’ll also see a live preview of the filter in the right-hand panel. ![Save your shipping class filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-shipping-class-filter-1030x478.png "Save your shipping class filter - SearchWP")### Step 5: Display the Filter on Your WooCommerce Shop Page Now that your filter is built, it’s time to put it where shoppers will see it. You can click the **Embed** button at the top right of the filter editor. A popup will appear with three options: a **Gutenberg block**, a **shortcode,** or **PHP code** for developers. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")For most store owners, we recommend placing the filter in the sidebar of your [WooCommerce shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"). To do that, go to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. **Note:** This step might differ depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. Next, you can scroll to the sidebar section and click the **+** icon to add a new block. From here, search for **WPFilters Element** and add it to the sidebar. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")From the settings panel on the right, click the **Select Element** dropdown and choose the shipping class filter you just created. When you’re done, go ahead and click **Update**. ![Choose shipping filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-shipping-filter-1030x518.png "Choose shipping filter - SearchWP")### Step 6: Test Your Shipping Class Filter The last step is to visit your WooCommerce shop page and test the filter in action. You should see your shipping class options listed in the sidebar. Click one of the options and verify that only products belonging to that shipping class appear in the results. ![View shipping class test](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-shipping-class-test-1030x591.png "View shipping class test - SearchWP")On our demo store, selecting “Free Shipping” immediately reduced the product grid to only items that qualify for free delivery. That’s exactly the kind of experience that keeps shoppers on your site longer. ## FAQs about Shipping Class Filters in WooCommerce **1. Can I create shipping class filters if I have multiple shipping zones?** Yes, you can. Shipping zones and shipping classes are separate settings in WooCommerce. The filter connects to shipping classes specifically, not zones, so it will work correctly regardless of how many zones you’ve set up. **2. Can I show the shipping class filter on individual category pages too?** Yes. From the Embed options, you can add the WPFilters Element block to any page using the Gutenberg editor. **3. Does this work with shipping classes I add to WooCommerce later?** Yes. WPFilters pulls shipping class data dynamically from WooCommerce. Any new shipping class you create in **WooCommerce » Settings » Shipping » Shipping Classes** will appear in the filter automatically without any changes to the filter settings. We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to set up product shipping class filters in WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)") and [how to filter WooCommerce by product type](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-by-product-type/ "How to Filter WooCommerce by Product Type (5 Easy Steps)"). Ready to give your customers a smarter way to shop by shipping preference? [You can get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "You can get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** product shipping class, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/) **Published:** March 26, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WooCommerce products carry a lot of data: descriptions, custom fields, tags, categories, SKUs, and more. But limiting product search to product titles helps your online store deliver more precise results, so your visitors can find specific products faster. So instead of getting a result page full of loosely related products that match a word buried in a description somewhere, you get accurate search results. In this article, we’ll show you how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only in WordPress. ## Why Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only? It’s always important to offer your store visitors the best possible user experience. One of the ways you can do this is to make sure that they [find the products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (7 Easy Ways)") they’re looking for fast. When shoppers search your store, they don’t want to scroll through lots of results to find what they need. Many [eCommerce stores](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") lose potential sales because of this. If you want to avoid this, you need to improve how your site searches for products. Restricting WooCommerce product search to title only improves your store search. It helps your store to target products better and offer more relevant results. By default, WooCommerce checks titles, slugs, and short descriptions for product search results. However, some product descriptions may have keywords that do not match what the user is looking for. When users type a keyword into the WooCommerce search form, your site will show products with that keyword in the description. This can make your search less efficient and affect the search experience negatively. For example, a t-shirt’s description may include words like “Wear with denim jean trousers.” When the shopper searches for ‘denim’ or ‘jeans,’ your site will show this t-shirt too. ![Default WooCommerce product search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Default-WooCommerce-product-search-results.png "Default WooCommerce product search results - SearchWP")If you have a large store with similar products, then you don’t want this. It means your users may have to scroll through lots of irrelevant results. You can restrict WooCommerce product search to the title only to make your search more precise. This way, your store visitors can enjoy a better user experience, and you’ll get to sell more through your site. You can easily restrict WooCommerce product search to title only by using a WordPress plugin. Using a plugin has lots of benefits over adding code to your site manually. When you use a plugin: - You don’t need to hire a developer. - You don’t need to be a WordPress expert. - Even if you’re technically sound, a plugin will save you time so you can focus on growing your business. Now, let’s talk about how to use a plugin to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only. ## How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only The easiest way to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the best WordPress search plugin. You can use the plugin to restrict WooCommerce product search to the title only. This way, you get to improve your eCommerce site’s search experience without writing any code. SearchWP is easy to use, and you only need to change a few settings to refine your site’s search completely. You can fully customize how your site looks for search results. Other powerful SearchWP features include: - **Multiple search engines:** You can set up different search engines on your site. Each engine can show different results and can be placed in different locations. - **Search insights and statistics:** SearchWP saves information about what site visitors are looking for on your website. These statistics can help you understand your users better and improve your inventory. - **Fully-featured search:** You can look for search results in product attributes like variations and categories. With SearchWP, you can search everything in your store — even custom fields. - **Live Search Results:** Your customers can see instant results as they type, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for and potentially boosting your sales. SearchWP integrates automatically with WordPress native search. So it takes minimal effort to set up, and you get to enjoy advanced search features without breaking a sweat. Now, let’s look at how to use it to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once signed in, head to the **Downloads** tab in your account area. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can click Download SearchWP and save the ZIP file to your computer. We recommend copying the license key at this point, as you’ll need it shortly. Next, install and activate the plugin on your WordPress site. Need help with this? See this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, the setup wizard will launch. Simply click **Start Onboarding Wizard** and follow the instructions to complete the initial configuration. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Install and Activate the SearchWP WooCommerce Extension To connect SearchWP with your WooCommerce store, you’ll need the WooCommerce Integration extension. Navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Installing the WooCommerce Integration extension for SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-woocommerce-extension-1030x464.jpg "installing-woocommerce-extension - SearchWP")Next, you can find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension in the list and click **Install.** Once it’s active, SearchWP will recognize your WooCommerce products as a searchable content source. ### Step 3: Customize Your SearchWP Search Engine SearchWP uses search engines to control how your site looks for search results. It can decide where the site should look and which attributes to consider. You can also add other specific rules for even more control. The first step to limiting product search to product titles is to add products as a source for your search index. To do this, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm**. You’ll see the default engine. You can either choose to create a new search engine or edit the existing one. Let’s go with the default engine for the purpose of this tutorial. To start, you can click on **Sources & Settings**. ![How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only: Configuring Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp1.jpg "customizing-engine-setp1 - SearchWP")Now, a new windown will open. Make sure to select “Products” from the list so that SearchWP considers WooCommerce products when looking for search results. You can choose as many sources as you’d like based on your needs. If you want to limit your results to products only, simply uncheck all the other boxes. But for this tutorial, we will consider all the default sources along with products. ![How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only: Configuring Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg "customizing-engine-setp2 - SearchWP")Once you’re done choosing your sources, click “Done.” Next, expand the Products tab and click “Add/Remove Attributes.” ![How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only: Configuring Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp3.jpg "customizing-engine-setp3 - SearchWP")By default, SearchWP will look at the product title, content, slug, author, and excerpt for matches. Since we’re limiting product search to product title only, you can just uncheck all other attributes except “Title.” ![How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only: Configuring Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp4.jpg "customizing-engine-setp4 - SearchWP")After that, click the **Done** button. Next, you can scroll to the top of the page and click “Save” to apply the updated settings. ![How to Restrict WooCommerce Product Search to Title Only: Configuring Engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp5.jpg "customizing-engine-setp5 - SearchWP")Now, when your visitors search for products, your store will restrict all the results to product titles only. You can test this by visiting your WooCommerce store and type a specific product name into the search bar. The results should only show products whose names contain that term. ![WooCommerce search results after restricting product search to product title only (1)](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WooCommerce-search-results-after-restricting-product-search-to-product-title-only-1.png "WooCommerce search results after restricting product search to product title only (1) - SearchWP")## FAQs about Restricting WooCommerce Search to Title Only **1. What if I still want to search by SKU in addition to title?** You can. In the **Add/Remove Attributes** panel, keep **Title** selected and also add the [SKU custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)") from the **Custom Fields** dropdown. This gives you title plus SKU matching without pulling in the full product description. **2. Will this affect the WooCommerce built-in product search too?** SearchWP replaces the default WordPress search, so yes, the title-only setting will apply to your store’s search bar. Any widgets or forms using the default WordPress search will also be powered by SearchWP once it’s configured. **3. Can I apply this setting to a secondary search engine without changing my main search?** Yes. SearchWP supports multiple search engines. You can create a secondary engine configured for title-only search and assign it to a specific search form, leaving your main engine untouched. **4. What happens after I click Rebuild Index?** SearchWP scans all your WooCommerce products and builds a fresh index that only includes the product title field. Depending on how many products you have, this can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes. The existing search will continue to work during the rebuild. We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to limit search results to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)") and [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). Ready to give your customers a cleaner, more precise search experience? [You can get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/pricing "You can get started with SearchWP here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** restrict product search to product title only, search WooCommerce product titles only, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How To Make Your Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** March 24, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to make the knowledge base searchable in WordPress? Knowledge Base (KB) is a treasure trove of valuable information on products, services, FAQs, and troubleshooting guides. However, having a sea of content on your website doesn’t ensure your visitors are finding what they need. Because when searching, it’s easier for your visitors to lose their way and give up. This is why having a good search feature on your Knowledge Base is crucial for your business. In this article, we’ll show you how to make the knowledge base searchable on WordPress. ## Why You Need To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable Picture your website as a supermarket, but without labels! Now imagine walking into that supermarket. It is overflowing with aisles upon aisles of products. You need milk, but every shelf is packed, and none of them have labels. The search feels like a wild goose chase. This is the struggle users face on websites with knowledge bases lacking robust search functionality. Without an intuitive search, this abundance of valuable information becomes useless if information can’t be readily found. Here’s why making the Knowledge Base searchable is important: - **Reduced “Wandering Aisles” Frustration:** Instead of aimlessly navigating endless pages, users can pinpoint specific information through relevant keywords and powerful filtering. Imagine customers seamlessly locating their desired milk brand instead of scanning every dairy section. - **Faster Checkouts (Resolved Issues):** Imagine frustrated customers leaving your “supermarket” empty-handed after failing to find their desired item. A searchable knowledge base empowers users to find solutions independently, reducing support tickets and speeding up problem resolution. It’s like offering self-checkout lanes for frequently encountered issues. - **Improved Customer Satisfaction:** No more wandering around lost and confused! With information readily available, users feel empowered and valued, leading to increased satisfaction and loyalty. Picture happy customers leaving your “supermarket” with their desired products (information) and a positive shopping experience. - **Reduced Overhead Costs:** Less time spent answering repetitive questions translates to cost savings for your team. Imagine fewer staff members needed to serve at the “information desk” as users efficiently locate answers themselves. - **Competitive Edge:** Accessible knowledge is the differentiator for many customers. A searchable knowledge base positions you as a leader, attracting and retaining users who appreciate self-service and readily available information. Imagine your “supermarket” standing out with clear signage and helpful staff, winning over customers compared to competitors’ unlabeled aisles. ## Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress The easiest way to make the knowledge base searchable in WordPress is by using a plugin, like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the most advanced WordPress search plugin that offers robust functionalities to help improve your site’s search capabilities. Here’s why we chose SearchWP to make the knowledge base searchable: - **Live Search Results:** [SearchWP’s live search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") displays results as users type, eliminating frustrating page reloads and fostering an intuitive, engaging experience. This saves them time, reduces bounce rates, and encourages deeper exploration of your valuable information. - **Keyword Stemming:** Knowledge bases often use specific terminology. [Keyword stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming") ensures users find relevant information even if they use different variations of the same word. For example, you’ll see results for keywords like “running” and “runner” when you search for “run,” ensuring users discover the answers they need, regardless of word form. - **Related Content:** Guide users beyond their initial search intent. SearchWP lets you add related articles and resources, enabling users to explore relevant topics and uncover valuable information they may not have known. This increases engagement, knowledge acquisition, and overall site satisfaction. - **Search Statistics and Insights:** Turn user search behavior into actionable insights. [SearchWP’s Metrics](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "SearchWP Metrics") reveal frequently searched terms, popular articles, and blind spots in your knowledge base. Leverage this data to refine content, address unmet needs, and optimize your knowledge base for even greater effectiveness. - **Custom Results Order:** Ensure critical knowledge is readily accessible. With SearchWP, you can [prioritize specific articles or pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") for relevant search queries, guiding users directly to the most important information first. This saves them time, reduces frustration, and ensures they find the solutions they need quickly. Now, let’s look at the steps you can follow. ### Step 1: Install SearchWP to Your Website To start, head over to the [SearchWP website to grab your copy](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") of the plugin. Once you’ve signed up for an account, log in to your account and head to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button and save the plugin zip files. On the same page, copy your license key, which you’ll need later. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to upload plugin files to your website. If you need help with this, then please see our guide on [how to install and activate WordPress plugins.](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") Once the plugin is active, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Congratulations, you have successfully installed SearchWP on your website. ### Step 2: Creating A Custom Engine For Your Knowledge Base Now, you need to set up a search engine that will be used to search through the knowledge base content. To do that, simply navigate to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. Instead of using the default Engine, we’ll create a [Supplemental Engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/ "Supplemental Engine") that will only index knowledge base content, nothing else. You can go ahead and click **Add New**. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a new engine step 2 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-2.jpg)Now, from the popup modal, select all the sources that are available on your knowledge base. The sources are the type of content that is available on your knowledge base. Once that’s done, you can name your Engine and click ‘Done’ to store the settings. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a new engine step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-sources-supplimental-engine.jpg "saving-sources-supplimental-engine - SearchWP")The new Engine is now active and will begin indexing your knowledge base content. You’ll see the progress as Index Status when it says 100%; then indexing is complete. Finish up this process by clicking **Save** to store the new Engine settings. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a new engine step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-engine-22-1.jpg "saving-engine-22 - SearchWP")### Step 3: Adding the Search Form To Your Desired Location Now that you have a functional search engine that indexes all of your knowledge base content, it’s time to put that engine into action by adding a search form. To do that, navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress admin panel. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form1.jpg "creating-a-search-form1 - SearchWP")This page shows all the search forms created with SearchWP. To start, you can click **Add New** to create a new search form. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form2.jpg "creating-a-search-form2 - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can enter a name for your search form at the top. Besides, SearchWP also lets you choose from different layout themes for your form. For example, by default, the Basic layout will be selected, but you can change it to any other layout you want. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form3.jpg "creating-a-search-form3 - SearchWP")Make changes to its design according to your needs. However, most importantly, select the newly created engine from the **Engine** dropdown to be used for this form. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form4.jpg "creating-a-search-form4 - SearchWP")One other thing left to do: in the second step, while creating the engine, we selected Docs Categories and Docs Tags. These are called taxonomies, and WordPress’s default search results page does not support that. Therefore, you need to select SearchWP from the Results Page dropdown if you want to make taxonomy terms searchable. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Selecting search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-search-results-page.jpg "selecting-search-results-page - SearchWP")Save the form when you’re done making changes. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form5.jpg "creating-a-search-form5 - SearchWP")Now, there are several ways to showcase the search form on the front end. You can either use a Gutenberg Block or a Shortcode. Click on “Embed” to see the instructions. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form6.jpg "creating-a-search-form6 - SearchWP")If you want to show the form using a shortcode, then click on the “Shortcode” button and copy the code. Now paste it into your desired location. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: Creating a search form step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/creating-a-search-form7.jpg "creating-a-search-form7 - SearchWP")Voila! You have successfully made your WordPress knowledge base searchable. ![How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress: a sample knowledge base search created with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/example-of-searchable-knowledge-base.jpg "example of searchable knowledge base - SearchWP")A knowledge base is a dynamic tool that fosters self-sufficiency, empowers your users, and strengthens your brand. We hope that from this tutorial, you have learned how to make a knowledge base searchable on WordPress sites. By following these steps and leveraging the power of SearchWP, you can transform your WordPress knowledge base into a user-friendly, intuitive, and valuable resource for your website visitors. We hope this article helped you learn how to make a knowledge base searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on[ how to find the most searched product on your website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website") and [how to add voice search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-voice-search-to-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Voice Search to Your WordPress Website (3 Easy Steps)"). [Get SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") to get the most out of your knowledge base and elevate your website experience. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, knowledge base, knowledge base search form, knowledge base searchable, make KB search, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [Ivory Search vs SearchWP: Search Plugins Compared (2026)](https://searchwp.com/ivory-search-vs-searchwp/) **Published:** February 27, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Choosing the right search plugin for your WordPress site is an essential step in delivering a great user experience for your website visitors. It helps replace the default WordPress search and help users find exactly what they’re looking for. However, selecting between SearchWP and Ivory Search can be tricky. These are among the best search plugins for WordPress and offer different features. In this article, we made a detailed comparison of Ivory Search vs SearchWP and compared their features, ease of use, quality of support, and pricing plans to help you choose the best one. Short on time? Here’s a quick breakdown of SearchWP and Ivory Search, so you can quickly decide which is the best. **?** **[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP")**? **[Ivory Search](https://ivorysearch.com/ "Ivory Search")****Features**Create advanced search engines, eCommerce integration, search tracking & analytics, result control, live autocomplete, & moreMultiple search forms, media search, WooCommerce compatible, content exclusion, live AJAX search, and more**Ease of Use**Beginner-friendly, intuitive, easy to navigate and customizeSlightly overwhelming interface initially, can be less intuitive for beginners**Customer Support**Fast ticket system, comprehensive knowledge base & resourcesTiered support with email for premium users, forum for free users, and knowledge base**Pricing**Premium plans starting for $99/yearFree + Paid plans starting from $19.99/year**Best For**Complete search plugin with powerful features & customization capabilitiesSuitable for simpler needs or those on a budget### SearchWP vs Ivory Search: Overview First, let’s take a brief look at both SearchWP and Ivory Search to get a better understanding of what they are. **SearchWP – Overview** [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin which lets you take complete control of your search. It has an intuitive interface that allows you to quickly customize how search works on your site, even if you’re new to WordPress. With Search WP, you can choose where WordPress should search for matches, [manage the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), make tags, categories, and custom fields searchable, and many more. Over 50,000 WordPress website owners already use SearchWP to enhance their search and deliver more relevant content to their visitors. **Ivory Search – Overview** [![Ivory Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/ivory-search-1-1030x524.png "Ivory Search - SearchWP")](https://ivorysearch.com/)[Ivory Search](https://ivorysearch.com/ "Ivory Search") is another WordPress search plugin that allows you to make your search smarter and improve your content visibility. It’s easy to use and has plenty of features to customize your search to meet your business needs. For example, using Ivory Search, you can create unlimited search forms, exclude specific pages from search results, make WordPress search for media files, and more. Ivory Search is trusted by over thousands of WordPress site owners and has a free version with limited functionality. ## SearchWP vs Ivory Search: Features After we’ve got acquainted with the plugins, let’s take a look at their features they have to offer and see which one is the best solution for your business. **SearchWP – Features** SearchWP is packed with powerful features which you can use to enhance the search experience on your website, deliver more relevant search results to your visitors, and grow your business. **1. Advanced Search** First, with SearchWP, you can make almost everything on your site searchable. This list includes titles, content, slugs, tags, categories, custom fields, and other source attributes. ![Choose taxonomies for search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-taxonomies-for-search-engine-1030x591.png "Choose taxonomies for search engine - SearchWP")While comparing the two plugins, we found that you can [make WordPress search PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and documents that you upload to your site. Secondly, using SearchWP, you can control where and how WordPress should look for matches. For example, you can limit search results to specific sources, such as posts and [exclude other sources](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") like pages from the search process. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Exclude-all-pages-1030x440.jpg "Exclude all pages - SearchWP")Besides that, you can make WordPress consider different attributes like page titles and slugs when performing a search. You can also edit the relevance weight of various search source attributes to control which ones WordPress should give the highest priority. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")Plus, you can add rules to your search engine to automatically exclude content from search results. For example, there are options to exclude entries if they are from specific categories or tags. You can also show search results based on published date. ![Rule to exclude taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/rule-to-exclude-taxonomies-1030x506.png "Rule to exclude taxonomies - SearchWP")SearchWP also allows you to add multiple search engines that you can link to specific search forms on your site. This way, you can create different custom search engines to meet your business needs and deliver the most relevant results to your visitors. ![Add new search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-search-engine-1030x593.png "Add new search engine - SearchWP")**2. eCommerce Integration** Another SearchWP feature that sets it apart from Ivory Search is the seamless eCommerce integration. It works with WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and BigCommerce. Due to it, you can make search on your store smart and efficient in a few clicks. For example, you can [make WooCommerce product attributes searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes") to make it easier for your customers to find the right products. ![How to Add WooCommerce Product Search Widget: customize attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-product-attribute-1030x567.jpg "customizing product attribute - SearchWP")Or, you can limit search on your site to WooCommerce products only to clean up your search results from redundant pages. It’ll help your customers to find what they’re looking for faster and increase the number of your sales. **3. Search Tracking** What impressed us the most when comparing SearchWP was that it gives you detailed reports on your visitors’ search behavior and lets you see [what they’re looking for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") on your site. ![track searches of your visitors](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/track-searches-of-your-visitors.png "track searches of your visitors - SearchWP")Using this valuable information, you can adjust your marketing and content strategy to grow your business and drive more traffic from search engines. For example, you can see which search results are the most popular, how many searches visitors make on average, and many more. **4. Control Over the Search Results Order** With SearchWP, you can manually edit the order of search results on your site. It allows you to prioritize specific posts, pages, or products to promote them and get more pageviews. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results n WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")You can also exclude specific posts or pages from search results with a single click. SearchWP offers an Exclude UI extension that gives you an option inside the WordPress block editor to exclude the page or post from search. ![exclude specific posts from search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-posts-from-search.png "exclude specific posts from search - SearchWP")Thanks to these SearchWP features, you get better control over your search results and give your visitors more accurate matches. **5. Live Autocomplete Search** Another awesome SearchWP feature is a [live autocomplete](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") search. With it, visitors can get instant search results and faster navigate your site. ![live search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-results-1.gif "live search results - SearchWP")It improves their user experience and encourages them to make more searches and view more of your content. **6. Automatic Theme Integration** SearchWP automatically integrates with your search results page and every search form existing on your site. It’s also fully compatible with the most popular page builders, such as [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"), [Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"), Beaver Builder and more. Due to that, you can start customizing your search immediately after installing the plugin, regardless of what WordPress theme you use. That’s very helpful for beginners and allows you to give your visitors a better search experience without writing a single line of code. **Ivory Search – Features** After getting familiar with SearchWP features, let’s look at Ivory Search features and compare them with SearchWP. **1. Unlimited Search Forms** One of the similarities we found between SearchWP and Ivory Search is that you can [create unlimited multiple search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)") and place them across your site using shortcodes. ![add multiple search forms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-multiple-search-forms.png "add multiple search forms - SearchWP")This is a useful feature that helps you to boost your content discoverability and encourages your visitors to search more. For example, if you own a food blog, then you can add a customized search form that only searches for recipes. Or, if you’re an eCommerce store owner, then you can quickly increase your sales by putting a customized search form in your showcase posts. **2. Search Images, Media, Attachments & Files** Another thing you can do with Ivory Search is to enable on your site search for various [media files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"), post attachments, PDFs, and office documents. ![make media files searchable](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-media-files-searchable.png "make media files searchable - SearchWP")WordPress doesn’t consider media files by default when performing searches, so this is a good opportunity to enrich your search results. **3. WooCommerce Compatibility** Like SearchWP, Ivory Search also has a WooCommerce integration allowing you to ensure [better product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)") for your visitors. ![manage your WooCommerce products search settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/mange-your-WooCommerce-products-search-settings.png "manage your WooCommerce products search settings - SearchWP")Thanks to this feature, you can make product taxonomies such as tags and categories searchable, [enable search by SKU](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), and more. Since a robust search is essential for every online store to succeed online, this feature is invaluable for WooCommerce site owners. **4. Exclude Anything From Search** Another feature offered by Ivory Search that you’ll also find in SearchWP is that it gives you the ability to exclude specific posts, pages, or categories from search results on your site in a couple of clicks. ![choose searchable categories](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-searchable-categories.png "choose searchable categories - SearchWP")This is a super helpful feature, as it allows you to get rid of redundant pages in search results and help your visitors find the right content faster. Unlike SearchWP, Ivory Search doesn’t offer an option to set up rules for excluding post types and taxonomies when searching for content. **5. Live AJAX Search** Ivory Search also allows you to display search results on your site in real-time, just like SearchWP. ![manage your AJAX search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-your-AJAX-search-results.png "manage your AJAX search results - SearchWP")In addition, you can [customize how the search results look](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page"). For example, you can manage the length of the description, add or remove images, author info, and more. **Winner:** After going through the features offered by both the plugins, SearchWP is the clear winner. Not only does it offer all the features offered by Ivory Search but makes them super simple to use. Plus, you get to create your own custom search engines, multiple search forms, seamless integrations, and powerful extensions in SearchWP. ### Ivory Search vs SearchWP: Ease of Use One of the key points to consider when choosing a plugin is how easy it is to set up and use. Let’s compare how easy it is to use SearchWP and Ivory Search, and see which plugin is most beginner-friendly. **SearchWP – Ease of Use** SearchWP has a simple and modern-looking interface that you can easily navigate, even if you’re a WordPress beginner. All plugin features are intuitively grouped, allowing you to customize how search engine on your site in just a few clicks. On the **Engines** page, you can easily manage the settings of your search engines, edit the search sources and attributes, add rules, and more. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")SearchWP also lets you manage a list of your stopwords that WordPress will ignore when performing searches to give more relevant search results. These help refine your search process and improve the accuracy of the search results. ![Enter stopwords for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-stopwords-for-search-results-1030x590.png "Enter stopwords for search results - SearchWP")In the plugin settings, you can also enable and disable various advanced SearchWP features. For example, there is an option for [partial matches or fuzzy search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"), which allows your visitors to find the right content even if they make typos or misspellings in the search query. ![how to add fuzzy search to WordPress sites: enable partial match](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-search-1030x532.jpg "Enable partial search - SearchWP")To sum up, SearchWP is super easy to use and allows you to quickly enhance your site’s search without being technically savvy. **Ivory Search – Ease of Use** Ivory Search has a slightly overwhelming interface, which can be difficult for beginners to navigate at first. ![edit your search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-your-search-form.png "edit your search form - SearchWP")But after you spend some time studying it, you’ll see that it has almost the same set of settings as SearchWP. For example, in the **Search** tab, you can configure what types of posts you want WordPress to search among, manage searchable attributes, and more. ![make WordPress search for media files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-WordPress-search-for-media-files.png "make WordPress search for media files - SearchWP")Similarly, you can choose specific posts, pages, or categories you want to [exclude from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") on your site. In the **Design** tab, you can use a built-in search form customizer to change the appearance of your search form. While this feature is good for basic editing, it lacks the form customization options offered by SearchWP. ![customize your live search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-your-live-search-form.png "customize your live search form - SearchWP")You can also enable live AJAX search on your site and manage how it works in the AJAX tab. For example, you can choose which page parts should be shown in search results, edit the length of the search result description, and more. Finally, you can enable and disable some advanced features, like keyword stemming, fuzzy matching, search term highlighting, and more. **Winner:** In terms of ease of use, SearchWP offers a more clean and beginner friendly interface compared to Ivory Search. From experienced WordPress users to new comers, everyone can easily find all the options in SearchWP and make changes to customize the search process. ### SearchWP vs Ivory Search: Customer Support Another important point worth paying attention to is the plugin’s customer service. The quality and speed of support responses directly affects how effectively you can use the plugin. With that said, let’s see which plugin has the best support service, SearchWP or Ivory Search. **SearchWP – Customer Support** SearchWP has an outstanding support team that you can easily contact via the ticket system right from your WordPress dashboard. The average response time is only a few hours, so you can count on getting help very quickly. Plus, there are SearchWP [knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/documentation/ "SearchWP Documentation") and [blog](https://searchwp.com/blog/ "SearchWP Blog") full of comprehensive guides and tutorials to help you get started. ![SearchWP documentation](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-documentation-1030x530.png "SearchWP documentation - SearchWP")**Ivory Search – Customer Support** Ivory Search offers 2 ways to get support, depending on whether you have the free or premium version of the plugin. You can get priority support via email if you’re a premium user. For free users, there is a forum on the plugin directory page in WordPress.org where you can ask questions, but you should be aware that it may take a few days to get an answer. Ivory Search also has a knowledge base that contains a bunch of useful step-by-step guides on how to use the plugin. ![Ivory Search documents](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/ivory-search-kb-1030x557.png "Ivory Search documents - SearchWP")**Winner:** Customer support plays a vital role in providing a great user experience. Both SearchWP and Ivory Search come equal in terms of customer support as they offer a ticketing system, documentations, blog posts, and other resources. ### Ivory Search vs Search: Pricing The last but not the least thing to consider when choosing a WordPress search plugin is the price. Let’s compare the SearchWP and Ivory Search pricing plans to find out which plugin offers the best value for money. **SearchWP – Pricing Plans** SearchWP comes in 3 pricing plans that differ in the number of features and included addons. ![SearchWP pricing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-pricing-1030x585.png "SearchWP pricing - SearchWP")Let’s take a closer look at them: - **Standard plan** – License for 1 site. Costs $99 per year and comes with all standard features and extensions. - **Pro plan** – License for 3 sites. Costs $199 per year and includes all the standard features plus an expanded set of extensions, including Metrics, Redirects, Custom Results Order, Related Content, eCommerce Integration, and more. - **Agency plan** – License for an unlimited number of sites. Costs $399 per year and includes all the pro features plus along with Client Management. All plans include free support through a ticketing system and updates during the license period. Plus, if for any reason you’re not satisfied with SearchWP, you can get a refund within 14 days without any questions. **Ivory Search – Pricing Plans** Ivory Search also comes in 3 pricing plans, among which you can choose. ![Ivory Search pricing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/ivory-search-pricing-1030x562.png "Ivory Search pricing - SearchWP")Here is the breakdown of each pricing plan: - **Starter plan** – License for 1, 5, or 25 sites. This is the free plan that includes all standard features, like creating unlimited search forms, excluding specific content from search, and more. - **Pro plan** – License for 1, 5, or 25 sites. Starts from $19.99 per year and includes all features of the Starter plan plus a number of premium features, like managing search results order, adding authors to search results, and more. - **Pro Plus plan** – License for 1, 5, or 25 sites. Starts from $49.99 per year and includes all features of the Starter plan plus a number of premium features, like managing search results order, adding authors to search results, and more. Ivory Search also offers a refund within 30 days of purchase if you encounter an issue with the plugin that the support team cannot resolve. **Winner:** If you just look at the prices, then Ivory Search has an edge over SearchWP as it also offers a free version. That said, the features offered by SearchWP are considerably more powerful and advanced than you’d get in Ivory Search. ### SearchWP vs Ivory Search: Our Verdict After comparing the features, ease of use, customer support, and pricing plans of both plugins, we think that [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best and most versatile WordPress search plugin based on its easy user interface and the number of features. With this plugin, you can get complete control over search on your site and customize it to meet your business needs regardless of your technical skills. Namely, using SearchWP, you can: - Display your search results in live mode - Control the order of search results - Prioritize specific pages in search results - Exclude particular pages, categories, or content types from search results - Add multiple search engines and create custom search forms - Track searches of your visitors and collect various data on their search behavior - Make WordPress consider post tags, categories, and custom fields when performing a search - Make the content of PDF files and documents you upload to your site searchable - And more… Over 50,000 website owners already use SearchWP to enhance search on their site and deliver the most accurate search results to their audience. We hope this comparison between Ivory Search vs SearchWP will help you make the right decision. You may also want to see our guide [how to customize the search widget in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)") and [how to add a modal search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-modal-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Modal Search Form in WordPress (No Coding)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** General **Tags:** how to choose the best WordPress search plugin, Ivory Search vs SearchWP, what is better Ivory Search or SearchWP, what is the best WordPress search plugin, what to choose SearchWP or Ivory Search, WordPress search --- ### [5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads (2026)](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/) **Published:** March 11, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Building a successful online store isn’t just about listing products. It’s about choosing the right eCommerce plugin for WordPress. We’ve learned from experience that the eCommerce plugin you select can make or break your store. Now, we use Easy Digital Downloads across our partner brands for selling digital products, but we also understand that one size doesn’t fit all. That’s why we tested multiple plugins in the market and found Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce, Shopify, and MemberPress to be best options. In this article, we’ll show you the best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads. ### How to Choose the Right Plugin for Selling Digital Products? WordPress is one of the most popular website platforms around the world. There is no wonder that it has tons of plugins available, including those for selling digital goods. Each of them has its own set of features, advantages, and disadvantages. That’s why sometimes it might be challenging to opt for the best one. To help you out, we tested multiple solutions based on different factors. Here are some common features you should look for in a plugin for selling digital products, such as: - **Variety of Supported Products** – Whether you’re selling eBooks, [PDFs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), or something else, you want to use a plugin that supports your product type by default. The best choice is a plugin that supports the largest number of digital product types. - **Payment Flexibility –** If customers don’t see a payment option that suits them, they can leave your store. That’s why it’s super important to use a plugin that offers as many payment gateways as possible. - **Ease of Use** – When you launch an online store, it’s crucial to sell from the very first day, so your plugin needs to be as easy to use as possible. - **Sales Accounting –** A great plugin for selling digital products must give you reports on your store’s performance and sales analytics. - **Extensions Availability –** Make sure that the plugin you’re going to use has a solid base of extensions so you have additional features when you need them. - **Customer Support –** One of the most important features of any WordPress plugin is responsive customer support. They can help you to get your store up and running so that you can focus on growing your business. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads. ### [1. Easy Digital Downloads](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/ "Easy Digital Downloads") [![Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/easy-digital-downloads-1030x579.png "Easy Digital Downloads - SearchWP")](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/)The first plugin in our showcase is [Easy Digital Downloads](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/ "Easy Digital Downloads"). We chose this because it is the most powerful and user-friendly WordPress plugin that’s designed specifically for selling digital goods. Once you install the plugin, you can turn your WordPress site into a full-fledged online store with tons of features. Using it, you can sell any type of digital product, get advanced sales statistics, accept credit card payments, and many more. Many of your partner brands like WPForms, MonsterInsights, and more also use Easy Digital Downloads to sell their software. Plus, it’s trusted by over 50,000 merchants around the world, making it a popular plugin for digital eCommerce. **Features:** - **Sell Digital Products –** Easy Digital Downloads supports all popular types of digital products such as PDFs, eBooks, plugins, multimedia files, and many more. - **Easily Promote Your Digital Products –** Using this plugin you can create a product landing page, run giveaways, capture abandoning visitors, and many more, so you can boost your sales with a few clicks. - **Add Multiple Payment Methods –** With Easy Digital Downloads, you can accept payments via credit cards through Stripe, Apple Pay, PayPal, and other gateways. You can also accept recurring payments to grow a stable and predictable source of income. - **Full-fledged Shopping Cart –** Due to the Easy Digital Download shopping cart system, your customers can purchase multiple downloads. You’re also free to customize the shopping cart page appearance the way you want. - **Discount Codes Feature –** Using this plugin, you can add flat rate or percentage-based discount codes for products in a few clicks. You can also set the promo start and end dates, specify the minimum cart total for discount use, and limit discount usage per user. - **Download Activity Tracking –** Using Easy Digital Downloads, you can easily monitor the number of your store’s downloads and sales. This lets you view stats and make custom reports in just a few clicks. On top of that, Easy Digital Downloads comes with a lot of useful extensions. They ensure seamless integration of various services and bring additional features, such as recurring payments, software licensing, and more. **Pricing:** Starting at $99.5 per year. **Pro Tip:** You can make your digital products searchable on WordPress using SearchWP. It easily [integrates with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/features/easy-digital-downloads-edd-integration/ "Easy Digital Downloads Integration with SearchWP") and makes it very easy for your customers to discover digital products on your site. ### [2. WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommmerce/ "WooCommerce") [![WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-2-1030x337.png "WooCommerce - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommmerce/)[WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommmerce/ "WooCommerce") is one of the most popular WordPress eCommerce plugins that has a couple of noticeable features. While testing the plugin, we found that it allows you to create a professional looking and functional [online store](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-start-an-online-store/ "How to Start an Online Store (Step by Step for Beginners)") in just a few minutes, even if you’re not a tech-savvy person. Plus, WooCommerce is free to use and has tons of extensions that further expand its functionality. Unlike Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce was originally designed for selling physical products. But you can also use it to sell digital products as well, setting it up properly can be quite tricky. It also easily integrates with other third party tools and WordPress plugins, including SearchWP. **Features:** - **WooCommerce Payments –** Just like Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce allows you to accept payments via the most popular gateways. You can track transactions directly in your WordPress dashboard. - **Mobile App –** WooCommerce has its own mobile app that allows you to manage your business on the go. - **Plenty of Extensions –** Similar to Easy Digital Downloads, WooCommerce has many useful extensions. By installing them, you can add dropshipping, booking, and other features to your store. It also integrates with SearchWP and allows you to include [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (5 Easy Ways)") in the search process. - **Inventory Management –** WooCommerce also allows you to easily manage your inventory. You can even add a store manager and assign this task to it. **Pricing:** Free. ### [3. Shopify](https://searchwp.com/recommends/shopify/ "Shopify") [![Shopify](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/shopify-1-1030x478.png "Shopify - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/shopify/)[Shopify](https://searchwp.com/recommends/shopify/ "Shopify") is one of the best and most comprehensive eCommerce solutions that you can use to start selling your digital products online. Even though it’s not a WordPress plugin but a cloud-based platform, we discovered that you can add the Shopify Buy Button to your WordPress site with a few clicks. The button is fully customizable and has some ready-made templates, so you can easily adjust its appearance to fit your website design. On top of that, Shopify helps you accept payments using over 100 payment gateways at no additional cost. That said, a downside we found while using Shopify is that you are no fully in control of your online store. The website’s code and data are in Shopify’s hands, which can be changed at any given moment. If you want total control of your eCommerce store, then a better alternative is Easy Digital Downloads and WooCommerce. **Features:** - **Handy Inventory Editor –** Just like Easy Digital Downloads, Shopify provides you with a highly convenient way to manage your inventory. You can easily add new products, change prices, check stock, and many more. - **Easy for Beginners –** As in the case with Easy Digital Downloads, it’s super easy to start using Shopify and launch your online digital products store. - **Secure Checkout –** Using Shopify, you don’t have to worry about storing sensitive customer information. It’s a super reliable service that transfers all data via a secure connection. - **Customer Support –** Because Shopify is a global service with millions of clients, they provide 24/7 professional support. **Pricing:** Starting at $19 per month. ### [4. MemberPress](https://memberpress.com/ "MemberPress") [![MemberPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/memberpress-website-1030x594.png "MemberPress - SearchWP")](https://memberpress.com/)[MemberPress](https://memberpress.com/ "MemberPress") is another flexible WordPress plugin that allows you to sell subscription-based digital products. What we really liked was that with the help of this plugin, you can get a membership site up and running within a few minutes, even if you’re not a tech-savvy user. MemberPress lets you obtain full control over what content your users can see. You can set the visibility depending on their membership plan or purchased product. Also, this plugin lets you effortlessly create top-notch pricing pages that are sure to grab your audience’s attention. **Features:** - **Sell Courses –** MemberPress comes with a powerful Courses add-on. With it, you can turn your WordPress site into a full-fledged educational platform. - **Coupons Feature –** With MemberPress, you can add discount coupons to your store and control their expiration date and number of uses. This is a convenient feature for [running promotions and giveaways](https://rafflepress.com/create-an-online-contest/). - **Build Your Community –** Using MemberPress extensions, you can easily create forums and communities directly on your online store. This is a great way to stay in touch with your audience and announce new products. - **Many Payment Gateway Options –** As Easy Digital Downloads, MemberPress supports a lot of payment gateways, like Stripe, PayPal, and many more. **Pricing:** Starting at $179.50 per year. ### [5. BigCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/bigcommerce/ "BigCommerce") [![BigCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/bigcommerce-1030x534.png "BigCommerce - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/bigcommerce/)[BigCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/bigcommerce/ "BigCommerce") is the next WordPress eCommerce plugin on our list and it is a fully hosted platform. However, it comes with a WordPress store plugin which easily integrates with your website. We tested the plugin, connecting a BigCommerce account to a WordPress site, and explored its key features. Notably, the plugin automatically syncs your BigCommerce product catalog with WordPress every five minutes, and it creates essential eCommerce pages like cart and account for you. Besides, you get Gutenberg blocks to easily create an eCommerce website, get real time shipping rates for popular delivery services like FedEx and UPS, and more. But just like Shopify, you’re not in total control of your online store’s code and data. BigCommerce handles everything for you, so there is a chance things can change at any give moment. **Features:** - **Multi-Channel Selling –** Integrates with major marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Facebook, Instagram, and Google Shopping. - **Flexible Product Catalog –** Robust tools for managing a large and complex product catalog, including variations, options, and digital products. - **Multiple Payment Gateways –** Supports a wide range of payment options, including PayPal, Stripe, Apple Pay, and more. - **Advanced Marketing Tools –** Includes features for email marketing, abandoned cart recovery, promotions, and discounts. - **Analytics and Reporting-** Provides detailed insights into sales, customer behavior, and marketing performance. **Pricing:** Starting at $29 per month. ### Bonus Plugin: [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Although [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is not an eCommerce plugin, it can be super useful to any WordPress online store owner. The thing is, the default WordPress search engine is pretty weak. Specifically, it searches only for title, content, and excerpts of posts and pages. But most eCommerce WordPress plugins store product data as custom fields and taxonomies. That’s why this data stays hidden from search. It’s crucial to make this data searchable to help your customers find products they’re looking for much easier and boost your sales. With SearchWP, you can make any product additional info searchable in just a few clicks. Plus, it easily integrates with popular plugins like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and BigCommerce. On top of these, you can use this plugin to: - [**Index PDF files and Office Documents:**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") Using SearchWP, you can make WordPress index text within documents and PDFs. It can be really helpful if you sell specifically this type of digital content and want to make it easier for customers to find it. - [**Track Searches:**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") SearchWP gathers information about search activity on your site and gives you detailed reports about it. Using this information, you can find out what type of products your customers are most interested in and cover their needs. - [**Display Search Results in Live Mode:**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") By default, WordPress shows search results by opening a new page. With SearchWP, you can display search results as users type in the search term, allowing your customers to find products instantly. - **Add and Use Multiple Search Engines:** SearchWP allows you to create multiple search engines and assign them to different search forms. This way, you can create search forms limited to a specific category or product type. **Pricing:** Starting at $99 per year. If you’re ready to give your customers the most relevant search results and boost your sales, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!"). ### Which WordPress eCommerce Plugin for Digital Downloads is The Best? After testing multiple solutions, we found that each of the mentioned above plugins has its strengths and weaknesses. But one of them stands out from the others, and that’s [Easy Digital Downloads](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/ "Easy Digital Downloads"). This plugin has been specifically developed with digital merchants in mind. That‘s why it perfectly combines powerful features, user-friendly design, and affordable price. In fact, Easy Digital Downloads can offer you: - **Fast and Easy Setup:** You can start selling your digital products immediately after installing the plugin. - **Set of Powerful Features:** This plugin can seamlessly replace 2-3 other plugins for digital downloads. - **Many Useful Integrations:** You can accept payments through various gateways, gather emails, use cloud storage, and many more. - **Detailed Analytics:** Using this plugin, you can collect comprehensive data about your sales and customers. It’s super easy to sell your digital products and increase your sales with this plugin. Considering all of the above, Easy Digital Downloads deservedly takes first place in our showcase. We hope this article helped you learned about the best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads. You may also want to see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get start with SearchWP today") today! **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads, choose the best WordPress eCommerce plugin for digital downloads, how to choose a WordPress eCommerce plugin for digital downloads, the best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads, WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads --- ### [6 Best WordPress Filter Plugins for 2026 (Expert Review)](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/) **Published:** February 26, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We’ve all been there. You land on an online store looking for a specific product, but you’re faced with pages and pages of items with no way to narrow them down. You try scrolling, but after a few minutes, you give up and leave. That’s exactly what happens to your visitors when your WordPress site doesn’t have proper product filtering. They want to find what they need quickly, but without filters, they’re stuck hunting through endless options. Over the past several months, we’ve tested dozens of WordPress filter plugins on real stores. We’ve installed them, set up filters for different product types, and watched how they perform under actual shopping conditions. In this article, we’ll show you the best WordPress filter plugins that actually work. You’ll see options for every budget and skill level, all tested by our team to make sure they deliver results. \#Plugin NameBest ForStarting Price1.[WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") ?Best all round no-code filtering solution$49/year2.Themify Product FilterWebsites using Themify themes$89/year3.YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product FilterBeginners starting their first storeFree + $89.99/year4.Search & FilterBest free filtering solution beyond productsFree5.HUSKY Products FilterDevelopers and SEO-focused storesFree + $42/year6.Filter EverythingSites needing multi-purpose filteringFree## How We Test and Review Filtering Plugins Testing filter plugins isn’t just about installing them and seeing if they work. We needed to know how they perform in real situations where customers are actually trying to find products. We set up multiple test WordPress sites with different themes and page builders. Each site had a catalog of products with various attributes like size, color, price ranges, and categories. This gave us a realistic environment to see how each plugin handled actual filtering tasks. Here’s what we focused on during testing: - **Ease of Setup**: We checked how quickly we could create filters without needing technical skills or documentation - **Filter Performance**: We measured how fast results loaded when selecting multiple filter options - **Mobile Responsiveness**: We tested every plugin on phones and tablets to ensure filters worked smoothly on smaller screens - **Compatibility**: We installed each plugin with popular page builders like Elementor and various themes to check for conflicts - **Real-World Usage**: We simulated actual shopping scenarios with multiple filter combinations to see how each plugin handled them This hands-on approach showed us which plugins actually deliver smooth filtering experiences and which ones fall short. ## [1. WPFilters – Best All-Around Filter Plugin with No-Code Setup](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)[WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") is the best overall filter plugin for WordPress that we tested. It is created by the same team behind SearcWP and is super easy to use. WPFilters stood out immediately because it offers powerful features for filtering content and products. It allows you to create multiple types of filters, such as checkboxes, dropdowns, [slider ranges](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), radio buttons, and more. We didn’t need to learn a new interface or juggle separate dashboard panels. Everything happened right where we were already working, which made the setup process feel natural and quick. ![Select product attribute filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-attribute-filter-field-1030x565.png "Select product attribute filter field - SearchWP")What impressed us most was how WPFilters handles more than just [WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-brands-on-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Filter Brands on Your WooCommerce Store "). We set up filters for blog posts and digital downloads, creating a consistent experience across the entire site. The plugin makes it very easy to connect a data source for your filter in WordPress. For example, we were able to create filters for blog post categories, tags, [product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)"), brands, and more. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")The AJAX live filtering worked smoothly during our tests. Results updated instantly as we selected different options, with no page reloads or awkward loading screens. We also loved the shareable filter URLs feature. When customers applied specific filters, the URL updated automatically so they could bookmark their search or share it with others. With WPFilters, you can easily embed your filters anywhere on your site. It offers a Gutenberg block, so you can show filters on any page or sidebar. Plus, there is also an option to embed filters using shortcodes and PHP code. ![Add WPFilters element block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-block-1030x684.png "Add WPFilters element block - SearchWP")**Pros:** - No-code setup works directly in WordPress - Filters products, posts, and custom content types - AJAX filtering updates results instantly - Shareable filtered URLs for bookmarking and sharing - Mobile-friendly and fully responsive **Cons:** - No free version **Our Verdict:** WPFilters is our top choice for store owners who want powerful filtering without touching code. The ability to filter multiple content types makes it perfect for growing websites that need flexibility. If you want Amazon-style filtering across your entire WordPress site, WPFilters delivers without the complexity. **Pricing**: Starts at $49/year. [Get started with WPFilters today!](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters today!") ## [2. Themify Product Filter – Best for Themify Theme Users](https://searchwp.com/recommends/themify-product-filter/ "Themify Product Filter") [![Themify product filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/themify-product-filter-1030x487.png "Themify product filter - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/themify-product-filter/)If you’re running a Themify theme, you know how frustrating it can be when plugins clash with your design. [Themify Product Filter](https://searchwp.com/recommends/themify-product-filter/ "Themify Product Filter") solves this problem by integrating seamlessly with Themify themes right out of the box. We tested this plugin, and the filters matched our design instantly. Fonts, spacing, and layout aligned perfectly without writing a single line of CSS. The setup wizard made creating our first filter simple, and we had working filters in the sidebar within minutes. The dropdown layout option impressed us most during testing. When sidebar space got tight, we switched to dropdown mode, and filters collapsed neatly until customers needed them. We also set up color swatches for product variations, letting customers click visual color blocks instead of reading through text dropdowns. The AJAX filtering worked smoothly with instant results and no page reloads. However, when we tested it on a non-Themify theme, styling broke and required custom CSS fixes. This plugin clearly works best within the Themify ecosystem. **Pros:** - Automatic styling compatibility with Themify themes - AJAX filtering with instant results - Multiple layout options, including horizontal and dropdown - Visual swatches for colors and images - Custom taxonomy support without extra setup - Clean setup wizard for beginners **Cons:** - Requires manual CSS work on non-Themify themes - Limited pre-built templates compared to competitors - Documentation lacks depth for advanced customization **Our Verdict**: Themify Product Filter is the clear winner if you’re already using a Themify theme. The seamless design integration and smooth filtering make it worth using. However, if you’re running a different theme, you’ll likely spend extra time fixing styling issues that other plugins handle automatically. **Pricing**: Free version available. Paid plans start at $89/year ## [3. YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter – Beginner-Friendly Filter Plugin](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-product-filter/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter") [![YITH WooCommerce ajax product filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/yith-woocommerce-ajax-product-filter-1030x555.png "YITH WooCommerce ajax product filter - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-product-filter/)Starting a WooCommerce store can feel overwhelming with so many plugins to choose from. [YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-product-filter/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter") removes that complexity by offering working AJAX filters right out of the box. We installed this plugin on a test store and had filters running in under five minutes. The widget interface made everything clear with straightforward labels, so we knew exactly what each setting controlled. We added the filter widget to our shop sidebar, selected our filter types, and could immediately start filtering products by category, price, and attributes. The [AJAX functionality](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)") worked perfectly during our tests. When we clicked filter checkboxes, products refreshed instantly without reloading the entire page. The price range slider also impressed us, letting customers drag to adjust their budget while results were updated in real time. However, we noticed that advanced features like color swatches and dropdown layouts were locked behind the premium version. For stores needing basic checkbox and slider filters, the free version handles everything you need. **Pros:** - Free version includes working AJAX filters - Simple widget interface perfect for beginners - Works with most WooCommerce themes out of the box - Range sliders for price and numeric filtering - Unlimited filter sets for different shop pages **Cons:** - Design customization is limited in the free version - Advanced filter types require a premium upgrade - Fewer styling options compared to competitors **Our Verdict:** YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter is the best starting point for beginners who want reliable filtering without upfront costs. The free version covers essential filtering needs, and you can upgrade to premium later if you need advanced layouts like color swatches. **Pricing**: Free version available. Premium starts at $89.99/year ## [4. Search & Filter – Best for Filtering Beyond Products](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-filter/ "Search & Filter") [![Search & Filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-and-filter-1030x335.png "Search & Filter - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-filter/)Most filter plugins focus solely on WooCommerce products, but [Search & Filter](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-filter/ "Search & Filter") takes a different approach by letting you filter any WordPress content. We tested it on posts, pages, and custom post types, making it perfect for blogs, news sites, and directories that need filtering without running an online store. We installed the free version and immediately appreciated how it works with [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"), tags, custom taxonomies, post types, and post dates. The flexibility stood out during testing because we could create filters for blog posts by category and date, then switch to filtering custom post types by taxonomy on another page. This versatility makes it useful for sites that go beyond simple product catalogs. Setting up filters required using shortcodes, which felt a bit old-school compared to block editor plugins like WPFilters. We noticed mixed feedback from users about version updates. Some praised the excellent support team for solving complex issues quickly, while others struggled with upgrading from older versions. **Pros:** - Filters any content type, not just products - Works with categories, tags, custom taxonomies, and post dates - Free version includes solid filtering functionality - Compatible with popular themes and plugins - Excellent support team according to user reviews **Cons:** - Interface feels outdated compared to modern plugins - Setup relies on shortcodes instead of blocks - Styling requires custom CSS - Version upgrades can cause migration issues **Our Verdict:** Search & Filter is the best choice if you’re looking for a free option and want to set up filtering content beyond products. If you run a blog, news site, or directory that needs category and taxonomy filtering, this free plugin handles it well. **Pricing**: Free to use. ## [5. HUSKY – Best for Developers and SEO](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce-products-filter/ "HUSKY") [![Husky](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/husky-1030x331.png "Husky - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce-products-filter/)If you care about SEO and want Google to index your filtered product pages, [HUSKY Products Filter](https://wordpress.org/plugins/woocommerce-products-filter/ "HUSKY") stands out from other plugins. Unlike typical AJAX filters that keep URLs unchanged, HUSKY generates clean, readable links that search engines can crawl and index. We tested HUSKY (formerly known as WOOF) on a store with hundreds of products and immediately noticed the SEO-friendly URL structure. Instead of generic URLs like `?filter=123`, HUSKY created readable paths like `/color-red/product_cat-sport/`. These clean URLs can be added to your sitemap, helping search engines discover and rank your filtered product pages. The plugin offers extensive customization through its settings panel. However, the interface feels more technical than visual builders, with most configuration happening through text-based settings rather than drag-and-drop blocks. During testing, we found HUSKY lightweight and fast on the front end. However, beginners might struggle with the setup since there’s no visual preview, and documentation assumes some coding knowledge. Developers will appreciate the ability to hook into the system and extend functionality with custom code. **Pros:** - SEO-friendly URLs that search engines can index - Works with categories, tags, price sliders, and custom fields - Lightweight and fast front-end performance - Highly customizable for specific filtering needs - Developer-friendly with hooks and extensions **Cons:** - Interface feels technical for beginners - No visual preview during setup - Limited styling options without CSS - Documentation assumes coding knowledge **Our Verdict:** HUSKY Products Filter is the best choice for developers and SEO-focused stores that need advanced filtering control. The clean, indexable URLs give you an SEO advantage that most other filter plugins can’t match. However, if you’re a beginner looking for drag-and-drop simplicity, other plugins on this list will be easier to use. **Pricing**: Free version available. Pro starts at $42/year ## [6. Filter Everything – Best for Multi-Purpose Filtering](https://wordpress.org/plugins/filter-everything/ "Filter Everything") [![Filter everything](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/filter-everything-1030x336.png "Filter everything - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/filter-everything/)Most filter plugins lock you into filtering just WooCommerce products, but [Filter Everything](https://wordpress.org/plugins/filter-everything/ "Filter Everything") breaks that limitation by letting you filter any WordPress content from a single plugin. We tested it on products, blog posts, and custom post types, making it perfect for sites that need filtering across multiple content areas. We installed the free version and created our first filter set directly from the dashboard. The setup process let us choose which content type to filter, and we started with WooCommerce products. Adding filters for brand, price range, and category through the widget interface felt straightforward with clearly labeled options that made sense from the start. What impressed us most was the plugin’s support for custom taxonomies and fields created with [Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"). However, we noticed that advanced filter layouts like horizontal grids and tabbed interfaces were locked behind the premium version. The free version handles basic vertical filter layouts well, but styling beyond the defaults requires custom CSS work. **Pros:** - Filters products, posts, pages, and custom post types - AJAX filtering with instant results - Works with custom fields and taxonomies - Single plugin handles all content filtering needs - Widget and shortcode placement options **Cons:** - Advanced layouts require the premium version - Custom CSS needed for detailed styling - Learning curve for complex post type filtering - Interface less polished than specialized plugins **Our Verdict:** Filter Everything is the best choice if you need one plugin to handle filtering across your entire WordPress site. Instead of installing separate plugins for products, posts, and custom content, you can manage everything from one dashboard. **Pricing**: Free WordPress filtering plugin. ## FAQs about WordPress Filter Plugins **1. Do I need a filter plugin if I only have a few products?** If you only have 10-20 products, you probably don’t need a filter plugin yet. Customers can easily browse through a small catalog without feeling overwhelmed. However, once you reach 50+ products or add multiple categories and variations, filters become helpful. They let customers narrow down options quickly instead of scrolling through pages of products they don’t want. **2. Will filter plugins slow down my website?** Filter plugins can affect your site speed, but it depends on which one you choose and how you set it up. We tested all the plugins in this guide and found that lightweight options like HUSKY and [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") had minimal impact on page load times. AJAX filtering actually improves the user experience by updating results without reloading the entire page. Just make sure to use a good caching plugin and choose a filter plugin that’s coded efficiently. **3. Can I use filter plugins with any WordPress theme?** Most filter plugins work with any WordPress theme, but compatibility varies. Plugins like WPFilters and [YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-product-filter/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter") work with most themes right out of the box. Themify Product Filter works best with Themify themes, and you might need custom CSS to fix styling issues on other themes. Before committing to a plugin, check if it’s been tested with your theme or install the free version first to test compatibility. **4. What’s the difference between AJAX filtering and regular filtering?** Regular filtering reloads the entire page every time someone selects a filter option. This creates a clunky experience with loading screens between each filter selection. AJAX filtering updates only the product results without reloading the whole page. Customers see results instantly, making the shopping experience smoother and faster. All the plugins we recommend in this guide support AJAX filtering. **5. Do filter plugins work with WooCommerce variable products?** Yes, most quality filter plugins handle WooCommerce variable products. They can filter by product attributes like size, color, and material that you’ve set up in [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). Plugins like WPFilters and YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter automatically detect your product variations and create filter options from them. You don’t need to manually configure each variation. ### Choosing the Right WordPress Filter Plugin for Your Store Adding filters to your WordPress site transforms how customers find products. Instead of endlessly scrolling through pages, they can narrow down exactly what they need in seconds. After testing all these plugins, we found that [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") offers the best balance of features and ease of use for most store owners. The no-code block editor integration makes setup simple, and the ability to filter products, posts, and other content gives you flexibility as your site grows. If you’re just starting out with a small budget, the free versions of YITH WooCommerce Ajax Product Filter or Filter Everything provide solid filtering without upfront costs. You can always upgrade later when your store grows, and you need advanced features. We hope this article helped you pick the best WordPress filter plugin for your site. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce by product type](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-by-product-type/ "How to Filter WooCommerce by Product Type (5 Easy Steps)") and [how to add a reset filter button in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-reset-filter-button-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Reset Filter Button in WordPress (No Coding)"). If you are ready to improve your site navigation, you can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters today"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** best woocommerce filters plugin, best wordpress filters plugin, product search filter, SearchWP, woocommerce search filters, WordPress filters plugins, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [SearchWP vs Relevanssi: Which is the Best WordPress Search Plugin?](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-vs-relevanssi-which-is-the-best-wordpress-search-plugin/) **Published:** March 12, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Out of the box, WordPress search is notoriously basic. For sites relying on complex data structures, custom taxonomies, and advanced custom fields, relying on the native search query is a massive bottleneck. When it comes to replacing it, two heavyweights dominate the conversation: **SearchWP** and **Relevanssi**. Both plugins promise to completely overhaul your search experience, digging deep into your custom post types and delivering the highly accurate results your users expect. But under the hood, they take very different approaches to indexing, algorithm control, and performance. In this article, we’ll compare them to help you find the right fit for your site and give your visitors the best search experience. Here’s a quick look at SearchWP vs Relevanssi, so you can pick the best solution: Category[SearchWP ](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP")⭐Relevanssi**Core Features**Theme Integration✔ Supports all themes & page builders✘ Limited compatibility with some themesCustom Fields & PDF Indexing✔ Easy setup✔ PDFs require extra configurationFuzzy Search & Voice Search✔ Searches for partial matches for typos.✘ Not availableWooCommerce Integration✔ Seamless, automatic integration✘ Not available**Ease of Use**Setup & Interface✔ Setup wizard, beginner-friendly✘ No wizard. Better suited for advanced users**Customer Support**Support ChannelsTicket system, live chat, and docsContact form + WordPress.org forum**Pricing**Free Version✘ No free version✔ AvailableStarting Price$99/yr — 1 site$119.61/yr — unlimited sites## Overview To begin with, let’s take a quick overview of 2 WordPress search plugins we’re comparing today. ### SearchWP [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the most powerful and easiest to use WordPress search plugin on the market. It comes with tons of useful features and allows you to get complete control over how search works on your site. Using it, you can [create custom search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), impact search results order, [track searches of your visitors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"), and more. This plugin also has a huge extension base, extending its search functionality. You can install extensions right from your WordPress dashboard. **More than 50,000 WordPress site owners** already use SearchWP to give their visitors the most relevant search results. Here’s what they say about their experience with this plugin: ![SearchWP reviews](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-reviews-1030x612.png "SearchWP reviews - SearchWP")Given the number of features and reviews of satisfied users, SearchWP deservedly holds the title of the **\#1 WordPress search plugin**. ### Relevanssi ![Relevanssi official website](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-official-website.png "Relevanssi official website - SearchWP")[Relevanssi](https://www.relevanssi.com/ "Relevanssi") is another WordPress search plugin that helps you to make searches on your site better. For example, like SearchWP, it allows you to make searchable PDF files, custom fields, custom post types, and more. Relevanssi has 100,000+ active installations and comes in free and paid versions that differ in functionality. Even though this plugin isn’t as powerful as SearchWP, it’s still a good option if you want to make search on your WordPress site a bit smarter. ## Features Now that you know both plugins better, let’s take a closer look at some of their features. ### 1. SearchWP SearchWP has many features that you can use to deliver more relevant search results to your site’s audience. #### Automatic Theme Integration After you install SearchWP, it automatically integrates with your existing search forms and search results template. That’s super convenient and ensures instant on-site search improvement. The best thing is that there is no difference between using a custom theme or one of the default WordPress themes. You don’t have to write a single line of code to replace your current search fields with new smart ones. SearchWP perfectly works with any theme out-of-the-box. Besides that, it supports some of the most popular website theme builders like Elementor, Divi, Oxygen, WPBakery, and more. You get dedicated blocks or elements for these landing page builders, which makes it super easy to display your search form anywhere on your site. ![Add SearchWP form block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-in-elementor-1-1030x679.png "Add SearchWP form block in Elementor - SearchWP")#### Multiple Search Engines and Custom Search Forms Using SearchWP, you can control how search works on your site and manage specific search fields’ behavior. That’s possible because SearchWP allows you to add and use multiple search engines on your WordPress site. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")You can fully customize a search engine to meet your needs and then link it to a specific search field on your site. For instance, SearchWP lets you add multiple sources to the engine. You can include products, documents, downloads, and other sources in the search process. ![Only select product as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-product-as-source-1030x500.png "Only select product as source - SearchWP")Besides that, you can [limit a search field to specific post types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/), adjust the relevance weight of search attributes, and more. This SearchWP feature can help your visitors find the content they’re looking for faster. ![How to Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Main Issues Fixed): Selecting attributes in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-attribute-relevance-1030x542.jpg "set-attribute-relevance - SearchWP")#### Make Anything on Your Site Searchable By default, WordPress ignores a lot of valuable information when performing a search. For example, it doesn’t consider any data within custom fields. That’s a huge disadvantage, as data inside these fields can make it much easier to find the right content. Using SearchWP, you can [make custom fields searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") on your site in a few clicks. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")In addition, the native WordPress search engine doesn’t index text within [PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and office documents. With SearchWP, you can include these files in search results on your site by ticking a couple of checkboxes. ![Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-media-source-as-document-pdf.jpg "selecting-media-source-as-document-pdf - SearchWP")This way, visitors can find documents that you upload to your site using a search bar. #### **Voice Search** With SearchWP, you can now take the search experience to the next level using its Voice Search feature. Simply enable the option in your search forms, and the microphone icon will appear in the search bar. This allows your visitors to speak the search query, and it will automatically fill in the search bar. ![Enable voice search option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-voice-search-option-1030x492.png "Enable voice search option - SearchWP")#### Search Results Order Customization Would you like to change the order of the search results on your site? WordPress doesn’t have such a feature by default. But with SearchWP, you can put any page at the top of the search results on your site with a couple of clicks. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step5-1030x556.jpg "- SearchWP")Plus, SearchWP allows you to easily exclude any redundant pages from search results on your site. All you need to do is open a page you’d like to hide from search results and then tick the ‘corresponding ‘Exclude from SearchWP’ checkbox. ![Check exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post-1030x984.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")This way, you can clean up your search results and help visitors navigate your site more easily. #### Fuzzy Search The default WordPress search engine only searches for exact matches. If your visitors make a typo, there is a great chance that they won’t find anything relevant on your site. Thankfully, you can solve this problem by enabling the [fuzzy search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/) feature in the SearchWP settings. ![Enable partial matches and closest match](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-matches-and-closest-match-1030x573.png "Enable partial matches and closest match - SearchWP")WordPress searches for partial matches when search terms show no results when you turn on this feature. #### WooCommerce Integration Are you an eCommerce site owner? Then there is great news for you. SearchWP has seamless integration with WooCommerce, the most popular WordPress eCommerce plugin. Using SearchWP, you can [make WordPress search for product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), start considering product tags, categories, and more. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")The best thing is that you don’t need to take any additional steps. SearchWP automatically integrates with your online shop after its installation. ### 2. Relevanssi Relevanssi also has some nice features that can help you to power up search on your WordPress website. #### Automatic Theme Integration First, this plugin has automatic theme integration, just like SearchWP. But there is one notable difference. Relevanssi has either limited compatibility or doesn’t work at all with some popular WordPress themes and plugins. ![Relevanssi doesn't support some themes and plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-doesnt-support-some-themes-and-plugins.png "Relevanssi doesn't support some themes and plugins - SearchWP")#### Better Control Over Search Results Like SearchWP, Relevanssi allows you to enrich search results on your site. First, you can control what types of content WordPress indexes and shows in search results with this plugin. ![choose type content your want WordPress to index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-type-content-your-want-WordPress-to-index.png "choose type content your want WordPress to index - SearchWP")Also, with Relevanssi, you can adjust the weight of relevancy multipliers. This way, you can control what parts of posts or pages WordPress will prioritize when performing a search. ![adjust the relevance weight in Relevanssi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adjust-the-relevance-weight-in-Relevanssi.png "adjust the relevance weight in Relevanssi - SearchWP")For example, it might be a title, content, excerpt, or something else. In addition, using Relevanssi, you can exclude specific categories or posts from search results. ![exclude a category from search with Relevanssi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-a-category-from-search-with-Relevanssi.png "exclude a category from search with Relevanssi - SearchWP")But that’s not as easy and quick to do as with SearchWP. Since Relevanssi divides the indexing and searching options into 2 different tabs, this may seem confusing to WordPress newbies. In general, Relevanssi offers all the basic features for search control, but lacks the advanced features you’d find in SearchWP. #### Multisite Support You can install Relevanssi as a network plugin if you have multiple sites. This way, you can combine your sites into one network and perform searches across them at once. It’ll save time for your visitors and make it easier for them to find what they’re looking for since they won’t have to switch between your sites. ![Relevanssi has the multisite mode](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-has-the-multisite-mode.png "Relevanssi has the multisite mode - SearchWP")Sadly, the network mode has several disadvantages. First, some Relevanssi features won’t work in multisite mode, such as filtering methods. In addition, if your network contains too many sites, there is a good chance that you’ll face performance issues. #### PDFs indexing Just like SearchWP, Relevanssi allows you to make PDF files searchable in WordPress. ![enable PDF indexing in Relevanssi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-PDF-indexing-in-Relevanssi.png "enable PDF indexing in Relevanssi - SearchWP")But, there are some plugin restrictions. For example, Relevanssi can’t see PDF files that don’t contain any text. So if you upload PDFs that consist only of images, they won’t be searchable on your site. Plus, Relevanssi considers PDF files as post attachments. It means that to make them searchable, you first need to enable attachment indexing. ![Relevanssi indexing options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-indexing-options.png "Relevanssi indexing options - SearchWP")It’s not easy to figure out, not to mention that this option is turned off by default. That’s confusing for beginners and makes the process of setting up PDF indexing with Relevanssi a little bit more complicated. #### bbPress Integration Do you have a forum on your site? If yes, then Relevanssi works with [bbPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-bbpress-forum-topics-replies-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include bbPress Forum Topics & Replies in WordPress Search"), the popular forum software from the WordPress creators. ![Relevanssi has the bbPress integration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-has-the-bbPress-integration.png "Relevanssi has the bbPress integration - SearchWP")With Relevanssi, you can make WordPress index your forum messages. This way, your visitors can find them using a search. That makes it much easier to explore your forum and helps visitors find the information they need faster. #### Search Tracking Like SearchWP, Relevanssi allows you to track search queries of your visitors. Sadly, this feature has several major drawbacks. First, you may have a hard time figuring out how to turn it on because of Relevanssi’s cluttered interface. ![enable logging search queries of users](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-logging-search-queries-of-users.png "enable logging search queries of users - SearchWP")Secondly, the tab where you can see the collected search queries is located outside the Relevanssi interface. It’s confusing and can cause problems for newbies. ![Relevanssi user searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-user-searches.png "Relevanssi user searches - SearchWP")And finally, this plugin gives you a rather limited amount of information. You can only see the list of search queries and the number of searches and hits. ![the list of common queries](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-list-of-common-queries.png "the list of common queries - SearchWP")On the other hand, the SearchWP metrics extension allows you to start tracking visitors’ searches immediately after installation. It also gives you additional useful information such as total results viewed, number of searches per user, and more. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")## Ease of Use One of the most important things for every plugin is how easy it is to set up and use. Let’s take a look at the comparison of SearchWP and Relevanssi in this field. ### SearchWP Customizing the way search works on your site is super easy with SearchWP. This plugin comes with a beginner-friendly and clean user interface that you can access using your WordPress dashboard. So, you can effortlessly set up SearchWP for your needs, even if you’re not a tech-savvy person. The best part is that it comes with a setup wizard that guide every step of the way after installation. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Besides that, SearchWP makes it super simple to customize the search engine on your site. Here you can manage your default search engines or add new ones with SearchWP and customize them. ![How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites: Configuring Search Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-engine-setup-hr-1030x573.jpg "search-engine-setup-hr - SearchWP")The process of search engine customization is intuitive and straightforward. And if you come across any difficulties, you can check out the comprehensive [SearchWP knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/ "SearchWP Knowledge Base") and [blog section](https://searchwp.com/blog/ "SearchWP Blog") for step-by-step guides. Plus, on the **Extensions** page, you can find useful SearchWP extensions that further expand its functionality. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")For instance, you can install the [Metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/search-metrics/ "Search Metrics") to track your visitors’ searches or add a search box to your post with the Shortcodes extension. The best part is that you can install extensions with a single click without leaving the WordPress dashboard. SearchWP successfully combines powerful features with an easy-to-use user interface, making it suitable for both experts and newbies. ### Relevanssi Unlike SearchWP, the Relevanssi dashboard looks overloaded, and it might be challenging to figure out how to use the plugin. You can find a brief “Getting started” guide on the **Overview** tab of the plugin dashboard. But to follow it, you need to understand how search works in WordPress, which isn’t suitable for beginners. While testing, we found that you won’t find a setup wizard to help you configure the plugin on your site. ![Relevanssi overview tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/relevanssi-overview-tab-1030x500.png "Relevanssi overview tab - SearchWP")Even after you go through the initial plugin setup, the following process of its customization doesn’t get any easier. The dashboard’s number of tabs and checkboxes can be overwhelming even for experienced users. ![Relevanssi excerpts tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi-excerpts-tab.png "Relevanssi excerpts tab - SearchWP")Plus, Relevanssi doesn’t have its UI or user interface, which may discourage you from exploring the plugin’s features. These facts make Relevenssi’s dashboard more suitable for WordPress techies than beginners. ## Customer Support Another important thing to consider when choosing a WordPress search plugin is its customer support service. Having dependable customer support is crucial because they’re dedicated to helping you whenever you need help using the plugin. Let’s compare the customer support of SearchWP and Relevanssi plugins. ### SearchWP SearchWP has an outstanding support team that’s always ready to help you with any issues. They use a ticket system, and you can create a new ticket without even leaving your WordPress dashboard. Simply go to the **Tools** page and then switch to the ‘Support’ tab. ![Support options inside SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/support-options-inside-searchwp-1030x541.png "Support options inside SearchWP - SearchWP")You can also find help by going to your Account area on the SearchWP website. Go ahead and switch to the ‘Support’ tab, and you’ll find a chat interface to ask questions. ![SearchWP support option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-support-option-1030x629.png "SearchWP support option - SearchWP")If you’re a more experienced WordPress user, you can also check out the [SearchWP documentation](https://searchwp.com/documentation/ "SearchWP Documentation") section. There is also a dedicated [SearchWP blog page](https://searchwp.com/blog/ "SearchWP Blog Section") where you’ll find many helpful tutorials and step-by-step guides. ### Relevanssi The support options offered by Relevanssi are mainly through the support forum on WordPress.org. You can visit the support page and start a new topic to get your queries resolved. ![Relevanssi support forum](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/relevanssi-support-forum-1030x504.png "Relevanssi support forum - SearchWP")Relevanssi doesn’t have a ticket system. You can get support through the contact form on the plugin website or ask a question on the official forum. As with SearchWP, you can check out the [Relevanssi knowledge base](https://www.relevanssi.com/category/knowledge-base/ "Relevanssi Knowledge Base") to try to solve your issue yourself. ## Pricing Good value for money is one of the main factors when choosing a plugin. Let’s see the pricing packages that SearchWP and Relevanssi offer. ### SearchWP SearchWP includes 3 pricing plans: Standard, Pro, and All Access Bundle. ![SearchWP pricing plans](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-pricing-plans-1-1030x683.png "SearchWP pricing plans - SearchWP")Let’s take a closer look at them: - **Standard**: $99 per year – includes a license for 1 site, all standard features, extensions, and support. - **Pro**: $199 per year – includes a license for 3 sites, all standard features, extensions, and support. It also comes with eCommerce and advanced integrations, such as WooCommerce Integration, Metrics, Related Content, Redirects, and Custom Results Order. - **All Access Bundle**: $399 per year – includes a license for an unlimited number of sites, all standard and pro features, extensions, and support. SearchWP has a 14-day full refund policy, so you can get 100% of your money back if you believe it’s not a good fit. You’re also free to change plans or cancel your account if you need to. ### Relevanssi Relevanssi comes in 2 versions. There is a free version that you can download from the official WordPress plugin repository. It has fewer features and limited support – you can still use it if you want to provide fast search results but with little room for customization and adjustment. When it comes to the premium version, it includes 2 pricing plans: ![Relevanssi pricing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/relevanssi-pricing-1030x493.png "Relevanssi pricing - SearchWP")- **Annual**: $119.61 per year – license for unlimited sites. Includes support and upgrades for a year. - **Permanent**: $400.71 for a lifetime license for unlimited sites. Includes lifetime upgrades and support. Relevanssi offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can get your money back within 30 days of purchase, no questions asked. ## Our Verdict Once we compare the features, ease of use, customer support, and pricing of SearchWP and Relevanssi, it’s time to choose the winner. Our top pick for the best WordPress search plugin is [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). This plugin offers more value for its price. In addition to all standard features, a premium SearchWP license also gives you access to its integrations and extensions, such as Metrics, Redirects, Custom Results Order, and many others. Plus, it has an intuitive interface and responsive customer support. Due to that, you can boost your on-site search with just a couple of clicks, even if you’re a WordPress newbie. To do the same with Relevanssi, you would have to be an advanced WordPress user. Not to mention that it would’ve taken much more time and needed more technical knowledge to use Relevanssi. Over 50,000 website owners are already using SearchWP to deliver the most relevant search results to their visitors. We hope this article helped you pick between SearchWP vs Relevanssi. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make WordPress search media files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") and [how to add a modal search form in WordPress without editing code](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-modal-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Modal Search Form in WordPress (No Coding)"). Ready to enhance the search experience on your WordPress site? You can [get your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** how to choose between SearchWP and Relevanssi, SearchWP, SearchWP vs Relevanssi, what is better SearchWP or Relevanssi, which is the best WordPress search plugin SearchWP or Relevanssi, which plugin is the best SearchWP or Relevanssi, WordPress search --- ### [How to Filter by Multiple Taxonomies in WordPress (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-by-multiple-taxonomies-in-wordpress/) **Published:** March 10, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Managing a WordPress site with hundreds of posts or products can feel overwhelming for your visitors. They land on your page and see a massive list of content organized by categories, tags, and other filtering options. But here’s the problem. Most sites only let users filter by one thing at a time. It’s like walking into a bookstore where you can browse by genre or by author, but not both together. Your WordPress visitors face this same frustration every day. They want to narrow down results using multiple criteria simultaneously, but the default WordPress search doesn’t allow this. That’s where filtering by multiple taxonomies comes in. In this article, we’ll show you exactly how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress. ## Why Filter by Multiple Taxonomies Matters Before we jump into the tutorial, let’s talk about why multiple taxonomy filtering is so important for your site. **1. Improved User Experience** We’ve seen countless sites where visitors give up because they can’t narrow down results effectively. Imagine running a recipe blog where someone wants vegetarian dinner recipes. With single filters, they either see all vegetarian recipes (including breakfasts and desserts) or all dinner recipes (including meat dishes). Neither option gives them what they actually want. Multiple taxonomy filters solve this by letting users combine criteria. They can select “vegetarian” AND “dinner” to see exactly what they need. **2. Better Content Discovery** When visitors can filter by multiple taxonomies at once, they discover content they might have otherwise missed. A user searching your [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") might want products that are both “on sale” AND in the “electronics” category. Without combined filtering, they’d never easily find those specific items. This means more of your content actually gets seen and used. **3. Reduced Bounce Rates** Nothing drives visitors away faster than forcing them to dig through irrelevant results. We’ve watched analytics on sites before and after [adding multiple filters](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Set Up Filters in WordPress Without Coding"), and the difference is dramatic. Users stay on pages longer because they quickly find what they’re looking for instead of clicking away in frustration. **4. Professional Appearance** Sites with advanced filtering capabilities simply look more professional and trustworthy. When visitors see that they can refine searches using multiple criteria, it signals that you’ve thought about their needs. It shows you’re running a well-organized site that respects their time. Now, let’s look at how you can create filters in WordPress. ## Setting Up Multiple Taxonomy Filters in WordPress The easiest way to add multiple taxonomy filters to your WordPress site is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)It is the [best WordPress filtering plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-filter-plugins/ "Best WordPress Filter Plugins (Expert Review)") that makes creating advanced filters simple, even if you’ve never done this before. Created by the team behind SearchWP, WPFilters gives you the power to add professional filtering without writing a single line of code. The plugin works seamlessly with all WordPress taxonomies, including categories, tags, and any custom taxonomies you’ve added to your site. You can also filter blog posts, WooCommerce products, custom post types, and more. Here’s what you can do with WPFilters: - **Stack Multiple Filters**: Add as many taxonomy filters as you need, and they all work together automatically. - **Choose Filter Styles**: Pick from checkboxes, dropdowns, radio buttons, [range sliders](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), or search fields for each taxonomy. - **Custom Taxonomies Support**: Works with any taxonomy, whether it’s built into WordPress or created by a plugin. - **Responsive Design**: All filters look great and function perfectly on mobile devices. - **Shareable URLs**: Each filtered combination creates a unique URL visitors can bookmark or share. With that, let’s see how you can set up multiple taxonomy filters on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you’ve created an account, simply head to your account area and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, you’ll need to click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. We also recommend copying the License Key while you’re on this page, as you’ll need it during setup. Next, you can upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). After activating the plugin, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create Your First Taxonomy Filter Now that WPFilters is installed, you can start building your first taxonomy filter. To get started, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-filter-1030x529.png "Add a new filter - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll need to give your filter a clear name at the top. For example, if you’re creating a category filter, you might call it “Filter by Category.” This name is just for your reference, so pick something that helps you stay organized when you add more filters later. Next, scroll down to the Filter Fields section and select the filter field you want to use. For this tutorial, we’ll use the ‘Checkbox’ option because it lets visitors select multiple options at once. ![Choose a filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-filter-field-1030x600.png "Choose a filter field - SearchWP")Now, scroll down to the Data Source section and click the dropdown menu. Here’s where you tell WPFilters which [taxonomy](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") to use for this filter. For example, if you want to filter by categories, select ‘Categories’ from the list. ![Choose a data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-data-source-1030x623.png "Choose a data source - SearchWP")After selecting your data source, you can customize how the filter looks by scrolling to the Container section. Here, you can enable the ‘Show Title’ option so visitors know what they’re filtering by. You can also make the filter collapsible to save space on your page. ![Edit filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")Next, scroll down to the Items section where you can fine-tune how individual filter options appear. We recommend enabling ‘Item Count’ so users can see how many posts match each option. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you’re satisfied with your settings, scroll to the top and click the **Save** button. ### Step 3: Create Additional Taxonomy Filters Now that you’ve created your first filter, it’s time to add more taxonomy filters that will work together with it. The great thing about WPFilters is that multiple filters automatically work in combination. When a visitor selects an option from one filter and then selects from another, the results narrow down to match both criteria. For example, you can [create a tags filter](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Tags in WordPress (4 Simple Steps)"), so users can go through multiple tags and use them in combination with the categories filter. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)"). ### Step 4: Display Multiple Filters on Your Site Now that you’ve created multiple taxonomy filters, it’s time to add them to your WordPress site so visitors can actually use them. The best part about WPFilters is that you can place all your filters anywhere on your site using simple embed options. Or you can use the Gutenberg block or [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search") to display the filters on a page or in the sidebar. For this tutorial, we’ll add the filters to the sidebar where they’re always visible and easy to access. This is a great way to keep filters available to users as they browse through your content. To start, head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Note: The steps might vary slightly depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. We’re using the Astra theme for this tutorial. Once you’re on the Widgets page, scroll down to your sidebar section (in our case, shop sidebar) and click the ‘+’ button to add a new block. ![Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-to-shop-sidebar-1-1030x617.png "Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar - SearchWP")Next, you can search for the ‘WPFilters Element’ widget block and add it to your sidebar. From the settings panel on the right, you will need to click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and choose your first taxonomy filter. ![Choose your taxonomy filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-taxonomy-filters-1030x574.png "Choose your taxonomy filters - SearchWP")Now, you will need to repeat these steps and click the ‘+’ button again to add another WPFilters Element block right below the first one. This time, select your second taxonomy filter from the dropdown menu in the settings panel. You can continue adding as many WPFilters Element blocks as you have taxonomy filters. Stack them in your sidebar, and they’ll all work together automatically. When a visitor selects an option from one filter and then selects from another, WPFilters combines both criteria to show only matching results. When you’re done adding all your filters, click the **Update** button at the top to save your changes. ### Step 5: Test Your Multiple Taxonomy Filters After adding the filters to your sidebar, it’s time to test them and make sure they’re working correctly together. Go ahead and visit your website where you added the filters. You should see all your taxonomy filters stacked in the sidebar. ![View multiple taxonomy filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-multiple-taxonomy-filters-1030x538.png "View multiple taxonomy filters - SearchWP")Now, let’s test how the filters work together by selecting options from multiple filters. For example, start by [selecting a category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") from your first filter. You’ll see the content on your page automatically update to show only posts from that category. Next, select an option from your second filter, like a specific tag. The results will narrow down even further to show only content that matches both the category AND the tag you selected. ![Test multiple taxonomy filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-multiple-taxonomy-filters-1030x526.png "Test multiple taxonomy filters - SearchWP")As you can see, both filters are working together perfectly. The content updates in real-time without requiring a page refresh, and only posts that match all your selected criteria appear. You can continue selecting options from additional filters if you added more than two. Each selection further refines the results, giving your visitors precise control over what they see. To reset the filters and see all content again, simply deselect the options or refresh the page. Or you can [add a reset filter button](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-reset-filter-button-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Reset Filter Button in WordPress (No Coding)") to your website. That’s it! You’ve successfully set up multiple taxonomy filters on your WordPress site. Your visitors can now combine different criteria to find exactly what they’re looking for without any coding required. ## FAQs About Filtering by Multiple Taxonomies Here are some common questions we get about setting up multiple taxonomy filters in WordPress. **1. Can I add more than two taxonomy filters?** Absolutely. You can add as many taxonomy filters as you need on your site. We’ve seen sites with five or six different filters all working together perfectly. Just keep in mind that too many filters can overwhelm visitors, so add only the ones that truly help people find content faster. **2. Do the filters work with custom taxonomies?** Yes, they do. WPFilters works with any taxonomy in WordPress, whether it’s built-in like categories and tags or custom taxonomies created by plugins like Advanced Custom Fields or Custom Post Type UI. Simply select your custom taxonomy from the Data Source dropdown when creating a filter element. **3. Will this slow down my site?** Not at all. WPFilters is built by the same team behind SearchWP, so it’s optimized for performance. The filters use efficient queries that don’t bog down your database. We’ve tested it on sites with thousands of posts, and the filtering remains fast and responsive. **4. Can I use different filter types for each taxonomy?** Yes, you can mix and match filter types. For example, you might use checkboxes for categories, a dropdown for tags, and a search field for authors. This flexibility lets you design the filtering experience that works best for your specific content and audience. Adding multiple taxonomy filters transforms how visitors navigate your WordPress site. Instead of forcing them to scroll through endless pages or settle for broad search results, you give them precise control over what they see. We’ve shown you how WPFilters makes this process simple, even if you’ve never set up filtering before. By stacking multiple filters in your sidebar, you create a professional browsing experience that keeps visitors engaged and helps them find exactly what they need. The best part is that all your filters work together automatically. No complex configuration or coding required. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter by multiple taxonomies in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on[ how to filter WooCommerce products by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)") and [how to optimize the WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page"). Ready to give your visitors powerful filtering options? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** categories, filter blog posts by category, filter blog posts by tags, Multiple Taxonomy Filters, SearchWP, tags, taxonomy filter, WordPress search, wordpress search custom taxonomy, WPFilters --- ### [How To Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/) **Published:** March 3, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** The search results page on your WordPress site determines whether visitors find what they need or leave frustrated. When someone types a query into your search bar, they have a specific goal in mind. They want answers, products, or information that matches their needs. The search results page is where you either deliver on that expectation or fall short. Most WordPress sites use the default search results template that comes with their theme. These templates are bare-bones at best. They show plain text links with no images, limited, and zero visual appeal. In this article, we’ll show you how to optimize the WordPress search results page using SearchWP. ## Why Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page For Your Website? Just as a fisherman prefers a well-stocked pond where he can catch fish quickly over the vast, overwhelming ocean, website visitors appreciate a well-optimized search page. It efficiently guides them to what they are looking for rather than sifting through an ocean of irrelevant content. The default WordPress search has its limitations. It is clunky and often returns irrelevant results or no results at all. It is also slow and impacts your website’s speed, especially during peak usage. Plus, the default WordPress engine can’t handle custom post types, [eCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), document content, or taxonomies. Therefore, optimizing the WordPress search results page on your website is essential. If it does not present relevant information in an organized manner, your visitors may leave your site disappointed, reducing engagement and satisfaction. As a result, hurting your business in the process. Let’s look at how you can easily optimize your search results page. ## How to Configure the WordPress Search Results Page To overcome the limitations of the default WordPress search, you need to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), the best WordPress search plugin. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It comes with Search Results Templates that let you create beautiful, customized results pages without touching any code. And over 50,000 WordPress site owners use SearchWP to deliver better search experiences to their visitors. Here are some other things you can do with SearchWP: - **Customize search sources:** Choose exactly which content types appear in search results, from posts and pages to custom post types and [WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). - M**ake everything searchable:** Include custom fields, [PDF ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)")content, taxonomies, and other data that WordPress normally ignores. - **Track visitor searches:** See [what people are searching for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") on your site so you can identify content gaps and improve your offerings. - **Enable live search:** Show instant results as visitors type, making it faster to find content. - **Voice Search:** Enable the voice search option and allow users to speak their search queries. Now, let’s look at the steps you can follow to optimize your search results page. ### Step 1: Setting Up SearchWP First, you can get your copy of the SearchWP WordPress plugin [by choosing the package that suits you best](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). Next, you can download the plugin zip file from the Downloads tab of your account page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key from this page, as you’ll need it during the setup process. Now, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP plugin to your WordPress site. If you need help with this step, check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen with a setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the initial setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once the plugin is active and ready, you can go ahead and customize the search engine to include different sources in the search process. SearchWP indexes your website in the background and replaces the default WordPress search with its powerful Engine. To start, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can edit the default engine or add a new one. The plugin also lets you include multiple sources along with Posts, Pages, and Media. For instance, you can add more sources like Products, [Documents](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-documents-from-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How to Exclude Documents from Search Results in WordPress"), and Listings. Besides that, you can also include [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), tags, and categories for each source as attributes and adjust the weights ![SearchWP engine index status](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg "Create-new-engine - SearchWP")To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 2: Creating a Search Form For Your WordPress Website The search results page is dependent on the search form, as it only appears after someone performs a search. So, you need to create a search form to proceed. With SearchWP, it’s super easy, as you can go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the admin panel and then click **Add New**. ![Adding a new form in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add_new_form_for_search_results_page.jpg "add_new_form_for_search_results_page - SearchWP")Next, you can give the form a proper name and [tweak the configuration to fit your needs](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)"). Here, you can define which Engine this search form will use, as SearchWP lets you set up multiple Engines to serve different content. For instance, we will use the Default engine for this tutorial. ![Selecting results page to optimize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-results-page-in-SearchWP.jpg "selecting results page in SearchWP - SearchWP")Now comes the most critical part: you need to select SearchWP as the Results Page in order to take control and optimize the WordPress search results page. Simply click the ‘Results Page’ dropdown menu and select **SearchWP**. Once that’s done, you can click ‘Save’ at the top right corner after setting up the Search Form. ![Saving search form created with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save_search_form-1030x293.jpg)### Step 3: Customize Your Search Results Page Next, you can also customize the search results page using SearchWP Results Template. To do that, navigate to the WordPress dashboard and go to **SearchWP » Templates**. From here, you can add a new results template or edit the default template. ![Add new results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-results-template-1030x512.png "Add new results template - SearchWP")After that, you can choose from 6 predesigned theme layouts. You can see the preview right underneath. Do note that the final appearance may vary depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. ![Pre-designed theme layouts for search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/theme_layouts_predesigned-1030x916.jpg "Pre-designed theme layouts for search results page - SearchWP")SearchWP also gives you more options to customize the results page. For more details, you can follow our guide on [how to customize the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize the WordPress Search Results Page Easily (For Beginners)"). ## Optimize The WordPress Search Results Page You need to optimize the WordPress search results page to enhance the user experience and increase engagement on your website. Let’s explore several proven strategies to help you achieve this, all of which can easily be done using the advanced capabilities of SearchWP. ### Implement Live Search For Instant Results One of the key features that makes Google search easy to use is its ability to perform live searches. If you can implement something similar that shows results in real-time, it will significantly enhance the user experience on your WordPress site. By activating Ajax search, the search results will update dynamically as the user types their query, providing instant feedback without reloading the page. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Live-search-final-preview.gif "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally - SearchWP")This not only makes the search process faster but also more interactive and engaging, encouraging visitors to explore your site further. Follow this step-by-step guide to learn [how to add live autocomplete search in WordPress with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). ### Take Control of the Order of Search Results Customizing the order of search results allows you to prioritize more relevant or valuable content for your audience. By strategically ordering search results, you can nudge visitors to your desired content, promotional materials, or important pages, enhancing the discoverability of key content on your WordPress site. ![Configure Custom Results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")Here’s a detailed guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress using SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). ### Exclude Irrelevant Content Removing irrelevant content and showing only the relevant results are crucial for maintaining the search quality of your WordPress site. By filtering out content that does not contribute to the user’s search intent, you can streamline the search process, making it easier for users to find the information they need. Learn how to enhance the accuracy and usefulness of search results by [excluding certain pages or content types from site search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") using SearchWP. ### Show Related Content Displaying related content alongside search results can significantly improve the user experience, offering users additional resources that are relevant to their interests. This not only increases engagement but also provides an opportunity to showcase a wider range of content, potentially leading to increased page views and longer site visits. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: See Related Content - Final Result](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-6-1-1030x629.jpg "step62-show-related-6-1 - SearchWP") Learn more by following our guide on [how to show related content in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress"). While the default WordPress search results page comes with the bare minimum, it’s nowhere close to providing an optimum overall search experience for your users. Your visitors deserve a proper search results page that helps them find what they are looking for instantly and seamlessly. Develop a search results page that not only maintains visitor interest but also amplifies engagement, lifts your website’s key performance metrics, and, in turn, improves your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to optimize the WordPress search results page. You may also want to see our guide on [how to filter brands on your WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-brands-on-your-woocommerce-store/ "How to Filter Brands on Your WooCommerce Store") and [how to customize your WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"). [Get SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") to optimize the WordPress search results page of your website completely. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** optimize search results, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [Introducing SearchWP Voice Search Feature for Better Experience & Accessibility](https://searchwp.com/introducing-searchwp-voice-search-feature/) **Published:** February 24, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We just shipped SearchWP 4.5.8, and this one comes with a feature we’ve been genuinely excited to get into your hands: **Voice Search**. As of today, your visitors can speak their search queries instead of typing them. One tap on a mic button, a few spoken words, and they’re looking at results. No keyboard, no typos, no friction. It’s a small change to the search experience that makes a surprisingly big difference, especially on mobile. Here’s everything that’s new. ## Why Voice Search, Why Now? Think about how you use your own phone. You ask it for directions. You dictate text messages. You ask questions out loud without thinking twice. Your site visitors do the same thing, and that habit doesn’t switch off when they land on your website. They arrive expecting a fast, intuitive experience, and when the [search bar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") only accepts typed input, there’s an invisible gap between how they naturally want to interact and what your site actually offers. Voice Search closes that gap. But it goes beyond convenience and enhances accessibility for your WordPress website. For people living with motor disabilities, arthritis, dyslexia, or other conditions that make typing difficult or painful, a voice-enabled search bar just takes the overall user experience to the next level. You’re making your site more welcoming to everyone. That’s the kind of upgrade that benefits your visitors quietly but meaningfully, and reflects well on the care you’ve put into your site. And the best part is that SearchWP makes it easy to get there without any complicated setup. ## What’s New with the Voice Search Feature Here’s exactly what your visitors will experience when you enable this feature: - **A mic button appears next to the search field.** Clean, simple, and unobtrusive, it sits right alongside the search input, ready when your visitor needs it. - **They tap, speak, and their words appear.** The spoken query is transcribed in real time and written directly into the search field. They can see it happening as they speak, which feels remarkably satisfying. - **The search can trigger automatically.** If you enable the automatic form submission option, SearchWP will fire the search as soon as the final transcript comes in. This means the visitor goes from speaking to seeing results without any extra steps. ## Get Started with SearchWP Voice Search You’ll find the Voice Search settings right inside [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). The best part is that it’s super simple to enable the option. No complicated setup required. Simply head to the **Search Form** page in SearchWP from your WordPress dashboard. From here, scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. Now, click the toggle to enable the **Voice Search** option. ![Enable voice search option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-voice-search-option-1030x492.png "Enable voice search option - SearchWP")You’ll also find the ‘Automatic Form Submission’ right under Voice Search. This option controls whether the search fires automatically after speaking or waits for the visitor to confirm. If you enable it, then the search form is automatically submitted after the speech recognition is complete. Next, you can visit the search form on your website, and you’ll notice the microphone icon in the search bar. Users can simply click the icon and speak the search query. ![View the voice search icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-the-voice-search-icon-1030x393.png "View the voice search icon - SearchWP")The voice search feature is now out! Do note that this new feature works with browsers that support Web Speech API, which includes Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Safari. So what are you waiting for?[ Update to the latest SearchWP version](https://searchwp.com/buy/ " Update to the latest SearchWP version"). Once you’re on 4.5.8, Voice Search will be waiting for you in the form settings inside SearchWP. As always, we really appreciate your support in making SearchWP the best search plugin for WordPresss. If you have questions or need support, [our team is here to help](https://searchwp.com/account/support/ "Reach out to our team for support"). **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** SearchWP, SearchWP 4.5.8, speak your queries, speech recognition, voice search, Voice Search Feature, Web Speech API --- ### [How to Filter WooCommerce by Product Type (5 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-by-product-type/) **Published:** February 17, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When you add products to your WooCommerce store, you’re probably not thinking about how they’ll all look mixed together on one page. You might have simple items, products with multiple sizes or color options, bundle offers, and even downloadable files all mixed together. We’ve seen how confusing this becomes for shoppers. They land on your shop page and see every product type jumbled together without any way to sort through them. The solution is adding a filter that lets shoppers sort products by type. It gives them control over what they see and helps them find the right kind of product in seconds. In this article, we’ll show you how to filter WooCommerce by product type. ## Why Filter WooCommerce Products by Type? Before we walk through the setup process, let’s talk about why product type filtering matters for your store. Think about a customer who only wants to buy gift cards or [downloadable products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress"). Without filters, they’re forced to scroll past physical items they can’t use. We’ve noticed that mixing product types creates confusion at checkout, too. Customers don’t always understand why some products have shipping costs while others don’t, or why certain items have size options and others are fixed. Product type filters solve these problems by letting shoppers narrow down to exactly what they’re looking for. Someone searching for variable products can hide all the simple products with one click. This makes the shopping experience smoother and reduces frustration. When customers can easily find the type of product they need, they’re more likely to complete their purchase. Now, let’s look at how you can easily filter by product type on your online store. ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Product Type The easiest way to add product type filters to your WooCommerce store is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best WordPress filtering plugin that makes sorting products simple for your customers. It works seamlessly with [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") right out of the box. Created by the team behind SearchWP, this plugin gives you powerful filtering options without requiring any coding knowledge. You can set up professional Amazon-style filters in minutes. The plugin lets you create filters for product types, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), tags, attributes, and custom fields. Your customers get the control they need to find products faster. Here are some features WPFilters offers: - **Multiple Filter Types:** Choose from checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, and more to match your store’s design. - **Shareable Filter URLs:** Every filtered search creates a unique link that customers can bookmark or share with friends. - **Easy Placement:** Add filters anywhere on your site using Gutenberg blocks or simple shortcodes. - **Full WooCommerce Support:** Built specifically to work with WooCommerce product data, including all product types. - **Mobile Responsive:** Filters look great and work perfectly on phones and tablets. With that, let’s see how you can set up product type filtering on your store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you’ve created your account, head to your account area and click on the Downloads tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key now since you’ll need it during setup. Next, you need to upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this step, please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, the WPFilters setup wizard will appear on your screen. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to complete the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a Product Type Filter Element Now you need to create the filter that your customers will use to sort products by type. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll start setting up your filter. First, enter a name for your filter at the top, like “Product Type Filter” or something similar that helps you stay organized. Next, you need to choose what type of filter you want to create. WPFilters offers multiple checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, and search bars. For product type filtering, we recommend using the Checkbox option. This lets customers select multiple product types at once if they want to see both simple and variable products together. ![Enter product type filter name and filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-product-type-filter-name-and-filter-field-1030x612.png "Enter product type filter name and filter field - SearchWP")You’ll see a live preview of your filter in the panel on the right side of the screen. This updates once you save your changes, so you can see exactly how it will look. Now scroll down to the **Data Source** section. This is where you tell WPFilters what information to use for the filter. Simply click the dropdown menu and look for the **Product Type** option. Go ahead and select it as your data source. ![Select product type data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-type-data-source-1030x600.png "Select product type data source - SearchWP")WPFilters will automatically detect all the product types you’re using in your store. These typically include simple products, variable products, grouped products, and external products. ### Step 3: Customize Your Product Type Filter After selecting your data source, you can customize how the filter looks and behaves for your customers. Simply scroll down to the **Container** section to adjust the display settings. Here you can control how the filter appears on your store. ![Edit brand filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")For instance, enable the ‘Show Title’ option if you want customers to see a label like “Product Type” above the filter. This helps them understand what they’re sorting by. You can also turn on the ‘Collapsible’ option to let users hide the filter when they don’t need it. This keeps your sidebar tidy and gives customers control over the interface. The ‘Horizontal’ option arranges the filter choices side-by-side instead of in a vertical list. Next, look at the **Items** section below the Container settings. This controls how individual filter options appear to your customers. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")Enable ‘Item Count’ to show how many products exist for each type. For example, it might display “Simple Products (24)” or “Variable Products (18),” so customers know what to expect. When you’re satisfied with how everything looks, scroll to the top of the page and click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save product type filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-type-filter-1030x497.png "Save product type filter - SearchWP")You’ll see a preview of your completed filter in the right panel, showing exactly how it will appear to customers. ### Step 4: Add the Filter to Your Store Now that your filter is ready, you need to place it on your WooCommerce store where customers can actually use it. WPFilters makes this easy by offering multiple ways to embed your filter. You can use a Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or PHP code if you’re comfortable with development. To get started, click the ‘Embed’ button at the top of the Elements page. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")A popup window will appear showing you the different embed options. You can add the filter to an existing page or create a new one. For this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add the product type filter to your WooCommerce shop page sidebar. This is where most customers expect to find filtering options. Simply head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Do note that these steps might vary slightly depending on which WordPress theme you’re using for your store. From here, scroll down to find your WooCommerce sidebar or Shop sidebar section. Then, you can click the + button to add the **WPFilters Element** widget block. ![Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-to-shop-sidebar-1030x644.png "Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar - SearchWP")Once you’ve added the WPFilters Element block, you need to tell it which filter to display. Look at the ‘Settings’ panel on the right side of your screen. And then click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and choose the product type filter you created in the previous steps. ![Select product type element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-type-element-1030x545.png "Select product type element - SearchWP")When you’re done, click the **Update** button at the top to save your changes. Your filter is now live on your store. ### Step 5: Test Your Product Type Filter After adding the filter to your store, the final step is to test it and make sure everything works correctly. Visit your WooCommerce shop page to see the product type filter in action. You should see it displayed in your sidebar with all the product types from your store. ![View product type filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-type-filter-1-1030x682.png "View product type filter - SearchWP")The filter should show checkboxes for each product type you have, like simple product, variable product, and grouped product. Now let’s test if the filtering actually works. Go ahead and click on one of the product types in the filter. For example, if you select “Variable Product” from the checkbox list, your shop page should refresh and show only products that have multiple variations, like [size or color options](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"). ![Test product type filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-product-type-filters-1030x629.png "Test product type filters - SearchWP")All your simple products, grouped products, and other types should disappear from view. Only the variable products remain visible. Try selecting multiple product types at once by checking more than one box. The shop page should now display products from both types you selected. This gives your customers the flexibility to compare different product types or narrow down to exactly what they need. ## FAQs About WooCommerce Product Type Filters **1. Can I add multiple filters to my WooCommerce store?** Yes, you can create as many filters as you need. For instance, you can stack multiple filters in the sidebar so customers can sort by product type, category, price, and attributes all at once. Each filter works independently, giving shoppers precise control over what they see. **2. Will this work with my current WooCommerce theme?** WPFilters works with almost every WooCommerce theme. We’ve tested it on popular themes like Astra, Storefront, and OceanWP without any issues. The filters integrate seamlessly with your existing sidebar and shop page layout. **3. Do customers need to reload the page to see filtered results?** By default, the page will refresh when customers select a filter option. However, WPFilters supports Ajax filtering, which updates results instantly without reloading the entire page. This creates a smoother shopping experience for your customers. Adding product type filters to your WooCommerce store helps customers find exactly what they’re looking for without scrolling through irrelevant products. We’ve shown you how to set up these filters using WPFilters in just a few simple steps. Your customers can now sort through simple products, variable products, grouped products, and more with a single click. This small change makes a big difference in how shoppers experience your store. They spend less time searching and more time buying, which leads to better sales for your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce by product type. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)") and [how to add a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). Ready to give your customers better control over your product catalog? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filter by product type, Filter WooCommerce, Product type, product type filter woocommerce, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Filter Brands on Your WooCommerce Store (2026)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-brands-on-your-woocommerce-store/) **Published:** February 11, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a WooCommerce store with multiple brands can quickly become overwhelming for your customers. They land on your shop page and see hundreds of products from dozens of different brands all mixed together. We’ve watched customers scroll endlessly through product pages, trying to find items from their favorite brand. Most of them give up after a minute or two and leave the site without buying anything. The problem gets worse as your inventory grows. Adding more brands should help your business, but without proper filtering, it just creates more clutter for shoppers to wade through. In this article, we’ll show you how to filter brands on your WooCommerce store using WPFilters. ## Why Brand Filters Matter for Your WooCommerce Store Before we jump into the tutorial, let’s talk about why brand filtering can transform your [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). Think of your store like a department store without any signs or sections. Customers who want Nike shoes have to walk past every single brand in the building just to find what they’re looking for. Brand filters solve this problem by letting shoppers instantly narrow down products to only the brands they trust. Someone shopping for Apple accessories doesn’t want to scroll past dozens of generic brands to find what they need. We’ve noticed that stores with brand filters keep visitors browsing longer. When customers can easily find their favorite brands, they’re more likely to explore multiple products and make a purchase. Brand loyalty is real, and your customers have preferences. Some shoppers only buy organic skincare brands, while others stick to budget-friendly options from specific manufacturers. Without filters, you’re forcing brand-conscious customers to work too hard. They’ll often leave your site and buy from a competitor who makes brand shopping easier. Adding brand filters also sets your store apart from competitors who haven’t implemented this feature. It shows customers that you understand their shopping preferences and care about their experience. That said, let’s see how you can easily add brand filters to your site. ## Filter Brands on Your WooCommerce Store The easiest way to add brand filters to your WooCommerce store is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best WordPress filtering plugin that makes adding brand filters simple, even if you’ve never set up anything like this before. It’s built by the same team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), which means you’re getting a tool from experts who understand how filtering and search work together. Using WPFilters, you can create professional brand filters without touching a single line of code. The plugin handles all the technical work while you just click through simple settings. Here are some features you get with WPFilters: - **Multiple Filter Types**: Choose from checkboxes, dropdowns, radio buttons, [slider range](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), or search bars for your brand filter. - **WooCommerce Integration**: Works seamlessly with WooCommerce product brands and attributes. - **Shareable Filter URLs**: Every filtered search creates a unique link that customers can bookmark or share. - **Place Filters Anywhere**: Add brand filters to your shop page, sidebar, or any custom location using Gutenberg blocks. - **Customization Options**: Control how your filters look with titles, item counts, and collapsible sections. Now, let’s walk through the steps to add brand filtering to your WooCommerce store. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you’ve created an account, simply head to your account area and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, you’ll need to click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. We also recommend copying the License Key from this page, as you’ll need it to activate the plugin. Next, you can upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")Once you’ve completed the setup wizard, you’re ready to create your first brand filter. ### Step 2: Create a Brand Filter Element Next, you’ll need to create a new filter element that your customers will use to sort products by brand. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and simply click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")On the next page, you can start setting up your brand filter. First, enter a name for your filter at the top, like “Filter by Brand” or “Product Brands.” This name helps you stay organized if you create multiple filters later. After that, you’ll need to select the type of filter you want to create. WPFilters offers multiple options, such as a checkbox, a radio list, a dropdown, a search bar, and more. For this tutorial, we’ll use the ‘Checkbox’ option because it lets customers select multiple brands at once. ![Select checkbox filter element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-checkbox-filter-element-1030x603.png "Select checkbox filter element - SearchWP")You’ll also see a live preview of your brand filter in the panel on the right. This allows you to see exactly how it will look to your customers. ### Step 3: Connect the Filter to Brand Data Now you need to tell the filter which data to use for sorting your WooCommerce products. Simply scroll down to the ‘Data Source’ section and click the dropdown menu. Here, you’ll see different options for product data. Since you want to filter by brands, go ahead and select the **Brands (product\_brand)** option from the list. ![Select brands as data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-brands-as-data-source-1030x541.png "Select brands as data source - SearchWP")WPFilters will automatically detect all the brands you’ve added to your products. This means the filter will display every brand that exists in your store’s inventory. The filter will also update automatically when you add new brands to your products in the future. ### Step 4: Customize Your Brand Filter After connecting the brand data, you can customize how the filter looks and behaves on your store. Simply scroll down to the ‘Container’ section to adjust the display settings. ![Edit brand filter container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-brand-filter-container-settings-1030x494.png "Edit filter container settings - SearchWP")Here, you can enable the ‘Show Title’ option so customers see a clear label like “Filter by Brand” above the filter. You can also turn on the ‘Collapsible’ option to let visitors hide the filter when they don’t need it, which saves space on mobile devices. If you want the brand names to appear side-by-side instead of in a vertical list, enable the ‘Horizontal’ option. Next, scroll down to the ‘Items’ section to control how individual brands appear in the filter. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")If you want, you can enable ‘Item Count’ so customers can see how many products are available for each brand. This helps set expectations before they click. You can also consider turning off ‘Show Empty’ to hide brands that don’t have any products in stock. This prevents customers from clicking on a brand only to find zero results. When you’re satisfied with all the settings, scroll to the top of the page and click the **Save** button. ![Save brand filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-brand-filters-1030x453.png "Save brand filters - SearchWP")### Step 5: Add the Brand Filter to Your Store Now that your brand filter is ready, the next step is to display it on your [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") store, where customers can actually use it. WPFilters makes this process simple by offering multiple ways to embed your filter. To get started, simply click the ‘Embed’ button at the top of the Elements page. ![Embed brand filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-brand-filters-1030x609.png "Embed brand filters - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a popup window with different embedding options. You can choose between the Gutenberg block, a [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), or PHP code if you’re a developer. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")However, the best method to add your brand filter is in the sidebar of your store. Adding the filter to your sidebar keeps it visible while customers browse different pages of your store. To do this, head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. **Note:** The steps might vary slightly depending on the WordPress theme you’re using for your WooCommerce store. Next, scroll down to your WooCommerce sidebar section and click the ‘+’ button to add a new block. Search for and add the **WPFilters Element** widget block. ![Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-to-shop-sidebar-1-1030x617.png "Add WPFilters element to shop sidebar - SearchWP")From the settings panel on the right, click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and choose the brand filter you created earlier. When you’re done, click the **Update** button to save your changes. ![Choose brands filter from settings panel](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-brands-filter-from-settings-panel-1030x530.png "Choose brands filter from settings panel - SearchWP")### Step 6: Test Your Brand Filter After adding the brand filter to your WooCommerce store, the next step is to test it and make sure everything works correctly. Simply visit your shop page to see the brand filter in action. ![View brands filter in sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-brands-filter-in-sidebar-1030x649.png "View brands filter in sidebar - SearchWP")You should see your brand filter displayed either on the shop page or in the sidebar, depending on where you placed it in the previous step. Now, try selecting different brands from the filter. The products on the page should update automatically to show only items from the brands you selected. For example, if we select “CeraVe” on our demo store, then only products from this specific brand will be shown, while hiding everything else. ![Test brands filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-brands-filters-1030x651.png "Test brands filters - SearchWP")If everything is working correctly, your customers can now easily filter products by their favorite brands, making it much easier for them to find exactly what they’re looking for. ## FAQs About WooCommerce Brand Filters Here are some common questions we get about setting up brand filters in WooCommerce. **1. Do I need coding knowledge to set up brand filters in WooCommerce?** Not at all. WPFilters handles all the technical work for you, so you can create brand filters just by clicking through the settings. We designed this tutorial specifically for store owners who don’t have coding experience. **2. Will this work with my current theme?** Yes, WPFilters works with almost every WooCommerce theme. We’ve tested it with popular themes it integrates smoothly with their layouts. **3. Can I combine brand filters with other filters, like price or category?** Absolutely. You can create multiple filter elements in WPFilters and stack them together. For example, you could let customers filter by brand, price range, and product category all at the same time. This gives shoppers very precise control over what they see in your store. Brand filters transform the shopping experience in your WooCommerce store by helping customers find their favorite manufacturers instantly. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter brands on your WooCommerce store. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)") and [how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)"). Ready to make brand shopping easier for your customers? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filter brands, filter button, SearchWP, WooCommerce, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Include bbPress Forum Topics & Replies in WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-bbpress-forum-topics-replies-in-wordpress-search/) **Published:** February 6, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Building a thriving online community takes real effort. You spend time moderating discussions, encouraging participation, and cultivating valuable conversations in your bbPress forums. But there’s a hidden problem that quietly undermines all that hard work. When visitors search your site, they don’t see any of those forum discussions. Years of helpful answers, detailed troubleshooting threads, and expert advice remain invisible to your search function. We’ve watched site owners struggle with this exact issue since the default WordPress search has many limitations. In this article, we’ll show you how to include bbPress forum topics and replies in WordPress search. ## Why Doesn’t bbPress Forum Content Appear in WordPress Search? The [default WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") function has a major blind spot when it comes to forum content. When someone searches your site, WordPress looks through standard posts and pages by default. It skips right over your forum discussions, even when they contain the exact information your visitor needs. This creates a frustrating experience for everyone involved. Your community members have already answered common questions dozens of times in forum threads. But new visitors keep asking the same things because they can’t find those existing discussions. The problem gets worse as your forum grows. More valuable content gets buried deeper, making your community less helpful to newcomers than it should be. Fixing this issue will help your visitors find the information they need faster. It will reduce duplicate forum posts and make your entire community more valuable to everyone who uses it. That said, let’s look at a quick and easy way of making your forum topics and replies searchable in WordPress. ## Make bbPress Forum Topics and Replies Searchable The easiest way to make your bbPress forum content searchable is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/) that gives you complete control over what appears in your search results. It works seamlessly with bbPress to index both forum topics and replies. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners use SearchWP to improve their site search and help visitors find the content they need. Beyond making forum content searchable, SearchWP offers powerful features that enhance your entire search experience: - **Live Search Results:** Display search results instantly as visitors type, making it faster to find forum discussions. - **Custom Search Forms:** Create dedicated search forms just for your forums with specific settings. - **Search Statistics:** Track what [people search for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") on your site to understand which forum topics interest your community most. - **Fuzzy Search:** Let visitors find forum posts even when they misspell search terms or use slightly different keywords. - **PDF Indexing:** Make downloadable files and PDF documents from your forums searchable alongside topics and replies. - **Seamless Integrations:** SearchWP works seamlessly with popular plugins like [WooCommerce ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search")and page builders. With SearchWP, you can transform your forum from a hidden archive into a searchable [knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress") that serves your community better. Now, let’s walk through the steps to make your bbPress content fully searchable. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once you’ve created your account, log in and navigate to the **Downloads** tab in your dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")On this page, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. While you’re here, copy your license key from the bottom left corner since you’ll need it during setup. Next, you’ll need to install SearchWP on your WordPress site by uploading the ZIP file. If you need help with this step, check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen with the setup wizard. Click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the simple onscreen instructions to complete the initial configuration. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once you finish the setup wizard, you’re ready to install the bbPress integration. ### Step 2: Install the bbPress Integration Extension The [bbPress Integration extension](https://searchwp.com/features/bbpress-integration/ "bbPress Integration extension") allows SearchWP to index forum content and include it in search results. To install this extension, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can scroll down until you find the bbPress Integration extension in the list and then click the ‘Install’ button. ![bbPress integration extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/bbpress-integration-extension-1030x570.png "bbPress integration extension - SearchWP")The extension activates automatically after installation. Now you’re ready to configure SearchWP to include your forums, topics, and replies in search results. ### Step 3: Customize Your Search Engine Next, you can customize the search engine in SearchWP and include content from bbPress in the search results. This can include the forums created on your site, the forum topics, forum replies, topic tags, and more. First, you will need to head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. You’ll see your default search engine with its current sources listed. Go ahead and click the **Sources & Settings** button to modify what SearchWP includes when performing searches. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")A popup window will appear showing all available sources on your site. By default, it will already include posts, pages, and media as sources. Next, you can select Forums, Topics, and Replies as sources for your engine. ![Select forms and replies as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-forms-and-replies-as-source-1030x518.png "Select forms and replies as source - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the **Done** button to save this change. Now SearchWP will search through different forums, forum topics, and replies when visitors use your site search. This gives them access to the complete forum conversation, not just the original questions. ### Step 4: Customize Forum Search Attributes Adding forums, topics, and replies as sources tells SearchWP where to look. But you also need to specify which attributes within those sources should be searchable. These can include any custom fields or taxonomies, like tags or [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), in the search process. For instance, you can scroll down on the ‘Algorithm’ page to view the Forum until you see the ‘Topics’ section. Simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button to configure which parts of forum topics SearchWP should index. ![Edit topics attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-topics-attributes-1030x446.png "Edit topics attributes - SearchWP")A popup window will open showing available attributes. By default, SearchWP includes basic attributes like title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. You can also add [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and taxonomies, such as ‘Topic Tags (topic-tags)’, to improve the overall search experience. ![Add topic tags attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-topic-tags-attribute-1030x473.png "Add topic tags attribute - SearchWP")Click **Done** when you’re satisfied with the topic attributes. Now, you can scroll down to the Forums and Replies section and click the Add/Remove Attributes button to edit their attributes. Simply configure their attributes the same way. The content attribute is especially important here since it contains all the actual reply text where answers and discussions happen. The final step is to save all your changes. You can do that by scrolling to the top of the page and clicking the **Save** button in the upper-right corner. ![Save search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-search-engine-1030x481.png "Save search engine - SearchWP")### Step 5: Test Your Forum Search Now that you’ve configured SearchWP to include forum content, it’s time to make sure everything works correctly. Visit your site’s front end and navigate to the search bar. Think of a specific topic or reply you know exists in your forums. For this test, choose something distinctive that appears in your forum discussions but not in your regular posts or pages. This way, you can clearly see that SearchWP is finding forum content. Type your search term into the search bar and press Enter or click the search button. ![Search form on demo site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-on-demo-site-1030x394.png "Search form on demo site - SearchWP")You should now see forum topics and replies appear in your search results alongside your regular content. The results will show the topic title or reply content that matches your search query. For example, on our test site about a coffee cafe, we searched for “management,” which appears in a forum discussion. The search results now include both the original forum and its topics. ![View forum search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-forum-search-results-1030x495.png "View forum search results - SearchWP")If we click any of the results, it will take us to the forum where the discussion is happening. This shows that the search is working correctly and the forums created using bbPress are now searchable in WordPress. ![See forum as results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/see-forum-as-results-1030x557.png "See forum as results - SearchWP")## FAQs about Including bbPress Search Here are some common questions we get about making bbPress forums searchable in WordPress. **1. Will this slow down my site?** No, SearchWP is designed to be efficient and won’t impact your site speed. It builds a search index in the background, so searches happen quickly without putting extra load on your database during each query. **2. Can I search by forum author?** Yes, you can make forum authors searchable. When you configure the attributes for Topics and Replies, you’ll see an Author option available. Simply include it in your searchable attributes, and visitors can find posts by specific community members. **3. Does this work with other forum plugins?** SearchWP is specifically designed to work with bbPress through its dedicated integration extension. You can check the [SearchWP Features page](https://searchwp.com/features/ "SearchWP Features") to see all available integrations for different forum solutions. **4. What happens to new forum posts?** SearchWP automatically indexes new forum topics and replies as soon as they’re published. You don’t need to manually rebuild the index every time someone posts in your forums. The plugin monitors your site for new content and updates the search index in real-time. Making your bbPress forum content searchable transforms your community from a collection of isolated discussions into a valuable knowledge base. Visitors can now find answers that community members already provided months or years ago. This reduces duplicate questions, helps newcomers get up to speed faster, and makes your entire forum more useful to everyone. We hope this article helped you learn how to include bbPress forum topics and replies in WordPress search. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)") and [how to track searches on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). Ready to make your forum content searchable and build a stronger community? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** bbPress Integration Extension, forum topics, Forum Topics & Replies in WordPress Search, forums, make replies searchable, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Create Advanced Search Forms in WordPress (Easily)](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/) **Published:** February 4, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Want to create advanced search forms in WordPress without writing code? Even if you have what your visitors are looking for on your website, you are losing business if they cannot find it, which is why you need a good search form. It will help you reduce frustration and increase engagement with your content, providing an improved user experience. An ideal search form is quite challenging to create with the default WordPress search, as it’s time-consuming and requires expert coding skills. In this article, we will show you how to create advanced search forms in WordPress. ## Why Use Advanced Search Forms on Your Site? Before we get to the tutorial, let’s talk about why you might need more than just a standard search bar. We have seen that when visitors can’t find what they need quickly, they usually leave the website. An advanced search form helps prevent this by acting like a smart assistant that filters out the noise. It lets your users narrow down their hunt to specific categories, [tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)"), or even custom post types right from the start. This means someone looking for a “video tutorial” won’t get stuck reading through “text articles.” We have found that this specificity keeps visitors happy and helps them engage more with your content. Now, let’s look at an easy way of adding advanced search forms to your WordPress website. ## The Best Way to Create Advanced Search Forms The easiest way to build these specific search forms is with a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") because it enhances the search experience on your site and replaces the weaknesses you’ll find in the default search. It allows us to create multiple unique search engines that can be tuned to look for exactly what we want. For example, you can use it to create one search bar that looks only for products and another that looks only for support articles. It handles all the heavy lifting in the background to make sure your visitors get the right results instantly. Here are a few other things we love about SearchWP: - **Search PDF content:** It can read the text inside your [PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), so users can find documents easily. - **Exclude specific pages:** You can use this to [hide specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or areas, like the checkout pages or admin content to keep the results clean. - **View search statistics:** It tracks exactly [what people look for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site"), so you can see what content is popular on your site. - **Fuzzy search:** This feature helps users find the right result even if they make a spelling mistake in their query. With that, let’s look at how you can set up SearchWP to create an advanced search form. ## Install And Activate SearchWP To get started, you will need to [grab your copy of the SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") plugin. You can do this by visiting the website and setting up a new account. Once done, head over to the Downloads tab on your SearchWP account and click **Download SearchWP**. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")We would also recommend copying your license key from the same screen; it will be required after a few steps. Now, you can install and activate SearchWP like any other plugin. If you are not sure how to do that, you can check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button on the welcome screen to finish the initial setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")## Configure Search Engine for WordPress First things first: you need a search engine for your search form to work. The built-in WordPress search engine is a basic one and does not include custom post types, eCommerce products, document content, or taxonomies, to name a few. To set up the search engine, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you have the option to edit the default engine or create new ones. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Besides that, you can select which sources to include by clicking the **Sources & Settings** button. By default, SearchWP will include Posts, Pages, and Media as sources. However, if you have an eCommerce store, then you can add ‘Products’ as a source. Similarly, if you’re running a digital downloads store using [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress"), then make ‘Downloads’ searchable on your website. ![Include downloads in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-downloads-in-the-search-engine-1030x501.png "Include downloads in the search engine - SearchWP")SearchWP also lets you add additional information in the search process. For example, you can include custom fields, categories, and tags. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ## Create Advanced Search Forms In WordPress Without Code Using SearchWP, you can create a search form in WordPress in 3 easy steps. Now, let’s see this in action step-by-step. ### Step 1: Add New Form First, you’ll need to navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms**. From here, you can then click on the **Add New** button. ![adding a new form on SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add_new_form.jpg "add_new_form - SearchWP")You’ll get a new form with a system-generated name. Let’s give it a meaningful name, like Product Page Search, so it can be recognizable down the road. You can do that by clicking the pencil icon on the top left. ![naming the search form ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming_search_form.jpg "naming_search_form - SearchWP")### Step 2: Configure The Form The effectiveness of a search form depends largely on its design and functionality. So, let’s pick a Layout Theme from the predesigned template in SearchWP. You can see the Theme Preview right beneath the layouts. Go ahead and pick the one that serves you the best. ![create advanced search forms in WordPress by choosing a layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/different_search_form_layouts-edited.png "different_search_form_layouts-edited - SearchWP")You can also control the layout and features by tweaking the Custom Styling settings. Let’s go over the settings one by one. **Category Search:** Enabling this will show a category filter dropdown in the search form. It will show all the available categories. However, you can limit the categories by using the *Select Category* field below. **Quick Search:** It promotes custom words right below the search form; with this, you can incentivize visitors to use these search terms if turned on. **Advanced Search:** It gives your visitors more control over their search capabilities and lets them narrow their search results. Any or all of these settings can be turned on independently. ![customizing the search form style](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-the-search-formstyle.png "customizing the search formstyle - SearchWP")Now, we can use different engines for different search forms. If you want to show different results on various forms, you can also benefit from using a supplemental engine. Let’s stick with **Default,** as we configured that in the previous step. You can also let the form know which search results page to use by selecting one from the dropdown menu. ![selecting the right engine and choosing a search result page.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/selecting-engine-and-search-result-page.png "selecting engine and search result page - SearchWP")As we have already discussed, SearchWP uses its engine to perform search, and what is to be indexed can be defined within the search engine by selecting sources. When a search form uses an engine, it limits the results to only that particular engine. You can put even more restrictions on the form by using the following two settings: **Type of search:** The search engine used by this form uses multiple sources. Selecting them here limits the search to one or more sources. If you leave this field blank, the engine will use all the available sources. **Select Category:** You can put even more restrictions and limit the search only to a particular category. For a category to show up here, it must have at least one item assigned to it. Similar to *Advanced Search***,** your visitors can control search results by selecting their chosen category if Category Search is enabled. Please note the categories you put in here are the ones that will be displayed in the dropdown. ![limiting the search results to only the selected sources and categories ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/limiting_search_results.png "limiting_search_results - SearchWP")Now, it’s time to customize the search form. Put the text you want to be shown as a placeholder inside the search form by using Field Label, and if you want the search form to have a button, turn on the Search Button. ![adding a placeholder and/or a button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding_placholder_button.png "adding_placholder_button - SearchWP")**Quick Search Items:** Enables you to nudge the visitors in the direction you want. It lets you put specific keywords under the search form so the users can select what you want them to look for! You can add these keywords by selecting them from the dropdown. The suggestions you see here come from Metrics if you have it enabled; if not, they are based on Statistics. **Advanced Search Filters:** You can give visitors more control and help them find exactly what they are looking for by letting them use multiple filters. SearchWP currently has support for Authors, Post Types, and Tags. ![leveling up the searching experience. ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/leveling_up_to_advance_search_filters.png "leveling_up_to_advance_search_filters - SearchWP")### Step 3: Style The Form According to Your Taste SearchWP provides you with 4 different styles for the search form. You can pick one you like from the list, and you can also customize the color and font size of the form. ![customizing the search form style ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/different_form_styles_in_SearchWP-1.jpg "Screenshot 2023-11-22 at 2.39.16 AM copy - SearchWP")You may also like to modify the search button according to your taste. There are 3 button styles, so you have the ability to name the button and customize the background color, font color, and font size. Please note that the modification will only work when the Search Button is turned on. ![modifying the form button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/modifying_button_style.png "modifying_button_style - SearchWP")When you have the form you want perfectly configured, you need to store all the changes. Simply click the **Save** button in the top right corner. ![saving the search form after configuration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save_search_form.jpg "save_search_form - SearchWP")### Step 4: Use the Form According to Your Need Now that your search form is configured, you can put it anywhere on your site. To do that, click on **Embed** right next to the Save button. ![getting to the embedding options ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/getting_to_publish_settings.jpg "save_search_form - SearchWP")There are a few options to embed your search form with just a few clicks. SearchWP offers 3 options: Gutenberg block, shortcode, and PHP Code. Select how you want to embed the form and follow the instructions. For instance, if you want to put the search form using a shortcode, select ‘Shortcode’ from the list, and you’ll be presented with the shortcode associated with the form. ![publishing the search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg "Publishing the search form - SearchWP")Go ahead and copy and paste it to your desired location. You can then paste the shortcode by opening the desired page. Besides that, you can also add your search forms to any page or post using the **SearchWP Form** block. First, you will need to edit the page and open the WordPress content editor. From here, click the + sign and add the ‘SearchWP Form’ block. ![Add SearchWP forms block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-1030x514.png "Add SearchWP forms block - SearchWP")Once that’s done, you can then select your search form from the dropdown menu in the block. After adding the form, you can update or publish your landing page or blog post. ![Choose the search form from the block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-search-form-from-the-block-1030x494.png "Choose the search form from the block - SearchWP")Voila! The setup is complete, and your search form is ready for action! The best part about using SearchWP is that it also works with popular page builders like [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)"), Divi, [Oxygen](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-using-oxygen-visual-site-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box Using Oxygen Visual Site Builder"), and more. ## Wrapping Up Using the same technique, you can configure as many custom search forms as you like with only a few clicks. If you want different search forms to show different results, you can do that by leveraging the supplemental engine. SearchWP removes the barrier to coding and enables you to add an advanced search with custom settings. It also comes with countless other features that will improve the search experience for your visitors significantly. We hope this article helped you learn how to create an advanced search form in WordPress effortlessly without writing code. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create custom field filters in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-field-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Custom Field Filters in WordPress (Step by Step)") and [how to include ACF fields into search results on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"). Ready to create advanced search forms in WordPress? [Get the SearchWP plan](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") that fits your needs to take control of search. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add multiple search forms in WordPress, add multiple search forms to your WordPress site, advanced search form, forms, search form, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Improve Job Search Experience in WP Job Manager](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-job-search-experience-in-wp-job-manager/) **Published:** January 27, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a job board is one of the most rewarding projects you might have ever managed on WordPress. We remember launching our first career portal using the WP Job Manager plugin and feeling excited about connecting people with their dream jobs. But we quickly realized that having great job listings doesn’t matter if candidates can’t actually find them. The default search in the plugin is very basic and has a lot of limitations. This is where integrating SearchWP with WP Job Manager enhanced the overall search experience. In this guide, we will show you how to improve the job search experience in WP Job Manager and help visitors find the right opportunities without getting frustrated. ## Why Improve the Default WP Job Manager Search? Before we get to the tutorial, let’s talk about why the standard search in WP Job Manager might be hurting your job board. The WP Job Manager plugin is fantastic for creating job listings and managing applications. It lets you list open positions and organize them by category. However, the [native search](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") isn’t designed to look through specific job data, like “Remote” tags, job type, salary ranges, or details in applications and resumes. For example, a candidate might search for “Marketing Manager New York,” but if those words aren’t in the main title, it might say no results found or show irrelevant results. This creates a lot of friction for your users. If they can’t find a job they qualify for, they will assume your board doesn’t have it and leave. We have found that fixing this search logic is the single best way to keep candidates on your site longer. With that in mind, let’s look at how you can use SearchWP to make sure every job listing gets found. ## Enhance Search Experience in WP Job Manager The easiest way to fix the search limitations on your WP Job Manager job board is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that is beginner-friendly to use. It enhances the default WordPress search with a much more powerful engine. One of its standout features is that it works perfectly with WP Job Manager right out of the box. Over 50,000 website owners use SearchWP to help their visitors find exactly what they need. Using this plugin, you can make sure that job attributes, like location, salary, or job type, are actually searchable. This means if someone searches for “Chicago,” they will actually find jobs located in Chicago, even if the city name isn’t in the job title. Here are some other features that make us great for job boards: - **Fuzzy Search:** Job seekers often make typos when typing fast. SearchWP can find matches even if the spelling is slightly off. - **Search Tracking:** You can see exactly [what people are typing](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") into your search bar. This helps you understand what kind of jobs your audience really wants. - **Exclude Content:** You can keep your search results clean by removing outdated pages or unrelated blog posts from the job search results. - **Custom Results Order:** If you have featured job listings, you can make sure they appear at the very top of the list by [changing the results order](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"). With that, let’s see how you can set up SearchWP to improve your job board. **Note:** If you want to learn how to use WP Job Manager, then please see this guide on [how to create a job board in WordPress.](https://www.wpbeginner.com/plugins/how-to-easily-create-a-job-board-in-wordpress-no-html-required/ "How to Easily Create a Job Board in WordPress (NO HTML Required)") ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first thing we need to do is get the SearchWP plugin up and running. You will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for an account. Once you have your account ready, go to the **Downloads** tab in your dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the **Download SearchWP** button to save the ZIP file to your computer. We also suggest copying your license key from this page right now, as you will need it while setting up the plugin. Next, you need to upload and install the plugin on your WordPress site. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate the plugin, you will see a welcome screen with a setup wizard. You can simply click the **Start Onboarding Wizard** button to get everything initialized. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Install the WP Job Manager Integration Extension Now that SearchWP is active, the next step is to integrate it with [WP Job Manager](https://searchwp.com/features/wp-job-manager-integration/ "SearchWP’s WP Job Manager Integration"). WP Job Manager comes with a feature-rich search, but if you’d like to enhance it further with keyword implementation, you can integrate SearchWP with it directly. To start, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Install WP job manager integration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-wp-job-manager-intergration-1030x599.png "Install WP job manager integration - SearchWP")Once you are there, scroll down until you see the **WP Job Manager Integration** extension. Go ahead and click the **Install** button to add it to your site. ### Step 3: Customize Your Job Search Engine Now you need to adjust the search engine settings in SearchWP and include jobs as a source. The best part about using SearchWP is that you can create as many search engines as you want or customize the default engine. This gives you complete control over what to include in the search process, such as [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") and taxonomies. To do this, first navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** in your dashboard. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")From here, you will see the default search engine setup. Go ahead and click the **Sources & Settings** button. A popup window will appear showing different sources for your engine. By default, it will include Posts, Pages, and Media. Make sure you check the box next to **Jobs** as the source. ![Choose jobs as a source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-jobs-as-a-source-1030x494.png "Choose jobs as a source - SearchWP")When you are done selecting sources, simply click the **Done** button. Next, you’ll need to scroll down to the Jobs section and include additional information stored in custom fields, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), and tags in the search process. To do that, click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add remove jobs attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-remove-jobs-attribute-1030x426.png "Add remove jobs attribute - SearchWP")A new window will pop up where you can select specific data to include. Here, you can add custom fields such as job location, company name, job expiration date, company website, and other information in the search process. ![Include job custom fields and taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-job-custom-fields-and-taxonomies-1030x470.png "Include job custom fields and taxonomies - SearchWP")Similarly, you can also include taxonomies like job types to improve the search experience in WP Job Manager. When you are finished, click the **Done** button. Finally, don’t forget to press the **Save** button at the top of the page to apply these changes to your search engine. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")### Step 4: Test Your New Job Search in WP Job Manager Now that you have set everything up, it is time to see if it works. We always recommend testing the search bar immediately to make sure the new attributes are being picked up. To test your search settings, head over to your website and open your job board. From here, try searching for something specific, like a job location or a company name. ![Search country in job board](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-country-in-job-board-1030x484.png "Search country in job board - SearchWP")For example, we typed in “London” to see if it pulls up jobs listed in that city. As you can see, the search results now include jobs based on the location, even if “London” isn’t in the job title. ![Job board search preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/job-board-search-preview-1030x446.png "Job board search preview - SearchWP")This means your candidates can now find opportunities much faster. ## FAQs about WP Job Manager Search You can also check out some of the common questions users have about improving search on their job boards. **1. Can you allow candidates to search by salary range?** Yes, you can. If your job listings have a salary field, SearchWP can index it. You just need to add the salary custom field (often labeled as `_job_salary`) to the attributes list. This helps users find jobs that meet their financial expectations. **2. Do I need to change my WordPress theme for this to work?** No, you don’t. SearchWP integrates automatically with your existing theme’s search template. We have tested it with many popular job board themes, and it works seamlessly without breaking your site’s design. **3. Can I search for jobs using partial words?** Absolutely. If you enable the “[Partial Matches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites")” setting in SearchWP, candidates can find the right job even if they make a small typo, like searching for “enginier” instead of “engineer.” Creating a smooth job search experience is the best way to help your visitors find their next career move. We hope this article helped you learn how to improve the job search experience in WP Job Manager. You may also want to see our guide on [how to search by custom fields in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to restrict search to specific post types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"). If you are ready to upgrade your job board search, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, default search, job, job listing, job search, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WP Job Manager, WP Job Manager Integration --- ### [How to Add a Reset Filter Button in WordPress (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-reset-filter-button-in-wordpress/) **Published:** January 23, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’ve visited online stores where you clicked a bunch of options to narrow down products, it feels great until you realize you selected the wrong size or color and can’t figure out how to undo it. The search results page gets stuck showing nothing, and there is no easy way to clear the selection. This usually forces users to hit the back button or refresh the page, which is very annoying. The best fix is showing exactly which filters are active and giving users a simple button to reset everything. In this guide, we will show you how to add a reset filter button in WordPress. ## Why Your Visitors Get Stuck Without a Reset Button? Imagine walking down a grocery aisle and putting items in your cart, but then realizing you can’t take them out. That is exactly what it feels like for a user when they select a filter like “Red” or “Small” and can’t uncheck it easily. We have noticed that when users select multiple options on a website, they often forget what they clicked a few moments ago. They end up staring at a “No results found” message and feel frustrated because they don’t know how to fix it. This confusion kills sales and makes people leave the sites we manage. By showing active filters, you are basically giving your visitors a map so they know exactly where they are. Adding a reset button is like hitting a start over switch. It gives control back to the user so they can browse your content freely without the fear of getting stuck in a dead end. That said, let’s look at a quick and easy way of adding a reset button to WordPress. ## Showing a Filter Reset Button in WordPress The easiest way to let users control their search experience is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best filtering plugin for WordPress that makes managing search results effortless. We love using it because it allows you to add helpful navigation tools without writing any code. Usually, you would need to hire a developer to show active filters or add a clear button. But WPFilters handles these complex tasks automatically so you can focus on your content. It is built by the same team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), so we trust it to deliver accurate results every time. Here are some things you can do with WPFilters: - **Show Active Filters:** Display a list of selected criteria so users know exactly what they are viewing. - **One-Click Reset:** Add a simple button that lets visitors clear all filters instantly. - **Various Filter Types:** Choose from checkboxes, dropdowns, [range sliders](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), and radio buttons to suit your design. - **Easy Integration:** Place your filters anywhere on your site using the block editor. With that, let’s see how to set up active filters and a reset button on your website. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you will need to visit the SearchWP website to get the WPFilters plugin. When you’re done, simply go to your SearchWP dashboard and click the **Downloads** tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Once you get to the Downloads tab, press the Download WPFilters button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. You should also copy your license key at the bottom left, as you will need it later in the setup process. Next, you will need to install and activate WPFilters on your WordPress website. If you are not sure how to do that, then please see this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a New Reset Filter Element To begin, you need to create a new element that will hold all your different filtering options. Simply navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add a new filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-filter-1030x529.png "Add a new filter - SearchWP")Next, you can type in a title for your filter set in the field provided at the top. From here, you’ll need to choose the specific type of filter you want to display. Go ahead and choose the **Reset** option under the Filter Type section. ![Select reset button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-reset-button-1030x574.png "Select reset button - SearchWP")After that, you can scroll down to the Container section. Here, you’ll see options to show the title of the filter and make it collapsible. ![Reset button container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/reset-button-container-settings-1030x336.png "Reset button container settings - SearchWP")When you’re done, go ahead and scroll to the top. From here, simply click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save the reset button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-the-reset-button-1030x535.png "Save the reset button - SearchWP")### Step 4: Embed the Reset Button in WordPress Now that you’ve created the reset button, the last step is to add it to your website where you’ve placed other filters. The best part about using WPFilters is that you can easily embed the reset button anywhere, be it a specific page or the widget area. If you want to add the filter reset button to a specific page, simply click the **Embed** button in the Element editor. ![Embed the reset button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-the-reset-button-1030x535.png "Embed the reset button - SearchWP")Next, a new popup window will open with different options for adding the filter element. For instance, you can choose from a Gutenberg block, [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), and PHP code. After that, you can place the filter on a new page or an existing page. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also embed the filter manually to a widget area of your site, like the sidebar. For this tutorial, we’ll add the reset button to the sidebar of our demo [online store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress") where there are other filters as well. To do that, simply head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. An important thing to remember is this step might differ depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. Next, scroll down to the sidebar section and click the ‘+’ sign to add the **WPFilters Element** widget block. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Once that’s done, you’ll need to select the reset filter you created from the settings panel on the right. Simply click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and pick your filter. ![Pick reset button filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/pick-reset-button-filter-1030x461.png "Pick reset button filter - SearchWP")After that, you can click the **Update** button to save your changes. The next step is to visit your website and test the reset button filter. For example, here’s how it works on our demo site: ![Reset filter button preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/reset-filter-button-preview.gif "Reset filter button preview - SearchWP")As you can see, hitting the reset filters button removes all the selected filters. This is great way to quickly bring everything back to default with just a single click. ## FAQs about Reset Filters in WordPress Here are some common questions our users ask about managing filters on their WordPress sites. **1. Can I customize the look of the reset button?** Yes, you can change how the button looks to match your brand. WPFilters is designed to work well with your active WordPress theme automatically. If you want specific colors or fonts, you can also use custom CSS. **2. Does this work with WooCommerce products?** Yes, these features work perfectly with WooCommerce. We have used WPFilters on many online stores to help shoppers navigate product categories and tags. It ensures that customers can easily clear their size or color selections without reloading the page. **3. Do I need to write code to add these features?** No, you do not need to write any code. As we showed in this guide, WPFilters lets you add active filters and reset buttons using a simple block. This saves you the cost and time of hiring a developer to build these functions for you. We hope this article helped you learn how to show active filters and add a reset button in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a search bar to your navigation menu](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") and [how to exclude specific pages from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). If you are ready to improve your site navigation, you can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filter blog posts, filter button, filter by category, filter data sources, reset button, reset filter button, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPFilters --- ### [How to Create Custom Field Filters in WordPress (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-field-filters-in-wordpress/) **Published:** January 20, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Custom fields are a powerful way to display additional information on a WordPress site. For instance, you can use them to store details like product SKU, color, recipe ingredients, or real estate pricing. However, showing this data to visitors in a way they can interact with is often a challenge. This is where creating a filter for your custom fields helps users to narrow down results and find exactly what they need. Fortunately, there is a simple way to let users sort content based on this custom data. In this article, we will show you how to create custom field filters in WordPress. ## Why Are Custom Field Filters Important for Your Site? We know from experience that [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") are great for storing extra data. But that data is useless if visitors cannot use it to sort content. Imagine trying to buy a shirt online but having to click on every single product just to see if it comes in your size. That is exactly what happens when you don’t have filters connected to your custom fields. Let’s look at a real estate website as an example. You might use custom fields to store the number of bedrooms or the total square footage of a house. Without a filter for those fields, a family looking for a three-bedroom home has to scroll through every single studio apartment listing. The same applies to a food blog. We often see custom fields used for specific details like calorie counts or preparation time. If a visitor wants a quick 30-minute meal, they shouldn’t have to read through long slow-cooker recipes to find one. Visitors want to find things quickly. If they cannot filter by [price](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)"), location, or specific ingredients, they will likely leave your site. Adding these specific filters bridges the gap between the additional data and the user experience. It turns a cluttered list into an organized catalog. Now, let’s see how you can easily set up a custom fields filter in WordPress. ## Create Custom Field Filters in WordPress The easiest method to add custom field filters is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the most capable filtering plugin that is beginner-friendly to use and allows you to add Amazon-style filters to your WordPress site. It lets you build custom filter sets based on [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), tags, or custom data and place them anywhere on your site. This allows your visitors to drill down through your content to find exactly what they need in seconds. WPFilters is built by the same team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). This gives us confidence that it will work perfectly with our search results. With WPFilters, you can turn a simple text field into a checkbox, dropdown, range sliders, radio button, and more filters. This puts the power of your custom data right in the hands of your visitors. Now, let’s see how you can use it to create custom field filters on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you will need to head over to the SearchWP website to get your copy of WPFilters. Once you sign up, log in to your account area and click on the **Downloads** tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Here, click the **Download WPFilters** button to save the file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key now so you have it ready for later. Next, you need to upload and install the plugin on your site. If you are new to this, please refer to this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the setup wizard will appear. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button to complete the initial setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a New Filter Element To get started, simply navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard. Then, click the **Add New** button to start building your filter. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")From here, you should give your filter a clear name at the top. This helps you keep track of things if you plan to make multiple filters later. Next, look at the **Field Type** section. You can choose how you want the filter to look, such as checkboxes, a dropdown menu, a slider, or radio buttons. ![Create the type of filter you want](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-the-type-of-filter-you-want-1030x511.png "Create the type of filter you want - SearchWP")For example, a slider will work best if you want visitors to filter by price, a checkbox is great for sorting items using multiple options, or a dropdown for selecting a brand. You can also allow users to filter by specific keywords using the search filter field. ### Step 3: Connect the Filter to a Custom Field Now, you need to tell the filter where to get its information. To do that, simply scroll down to the **Data Source** section. Then, click the dropdown menu and scroll to the **Custom Field** section. From here, you can choose which custom field you’d like to use to create a filter. ![Choose custom fields to filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-custom-fields-to-filter-1030x613.png "Choose custom fields to filter - SearchWP")For example, you can pick price, color, brands, weight, length, and other product attributes. WPFilters also works seamlessly with custom field plugins like [Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"). You can easily create a filter for any of ACF on your site. ### Step 4: Customize the Filter Settings After connecting the data source, you need to make the filter look good for visitors by customizing it. You can start by scrolling down to the **Container** section to change how the filter box behaves. For instance, enabling the ‘Show Title’ option allows users to know what they are filtering, like “Price Range” or “Ingredients”. Or you can turn on the ‘Collapsible’ option to let users hide the filter to save space. We also like using the ‘Horizontal’ option to place the choices side-by-side instead of in a long vertical list. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")Next, look at the **Items** section below it to control the specific choices in the list. Here, you can enable ‘Item Count’ to show exactly how many results exist for each option, which helps set user expectations. We usually suggest keeping Show Empty turned off so your visitors don’t waste time clicking on options that lead to zero results. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")Once you are happy with how everything looks, simply scroll to the top and click the **Save** button at the top right. You will also see a preview of the custom fields filter in the panel on the left. ![Save your custom fields filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-custom-fields-filter-1030x524.png "Save your custom fields filter - SearchWP")### Step 5: Display Custom Fields Filter on Your Site The best thing about WPFilters is that you can put your new filter anywhere on your website. Let’s look at how you can add the filter to a page and the sidebar of your site. **1. Adding Custom Fields Filter to a Page** The plugin offers a built-in embed option when creating the filter. Simply click the ‘Embed’ button in the top right corner. ![Embed custom fields filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-custom-fields-filter-1030x524.png "Embed custom fields filter - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open where you can choose from different embed options. You can choose between the Gutenberg block, a [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), or PHP code if you are a developer. ![Embed search filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-filters--1030x492.png "Embed search filters - SearchWP")There is also an option to add the filter to an existing page or create a new one. For example, let’s say you want to use the ‘Gutenberg Block’ and add it to a new page. ![Enter name for new filters page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-filters-page-1030x504.png "Enter name for new filters page - SearchWP")Next, you will need to enter the name of the new page and then click the ‘Let’s Go’ button. Your custom fields filter will then be preloaded onto the new page, and you can view it in the WordPress content editor. ![Preview of custom fields filter in editor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-of-custom-fields-filter-in-editor-1030x469.png "Preview of custom fields filter in editor - SearchWP")Next, you can click the ‘Publish’ button in the top right corner. On the other hand, you can also place the WPFilters block manually on any page or post. To start, simply open the page or post where you want the filter to appear, click the plus (+) button to add a new block, and search for the **WPFilters Element**. ![Add WPFilters block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-block-1030x536.png "Add WPFilters block - SearchWP")Next, you will need to select the filter you just created from the Settings panel. Simply click the dropdown menu under the ‘Select Element’ option and pick your filter. ![Select element filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-element-filter-1030x398.png "Select element filter - SearchWP")When you’re done, click the ‘Save’ button. **2. Adding Custom Fields Filter to the Sidebar** You can also add the filter to the sidebar of your website. This is a great way of keeping filters visible to users so they can quickly sort and find the right product or content. To start, you can head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Do note that this step might differ depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. Next, scroll down to the sidebar section and click the ‘+’ sign to add the **WPFilters Element** widget block. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")From here, you can select the custom fields filter you created from the settings panel on the right. Simply click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and pick your filter. ![Select range filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-range-filter-1-1030x568.png "Select range filter - SearchWP")When you’re done, go ahead and click the **Update** button. Now, visit the page to see the custom fields filter in action. For example, here’s how different custom field filters look on our demo online store. ![View custom fields filter in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-custom-fields-filter-in-woocommerce-1030x552.png "View custom fields filter in WooCommerce - SearchWP")## **FAQs about Custom Field Filters** **1. Can I use filters for Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) data?** Yes, you definitely can. We use ACF on many of our sites, and WPFilters works perfectly with it. **2. Can I add more than one custom field filter to a page?** Absolutely. You can create separate filter elements for different fields, like one for “Color” and another for “Size.” To make them more visible, you can stack them in your sidebar so users can narrow down results step-by-step. **3. Do I need to know coding to set this up?** Not at all. The main benefit of using WPFilters is that it handles the technical work for you. It helps you set up advanced filters just by clicking through the menus, without touching a single PHP file. Custom field filters change how visitors interact with your data. We hope this tutorial helped you learn how to create them in WordPress without any coding. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add live search to your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free") and [how to search by category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). Ready to give your visitors a better way to sort content? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** acf filter by custom field, best wordpress filters plugin, Create Custom Field Filters, custom fields, filter custom fields, search post by custom field wordpress, SearchWP, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Create Range Filters in WordPress (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-range-filters-in-wordpress/) **Published:** January 15, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a website with lots of data, like an online store or a real estate directory, often leads to cluttered search results. We have noticed that visitors struggle to find specific items that fit within their budget or timeframe when there are too many options. Without a way to narrow down these results, potential customers often get frustrated and leave the site. It is like trying to find a specific book in a library that isn’t organized by genre or author. Adding range filters solves this problem by allowing users to slide between a minimum and maximum value, such as price or dates. However, we found that most default WordPress setups do not offer this feature, and adding it usually requires complex coding. In this article, we will show you how to create range filters in WordPress. ## Why Offer Range Filters to Your Visitors? Before we get to the tutorial, let’s talk about how range filters improve the user experience on your site. We have seen that visitors who cannot filter by price or date often abandon their search quickly. Imagine walking into a shoe store and having to look at every single pair, regardless of your size or budget. That is exactly how your visitors feel when they have to scroll through irrelevant products on your website. Range filters act like a helpful shop assistant that immediately shows items fitting specific criteria. We found that this small addition keeps visitors engaged for much longer because they see exactly what they can afford or need. Whether it is filtering a [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") price range or selecting dates for a booking, this feature saves time. It clears the clutter and helps your customers make decisions faster, which often leads to more sales for you. That said, let’s look at how you can easily add a range filter to your WordPress website. ## Adding a Range Filter in WordPress The easiest way to add range filters to your WordPress site is by using a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best filtering plugin for WordPress that makes it simple to sort content. You can use it to give visitors precise control over what they see without writing any code. It works perfectly with popular [eCommerce plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads. Using the plugin, you can create all types of filters for tags, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), custom fields, and other data types. The best part is that WPFilters offers multiple data fields for adding filters to your site. Which means that you can easily set up price sliders, date ranges, and numerical filters that look great on any device. Here are some things you can do with WPFilters: - **Filter by price:** Let customers set a minimum and maximum budget for their shopping. - **Filter by custom fields:** Use numerical data from your posts to create specific range sliders. - **Improve search results:** Help users find exactly what they need by narrowing options significantly. - **Customize the look**: Display the filter title, make it collapsible, and arrange it horizontally. With that, let’s see how you can use WPFilters to create a range filter on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you have done that, simply head to your SearchWP account area and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, you can click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. While you are on the downloads page, we also recommend copying the license key, as you will need it to set up the plugin. Now, the next step is to upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a Range Filter Element Now that the plugin is active, it is time to build your first range filter for WordPress. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and simply click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")After that, you can start by entering a name for your filter at the top. You can use a specific name that helps you stay organized when there are multiple filters on a site. Next, go ahead and select the **Slider** option under the Filter Fields section. This specific element creates the sliding bar that your visitors will use to select their minimum and maximum values. ![Select slider filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-slider-filter-field-1030x587.png "Select slider filter field - SearchWP")Once you have selected the filter type, scroll down to the **Data Source** section. Here, you can choose exactly what data determines the range values. For example, if you are running a store, then you can select Product Price or total in-stock items as a source. ![Choose range data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-range-data-source-1030x562.png "Choose range data source - SearchWP")After selecting your data, you can customize how the slider looks to match your site design. Simply scroll down to the ‘Container’ section to adjust the display settings. For instance, you can show a label title to the filter. ![Edit container settings for range filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-range-filter-1030x639.png "Edit container settings for range filter - SearchWP")When you are satisfied with the appearance, scroll to the top of the page. Then, click the Save button to store your changes. ![Save range filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-range-filter-1030x625.png "Save range filter - SearchWP")### Step 3: Add the Range Filter to Your Site The best part about using WPFilters is that you can embed your filters anywhere on your site with ease. To get started, simply click the ‘Embed’ button on the Element page. ![Click embed button in element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-embed-button-in-element-1030x625.png "Click embed button in element - SearchWP")Next, you will see a popup window with different options. You can choose between the Gutenberg block, a shortcode, or PHP code if you are a developer. ![Embed search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-results-page-1030x494.png "Embed search results page - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also manually add the WPFilters Gutenberg block to the sidebar and other areas on your website. For this tutorial, we will add the range filter to the sidebar of your demo WooCommerce site. To do that, simply head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. Do note that this step might differ depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. Next, scroll down to the sidebar section and click the ‘+’ sign to add the **WPFilters Element** widget block. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")Now, you’ll need to select the range filter you created from the settings panel on the right. Simply click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu and pick your filter. ![Select range filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-range-filter-1-1030x568.png "Select range filter - SearchWP")When you’re done, go ahead and click the **Update** button at the top. From here, you can visit your website to see the range filter in action. ![Range filter preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/range-filter-preview-1030x549.png "Range filter preview - SearchWP")By sliding the slider, your visitors can filter products based on prices. ## FAQs about Creating Range Filters in WordPress Here are some common questions we get about setting up range filters in WordPress. **1. What types of data can I filter with a range slider?** You can filter almost any numerical data. We often use range sliders for product prices, booking dates, or measurements like weight and size on directory sites. **2. Does this work with WooCommerce products?** Yes, it integrates perfectly with WooCommerce. We found that adding a price range slider helps customers find affordable products much faster, which can increase conversion rates. **3. Can I add multiple range filters to one page?** Absolutely. You can stack filters to let users sort by price and user rating simultaneously. This creates a very precise search experience for your visitors. We hope this article helped you learn how to create range filters in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to filter WooCommerce products by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)") and [how to filter WooCommerce products by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)"). Ready to add powerful filters to your online store? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** best wordpress filters plugin, filter blog posts, filter data sources, filter ecommerce products, Range Filter in WordPress, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPFilters --- ### [9 Best WordPress Analytics Plugins [Compared]](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-analytics-plugins/) **Published:** January 13, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We still remember staring at our WordPress dashboard many years ago, completely confused about why our website traffic had suddenly dropped. We had no idea which blog posts were actually being read, where our visitors were coming from, or what they were doing once they landed on our site. Without proper analytics, you are basically flying blind. Imagine spending hours writing content but having no clue if anyone was reading it or if they were leaving after a few seconds. That’s where choosing the right analytics plugin is essential for understanding our audience and growing our website. After extensive testing, we uncovered that MonsterInsights, SearchWP, and AIOSEO are the best options to choose from. In this article, we’ve handpicked 9 popular analytics plugins for WordPress and compared their features to help you choose the right option. Here’s a quick overview of our top picks: \#**Analytics Plugins****Best For****Starting Price**1.MonsterInsightsBeginners & non-technical users$99.50/year2.SearchWPInternal search tracking$99/year3.All in One SEO (AIOSEO)SEO-focused analytics$49.50/year4.ExactMetricsSmall business owners$99.50/year5.AnalytifyVisual data presentation$99/year6.GA Google AnalyticsFree basic trackingFree7.10WebAnalyticsBusiness growth$85/year8.Enhanced Ecommerce Google AnalyticsWooCommerce stores$139/year9.WP StatisticsCookie-free trackingFree + $119/year## Why Should You Use an Analytics Plugin? Before we get to the plugin overviews, let’s talk about why you should use an analytics plugin on your WordPress site. The analytics plugin allows you to automatically collect valuable data about your visitors, which you can further use to improve your marketing strategy. Namely, using such a kind of plugin, you can: - Get insights into your audience demographics, geography, and interests - Figure out how people find your site and what you can do to increase your traffic - Learn what type of content on your site is most popular - See how many clicks your links get and what their click-through rate is - Increase your conversion rate by breaking down your customers’ journey into steps In addition, analytics plugins usually allow you to link your site to Google Analytics without editing your theme code. It’s handy for beginners and helps you start collecting data straight away. Now, let’s see how we tested each plugin and bring you the best options. ## How We Test and Review Analytics Plugins When testing WordPress analytics plugins, we focus on what really matters for small business owners and WordPress users. We need to know if a plugin actually helps you understand your visitors without making things complicated. We install each analytics plugin on real WordPress websites and run them for several weeks. This gives us time to see how accurate the data is, how the plugin affects site speed, and whether the reports actually make sense. Our testing process looks at ease of setup because nobody wants to spend hours configuring an analytics plugin. We also check how quickly we can connect to Google Analytics, whether the dashboard is easy to read, and if the reports provide us actionable information we can actually use. With that, let’s move on to the 9 most popular WordPress analytics plugins. ### [1. MonsterInsights – Best WordPress Analytics Plugin for Beginners](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") [![MonsterInsights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-site-1030x577.png "MonsterInsights - SearchWP")](https://www.monsterinsights.com/)[MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") is one of the most powerful WordPress analytics plugins on the market. We’ve been using MonsterInsights on several of our websites for years now. It takes all that complex Google Analytics data and presents it right inside your WordPress dashboard in a way that actually makes sense. You don’t need to be a data analyst to understand where your traffic comes from or which posts are performing best. Plus, it allows you to [connect your site to Google Analytics](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-install-google-analytics-in-wordpress/ "How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners") and properly configure it in a few easy steps without editing your theme code. MonsterInsights lets you to track almost everything on your site and see the complete picture of your business performance. For example, you can get detailed reports on your traffic, the conversion rate of your landing pages, the click-through rate of your links, and more. The best part is that you don’t even have to leave your site to view these reports, as MonsterInsights displays them in your WordPress dashboard. ![MonsterInsights dashboard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/MonsterInsights-dashboard.png "MonsterInsights dashboard - SearchWP")It’s convenient for eCommerce site owners since they can immediately see comprehensive data on their sales. Namely, they can track their revenue, conversion rate, number of transactions, top conversion sources, and other vital metrics. More than 3 million website owners already use MonsterInsights to collect data about their online performance and grow their business. **Features**: - **Beginner-friendly**. You can effectively use MonsterInsights to grow your business regardless of your WordPress knowledge and digital marketing skills. - **Easy GA integration**. Connect your site to Google Analytics in just a few clicks without making any changes to your WordPress theme code. - **Real-time analytics**. Get instant reports on what visitors are doing on your site, where they came from, and more—all within your WordPress dashboard. - **eCommerce reports**. See the full picture of your customers’ journey from entering your site to making a purchase with enhanced eCommerce tracking. - **Affiliate links tracking**. Increase your affiliate income by gathering information about how many clicks your affiliate links get, how clickable they are, and more. - **Forms tracking**. Automatically track sign-up, contact, lead, and any other forms on your site to increase your conversion rate. - **EU Compliance**. Helps you comply with privacy laws like GDPR, CCPA, and more. **Our Verdict:** MonsterInsights is our top pick for most WordPress users, especially if you’re new to analytics or don’t want to deal with Google Analytics directly. The plugin makes understanding your website data simple and actionable. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version, which comes with extended reports, enhanced tracking, and a set of growth tools, starts from $99.50/year for 1 site. ### [2. SearchWP – Best Plugin for Internal Search Analytics](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that helps you deliver more relevant search results to your visitors. Most website owners focus on traffic from Google but completely ignore what visitors search for once they’re on the site. This is a huge missed opportunity because internal search data tells you exactly what your audience wants to find. Even though it’s not a classic analytics plugin and is designed to boost your site search, it comes with a powerful Metrics extension. Using this extension, you can track your visitors’ searches, see which pages get a higher click-through rate in search results, and more. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")By analyzing this data, you can get new content ideas, find out what’s missing from your site, and see whether it has duplicate content. In addition, using SearchWP, you can make the search on your site way smarter, allowing you to increase your pageviews and boost your sales. **Features**: - [**Search tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). Track your visitors’ search queries to better understand their needs, find out what content is most popular on your site, and more. - **Dashboard widget**. See all important metrics when you log in to your site, as the Metrics extension comes with an informative dashboard widget. - **Customize data**. Choose which search engines and metrics you want to see, control the date range, search terms, and other data that will be displayed. - **Automatic theme integration**. SearchWP automatically integrates with every search form on your site, so you can start tracking searches right away. **Our Verdict:** SearchWP is perfect if you run a product or content heavy website where visitors use search frequently. The analytics data helps you understand what your audience wants and shows you exactly what content you should create next. **Pricing**: Starting from $99/year for 1 site. ### [3. All in One SEO (AIOSEO) – Best Plugin for SEO-Focused Tracking](https://aioseo.com/ "All in One SEO (AIOSEO)") [![All in One SEO (AIOSEO)](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/aioseo-website-1030x586.png "All in One SEO (AIOSEO) - SearchWP")](https://aioseo.com/)[All in One SEO (AIOSEO)](https://aioseo.com/ "All in One SEO (AIOSEO)") is the #1 WordPress SEO plugin on the market, with over 3 million active users. The main purpose of this plugin is to help you optimize your site for better ranking in search engines, but it also has a couple of powerful analytics features. We’ve been using All in One SEO (AIOSEO) on multiple websites, and its analytics features give us exactly what we need to improve our search rankings. The plugin combines traditional analytics with SEO-specific data, showing us not just how many visitors we get but how our content performs in search results. During testing, we could see which keywords were bringing in traffic, how our posts ranked for specific search terms, and which pages needed SEO improvements. This connection between analytics and SEO strategy proved incredibly valuable. Besides that, you can easily add your site to Google Search Console without changing your theme code. It saves time and helps beginners make the first steps in search engine optimization of their site. AIOSEO also allows you to perform a comprehensive analysis of your site to see how you can optimize it for search engines. This way, you can apply the best SEO techniques to your site without being technically savvy and drive more traffic from search engines. Plus, using AIOSEO, you can also perform in-depth SEO analysis of your competitors’ website pages. It’ll allow you to see what their weak spots are and learn how you can overtake them in Google results. **Features**: - **Webmaster tools verification**. [Connect your site with Google Search Console](https://aioseo.com/how-to-add-google-search-console-to-your-wordpress-website/ "How to Add Google Search Console to Your WordPress Website") in a few clicks to get useful insights on your website’s performance in search results. - **On-page analysis**. Run an in-depth analysis of your pages to find out what you can do to improve their position in Google search results. - **Rich snippets schema**. Apply the markup scheme to your pages in a few clicks to get rich snippets in Google search results and attract more traffic. - [**Smart XML sitemaps**](https://aioseo.com/create-a-wordpress-xml-sitemap-without-a-plugin/ "How to Create a WordPress XML Sitemap Without a Plugin"). Create intelligent XML sitemaps that automatically notify search engines of new content on your site so it gets indexed faster. - **Link assistant**. Get suggestions for internal linking opportunities to improve your site’s internal linking and increase organic traffic. - **SEO audit checklist**. Analyze your site and get an actionable SEO checklist that you can follow to optimize your site for better ranking in search engines. **Our Verdict:** AIOSEO is the best choice if you’re serious about improving your search engine rankings. The plugin doesn’t just show you traffic numbers; it connects your analytics data directly to SEO improvements. If you want to understand how your content performs in search engines and get actionable insights to rank higher, AIOSEO delivers everything you need in one tool. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The premium version that comes with keyword tracking, advanced SEO tools, and powerful integrations starts from $49.50/year for 1 site. ### [4. ExactMetrics – Best Analytics Plugin for Small Business Owners](https://www.exactmetrics.com/ "ExactMetrics") [![ExactMetrics](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exactmetrics-1.png "ExactMetrics - SearchWP")](https://www.exactmetrics.com/)[ExactMetrics](https://www.exactmetrics.com/ "ExactMetrics") is a popular beginner-friendly WordPress analytics plugin with over 1 million active installs. Like MonsterInsights, it also helps you to set up Google Analytics on your site without making any changes to your WordPress theme. We’ve tested ExactMetrics extensively on small business websites, and it delivers exactly what busy entrepreneurs need. The plugin brings your Google Analytics data directly into WordPress, giving you instant access to the metrics that matter for your business decisions. Another outstanding feature of ExactMetrics is that it allows you to use advanced tracking features even if you’re a complete WordPress newbie. For example, you can measure the average page scroll depth, count the number of your file downloads, collect various data on your affiliate links, and many more. You can also browse beautiful analytics reports without leaving your WordPress dashboard. **Features**: - **Analytics dashboard**. Gather data on your visitors’ behavior and view beautiful reports focused on actionable insights in your WordPress dashboard. - **Page-level insights**. Find out which sections of your pages get the most attention, and use this info to promote your special deals, affiliate links, or anything else. - **Enhanced link attribution**. Track your links and call-to-action buttons to see how many clicks they get and which of them are the most clickable ones. - **Detailed eCommerce reports**. Use Google Analytics Enhanced eCommerce tracking with WooCommerce, EDD, and MemberPress to monitor your store performance. - **EU Compliance**. Automatically make Google Analytics on your site compliant with privacy regulations like GDPR, CCPA, PECR, PIPEDA, and others. - **Event tracking**. Track when users download files from your site, scroll to a specific element on a landing page, fill out a form, and many other events. **Our Verdict:** ExactMetrics is perfect if you run a small business and need clear, actionable analytics without the complexity. It gives you the insights you need to make smart decisions without wasting time figuring out complicated reports. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version that comes with an analytics dashboard, eCommerce reports, and advanced tracking, starts from $99.50/year for 1 site. ### [5. Analytify – Best Plugin for Visual Analytics](https://searchwp.com/recommends/analytify/ "Analytify") [![Analytify](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/analytify-1-1030x619.png "Analytify - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/analytify/)[Analytify](https://searchwp.com/recommends/analytify/ "Analytify") is another powerful WordPress analytics plugin packed with plenty of useful features. We’ve tested Analytify on several websites, and it stands out for making analytics data beautiful and easy to understand. The plugin takes your Google Analytics information and presents it in clean, visual reports that make sense at a glance. It captures detailed data on every page view, click on a link, form submission, scroll, and other actions visitors take on your site. The front-end analytics feature lets you display stats directly on your published posts. We tested this with a test site where we wanted to show social proof by displaying page view counts. Visitors could see how many people had read each article, which increased credibility and engagement. **Features**: - **Social media stats**. Track the performance of your social media marketing campaigns and find out which sources are the most effective ones. - **Only useful metrics**. Get rid of redundant built-in Google Analytics metrics and track only those that actually affect your results. - **Enhanced [eCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") tracking**. Find out where your customers come to your site from, why they leave the cart, what products generate the most income, and more. - **Page-level analytics**. See individual metrics of every post and page in your WordPress dashboard to learn what type of content your audience is most interested in. - Frontend Reporting. Show users stats of their listings on your site’s frontend. **Our Verdict:** Analytify is the best choice if you want analytics that look good and are easy to understand. The visual presentation makes it perfect for sharing data with clients or team members who aren’t analytics experts. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version comes with premium addons, priority support, and event tracking, and it starts at $99/year for 2 sites. ### [6. GA Google Analytics – Best Plugin for Adding Tracking Code](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ga-google-analytics/ "GA Google Analytics") [![GA Google Analytics](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/GA-Google-Analytics.png "GA Google Analytics - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ga-google-analytics/)[GA Google Analytics](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ga-google-analytics/ "GA Google Analytics") is a fast and lightweight plugin that you can use to connect your site with Google Analytics. It’s a good choice if you’re just looking for a quick way to add Google Analytics tracking code to your WordPress site. What we appreciated during testing was the plugin’s simplicity. It provides a straightforward way to connect your website to Google Analytics without touching any code or editing theme files. You just enter your tracking ID, and the plugin handles the technical implementation automatically. **Features**: - **Quick Google Analytics integration**. Connect your site to Google Analytics in a few simple steps, no coding required. - **Multiple tracking codes**. Add multiple tracking codes, configure them the way you want, and select a location for each one individually. - **Customizable tracking**. Customize your Google Analytics tracking code to meet your business goals with no limits. - **Enhanced link attribution**. Markup your links with UTM parameters to track the performance of your marketing campaigns. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version that comes with advanced tracking features, lifetime auto-updates, and premium support, starts from $20/year for 1 site. ### [7. 10WebAnalytics – Best Analytics Plugin for Growing Your Site](https://searchwp.com/recommends/10web-homepage/ "10WebAnalytics") [![10WebAnalytics](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/10WebAnalytics-1-1030x613.png "10WebAnalytics - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/10web-homepage/)[10WebAnalytics](https://searchwp.com/recommends/10web-homepage/ "10WebAnalytics") is one of the top Google Analytics plugins for WordPress, with over 358,000 active installs. It gives you comprehensive reports on your audience right in your WordPress admin area. What impressed us during testing was the easy setup process. The plugin connects to your Google Analytics account directly through authentication, so you don’t need to copy and paste tracking codes manually. 10WebAnalytics is part of the 10Web premium plugins and tools. This allows you to get over 50 different plugins and extensions as part of a bundle, which can help you grow your business. **Features**: - **Custom reports**. Build your custom reports with only the metrics you want to see, and choose how they should be displayed. - **Alerts and notifications**. Set up specific triggers on which you want to receive notifications and alerts to quickly respond to changes in your traffic. - **Goal management**. Add goals for traffic or specific metrics you want to achieve, and track your progress toward them. - **Custom tracking code**. Set up your tracking code to exclude from your statistics visitors by specific parameters, such as geographic location, role types, IP address, and more. - **Front-End Reports.** Present page traffic and statistics on the front end of a website. **Our Verdict:** 10WebAnalytics is a solid choice if you want an easy way to add Google Analytics to your WordPress site and get hold of additional premium plugins and extensions to grow your site. **Pricing**: This is a premium plugin that comes in a bundle with over 15 premium WordPress plugins and starts from $85/year for 3 sites. ### [8. Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics – Best Plugin for WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/the-dotstore-enhanced-google-analytics/ "Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics") [![Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics for WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Enhanced-Ecommerce-Google-Analytics-for-WooCommerce-1030x581.png "Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics for WooCommerce - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/the-dotstore-enhanced-google-analytics/)[Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics](https://searchwp.com/recommends/the-dotstore-enhanced-google-analytics/ "Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics for WooCommerce") is a great option if you’re looking for an analytics plugin to track the performance of your WooCommerce store. This plugin allows you to track everything that happens in your store and get detailed reports on every step of your customers’ journey. What impressed us during testing was how much detail the plugin tracks automatically. Once we set it up, it started recording product impressions, clicks, add-to-cart actions, checkout steps, and completed purchases. We could see exactly where customers were in the buying process and where they abandoned their carts. Besides that, the plugin tracks individual product performance in ways that regular analytics can’t. During our testing, we could see which products were viewed most often, which ones got added to carts but not purchased, and which items drove the most revenue. **Features**: - **Easy setup**. Install the plugin and connect your WooCommerce store to Google Analytics in a few clicks. - **Real-time stats**. See real-time stats on how many visitors are on your site right now, what the average session duration is, what the most popular content is, and more. - **In-depth reporting**. Monitor everything that’s going on on your site, including file downloads, form filling, commenting, and other events. - **eCommerce tracking**. Get a robust set of reports on your store performance to see the possible growth points and increase your sales. **Our Verdict:** Enhanced Ecommerce Google Analytics is the best free option if you run a WooCommerce store and want detailed sales tracking. The setup takes more effort than plug-and-play solutions, but the depth of eCommerce data you get is worth it. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version comes with enhanced analytics, premium support, and more, with prices starting from $139/year for 1 site. ### [9. WP Statistics – Best Privacy-Focused Analytics](https://searchwp.com/recommends/wp-statistics/ "WP Statistics") [![WP Statistics](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpstatistics-1030x557.png "WPStatistics - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/wp-statistics/)[WP Statistics](https://searchwp.com/recommends/wp-statistics/ "WP Statistics") is a free and simple WordPress analytics plugin with over 600,000 active installs. Privacy regulations and cookie consent requirements have complicated traditional analytics tools to use legally. Many website owners want to track their visitors without dealing with cookie banners or worrying about GDPR compliance issues. We’ve tested WP Statistics on multiple WordPress sites, and it offers a unique approach to analytics that doesn’t rely on cookies or external services. The plugin tracks visitor data directly on your WordPress site without sending any information to third parties like Google. The cookie-free tracking means you don’t need those annoying cookie consent popups for basic analytics. During our testing, this simplified our site’s user experience significantly. Visitors could browse without being interrupted by privacy notices. **Features**: - **No Need for Cookie Banners.** Easily stay compliant with privacy regulations without cookie banners or consent. - **Content-based statistics**. Find out which post categories, tags, and authors are the most popular on your site. - **[Widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)") support**. Share metrics of your site with your audience by placing widgets in your widget areas. - **Data export**. Export gathered data on your site performance in TSV, XML, and CSV formats to analyze it whenever you want. - **GDPR compliance**. Automatically make Google Analytics on your site compliant with various countries’ privacy regulations. **Our Verdict:** WP Statistics is perfect if you want simple, privacy-friendly analytics without external dependencies. The cookie-free approach eliminates compliance headaches, and keeping data on your server gives you complete control. **Pricing**: The plugin is free. The premium features, like advanced reporting, Google Search Console, REST API support, and more, starts from $119/year for 1 site. ## Which is the Best Google Analytics Plugin for WordPress? After we’ve taken a look at the 9 most popular WordPress analytics plugins, it’s time to pick a winner. Given the number of features, ease of use, and value for money, we believe that [MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") is the best WordPress analytics plugin. It makes it easy to integrate your site with Google Analytics and properly set it up regardless of your technical skills. Plus, the built-in Google Analytics dashboard allows you to take a look at advanced metrics of your site without leaving your site. MonsterInsights is perfect for staying on top of your key SEO metrics. Using it, you can see how users engage with your site, which links they click, how you can improve your content, and more. It also comes with advanced eCommerce tracking, allowing you to see your conversion rate, average order value, best-selling products, and other useful metrics in real-time. By analyzing this data, you can reduce cart abandonment on your site and boost your sales. MonsterInsight also has an impressive base of addons that further expand its features. For example, the EU Compliance addon allows you to automatically comply with data protection laws, which is handy and saves time. ## FAQs About Best Analytics Plugins for WordPress **1. What is a WordPress analytics plugin?** A WordPress analytics plugin helps you track and understand your website visitors. It shows you how many people visit your site, which pages they view, where they come from, and what actions they take. Most analytics plugins either connect to Google Analytics or provide their own tracking system directly in WordPress. **2. Do I need Google Analytics if I use an analytics plugin?** It depends on the plugin you choose. Some plugins, like MonsterInsights and ExactMetrics, require a Google Analytics account because they display Google Analytics data in WordPress. Other plugins like WP Statistics work independently and don’t need Google Analytics at all. We recommend starting with Google Analytics because it’s free and provides comprehensive data. **3. Can I use multiple analytics plugins at the same time?** Technically yes, but we don’t recommend it. Running multiple analytics plugins can slow down your site and may cause tracking conflicts that make your data inaccurate. Choose one main analytics solution and stick with it. If you need specific features from different plugins, look for an all-in-one solution that offers everything you need. **4. How do I know if my analytics plugin is tracking correctly?** After installing an analytics plugin, visit your website in a different browser or incognito mode. Then check your analytics dashboard to see if the visit was recorded. Most plugins show real-time visitor data, so you should see yourself appear within a few minutes. You can also use browser extensions or Google Tag Assistant to verify the tracking code is firing properly. We hope this article helped you pick the best WordPress analytics plugin. You may also want to see our list of [best WordPress page builders for newbies](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "6 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)") and [the best affiliate marketing plugins for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-affiliate-marketing-plugins-for-wordpress/ "5 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins for WordPress (Compared)"). Ready to start collecting data on your site? You can [get started with MonsterInsights here](https://www.monsterinsights.com/lite-pricing/ "Get started with MonsterInsights. "). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** AIOSEO, analytics plugin WordPress, best analytics plugin for WordPress, best WordPress analytics plugin, best WordPress plugin for Google Analytics, best WordPress visitor tracking plugin, ExactMetrics, MonsterInsights, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Category (Step-by-Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-category/) **Published:** January 7, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We know how exciting it is to launch a new WooCommerce store with tons of great products. But as your inventory grows, it gets harder for customers to find exactly what they want. Visitors often have to scroll through page after page of random items just to find a single shirt or accessory. This frustration usually leads them to leave your site without buying anything. The best way to fix this is by letting shoppers filter your products by specific categories. It acts like a map that guides them straight to the section of the store they are interested in. In this guide, we will show you how to filter WooCommerce products by category. ## Why Set Up Filtering by Category in WooCommerce? When you have hundreds of items, customers often get lost trying to find specific products. Adding category filters fixes this by letting shoppers narrow down their WooCommerce product choices instantly. It helps them find exactly what they need without getting frustrated. This simple change leads to happier customers and more sales for your business. It turns a messy [WooCommerce shop](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page") into an easy shopping experience. However, in the past, adding filters to WooCommerce was a huge headache for many site owners we talked to. You usually had to hire a developer or buy expensive software just to get simple sorting options. Even worse, trying to code it yourself meant you risked breaking your checkout, shop pages, or the entire website. One wrong move could take your whole business offline, which is scary. That said, let’s look at a simple way of adding product category filters to your store. ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Category The easiest way to add category filters to your store is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best filtering plugin for WordPress because it is incredibly easy to use. The best part is that you can [create professional filters](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Set Up Filters in WordPress Without Coding") without writing a single line of code. It is built by the team behind SearchWP, so we know it handles data efficiently. This means your site stays fast even with complex filtering options. Using this tool, you can help customers sort through products by category, [tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Tags in WordPress (4 Simple Steps)"), or custom fields like price, size, material, and other attributes in seconds. It integrates perfectly with WooCommerce to make your shop much easier to navigate. Plus, you get customization options, multiple filter options, shareable URLs, and more. Now, let’s look at the steps to get this working on your WooCommerce site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters To start, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you have an account, head over to the **Downloads** tab in your dashboard. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend that you copy your license key from this page, as you will need it shortly. Now, you need to upload the plugin file to your site and install it. If you are not sure how to do this, see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin.](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") After you activate the plugin, the setup wizard will appear. Go ahead and click the **‘Let’s Get Started’** button and follow the instructions to finish the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a New WooCommerce Category Filter Element First, you will need to navigate to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard. Once you are there, simply click the **Add New** button to create a blank filter. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")Start by giving your filter a title at the top so you can easily find it later. For example, you can call it “Product Categories” or something similar to organize your filters. Next, you need to choose what type of filter you want to use. For instance, you can use checkboxes for categories and let customers select multiple options at once. Go ahead and click on the **Checkbox** option in the list. You will see a live preview appear on the right side of the screen. ![Select filter for product category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-filter-for-product-category-1030x599.png "Select filter for product category - SearchWP")Now, you need to tell the filter exactly what information to display. Simply scroll down to the **Data Source** section and click on the dropdown menu. ![Choose product category source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-product-category-source-1030x614.png "Choose product category source - SearchWP")Since you are allowing visitors to sort products based on categories, you need to select **Product categories** from the list of options. This ensures that WPFilters pulls the correct taxonomy from your WooCommerce products. ### Step 3: Customize Your WooCommerce Category Filter After connecting the data, you can make the filter look exactly how you want. To do that, you can scroll down to the **Container** section. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")Here, you can enable the option to Show Title and display the filter label on your WooCommerce store. You can also choose if the filter should be collapsible or horizontal. Next, look at the **Items** section below that. Here, you can pick to show the number of products next to each category name. This is helpful for customers who want to see how many items are available before they click. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you are happy with how it looks, simply click the **Save** button at the top of the page. You will also see a live preview of the filter on the right side of the screen. ![Save and preview product category filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-preview-filters-1030x537.png "Save and preview product category filters - SearchWP")### Step 4: Embed Category Filter to Your WooCommerce Shop Page Now that your filter is ready, you need to place it where customers can see and use it. We have found that the sidebar is the most convenient place for these filters on a WooCommerce site, and that’s what we’ll demonstrate in this tutorial. However, WPFilters offers multiple embed options and allows you to display filters on any page or post on your website. To start, you can head to **Appearance » Widgets** in your WordPress dashboard. Then, look for the specific sidebar area that your theme uses for the shop page. Next, you can click the **+** button to add a new widgets block and search for **WPFilters Element**. ![Add product category filter to sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-product-category-filter-to-sidebar-1030x674.png "Add product category filter to sidebar - SearchWP")Do note that this may vary depending on the WooCommerce theme you’re using. Once you add the block, simply select the “Product Categories” filter you created earlier from the Element Settings dropdown menu in the Settings panel. ![Choose product category filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-product-category-filter-1030x533.png "Choose product category filter - SearchWP")Finally, click the **Update** button to save your changes. ### Step 5: Test Your Product Category Filter Once you’ve added the product category filter to your WooCommerce shop, the next step is to test it. To start, you can now visit your store to see your new category filter working perfectly in the sidebar. ![View product category filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-category-filter-1030x592.png "View product category filter - SearchWP")From here, you can simply select a product category and see if the correct items appear in your store. For example, we will filter products by ‘Cosmetics’ on your demo store and see if it filters the right items. ![Test product category filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-product-category-filter-1030x637.png "Test product category filter - SearchWP")As you can see, the products are sorted, and only the ones in the ‘Cosmetics’ category appear. This means that the filter is working correctly. ## FAQs About WooCommerce Product Category Filters **1. Do I need to know how to code to add these filters?** Not at all. We specifically chose WPFilters for this guide because it handles all the technical work for you. You can set up complex filters just by clicking a few buttons in the dashboard. **2. Can I let customers filter by tags or price as well?** Yes, you can. You just need to create a new filter element and select “Product Tags” or “Price” as the data source. It works the same way as the category filter we built in this tutorial. **3. Will this work with my current WordPress theme?** In our experience, WPFilters works well with almost every correctly coded WordPress theme. We have tested it on many site setups, and it integrates smoothly with the widget areas. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce products by category. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix WooCommerce shop page not showing products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-shop-page-not-showing-products/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Shop Page Not Showing Products") and [how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). Ready to add powerful filters to your online store? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get Started with WPFilters Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** category filters, filter blog posts by category, filter ecommerce products, Filter WooCommerce Products, filter WooCommerce products by category, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/) **Published:** January 2, 2026 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** At times, your WooCommerce store might get cluttered with products that are no longer available or out of stock. As a result, when visitors search for a particular item, they might see products that shouldn’t appear in the search results. So, are you wondering how to hide WooCommerce products from search results? It’ll help you clean up the search results on your site of outdated or redundant products and allow your customers to find what they’re looking for faster. In this detailed tutorial, we’ll show you how you can exclude both specific WooCommerce products and entire product categories from search results on your site. Here’s a table of contents to help you navigate it: - [Benefits of Hiding WooCommerce Products from Search Results]() - [Easiest Way to Hide WooCommerce Products from Search]() - [How to Hide a Single WooCommerce Product from Search]() - [How to Hide WooCommerce Products By a Specific Category]() Let’s begin! ## Benefits of Hiding WooCommerce Products from Search Results By hiding specific products from search results on your site, you can: - **Clean up your search result**: Remove outdated or redundant products from the search results on your site to make it easier to navigate your store. - **Boost your pageviews and sales**: The easier it is for users to find what they are looking for on your site, the more sales you’ll get. - **Protect sensitive content**: Hide products intended for a limited range of users from public search results on your site. - **Get better control over your inventory**: Exclude wholesale products and special offers from your search results with a few clicks. With that, let’s see how you can hide specific WooCommerce products in your search results. ## Easiest Way to Hide WooCommerce Products from Search The easiest way to exclude any products from search results on your site is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin that has seamless integration with WooCommerce. Using it, you can hide any WooCommerce product from search results in a few clicks and completely customize how search works on your site. For example, with SearchWP, you can make various product attributes searchable, display search results in live mode, [control the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), and more. Over 50,000 WordPress website owners already use SearchWP to enhance their search and deliver more relevant content to their visitors. Here are some other SearchWP features that make this plugin stand out: - **[Track searches of your customers](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Monitor what customers are searching for on your site to predict their needs and give them the right products. - [**Highlight search terms in search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)"): Make search terms more visible by highlighting them in the search results on your site, so visitors can immediately see if they’ve found what they want. - **[Enable search by product tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)")**: Let your customers perform searches by product tags to make it easier for them to browse your store and increase your sales. - [**Limit search to WooCommerce products only**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)"): Exclude posts and pages from search on your site so that nothing disturbs your visitors from shopping. Once you’ve learned why SearchWP is the #1 WordPress search plugin, let’s move on to how you can use it. ### How to Hide a Single WooCommerce Product from Search First, let’s see how you can hide a specific product from appearing in search results on your site. #### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site To begin, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Next, log in to your SearchWP dashboard and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button. It’ll start downloading the SearchWP ZIP file to your computer. When you’re finished downloading, you should also copy your SearchWP license key, as you’ll need this key to activate the plugin. Next, you can upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site and install SearchWP. Feel free to check out [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") tutorial if you need help with that. Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After activating your license, you’ll need to install SearchWP extensions that allow you to hide WooCommerce products from search results. #### Step 2: Install WooCommerce Integration Extension To get started, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. Here you will find SearchWP extensions that you can install to further extend the plugin functionality. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")The first extension you’ll need to install is the WooCommerce Integration extension. It ensures seamless WooCommerce integration with SearchWP, so you can fully customize search in your store. Once you find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension, click **Install** in its section. #### Step 3: Install Exclude UI Extension The next step is to install another extension called Exclude UI. This extension adds the ‘Exclude from SearchWP’ checkbox to the WordPress content editor. By ticking this checkbox, you can hide any page from search with a single click. To install the **Exclude UI** extension, you can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard, locate the extension, and click the **Install** button. ![Install Exclude UI extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-exclude-ui-extension-1030x560.jpg "Install Exclude UI extension - SearchWP")After installing the extensions, you’re ready to start hiding WooCommerce products from search results. #### Step 4: Include Products as Search Source Next, you will need to edit the search engine in SearchWP and include Products in the search process. You can think of search engines as a set of rules that will be followed when performing a search. With SearchWP, you can add custom search engine, customize them, and link them to separate [search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). To get started, you’ll need to visit the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. From here, simply click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new window with the default sources for the search engine. Go ahead and select **Products** as a source and then click the ‘Done’ button. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")#### Step 5: Choose the Product You Want to Hide Next, you can navigate to **Products** from your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to Products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-Products.png "navigate to Products - SearchWP")Then, click on a product you want to hide from appearing in search. For example, let’s say we want to hide **Red Beanie** from search on our test site. ![open a product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-a-product.png "open a product - SearchWP")Once you get to the product editor, tick the **Exclude from search** checkbox on the right panel. When you’re done, press **Update** to save your changes. ![Include exclude from SearchWP for products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-exclude-from-searchwp-for-products-1-1030x438.png "Include exclude from SearchWP for products - SearchWP")You just successfully excluded this specific WooCommerce product from search results on your site. Let’s make sure it doesn’t show up in search anymore. #### Step 6: Test Your New WooCommerce Search To do that, go to your site and search for the product you’ve hidden from the search results. In our case, it’ll be a red beanie. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-13.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, there are no results for the “red beanie” search term. It means that this hidden product doesn’t appear in search results on our test site anymore. ![there are no search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/there-are-no-search-results.png "there are no search results - SearchWP")### How to Hide WooCommerce Products By a Specific Category Another way you can remove your products from WooCommerce search is by specifying categories you want to hide. With SearchWP, you can set up advanced rules to exclude categories from the search process. #### Step 1: Include Products as a Source To get started, you will need to go to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and customize the search engine. So, go ahead and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you will see the default sources for the search engine. Make sure to select **Products** as a source and then click Done. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")#### Step 2: Choose the Product Category You Want to Hide The next step is to add a rule for SearchWP to not display a specific product category in search. To do that, click **Edit Rules** under the **Products** search source section. ![Edit product rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-product-rules-1030x443.png "Edit product rules - SearchWP")You should now see a new window to add new rules. At first, there will be no rules. So simply click **Add Rule** to continue. ![Add new rule for products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-rule-for-products-1030x383.png "Add new rule for products - SearchWP")Next, you will see the rules editor in SearchWP. From here, click on **Only show entities if** item and change it to **Exclude entries if**. ![WooCommerce product category to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-product-category-to-exclude-1030x501.png "WooCommerce product category to exclude - SearchWP")Next, click on the **Product type** field and change it to **Product categories**. After that, enter the name of a WooCommerce product category you want to exclude from the search in the rightmost field. When you’ve finished managing categories you prefer not to appear in search results on your site, press **Done** to save your new rules. #### Step 3: Save Your Search Engine The final step is to save all the changes you’ve made to your search engine. To do that, click the **Save** button in the upper right corner. ![Save product search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-search-engine-1030x481.png "Save search engine - SearchWP")After that, click the **Rebuild Index** button to make Search reindex your products and apply the new search rules. The last thing you need to do is check your new search and make sure that your WooCommerce category is no longer showing up in the search. #### Step 4: Test Your New WooCommerce Search To do that, go to your site and search for some products from this category. For example, we’ll search for the “fancy sunglasses” product, which is placed in the “Accessories” category on our test site. ![search for product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-product.png "search for product - SearchWP")As you can see, there are no search results for this search query. ![there are no results again](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/there-are-no-results-again.png "there are no results again - SearchWP")Hiding WooCommerce products will help you deliver more accurate search results to your customers, improve the quality of your search, and increase your sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to hide WooCommerce products from search results in a few easy steps. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)") and [how to search by product tags in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)"). Ready to boost your WooCommerce search and grow your business? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Exclude WooCommerce products from search, how to hide WooCommerce products from search results, SearchWP, WooCommerce hidden product showing in search, WooCommerce hidden Products still showing, WooCommerce hide product page, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, WooCommerce product visibility, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags (Step-by-Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-tags/) **Published:** December 30, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a WooCommerce store often means dealing with a growing inventory that can quickly become overwhelming for visitors. From our experience, we notice that customers struggle to find specific items when there are too many options on a single page. If shoppers can’t sort through your products easily, they might leave before buying anything. Adding product tags helps organize your inventory, but you need a way for customers to actually use them to narrow down results. In this article, we will show you how to filter WooCommerce products by tags using WPFilters. ## Why Filter WooCommerce Products by Tags? Before we jump into the tutorial, let’s talk about why adding a product filter for tags is a game-changer for your shop. Think of your [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") like a giant clothing warehouse. If a shopper specifically wants a “summer” or “vintage” item, they shouldn’t have to look through every single piece of clothing you own. Without filters, you are forcing them to do exactly that, which leads to frustration and abandoned carts. We have seen time and again that adding simple filters makes the shopping experience much smoother. It helps your visitors feel in control of their browsing experience. When they can click a tag and see only relevant items, they are much more likely to complete a purchase. That said, let’s look at an easy way of setting up WooCommerce product tags filters. ## Set Up WooCommerce Product Tags Filter The best way to filter products by tags in WooCommerce is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the top filtering plugin for WordPress that makes sorting content incredibly easy. We love using it because it handles complex filtering tasks without asking us to write any code. Usually, building a custom filter for WooCommerce requires hiring a developer or editing template files. WPFilters removes that headache and lets you build filters using a simple visual builder. It is built by the same team behind SearchWP, so you can trust it to handle data accurately and efficiently. Using WPFilters, you can: - **Pre-built Elements:** Choose from pre-built filters like checkbox, radio, dropdown, and more. - **Filter any Content:** Set up filters for blog posts, products, downloads, and custom content. - **Choose Advanced Data Sources:** Easily filter posts and products by tags, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), attributes, brands, shipping classes, etc. - **Shareable Filter URLs:** Turn every filtered search into a unique URL visitors can bookmark and share. - **Gutenberg Integration:** Add filters using WPFilters block to any page, post, or sidebar. With that, let’s look at how we can set this up on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters To get started, you need to visit the SearchWP website and log in to our account. Once we are there, we’ll click on the **Downloads** tab to find the plugin files. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the **Download WPFilters** button to save the ZIP file to your computer. While on this page, we also recommend copying the license key, since you will need it shortly. Next, you need to upload the plugin to our WordPress dashboard and install it. If you aren’t sure how to do this, check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, the setup wizard will appear on the screen. Simply click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the quick instructions to get everything ready. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Create a WooCommerce Tags Filter Element Next, you need to create the WooCommerce product tags filter element that your visitors will use. To get started, simply head to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")On the next screen, you should type in a name for your filter at the top. This helps you stay organized if you decide to add more filters later on. After that, go ahead and select the **Filter Type** you want to use. ![Choose WooCommerce tags filter fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-woocommerce-tags-filter-fields-1030x594.png "Choose WooCommerce tags filter fields - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we will use the **Dropdown** for tags because it lets customers select their preferred tag while keeping your user experience clean and clutter-free. That said, you can choose any pre-built Filter Field for your WooCommerce store, such as a Radio List or Checkbox. Once you have made your choice, scroll down to the **Data Source** section. Here, you just need to click the dropdown menu and select **Product tags**. ![Choose data source for WooCommerce tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-data-source-for-woocommerce-tags-1030x569.png "Choose data source for WooCommerce tags - SearchWP")### Step 3: Customize Your WooCommerce Tag Filter After selecting the data source, you can tweak how the filter looks to match your site’s style. Simply scroll down to the **Container** section to see your options. Here, you can enable the ‘Show Title’ option, so your visitors know exactly what it does. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")You also have the option to make the filter collapsible. We find this feature really useful for keeping sidebars tidy, especially for customers shopping on their phones. Next, you will need to look at the **Items** section. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")Here, you can enable the option to show item counts. This lets your visitors see how many products are available for a specific tag before they click it. You can also choose to hide empty terms here. This prevents customers from clicking a tag only to find zero products, which can be annoying. When you are finished with these settings, just click the **Save** button at the top of the page. ![Save WooCommerce tags filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-woocommerce-tags-filter-1030x531.png "Save WooCommerce tags filter - SearchWP")### Step 4: Display the Tags Filter on Your Store Now that your filter is fully set up, you need to add it to your website, so customers can use it. WPFilters makes the embed process very easy by offering a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. **Note:** An important thing to remember is that the steps for embedding the tags filter may vary depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. To start, simply go to the page where you want to display the filter, such as your Shop page or a sidebar widget area. For example, we will add the tags filter to our WooCommerce shop page for this tutorial. Simply click the **+** sign and add the **WPFilters Element** block. ![Add WPFilters element block in shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-block-in-shop-page-1030x628.png "Add WPFilters element block in shop page - SearchWP")After adding the block, you will need to select the tags filter you created earlier. Go ahead and click the ‘Select Element’ dropdown menu from the settings panel on the right. From here, select your WooCommerce product tag filter. ![Choose product tags filter from settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-product-tags-filter-from-settings-1030x623.png "Choose product tags filter from settings - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save’ button at the top. That’s all there is to it. You can now visit your live site to test out the filter and see how it helps sort your products. For example, we’ll filter the products using the ‘black sneakers’ tag on our demo store. ![Test tags filter for WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-tags-filter-for-woocommerce-1030x696.png "Test tags filter for WooCommerce - SearchWP")As you can see, the correct product appears on the shop page. With product tags filter, you allow your customers to easily narrow down the products they’re looking for. As a result, you’ll see a boast in conversions and sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce products by tags. You may also want to see our guide on [how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/ "How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)") and [how to filter blog posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Tags in WordPress (4 Simple Steps)"). If you are ready to make product discovery easier for your customers, then you can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get Started with WPFilters"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, filter products by tags WooCommerce, Filter WooCommerce Products, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, WooCommerce product tags, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Fix WooCommerce Shop Page Not Showing Products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-shop-page-not-showing-products/) **Published:** December 24, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** There is nothing quite as stressful as checking your live store only to discover that your WooCommerce shop page isn’t showing any products. We have seen many store owners dealing with this specific issue, and we know that every minute your inventory is invisible is potential revenue lost. So, are you looking for how to fix WooCommerce shop page not showing products? Solving this problem is crucial since the WooCommerce Shop page plays a huge role in every online store. In this article, we’ll talk about the 4 most common reasons that can cause issues with displaying WooCommerce products on your shop page and figure out how to fix them. As this is a comprehensive tutorial, here is a table of contents that you can use to navigate through it: - [Why WooCommerce Shop Page Does Not Show Products]() - [How to Fix WooCommerce Shop Page Not Showing Products]() - [How to Fix WooCommerce Not Showing Products in Search Results]() Let’s dive into it! ## Why WooCommerce Shop Page Does Not Show Products Let’s look at the most popular reasons why your WooCommerce Shop page may not show any products. ### 1. Custom Shop Page Have you recently installed a new [WooCommerce theme](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-divi-search-woocommerce-products/ "How to Make Divi Search WooCommerce Products (No Coding)")? There is a good chance that this is the reason you no longer see products on the Shop page. The thing is, your new theme may use a custom Shop page. If so, you need to set it as the default one in WooCommerce settings so that your products start displaying on it. ### 2. Plugin Conflict Another popular reason the WooCommerce Shop page doesn’t display products is a plugin conflict. Not all WordPress plugins are compatible with each other. Sometimes when you install a new plugin, it may cause a conflict with other plugins installed on your site. This is especially true for plugins that their developers haven’t updated in a long time. So if you’ve installed a plugin that, for some reason, isn’t compatible with WooCommerce, it may cause your Shop page not to display products. ### 3. Products are Hidden from Display on the Shop Page WooCommerce allows you to specify which products you want to display in the search results on your site and on your Shop page. If that option is not configured correctly, then it could be another reason why there are no [WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)") on your Shop page You might have to check if the wrong option is selected and is causing the product to be hidden. ### 4. Permalinks Issue If you see a product on its page, but it doesn’t appear on your Shop page, chances are that the problem lies in permalinks. Permalinks in WordPress stands for permanent links. This setting defines how your internal URLs appear. If you recently installed any WooCommerce extensions on your site, this may have thrown off your permalinks settings. Now, let’s look at how you can quickly fix each of these issues. ## How to Fix WooCommerce Shop Page Not Showing Products After you’ve learned what can cause problems with your WooCommerce Shop page, let’s see how you can fix them. ### Check if You Choose the Right Shop Page One of the most common reasons products don’t appear on the Shop page is that you’ve chosen a custom page in your WooCommerce settings. To check if this is the case, navigate to **WooCommerce » Settings** in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to WooCommerce Settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-WooCommerce-Settings.png "go to WooCommerce Settings - SearchWP")From here, you can head to the **Products** tab. Once there, find the **Shop page** option and make sure the correct page is selected. ![choose the right Shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-right-Shop-page.png "choose the right Shop page - SearchWP")If some other page is selected as your Shop page, click on the **Shop page** dropdown menu and select the correct page. Once you’re done, don’t forget to save your changes. ![choose the Shop page from the drop-down menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-Shop-page-from-the-drop-down-menu.png "choose the Shop page from the drop-down menu - SearchWP")### Check if There is a Plugin Incompatibility on Your Site To check if there is a plugin conflict on your site, you need to deactivate all plugins except WooCommerce and then turn them back one by one. To get started, go to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the Plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Plugins-tab-2.png "go to the Plugins tab - SearchWP")Next, you can tick the top left checkbox to select all plugins at once. After that, just ensure that you uncheck the box next to the **WooCommerce** plugin. ![uncheck WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/uncheck-WooCommerce.png "uncheck WooCommerce - SearchWP")Finally, click on the **Bulk actions** dropdown menu and select the **Deactivate** option to deactivate all plugins installed on your site except WooCommerce. From here, simply click the ‘Apply’ button. ![click Deactivate](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Deactivate.png "click Deactivate - SearchWP")The next step is to gradually activate each plugin until you find the one causing the problem with the WooCommerce Shop page. If you find such a plugin, consider not using it anymore to avoid problems with displaying products. ### Check the Visibility of Your Catalog Another reason why your products may not show up on the Shop page is that you’ve changed their visibility. To check that out, first, navigate to the **Products** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Products.png "go to Products - SearchWP")Then, click on the product whose visibility you want to check. ![click on a specific product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-a-specific-product.png "click on a specific product - SearchWP")Once you’re in the product editor, make sure that the product catalog visibility option is set to either **Shop and search results** or **Shop only** under the Publish section. If it’s set to another option, then you can click the **Edit** button under **Catalog visibility**. ![Edit catalog visibility](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-catalog-visibility--1030x457.png "Edit catalog visibility - SearchWP")Next, you will see more options appear under Catalog visibility. Simply change it to one of the mentioned options. ![Change catalog visibility option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-catalog-visibility-option-1030x630.png "Change catalog visibility option - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing the product visibility, click **Ok**. Don’t forget to save the changes you’ve made to the product settings by clicking the **Update** button. ### Update Your Permalinks Sometimes products may not display on the WooCommerce shop page due to a permalinks update error. It usually happens when you change your WooCommerce theme or install new extensions. To fix this issue, navigate to **Settings » Permalinks** in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Settings Permalinks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Settings-Permalinks.png "go to Settings Permalinks - SearchWP")Then, click **Save Changes** at the bottom of the page to make WordPress update your permalinks. ![press Save Changes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Save-Engines-14.png "press Save Changes - SearchWP")## How to Fix WooCommerce Not Showing Products in Search Results WooCommerce users often confuse the Shop page and the search results on their site. If your products don’t appear in search results, the problem is most likely related to the WordPress search engine itself. The thing is, by default, it only considers the product’s title, description, and excerpts when performing a search. But all other valuable data as product tags, categories, custom fields, and more, stay completely ignored by WordPress. Thankfully, there is a way to enhance search on your WooCommerce site in just a few clicks by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the most powerful search plugin for WordPress, trusted by over 50,000 website owners. Due to its seamless integration with WooCommerce, it allows you to make your products more visible and boost your sales. Specifically, you can [enable search by product SKU](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), tags, custom fields, categories, and other attributes that can help your customers find the right products faster. In addition, with SearchWP, you can fully customize how search works in your store. Here are some other SearchWP features that can help you grow your business: - **[Search tracking](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Find out what search terms visitors enter on your site and get detailed reports on their search behavior. - [**Live autocomplete search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin"): Let your visitors get instant search results with a live search that guesses what they’re looking for. - **[Fuzzy search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites")**: Enable fuzzy search to help visitors find the right products, even if they misspelled their names. - [**Highlight search terms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)"): Make matches more visible in search results to help visitors figure out faster if they’ve found the desired product. With SearchWP, you can control search engines that you create and customize their settings, add new rules, and more. For example, you can promote specific products in search results, [limit search to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)"), and many more. ![Only select product as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-product-as-source-1030x500.png "Only select product as source - SearchWP")Besides that, you can edit the attributes of your Product source This helps you include additional information in the search process. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you can select custom fields (color, SKU, size, material) and taxonomies (product tags, categories, type). SearchWP will also use the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes for the product sources when performing a search. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")You can learn more by following our guide on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). By creating a smart search, you can make the user experience of your customers better, allow them to quickly find what they’re looking for on your site, and boost your sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix WooCommerce shop page not showing products. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix WooCommerce search by SKU not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-search-by-sku-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step)") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)"). Ready to make your WooCommerce search smarter? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** How to display products in WooCommerce, how to fix WooCommerce shop page not showing products, SearchWP, WooCommerce product categories not showing on shop page, Woocommerce product not publishing, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WooCommerce shop page not displaying correctly, WordPress search --- ### [How to Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes (Simple Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-woocommerce-products-by-attributes/) **Published:** December 18, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you sell products with different sizes or colors, you know how hard it is for customers to find exactly what they want. They often have to click through dozens of pages just to see if their specific size is actually in stock. This frustration usually leads to them leaving your site without buying anything. We have seen many store owners lose potential sales simply because the shopping experience was too cluttered to navigate. The solution is to let visitors filter products by specific attributes like fabric, size, or brand. It is like having a helpful shop assistant who instantly points them to the right shelf. In this article, we will show you how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes without hiring a developer. ## Why Add Attribute Filters to WooCommerce Shop? We have all been there as shoppers. You visit an online store, find a category you like, but can’t filter by the one thing that matters, like size or color. We’ve visited countless[ eCommerce sites](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") where we had to click into twenty different products just to see if they came in black. It is frustrating and usually makes us leave the site to buy elsewhere. If your store lacks attribute filters, your customers are likely feeling this same annoyance. [Categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") are great for broad groups, but they fail when a user has specific requirements. Forcing users to click back and forth between the catalog and product pages creates friction. It turns a fun shopping spree into a chore. Think of attribute filters as a knowledgeable employee standing in the aisle. Instead of letting the customer search aimlessly, the filters immediately narrow down the options to exactly what fits their needs. We have found that fixing this specific pain point keeps people on the site longer. It smooths out the journey from just browsing to checkout. That said, let’s look at the steps you can follow to add these filters to your site. ## Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes The easiest way to filter your products by specific attributes is to use a plugin like [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/product/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best filtering plugin for WordPress because it is built to work with WooCommerce right out of the box. Usually, [setting up filters](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Set Up Filters in WordPress Without Coding") involves complicated settings or even code edits. WPFilters solves this with a zero-code setup that lets you build functional filters in minutes. It allows you to turn your existing product attributes into user-friendly checkboxes, radio buttons, or dropdowns. You won’t have to hire a developer to make your shop look professional. Here are some other features you get with WPFilters: - **Shareable Filter URLs:** Every search creates a unique link, so customers can bookmark or share their specific filtered results with friends. - **Place Filters Anywhere:** You can easily add filters to any page or sidebar using the Gutenberg block or simple [shortcodes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"). - **Total Customization:** You can control exactly how your filters look and behave without touching a single line of CSS. - **Advanced Data Support:** It lets you go beyond basic [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)") and filter content by custom fields, tags, and more. - **Universal Compatibility:** The plugin works perfectly with posts, pages, and custom post types, so you can use it across your entire site. With that, let’s look at how you can set up attribute filtering on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters To get started, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. Once you are done, simply go to your account dashboard and click on the **Downloads** tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, press the **Download WPFilters** button and save the ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying your license key right now, as you will need it to verify the plugin in a moment. Now, you need to upload the file to your site and install it. If you need a refresher, check out this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin.](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") Upon activation, the setup wizard will appear on your screen. Go ahead and click the **Let’s Get Started** button and follow the onscreen instructions to finish the setup. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a New Filter Element for Product Attribute Next, you will need to create a new filter element that your customers will interact with. To do this, simply head to **WPFilters » Elements** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")After that, you can enter a name for your filter at the top, such as “Product Color” or “Size”. This internal name helps you keep things organized if you plan to add multiple filters later on to your WooCommerce store. Then, go ahead and select the **Filter Fields** from the available options. For product attribute filters, we’ll use the **Checkbox** option because it allows users to select multiple options at once. However, you can also choose a dropdown menu or radio buttons, depending on your store’s design. ![Select product attribute filter field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-attribute-filter-field-1030x565.png "Select product attribute filter field - SearchWP")Once you have picked a layout, scroll down to the **Data Source** section to connect your product data. This is where you tell WPFilters specifically what information to look for inside your store. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu to select the product attribute you want to set up a filter for. For example, we’ll pick ‘Product Color’ as the specific attribute for this tutorial. ![Select product attribute data source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-attribute-data-source-1030x525.png "Select product attribute data source - SearchWP")If you don’t have a product attribute added, then please see this guide on [how to add product tags, attributes, and categories to WooCommerce](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-add-product-tags-attributes-and-categories-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Product Tags, Attributes, and Categories to WooCommerce"). ### Step 3: Customize Your Filter Settings After selecting your source, you can fine-tune and customize your product attribute filter by scrolling to the **Container** section. Here, you can enable the ‘Show Title’ option, make it collapsible, and arrange the content items horizontally. ![Edit container settings for attribute filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-attribute-filters-1030x425.png "Edit container settings for attribute filters - SearchWP")Next, simply scroll down to the **Items** section to further customize your filter. For instance, you can enable the **Item Count** and let visitors see how many products are available before they click. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you are happy with the settings, simply scroll to the top and click the **Save** button to store your changes. You will notice a handy preview on the right side of the screen that updates in real-time as you make changes. ![Save product attribute filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-attribute-filter-1030x534.png "Save product attribute filter - SearchWP")### Step 4: Display the Filter on Your WooCommerce Store Now that your filter is ready, the final step is to put it on your website, so customers can actually use it. We love using WPFilters because it allows you to place these filters anywhere using the WordPress block editor. It also comes with a built-in option to directly embed the filter on your preferred page. Simply click the **Embed** option in the element editor. ![Embed product attribute filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-product-attribute-filter-1030x534.png "Embed product attribute filter - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open, where you can select the embed mode and target page. WPFilters offers 3 embed modes, which include a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. For this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add the product attributes filter to the WooCommerce shop page and the sidebar of your online store. **1. Display Product Attribute Filter on WooCommerce Shop Page** First, you can simply select the **Gutenberg Block** option and then click the ‘Select Existing Page’ button. ![Embed filters to a page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-filters-to-a-page-1030x476.png "Embed filters to a page - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to enter the name of the page and select it from the dropdown menu. Once that’s done, simply click the **Let’s Go** button. ![Embed product filter on shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-product-filter-on-shop-page-1030x486.png "Embed product filter on shop page - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see your product filter already added to the WordPress editor. Alternatively, you can also add the **WPFilters Element** block on your WooCommerce Shop page and select the filter you just created from the settings panel on the right. ![View product attribute filter in content editor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-attribute-filter-in-content-editor-1030x503.png "View product attribute filter in content editor - SearchWP")Finally, you can click the **Save** or **Publish** button. You can now visit your live store to test the filter and ensure it sorts your products correctly. ![Preview product filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-product-filters-1030x544.png "Preview product filters - SearchWP")**2. Display Product Attribute Filter in the Sidebar** To add the WooCommerce product attributes filter to your store’s sidebar, you can head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. **Note:** We’re using the Astra WordPress theme for this tutorial. The steps for adding the widget may differ depending on the theme you’re using for your site. Next, you will need to add the **WPFilters Element** widget block under the WooCommerce Sidebar section. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-woocommerce-sidebar-1030x562.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to WooCommerce sidebar - SearchWP")To start, simply click the **+** button and add the block. After that, you will need to select the product attribute filter from the **Element Settings** in the panel on the right. ![Select your product filter from widget settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-product-filter-from-widget-settings-1030x499.png "Select your product filter from widget settings - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the ‘Update’ button. Now, you can visit your WooCommerce store and see the filters in the sidebar. ![View product filter in sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-filter-in-sidebar-1030x531.png "View product filter in sidebar - SearchWP")### Step 5: Test Your Product Attribute Filter After embedding the filter on your WooCommerce store, the next step is to test it and see if it’s working correctly. For this tutorial, we created a filter where visitors can sort products based on color. When we selected a particular color in the filter, the product automatically sorted and displayed the right item. ![WooCommerce product attribute filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-product-attribute-filter.gif "WooCommerce product attribute filter - SearchWP")Now, you can add more product attribute filters for your store. For example, perhaps you can show brands, size, material, and other attributes in the filter. ## FAQs about WooCommerce Product Attribute Filter **1. What is the easiest way to filter WooCommerce products by attributes?** The easiest way to filter WooCommerce products by attributes is to use a plugin like WPFilters, which offers a no-code setup to create user-friendly filter options in minutes. **2. Can I add filters to specific pages or only to the sidebar?** Yes, WPFilters allows you to embed filters anywhere on your site, including specific pages like the WooCommerce shop page or in the sidebar, using Gutenberg blocks, shortcodes, or PHP code. **3. Why is it important to add attribute filters to a WooCommerce shop?** Adding attribute filters enhances the shopping experience by allowing customers to quickly find products that match specific criteria like size, color, or material, thereby reducing frustration and increasing the likelihood of purchase. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter WooCommerce products by attributes. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [how to search by product SKU in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"). Ready to make your online store easier to navigate? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get Started with WPFilters Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, filter by category, Filter WooCommerce Products, Filter WooCommerce Products by Attributes, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Limit Your WordPress Search Results (For Newbies)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-your-wordpress-search-results/) **Published:** December 16, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you have a website that has a lot of content, products, downloadable files, or documents, then it’s very easy for users to find irrelevant results. But what if you could limit your WordPress search results? It’ll allow you to reduce the amount of clutter that visitors get when performing searches and help them find the content they want faster. In this guide, we’ll show you a couple of ways to limit search results on your site without writing a single line of code. Since this is a comprehensive article, here is a table of contents to help you navigate through it: - [Why Limit Search Results on Your Site](#Why-Limit-Search-Results-on-Your-Site) - [How Can You Limit Your WordPress Search Results](#How-Can-You-Limit-Your-WordPress-Search-Results) - [Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress](#Limit-Search-to-Only-Posts-in-WordPress) - [Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only](#Limit-WordPress-Search-to-Post-Titles-Only) - [Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress](#Exclude-Pages-from-Site-Search-Results-in-WordPress) - [Limit Search to Specific Post Types](#Limit-Search-to-Specific-Post-Types) - [Exclude a Category from WordPress Search](#Exclude-a-Category-from-WordPress-Search) - [Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only](#Search-WordPress-Posts-by-Tags-Only) Let’s dive into it! ## Why Limit Search Results on Your Site Narrowing search results on your site can be helpful for several reasons. Namely, it: - **Boosts your site search efficiency**: The fewer the number of redundant pages in your search results, the easier it is to find the right content for your visitors. - **Improve your site’s behavioral factors**: Accurate search makes visitors spend more time on your site and reduces the bounce rate, which is good for ranking on Google. - **Helps you get more pageviews and sales**: If visitors can easily find what they’re looking for by using search, it encourages them to keep exploring your site. - **Allows you to build a loyal audience**: There is a good chance that visitors who’ve had a positive search experience on your site will become your loyal audience. Now that you know the benefits of limiting search on your WordPress site, we’ll jump into the different methods for doing it. ## How Can You Limit Your WordPress Search Results The easiest way to limit search on your WordPress site to specific post types, attributes, categories, or anything else, is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the most powerful and user-friendly plugin that allows you to get complete control over search results on your site. The best thing is that you can do it with a few clicks, with no coding needed, and regardless of your WordPress experience. For example, with SearchWP, you can [change the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), make post attributes searchable, enable search by tags, and much more. More than 50,000 website owners worldwide already use SearchWP on their sites to ensure the best search experience for their visitors. Here are some other SearchWP features that can help you grow your business: - [**Highlight search terms in search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)"): Make search terms more noticeable in search results, so your visitors can quickly see if they’ve found the right content. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Add multiple search engines and link them to individual search forms on your site to meet your business needs. - **[Make a smart WooCommerce search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)")**: Seamless integration with WooCommerce allows you to improve search in your store and boost your sales. - **[Prioritize specific pages in search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)")**: Promote specific pages in search results on your site to get more pageviews and increase your content’s discoverability. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to limit search results on your site. To get started, you’ll need to [grab your copy of the SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") plugin here. Next, you can sign in to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. It’s also a good idea to copy your license key in the lower left corner when the download is complete. Now, the next step is to install SearchWP on your site. To do that, upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site. If you need help with this, then follow the instructions on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After installing and activating, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once you’ve configured SearchWP on your site, you’re ready to start limiting search results. ### Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress To get started, let’s see how you can limit your search results to only posts. Limiting search results on your site to posts will help you to clean up your search results from redundant pages and allow your visitors to quickly find the right content. To start, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can customize your default search engine and add new ones. Next, you’ll need to click on the **Source & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")After that, you will see the default sources used by SearchWP. These include posts, pages, and media. Go ahead and uncheck the sources you’d like to remove. In this case, let’s uncheck Pages and Media, to leave **Posts** as the only active source. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")To learn more, please check out our [how to limit search to only posts in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress") tutorial. ### Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only Another way to help your visitors to find the right content faster is to limit your search to post titles. Since titles usually contain the most valuable keywords, limiting searches to them can help your visitors avoid getting cluttered in search results. By managing post attributes in SearchWP, you can uncheck all other attributes like content, slug, excerpt, and author, and only select ‘title.’ ![Manage post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-post-attributes-4-1030x501.png "Manage post attributes - SearchWP")For more details, check out our tutorial on [how to limit WordPress search to post titles only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-to-post-titles-only/ "How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only"). ### Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress Using SearchWP, you can easily exclude specific pages from appearing in your search results. To do that, you’ll need to install and activate the SearchWP Exclude UI extension. To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. Then, find the **Exclude UI** extension and click **Install** button. ![Install Exclude UI extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-exclude-ui-extension-1030x560.jpg "Install Exclude UI extension - SearchWP")After you install and activate the extension, open a post or page you want to exclude from the search. From here, simply check the **Exclude from SearchWP** checkbox. ![Check exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post-1030x984.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")That’s it. You successfully excluded this post from the search results on your site. For more details, check out [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") tutorial. ### Limit Search to Specific Post Types With SearchWP, you can also limit search on your site to specific post types. It can be useful if you publish content beyond standard WordPress posts and pages. For example, if you run a cooking blog, you can limit the search on your site to only recipes to make it easier to browse your site. Or if you have blog post and write how-to guides, then you can limit the search tutorials. ![Select specific post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-specific-post-type-1030x488.png "Select specific post type - SearchWP")Check out this tutorial to learn [how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/) with no coding needed. ### Exclude a Category from WordPress Search Are there categories on your site that you’d like to keep from appearing in search results? With SearchWP, you can exclude them from search in a couple of clicks, regardless of your technical skills. For example, you have the news section on your blog. News blends in with regular blog posts in search results, making it harder to find the right content. Similarly, if you’re an eCommerce WordPress site owner, then you might want to exclude non-product categories from the search so that nothing distracts your customers from shopping. ![Enter categories to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-categories-to-exclude-1030x510.png "Enter categories to exclude - SearchWP")With SearchWP, you can set up powerful rules to limit or exclude certain categories from the search process. For more details, please see this comprehensive tutorial on [how to exclude a specific category from search on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/). ### Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only SearchWP also allows you to limit search on your site to post tags in a few clicks. It can be helpful if you prefer to tag your posts rather than using the classic WordPress categories. ![Select post tags under taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags-under-taxonomies-1030x516.png "Select post tags under taxonomies - SearchWP")For more details, follow our step-by-step [how to search WordPress posts by tags only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)") tutorial. By limited the search results, you help your visitors narrow down search results and deliver more relevant content, which leads to a better user experience. We hope this article helped you learn how to limit search results on your WordPress site. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)") and [how to track searches on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)") step-by-step guide. Ready to limit search results on your site with a few clicks? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Exclude page from WordPress search, how to limit your WordPress search results, limit search on your WordPress site, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress include tags in search, WordPress limit search to post type, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/) **Published:** December 11, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Wondering how to search WordPress posts by tags only? It’ll help you control how your site visitors search for content and deliver the most relevant search results to them. In this guide, we’ll talk about how to let your site visitors search for posts by tags only, without writing a single line of code. Let’s begin! ## Why Limit Search on Your Site to Post Tags There are several reasons why restricting post search to tags can be helpful for you and your visitors. Let’s take a look at them: - **Tags are a good alternative to categories**: They allow you to organize your posts in a more flexible manner and quickly tell your visitors what a post is about. - **It’s a great way to increase the discoverability of your content:** Visitors who search for posts by a specific tag are more likely to view other posts with the same tag. - **You can assign multiple tags to each post or page:** Thanks to that, you can get extra pageviews, as additional tags can also attract the attention of your visitors. - **It allows your visitors to find the right content faster:** Make WordPress ignore post titles and post excerpts when performing searches to reduce the amount of clutter in your search results. Now that you know why to limit search on your site to post tags, let’s see how you can do it. ## How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only The easiest way to limit search for posts on your site to tags is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful and user-friendly WordPress search plugin on the market, trusted by over 50,000 website owners. You can use it to fully customize how search work on your site, including making post tags searchable. And this is just one of many features that SearchWP comes with. For instance, using this plugin, you can limit search to some category, exclude specific pages from search results, [add live autocomplete search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"), and much more. And that’s just a short list of SearchWP features! Here’s how else it can help you enhance your search and grow your business: - **Search tracking**: Get detailed reports on [what visitors are searching](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") for on your site, which results attract the most attention, and more. - **WooCommerce integration**: Increase your sales and build a loyal customer base by adding smart search to your [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). - **Customize search results order**: Change the [order of the search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") on your site the way you want to promote specific pages and boost the number of pageviews. - **Multiple search engines**: Add multiple search engines, customize them to your needs, and link them to individual [search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") throughout your site. - **Fuzzy search**: Make SearchWP look for [partial matches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") when there are no exact ones, to help your customers find what they’re looking for if they make a typo. - **Site Builder Compatibility**: Use SearchWP blocks to add search forms and results template to popular page builders like Elementor, Divi, Oxygen, and more. After you’ve learned why SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, let’s see how you can use it to allow your visitors to search for posts only by tags. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Next, you can log in to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** tab within the dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, simply click **Download SearchWP** and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. You can also copy your plugin’s license key on the same tab when you’re done downloading. That’s because you’ll need it at one of the following steps to activate your plugin. Next, you will need to upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site. You can check out this [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") tutorial if you need help with that. Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to customize your search engine to make SearchWP only consider post tags when performing a search. ### Step 2: Customize the List of Post Attributes To begin, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Here you can create, manage, and customize your search engines. At the moment, there is only the **Default** search engine that SearchWP automatically creates after the installation. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")By customizing it, you can change how search works on your site. For example, you can click the Sources & Settings button to choose different sources for your engine. By default, it will consider posts, pages, and media as sources. ![Choose sources for your default engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-sources-for-your-default-engine-1030x441.png "Choose sources for your default engine - SearchWP")You can further customize the search engine and make post custom fields, tags, and categories searchable, [prioritize specific pages in search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"), enable search for partial matches, and many more. Plus, SearchWP allows you to have multiple search engines and link them to individual search forms placed on your site. Thanks to that, you can create custom search fields with unique settings to meet your business needs. To make WordPress search by post tags only, you’ll first need to make it consider them when performing a search. Simply head to the **Posts** search source to see its settings, and then press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")A new popup window will now open, where you can manage post attributes and taxonomies that WordPress considers when performing a search. To make post tags searchable on your site, click on the **Taxonomies** fields and choose the **Tags (post\_tag)** option from the dropdown menu. ![Select post tags under taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags-under-taxonomies-1030x516.png "Select post tags under taxonomies - SearchWP")The next step is deactivating standard post attributes, such as Title, Content, Slug, Author, and Excerpt, to make WordPress ignore them when looking for matches. To do that, simply uncheck the boxes next to them. ![Uncheck default post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/uncheck-default-post-attributes-1030x478.png "Uncheck default post attributes - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing your attributes and taxonomies, press **Done** to save your changes. The last step is to save your customizations to the search engine. You can do that by pressing the **Save** button in the top right corner. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")Then, you can also click the **Rebuild Index** button next to it. It’ll make WordPress reindex all of your content to see if there are any tags in it. That’s it. Your visitors can search for posts only by the tags. Let’s test your new search to make sure everything works as it should. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To get started, navigate to your site and search for some post using its tag. For example, on our test site, we have a post called “The 10 Best WordPress Analytics Plugin” with the **showcase** tag. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Search-Results.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")Let’s perform a search using this tag and see if we find our post or not. As you can see, we found the right post by searching only by its tag. ![we found our post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-post-1.png "we found our post - SearchWP")Let’s also make sure we can’t find it by title or content. To do that, we’ll enter the **WordPress** search term. ![how to search WordPress posts by tags only](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-search-WordPress-posts-by-tags-only.png "how to search WordPress posts by tags only - SearchWP")As you can see, we didn’t get any search results for the WordPress keyword. It means that we have successfully limited the post search on our site to tags only. ![we found nothing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-nothing.png "We found nothing - SearchWP")By allowing users to search by tags, you help visitors find the right content faster and improve their user experience. We hope this article helped you learn how to search WordPress posts by tags only. You may also want to see our guides on [how to limit WordPress search to post titles only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-to-post-titles-only/ "How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only") and [how to set up filters on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-filters-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only"). Ready to customize your search and grow your business? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit search on your WordPress site to post tags, how to search WordPress posts by tags only, limit WordPress search to post tags, SearchWP, WordPress get posts by tag ID, WordPress include tags in search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WordPress tags for pages --- ### [How to Make GiveWP Donation Forms Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-givewp-donation-forms-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** December 10, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you run a nonprofit website with over 30 different donation campaigns, then helping users find the right donation form can be a big challenge. Last year, one of our users noticed that donors were using the search bar to find specific causes, but they kept landing on blog posts instead of donation forms. The default WordPress search only looks at posts and pages. It completely ignores the donation forms you create using plugins like GiveWP. This means when someone searches for “education scholarship” or “emergency relief,” they won’t find your donation forms, even if those exact words are in the form titles. In this guide, we’ll show you how to make your GiveWP forms searchable, so your supporters can easily find and donate to the causes they care about. ## Why Include GiveWP Forms in WordPress Search? GiveWP is a WordPress donation plugin that helps nonprofits, charities, and fundraisers collect donations directly on their websites. The plugin lets you create unlimited donation campaigns for different causes. For example, you might have one form for ‘School Supplies Drive,’ another for ‘Medical Fund,’ and a third for ‘Holiday Food Bank.’ Each form can have its own donation goals, suggested amounts, and form fields. That said, when donors visit your website with a specific cause in mind, they expect to find it quickly. We’ve seen this happen countless times. Someone hears about your ‘youth mentorship program’ from a friend and visits your site ready to donate. That’s a lost donation opportunity right there. The donor might click around for a bit, but most people won’t spend more than a few minutes searching. They’ll leave and possibly never come back. [WordPress’s default search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") simply wasn’t built for donation forms. It searches through posts and pages just fine, but it ignores GiveWP forms completely. This creates a frustrating gap between what donors are looking for and what they can actually find. Making your donation forms searchable solves this problem immediately. Plus, we’ve found this leads to faster donations and happier supporters who don’t have to hunt through menus and categories to find what they’re looking for. Now, let’s look at how you can make GiveWP donation forms searchable in WordPress. ## Making GiveWP Donation Forms Searchable When it comes to adding GiveWP donation forms to WordPress search, you’ll notice there is no built-in option. You’d have to tweak a lot of code to make your donation campaigns searchable. This is where [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") comes in handy. It is the best search plugin for WordPress and offers seamless integration with GiveWP. [![SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is trusted by over 50,000 websites owners to help users find exactly what they’re looking for. It offers beginner-friendly interface and comes with pre-made search form templates that you can add anywhere on your site. These templates are designed to match your WordPress theme automatically, so you won’t need to fiddle with styling or custom code. Besides that, you can customize the search algorithm and include custom fields, categories, tags, [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), author name, excerpt, and other additional information in the search process. One feature we particularly love is Live Ajax Search. As donors type in the search box, they see relevant donation forms appear in a dropdown instantly. This makes finding the right campaign almost effortless. The plugin also includes [built-in analytics](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). You can see which donation forms people are searching for most often and whether they’re finding what they need. That said, let’s look at the steps you can follow to include GiveWP forms in the search process. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can go to visit the website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Once done, you’ll need to log in to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you should also copy the license key in the bottom left corner on the same page. Next, you can upload the ZIP file you downloaded to your site and install SearchWP. If you need help with that, then you can check out this detailed step-by-step tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once you install and activate SearchWP, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Include Donation Forms in Search Engine SearchWP lets you customize the search algorithm and create as many search engines as you want. Think of search as a set of rules and conditions that SearchWP relies on when performing a search. By customizing the search engine, you have complete control over how search works on your site. For example, you can manage search sources, [exclude specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or categories from search, adjust attribute relevance weights, and much more. Right now, there is only the **Default** search engine, which SearchWP automatically creates after installation. You can add new engines as well, but for this tutorial, we’ll customize the default engine. To start, simply go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will pop up with the default sources, which includes posts, pages, and media. Go ahead and select the **Donation Forms** checkbox. ![Include donation forms as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-donation-forms-as-source-1030x462.png "Include donation forms as source - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Donation Forms’ section and click **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add or remove donation forms attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-or-remove-donation-forms-attributes-1030x409.png "Add or remove donation forms attributes - SearchWP")Here, you can further enhance the search experience by including additional information for your donation forms. By default, SearchWP will include the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author for your form. However, you can also include form categories, tags, and any custom field you have set up for your site. Simply click dropdown menu and select your preferred taxonomies or custom fields. ![Include donation form categories and tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-donation-form-categories-and-tags-1030x527.png "Include donation form categories and tags - SearchWP")After doing that, simply click the **Done** button. Now, you can scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 3: Test Your GiveWP Donation Form Search Now that you’ve customized the search engine in SearchWP, the next step is to test if it’s working correctly. With SearchWP, you can also create a custom search form and link your search engine with it. The best part is that you can place the form anywhere on your site. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Next, simply visit your website, head to the search form, and try searching for a donation form you created using GiveWP. For example, on our demo site, we will search for ‘Christmas Food Drive’ donation form. As you can see, the form appears as we type in the name. ![Search for donation form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-donation-form-1030x539.png "Search for donation form - SearchWP")Do note that we’ve also set up Live Ajax search on our demo site, which shows the search item as you type in the search bar. If you want to also add it to your site, then please our guide on [how you can add live search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ## FAQs for Making GiveWP Forms Searchable **1. Can I use SearchWP with other WordPress themes or plugins?** Yes, SearchWP is designed to integrate seamlessly with most [WordPress themes builders](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "6 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)") and plugins, including popular ones like GiveWP. **2. Can I track how often specific donation forms are searched for on my site?** Yes, SearchWP provides built-in analytics that allows you to see which donation forms are searched for most frequently. This can help you understand donor interests and optimize your campaigns accordingly. **3. Do I need coding skills to set up SearchWP and make my donation forms searchable?** No, you do not need any coding skills. SearchWP offers a user-friendly interface and setup wizard that guides you through the process of adding donation forms to the search engine effortlessly. That’s it, you’ve successfully included your donation forms in the search process in WordPress. We hope this article helped you learn how to make GiveWP donation forms searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-co-authors-plus-writers-in-wordpress/ "How to Search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress") and [how to make comments searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress"). Are you ready to become one of them and boost search on your site with the best WordPress search plugin? You can go and [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Donation Forms, GiveWP, GiveWP Donation Forms, GiveWP Donation Forms Searchable, GiveWP Forms in WordPress Search, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Set Up Filters in WordPress Without Coding](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-filters-in-wordpress/) **Published:** December 4, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Many WordPress site owners launch their websites feeling proud of all the content they’ve added. Then they watch users spend five minutes scrolling through pages, trying to find one specific item. Those visitors eventually give up and leave the site. Whether you’re running an online store, a directory site, or a blog with hundreds of posts, your visitors need an easy way to narrow down their options. The solution is adding filters to your WordPress site. But here’s the thing, most filtering solutions require coding knowledge or expensive developer help. In this article, we’ll show you how to set up filters on your WordPress site, even if you’ve never touched a line of code. ## Why Add Filters to Your WordPress Site? Before we jump into the setup process, let’s talk about why filters matter so much for your website. We’ve seen firsthand how adding filters can transform a frustrating user experience into a smooth one. Think of filters like the aisles in a grocery store. Without them, every product would be in one giant pile, and you’d spend hours looking for milk. Filters organize your content the same way, letting visitors quickly find exactly what they’re looking for. When visitors land on your site and see hundreds of posts, products, or listings, they need a way to narrow things down. Maybe they only want to see products from a certain [category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), or how-to articles, or listings in their city. Without filters, they’re forced to scroll endlessly or use your search bar and hope for the best. We’ve also noticed that sites with good filtering systems keep visitors around longer. This means lower bounce rates and more engaged visitors. That said, let’s look at the steps you can follow to add filters to your site. ## Setting Up Filters in WordPress The easiest way to add filters to your WordPress site and sort content is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/)WPFilters is the best WordPress filtering plugin in the market and is super easy to use. Usually, you would need to edit code or hire a developer if you want to add a filtering system for your website. But with WPFilters, that’s not the case. You get to create all types of filters and control how they operate without touching a single line of code. It is created by the same team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), which shows that we know a thing or two about creating an amazing search experience. Here are some of the features you get with WPFilters: - **Pre-built Filter Elements:** Instantly add checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, and price sliders to your search results. - **Taxonomies and Meta:** Go beyond basic categories and filter content by [tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Tags in WordPress (4 Simple Steps)"), custom fields, authors, dates, and more. - **Hierarchical Taxonomies:** Keep complex data organized by allowing users to drill down through parent and child categories effortlessly. - **Shareable Filter URLs:** Turn every filtered search into a unique URL visitors can bookmark and share. - **Gutenberg Block:** Add filters to any page or sidebar directly inside the WordPress block editor. - **Full SearchWP Integration:** The only filtering tool built specifically to leverage the power and accuracy of your SearchWP engine. Now, let’s look at the steps you can follow to create filters in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters To start, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [sign up for a WPFilters account](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Sign Up for WPFilters"). Once you’ve done that, simply head to your SearchWP account area and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")Next, you can click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. While you’re on the downloads page, we also recommend copying the License Key, as you’ll need it to set up the plugin. Now, the next step is to upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a New Element for Your Filter Next, you will need to add a new element in WPFilters and select the type of filter you want to create for your site. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and simply click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")After that, you can start by entering the name for your filter at the top. This will help organize multiple filters on your site. Next, go ahead and select the type of filter you can to add. For example, WPFilters lets you chose from multiple options, such as a checkbox, radio list, dropdown, search by keywords, slider scale, and more. ![Select filter fields for your element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-filter-fields-1030x521.png "Select filter fields for your element - SearchWP")The best part is that you also get to see a preview of your filter in the right-hand panel. Once that’s done, you can scroll down to the **Data Source** section and click the dropdown menu. Here, you can set up filters for any type of data source. If you have a WooCommerce store, then you can set up filters for product categories. Similarly, you can add filters for post type, author, title, tags, and more. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")### Step 3: Customize Your Filter Element After selecting a data source, you can further customize your filter by scrolling down to the ‘Container’ section. For instance, you’ll see options to show title, make the element collapsible, and arrange contents horizontally. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Items’ section. Here, WPFilters gives you the option to show item count, display empty filter items, and display hierarchical items. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")After you’ve completed customizing your filter, simply scroll to the top. Then, click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save your filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-filter-1030x521.png "Save your filter - SearchWP")Now, you can repeat this step to create different types of filters for your website. ### Step 4: Embed Your Filters in WordPress The best part about using WPFilters is that you can embed your filters anywhere on your site with ease. If you’re a beginner, then you can use the Gutenberg block or shortcodes to add the filter. On the other hand, if you have coding knowledge, then you can also use the PHP code. To get start, simply click the ‘Embed’ button on the Element page. ![Embed your new filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-your-new-filter-1030x521.png "Embed your new filter - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new window popup with different embed options. These will include the Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. ![Embed filters to a page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-filters-to-a-page-1030x476.png "Embed filters to a page - SearchWP")After that, you will also need to choose whether you’d like to add it to an existing page or create a new page. For instance, if you click the ‘Create New Page’ option, then you will need to enter a name for your page and click the ‘Let’s Go’ button. ![Enter name for new filters page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-filters-page-1030x504.png "Enter name for new filters page - SearchWP")This will automatically load the filter in the WordPress content editor. You can also add the WPFilters block to any blog post or page to show the filter. Simply click the + sign and then add the **WPFilters Element** block. ![Add WPFilters element block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-block-1030x684.png "Add WPFilters element block - SearchWP")Next, you will see the WPFilters Element block in the editor. Go ahead and select your filter from the dropdown menu in the settings panel on the right. ![Select your filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-filter--1030x451.png "Select your filter - SearchWP")From here, you can see a preview of the filter you just selected. After that, go ahead and click the ‘Publish’ button. Next, you can simply visit your site to see the filter in action. ![View tags filter in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-tags-filter-in-wordpress-1030x608.png "View tags filter in WordPress - SearchWP")We hope this article helped you learn how to set up filters in WordPress without coding. You may also want to see our guide on [how you can add live search to your site without a plugin](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin") and [how to create a custom search on your site without a plugin](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-search-in-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin"). Ready to customize search on your site in a few clicks? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters Here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** filter blog posts, filter blog posts by category, filter blog posts by tags, filter by category, filter content by tags, filter data sources, filter products by tags WooCommerce, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Filter Blog Posts by Tags in WordPress (4 Simple Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/) **Published:** December 2, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** In WordPress, tags help you organize your content and help users find articles faster. But what if you could show a filter where visitors can simply sort content by selecting a particular topic? The trouble with setting up filters is that they usually require tinkering with code or hiring a developer. This is where WPFilters can help you out. It makes it super simple to set up and add all types of filters in WordPress. In this article, we’ll show you how to filter blog posts by tags in WordPress using a very simple method. ## Why Do You Need to Filter Blog Posts by Tags? Think of your blog without tag filters like a filing cabinet where all the folders are locked inside. You’ve organized everything perfectly, but nobody can actually access that organization. Your readers arrive with specific interests in mind. Someone might want to read everything you’ve written about WordPress security, while another visitor only cares about your eCommerce tips. Without tag filters, both of these readers face the same frustrating experience. They scroll through your entire blog archive, manually hunting for [relevant posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress") while skipping past dozens of articles they don’t care about. Tag filters solve this problem by giving readers a simple way to show only the posts they want. With one click, they can filter your entire blog to display only posts tagged with their topic of interest. This means they spend more time actually reading your content instead of searching for it. Plus, they’re more likely to discover multiple posts on topics they care about, which keeps them on your site longer. Now, let’s look at how to set up tag filters on your WordPress blog. ## Set Up Tag Filters for Blog Posts in WordPress The easiest way to add tag filters to your WordPress site is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/)It is the best WordPress filtering plugin that makes adding filters simple, even if you’ve never done anything like this before. Created by the team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), WPFilters gives you powerful features to create different types of filters for your site. You can filter blog posts by tags, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/ "How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)"), post type, and more. It also works with eCommerce products, downloads, and other custom content. The best part is that WPFilters offers multiple customization options too. You can choose from different filter types like checkboxes, radio buttons, dropdowns, search bars, sliders, and more. Now, let’s walk through the steps to filter blog posts by tags in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a WPFilters account. After creating an account, you can go to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, you’ll need to click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. It’s also a good idea to copy the License Key, as you’ll need it to set up the plugin. Next, you can upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/"). Once the plugin is active, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Simply click the **Let’s Get Started** button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a New Element in WPFilters for Tags Now, the next step is to add a new element in WPFilters to filter content by tags. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and simply click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")Next, you can set up a new filter for your site. First, you’ll need to change the name of the element at the top. For example, give it a descriptive name like “Filter by Tag” so you can easily identify it later. After that, you’ll need to select the type of filter you want to create. WPFilters offers multiple options, such as a checkbox, radio list, dropdown, search by keywords, slider scale, and more. For this tutorial, we’ll use the ‘Dropdown’ option. ![Select dropdown filter option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-dropdown-filter-option-1030x478.png "Select dropdown filter option - SearchWP")You can also see a preview of the filter type in the right-panel. Next, you’ll need to scroll down and select a ‘Data Source’ section. Since we want to create a tag filter, go ahead and select the **Tags (post\_tag)** option from the dropdown menu. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")Next, you can further customize your filter by scrolling down to the ‘Container’ section. Here, you’ll see options to show title, make the element collapsible, and arrange contents horizontally. For example, we’ll make the filter collapsible and display the title for this tutorial. ![Change container settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-container-settings-1030x434.png "Change container settings - SearchWP")Next, WPFilters also lets you edit the ‘Items’ in the filter. For example, there are options to show item count, display empty filter items, and display hierarchical items. These settings help you control exactly how your tags appear to visitors. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you’re finished customizing your tag filter, simply scroll to the top. From here, go ahead and click the Save button to store your changes. ![Save filter by tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-filter-by-tags-1030x478.png "Save filter by tags - SearchWP")### Step 3: Embed the Tag Filter in WordPress Now, the next step is to display the filter you just created on your WordPress website. WPFilters comes with built-in embed options for showing your filter. For instance, you can use a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code. If you want to embed the filter on a specific page or a new page, then you can click the Embed button in the element editor and choose one of the options. ![Embed filters to a page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-filters-to-a-page-1030x476.png "Embed filters to a page - SearchWP")But for this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add the tag filter to the sidebar of the website. **Note:** It’s important to remember that the steps might vary depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. We’ll be using the Astra theme for this tutorial. To start, head to **Appearance » Widgets** from your WordPress dashboard. After that, click the + button under the Main Sidebar section and add the **WPFilters Element** block. ![Add WPFilters element widget block to sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wpfilters-element-widget-block-to-sidebar-1030x671.png "Add WPFilters element widget block to sidebar - SearchWP")From here, you will need to select your filter from the Settings panel on the right. Simply click the **Select Element** dropdown menu and choose the filter you created earlier. ![Select your filter from widgets settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-filter-from-widgets-settings-1030x429.png "Select your filter from widgets settings - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the **Update** button at the top to save your changes. ### Step 4: Test Your Tag Filter in WordPress Now that you’ve added the filter to the sidebar, go ahead and visit your website. You should see the newly created filter in the sidebar. ![View the tags filter in sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-the-tags-filter-in-sidebar-1030x448.png "View the tags filter in sidebar - SearchWP")From here, you can try selecting different tags to see if the correct content gets filtered. For example, here’s how the filter functions on our demo site: ![Tags filter preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Tags-filter-preview.gif "Tags filter preview - SearchWP")That’s it! You’ve successfully created a filter to sort blog posts by tags in WordPress. Now, you can take this to the next level by customizing your WordPress search using SearchWP and also [allow users to search posts by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to filter blog posts by tags in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)") and [how to limit search to only posts in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress"). Ready to create a smart filters and add it to your pages? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters Here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** elements, embed tags filter, filter blog posts by tags, filter content by tags, set up tagging filter, tags filter, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPFilters --- ### [How to Filter Blog Posts by Category in WordPress (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-filter-blog-posts-by-category-in-wordpress/) **Published:** November 25, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When we first started managing our WordPress blog, we ran into a frustrating problem. Our readers kept telling us they couldn’t find the specific content they wanted. They’d land on our blog page and see this massive list of posts about completely different topics all jumbled together. We knew we had organized everything into categories on the backend. But our readers? They had no easy way to actually use those categories to find what they needed. That’s when we discovered category filtering. It changed everything for our blog’s usability. In this article, we’ll show you how to filter blog posts by category in WordPress. ## Why You Need to Filter Blog Posts by Category? Picture your blog archive as a massive library where all the books are randomly scattered on the floor. That’s what an unfiltered blog feels like to your visitors. When readers land on your blog, they’re usually looking for something specific. Maybe they want to read only your [tutorials](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-search-form-for-custom-post-types/ "How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types"), or perhaps they’re interested in your product reviews. Without category filters, they have to scroll endlessly, skipping past dozens of irrelevant posts. We’ve seen this problem firsthand on our own sites. Visitors would bounce away within seconds, and finding content felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. The content was there, organized into neat categories, but readers had no way to access it easily. With filters, you put control in your readers’ hands, letting them show only the posts they care about with a single click. This means they spend more time reading your content instead of hunting for it. That said, let’s look at an easy way to set up category filters for your WordPress site. ## Set Up Category Filters for Blog Posts in WordPress The easiest way to add filters to your WordPress site and sort content by categories is by using [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/ "WPFilters"). [![WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-1030x620.png "WPFilters - Best WordPress Filtering Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/)It is the best WordPress filtering plugin that is beginner-friendly to use and set up. Created by the team behind [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), WPFilters offers powerful features that help you create different types of filters for your site. For instance, you can filter blog posts based on categories, tags, post type, and more. Similarly, it also lets you sort [eCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), downloads, and other custom content. That’s not all. WPFilters also offers different customization options, such as choosing the type of filter (checkbox, radio, dropdown, search, slider, and more). Let’s look at the steps you can follow to filter blog posts by category in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate WPFilters First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [sign up for a WPFilters account](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Sign Up for a WPFilters Account"). Once you’ve created an account, simply head to your account area and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. ![Download WPFilters plugin zip files](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-wpfilters-plugin-zip-files-1030x618.png "Download WPFilters plugin zip files - SearchWP")From here, you’ll need to click the **Download WPFilters** button and save the plugin files on your computer. We also recommend copying the License Key, as you’ll need it to set up the plugin. Next, you can upload the WPFilters plugin files to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activating the plugin, you will see the WPFilters setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Let’s Get Started’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")### Step 2: Add a New Element in WPFilters Next, you can add a new element in WPFilters to filter content by categories. To start, head to **WPFilters » Elements** from the WordPress dashboard and simply click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new element in WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-in-wpfilters-1030x659.png "Add a new element in WPFilters - SearchWP")On the next page, you can set up a new filter for your site. To start, you can edit the name of the element at the top. After that, you’ll need to select the type of filter you want to create. WPFilters offers multiple options, such as a checkbox, radio list, dropdown, [search by keywords](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site"), slider scale, and more. For this tutorial, we’ll use the ‘Checkbox’ option. ![Select filter fields for your element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-filter-fields-1030x521.png "Select filter fields for your element - SearchWP")You can also see a preview of the filter type in the right-panel. Next, you’ll need to scroll down and select a ‘Data Source.’ Since we want to create a category filter, go ahead and select the **Categories** option. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")From here, you can further customize your filter by scrolling down to the ‘Container’ section. Here, you’ll see options to show title, make the element collapsible, and arrange contents horizontally. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")WPFilters also lets you edit the ‘Items’ in the filter. For example, there are options to show item count, display empty filter items, and display hierarchical items. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")When you’re finished customizing your category filter, simply scroll to the top. From here, go ahead and click the Save button to store your changes. ![Save your filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-filter-1030x521.png "Save your filter - SearchWP")### Step 3: Embed Category Filter in WordPress Now, the next step is to add the filter you just created to your WordPress site. WPFilters makes this process super simple by offering multiple embed options. First, you’ll need to click the **Embed** button on your Elements page. ![Embed your new filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-your-new-filter-1030x521.png "Embed your new filter - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new window popup with different embed options. For instance, you can use a Gutenberg block, [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), or PHP code. ![Embed filters to a page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-filters-to-a-page-1030x476.png "Embed filters to a page - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we will use the ‘Gutenberg Block’ option and add the filter to a new page. After that, you’ll need to enter a name for your new page and click the ‘Let’s Go’ button. ![Enter name for new filters page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-filters-page-1030x504.png "Enter name for new filters page - SearchWP")Next, you will see the filters on your new page in the content editor. If you’re satisfied with the way they appear, go ahead and **Publish** your page. ![Preview filter on new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-filter-on-new-page-1030x506.png "Preview filter on new page - SearchWP")Next, you can visit your website to see the new filters in action. From here, you can simply test it and see if the filters are working correctly. ![Test your new filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-your-new-filters-1030x623.png "Test your new filters - SearchWP")For example, let’s say you want to filter blog posts that are only in the ‘Tutorials’ category. Simply select your category from the checkbox list and all the posts within that category will appear. We hope this article helped you learn how to filter blog posts by category in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a search box to a WordPress page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-a-wordpress-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to a WordPress Page (For Newbies)") and the [best backup plugins for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin (Expert Review)"). Ready to create a smart filters and add it to your pages? You can [get started with WPFilters here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get started with WPFilters here"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** best wordpress filters plugin, category filters, embed filters anywhere, filter blog posts by category, filter by category, filter data sources, SearchWP, type of wordpress filters, WPFilters --- ### [How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/) **Published:** November 20, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Wondering how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce? It’ll allow your visitors to get instant search results and find products they’re looking for much faster. In this tutorial, we’ll talk about the benefits of adding Ajax search to your store and how you can do it with minimal effort. Let’s dive into it! ## What is Ajax Search for WooCommerce First, let’s make it clear what Ajax search is. Ajax makes it possible to transfer data without reloading the page, so users have a smooth experience. As a result, Ajax allows site owners to display search results in real-time without reloading the page. ![live Ajax search on a WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-Ajax-search-on-a-WooCommerce-store.png "live Ajax search on a WooCommerce store - SearchWP")Live search is common on most modern eCommerce sites, and it’s what your visitors expect to see. That’s why adding it to your WooCommerce store is crucial if you want to succeed online and boost your sales. ## Why Add Ajax Search to Your WooCommerce Store Let’s take a closer look at how Ajax live search benefits your business: - It tries to predict what your visitors are looking for, helping them find the right products faster - It makes the search experience of your visitors more interactive and encourages them to search more - It allows visitors to see how their search narrows as they include more keywords, making them feel you have a [smart search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") - It makes visitors stay longer on your site and leave it satisfied, which is a positive signal for Google to rank your site higher After we’ve discussed the advantages of adding Ajax search to your WooCommerce store, let’s look at how you can do it. ## How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WooCommerce Store The easiest way to add a live Ajax search to your WooCommerce site is to use the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") plugin. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the #1 WordPress search plugin that allows you to fully customize how search works in your WooCommerce store. For example, you can add Ajax search to your site in a few clicks, [make product attributes searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), exclude specific products from search results, and more. Over 50,000 site owners already use SearchWP to make search on their sites better and deliver the most relevant search results to their visitors. Here are some other features of SearchWP that make it so popular: - **Search tracking**: Collect data on [what customers are looking for](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") on your site to better understand their demands and come up with new product ideas. - **Multiple search engines**: Create additional search engines with unique rules and connect them to individual search forms on your site to meet your business needs. - **Complete control over search results**: [Limit search results to WooCommerce products only,](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)") to help your customers find the right products faster and boost your sales. - **Fuzzy search**: Make WordPress look for [partial matches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") when there are no exact ones, to help your customers find what they’re looking for if they make a typo. Once you’ve learned why SearchWP is the best solution for adding Ajax search to your WooCommerce store, let’s see how you can do that. ### Step 1: Install SearchWP and Activate it on Your Site The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Then, you’ll need to go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, simply click the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin ZIP file to your computer. After completing the download, we suggest that you also copy your license key on the same tab. Next, upload the downloaded SearchWP ZIP file to your site. You can check out this [detailed tutorial on how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need help. Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, the next step is to install a couple of SearchWP extensions that allow you to add live search to your WooCommerce store in a few clicks. ### Step 2: Install the SearchWP Extensions To get started, you’ll first need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. On this page, you can find many useful SearchWP extensions that further extend the functionality of this plugin. The first extension you need to install is the **WooCommerce Integration** extension. This extension allows you to integrate SearchWP with WooCommerce so that you can fully customize search in your store. To do that, you can navigate to the **WooCommerce Integration** extension and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")The next step is to install the **Live Search** extension. This extension allows you to enable and disable live Ajax search on your site with a click, no coding needed. To install it, simply go to the **Live Search** extension and click **Install**. ![Install live search extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-live-search-extension-1030x536.png "Install live search extension - SearchWP")That’s it. Now, all existing search fields in your WooCommerce store will display search results in live mode. Let’s also see how to add Ajax search form to your shop page so that you can get additional pageviews. ### Step 3: Add Ajax Search Form to Your WooCommerce Shop Page First, you’ll need to click **Pages** in the left panel of your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-Pages.png "navigate to Pages - SearchWP")This is where you can see all the pages on your WooCommerce store. From here, find the WooCommerce **Shop Page** and click on it to open it in the WordPress content editor. ![go to your shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-your-shop-page.png "go to your shop page - SearchWP")To add a SearchWP search block to the page, first click the **plus** button. Then, search for the **SearchWP Form** block and click on it to add it to your Shop page. ![Add SearchWP form to shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-to-shop-page-1030x526.png "Add SearchWP form to shop page - SearchWP")Next, you will see the SearchWP Forms block in the content editor. You can then select your search form from the dropdown menu. To create a custom form, you can see our guide on [how to create a search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ![Select search form for shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-for-shop-page-1030x415.png "Select search form for shop page - SearchWP")When you’re done, click the **Save** button in the top right corner of your WordPress content editor to save the changes you’ve made. After you added the live Ajax search form to your shop page, let’s see how it works. ### Step 4: Test Your New Ajax WooCommerce Search To do that, go to your site and perform a search. For example, we will search for “Beanie” on our test WooCommerce site: ![how to add live Ajax search to your WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-live-Ajax-search-to-your-WooCommerce-store.gif "how to add live Ajax search to your WooCommerce store - SearchWP")As you try to type in the product name, you’ll notice the live search to work. It’ll help your customers find the right products, make their user experience better, and increase the number of your sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search by product tags in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)") and [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)"). Ready to add live search to your site in a few clicks? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Ajax search for WooCommerce, Ajax search for WooCommerce plugin, Ajax search WordPress, how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce, SearchWP, WooCommerce ajax search without plugin, woocommerce product search, WooCommerce search plugin, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [5 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins for WordPress (Compared)](https://searchwp.com/best-affiliate-marketing-plugins-for-wordpress/) **Published:** November 18, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running multiple websites with dozens of affiliate links used to be a nightmare for our team. We remember spending hours each week manually checking if links were still working, trying to remember which products we’d promoted where, and completely losing track of what was actually making money. That’s why choosing the right plugin to manage affiliate links is crucial, as it affects your affiliate sales. We tested multiple solutions in the market and picked the 5 most popular affiliate marketing plugins for WordPress in this article and made their detailed comparison. We hope that it’ll help you to start getting more leads and grow your business. Let’s dive in! ## How to Choose the Right Plugin for Affiliate Marketing? Before we get to the comparison, you should know that there are 2 common types of WordPress affiliate marketing plugins. The first plugin type helps you manage your affiliate links. It’s your choice if you have a blog and want to increase your income by promoting affiliate links from third-party publishers. By using this kind of affiliate marketing plugin, you should be able to: - Shorten your affiliate links, manage and place them across your site - [Track the performance](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") of your affiliate campaigns - Show affiliate ads based on your audience’s geolocation - Get advanced data from Google Analytics The second type of WordPress affiliate marketing plugin allows you to create an affiliate marketing platform. It’s the right fit for you if you have your own products and want other people to promote and sell them. A good plugin for creating affiliate marketing platforms should help you: - Accept new affiliates and manage existing ones - Track the performance of your affiliates - Make payouts to your affiliates - Customize your referral rate types Both types of affiliate marketing plugins also have common factors that you should consider: - **Ease of use**: The easier it is to set up and start using the plugin, the more affiliate sales you can make. - **Customer support**: If you face any issues using a plugin, it’s great if you can get quick and professional help. - **Value for money**: Since most of the best WordPress plugins aren’t free, you should aim to get the most value for your money. Now, let’s look at the best affiliate plugins for your site. ## [1. AffiliateWP](https://searchwp.com/recommends/affiliatewp/ "AffiliateWP") [![AffiliateWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/affiliatewp-1-1030x522.png "AffiliateWP - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/affiliatewp/)[AffiliateWP](https://searchwp.com/recommends/affiliatewp/ "AffiliateWP") is one of the best WordPress plugins for affiliate marketing. Using it, you can get your affiliate program up and running in minutes, even if you’re not a tech-savvy person. This plugin comes with powerful tools and features that allow you to manage your affiliates and boost your sales. What impressed us most during testing was how AffiliateWP handles [complex tracking scenarios](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). The plugin accurately tracks conversions across multiple pages, handles recurring commissions for subscription products, and provides real-time reporting that both you and your affiliates can trust. The referral tracking works flawlessly even with caching plugins and CDNs. It also has an affiliate area where your affiliates can get their referral links and have a detailed overview of their income. Plus, AffiliateWP has integration with popular WordPress membership plugins and email marketing services. This list includes MailChimp, GetResponse, BuddyPress, and more. This way, you can increase the number of your affiliate sales by sending promotional email newsletters to your mailing list. **Features**: - **Quick and easy setup**. Launch an affiliate program on your WordPress site in minutes, regardless of your technical experience. - **Easy affiliate registration**. Get more affiliates with a convenient and customizable registration form that comes with AffiliateWP. - **Real-time reports**. View detailed data about your affiliates’ performance in live mode without delays. - **Affiliates management**. Approve new registrations with one click, edit affiliate accounts, set referral rates, and more. - **Fast payments**. Pay your affiliates to their bank accounts in 37 countries using the integrated payouts service. - **Affiliate coupon tracking**. Create coupon codes so that your affiliates can get referral rewards by promoting them. - **Referral link generator**. The built-in AffiliateWP referral link generator allows your affiliates to quickly create their referral links in the affiliate dashboard. - **Powerful support**. World-class customer service that is always ready to help you with any questions. **Our Verdict:** AffiliateWP is the clear winner if you want to create your own affiliate program. The plugin provides everything you need to recruit affiliates, track their performance, and manage payments professionally. **Cost**: Starts at $149.50/year. ## [2. PrettyLinks](https://searchwp.com/recommends/prettylinks/ "PrettyLinks") [![PrettyLinks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/prettylinks-1030x442.png "PrettyLinks - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/prettylinks/)[PrettyLinks](https://searchwp.com/recommends/prettylinks/ "PrettyLinks") is another popular WordPress plugin for affiliate link management. It has over 300,000 active installations and tons of positive reviews. You can use it to shorten your affiliate links using your domain name. It makes them look more trustworthy to your visitors, which leads to a growth in your affiliate sales. What we appreciate most about PrettyLinks is its reliability. The plugin handles redirects quickly and accurately, which is crucial for maintaining good user experience and SEO rankings. We’ve never experienced issues with broken redirects or lost tracking data, even during high-traffic periods. In addition, this plugin intelligently places your affiliate links throughout the content of your website. Due to that, you can be sure that you won’t lose any opportunities to promote your links and increase affiliate profits. **Features**: - **Custom link shortener**. Turn your long default affiliate links into short and attractive ones to increase their click-through rate and start getting more leads. - **Intuitive interface**. View and sort data on your affiliate links’ performance in a clean and user-friendly plugin interface. - **Branded links**. Brand your short links to make them more credible to visitors and increase the number of clicks on them. - **Automatic link placement**. PrettyLinks automatically places your affiliate links throughout your site, so you can save more time. **Our Verdict:** Pretty Links is perfect for affiliate marketers who want clean, trackable links without complexity. It handles the essentials extremely well and has proven reliable across years of heavy use. If you’re promoting other people’s products and need better link management, this is an excellent choice. **Cost**: Free to download, and paid plans start at $99.60/year. ## [3. MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") [![MonsterInsights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-2-1030x511.png "MonsterInsights - SearchWP")](https://www.monsterinsights.com/)[MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") is the #1 [WordPress analytics plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-analytics-plugins/ "9 Best WordPress Analytics Plugins [Compared]") on the market, trusted by over 3 million users worldwide. It allows you to integrate Google Analytics with your site in a few clicks without editing your site’s code. Plus, MonsterInsights shows you actionable insights on how your visitors use your site. You can better understand your audience and attract more traffic from search engines using this information. While reviewing and testing, we found that MonsterInsights makes it easy to set up affiliate link tracking without touching any code. The plugin automatically detects outbound links and can classify them as affiliate links based on domains you specify. This automated tracking ensures we capture data on all affiliate interactions without manually tagging every single link. Besides that, the enhanced eCommerce tracking feature is particularly valuable when combined with affiliate marketing. We can see the complete customer journey from initial blog post visit to affiliate purchase, helping us identify the most effective content for driving conversions. This data has helped us focus our efforts on high-converting topics and optimize underperforming pages. **Features**: - **Affiliate links tracking**. MonsterInsights collects comprehensive data on clicks on your affiliate links and ads placed on your site. - **Advanced Google Analytics integration**. Get detailed Google Analytics reports right in your WordPress dashboard without leaving your site. - **Page-level analytics**. Find out which posts and pages on your sites are most popular with your audience and adjust your content strategy. - **Real-time statistics**. Learn who is online on your site, what they’re doing, and where they came to your site from. **Our Verdict:** MonsterInsights is essential if you want to understand the bigger picture of your affiliate marketing performance. The analytics insights will help boost affiliate revenue. Plus, it’s not a complete affiliate management solution, but the tracking and reporting capabilities are unmatched. **Cost**: Free to download, and paid plans start at $99.50/year. ## [4. ThirstyAffiliates](https://searchwp.com/recommends/thirstyaffiliates/ "ThirstyAffiliates") [![ThirstyAffiliates](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/thirstyaffiliates-1-1030x542.png "ThirstyAffiliates - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/thirstyaffiliates/)[ThirstyAffiliates](https://searchwp.com/recommends/thirstyaffiliates/ "ThirstyAffiliates") is one of the most powerful WordPress plugins for affiliate link management. The standout feature that sets Thirsty Affiliates apart is its automatic link localization capability. When we set up affiliate links for international programs like Amazon Associates, the plugin can automatically redirect visitors to their local Amazon store while maintaining our affiliate tracking. This geographic targeting has increased our conversion rates significantly in international markets. Using this plugin, you can also shorten your affiliate links, insert them into blog posts on your site, and check how many clicks they get. It also comes with plenty of useful features like smart uncloaking, third-party link importing, and many more. Over 400,000 site owners already use ThirstyAffiliates to promote their affiliate links and boost their affiliate sales. **Features**: - **Autolink keywords**. Specify keywords you want to replace with your affiliate links in your content, and Thirsty Affiliates will do that. - **Performance reports**. Get detailed statistics about the number of clicks on your referral links, their CTR, and other helpful affiliate data. - **Geolocation targeting**. Show different affiliate links depending on the visitor’s location to boost your sales. - **Link fixer**. Stop leaving money on the table with the built-in link fixer that ensures there are no broken links on your site. **Our Verdict:** ThirstyAffiliates is perfect for content creators who manage large volumes of affiliate content. The automation features are genuine time-savers, and the geographic targeting has proven valuable for international affiliate programs. If you want to streamline affiliate link management across lots of content, this plugin delivers excellent results. **Cost**: Starts at $99.60/year. ## [5. Easy Affiliate](https://searchwp.com/recommends/easy-affiliate/ "Easy Affiliate") [![EasyAffiliate](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/easyaffiliate-1030x540.png "EasyAffiliate - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/easy-affiliate/)[Easy Affiliate](https://searchwp.com/recommends/easy-affiliate/ "Easy Affiliate") is another WordPress plugin designed to help you run an affiliate program on your site. It’s a great choice if you sell products online and want other people to make money with you by promoting them. We set up a test program for a digital product launch and found the plugin tracked conversions accurately and provided clear reporting for both merchants and affiliates. Like AffiliateWP, this plugin allows you to manage your affiliates, track their performance, and more. Easy Affiliate comes with built-in PayPal integration to help you pay your affiliates in a few clicks. **Features**: - **Third-party integrations**. Like AffiliateWP, Easy Affiliate has seamless integration with various WordPress eCommerce plugins. - **Fraud detection**. Get alerts on any suspicious affiliate activity with an advanced fraud detection system. - **Live stats**. As with AffiliateWP, you can get real-time reports on your affiliates’ performance metrics using this plugin. - **Affiliate dashboard**. EasyAffiliate has a user-friendly dashboard where your affiliates can access metrics and creative assets. **Our Verdict:** Easy Affiliate serves its purpose as a budget-friendly affiliate management solution. While it lacks the advanced features of premium plugins, it handles basic affiliate program needs reliably. For small businesses or those testing affiliate marketing for the first time, it provides good value and room to grow. **Cost:** Starts at $99.60/year. ## Bonus Plugin: [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the #1 WordPress search plugin on the market. It comes with many useful features that’ll help you improve search on your site and increase the number of affiliate sales. Using this plugin, you can [make custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), taxonomies, shortcodes, and other valuable data searchable. It allows you to deliver more relevant search results to your visitors, making them spend more time on your site. The more time they spend exploring your content, the more likely they will click on one of your affiliate links. SearchWP also gives you complete control over your site search results. For example, you can easily [exclude any page from search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or put your best selling affiliate products at the top of the search results. **Features**: - **Full search customization**. Customize your site’s search to suit your needs in minutes without writing a single line of code. - **eCommerce plugin integrations**. [Make WordPress consider product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)") when performing a search to boost your affiliate sales. - **Track your visitors’ searches**. Get valuable insights into what visitors are searching for on your site so you can develop new products or content ideas. - **Enhanced media files search**. With SearchWP, you can include [PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and Office documents into search results on your site. **Cost**: Starts at $99/year. ## Which WordPress Plugin for Affiliate Marketing is the Best? As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, there are 2 common types of WordPress affiliate marketing plugins. We’ll also have 2 winners, one plugin of each type. After comparing the top WordPress plugins for creating an affiliate platform, we believe [AffiliateWP](https://searchwp.com/recommends/affiliatewp/ "AffiliateWP") is the best option. That’s the most comprehensive and easy-to-use solution you can use to launch your affiliate platform in minutes. With AffiliateWP, you can easily accept and manage affiliates, get real-time reports, and make payouts with just a few clicks. This plugin also seamlessly integrates with the most popular WordPress eCommerce and membership plugins, so you can give your affiliates more ways to sell and promote your products. In addition, using AffiliateWP, you can always get help from the professional support team. There is also an extensive knowledge base for advanced users who prefer to learn how the plugin works on their own. As for the best WordPress plugin for managing affiliate links, our top pick is [ThirstyAffiliates](https://searchwp.com/recommends/thirstyaffiliates/ "ThirstyAffiliates"). That’s not only a link management plugin but also a tool that allows you to start getting more leads. Thirsty Affiliates automatically places your affiliate links across your site. This way, you can maximize the number of clicks on them and save a lot of time while doing affiliate marketing. We hope that this article helped you find the best affiliate marketing plugin for your WordPress website. You may also want to see our list of [5 best WordPress eCommerce plugins for digital downloads](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") and [7 best WordPress search plugins to boost your site search](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"). If you’re ready to launch your affiliate program using the most powerful WordPress plugin, you can [get started with AffiliateWP here](https://searchwp.com/recommends/affiliatewp/ "Get started with AffiliateWP here"). And if you want to improve your WordPress search, then [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** best affiliate marketing plugins for WordPress, best WordPress affiliate marketing plugins, how to choose a WordPress plugin for affiliate marketing, SearchWP, the best affiliate marketing plugins for WordPress, WordPress plugins for affiliate marketing, WordPress search --- ### [Introducing WPFilters - The Best WordPress Filtering Plugin](https://searchwp.com/introducing-wpfilters-the-best-wordpress-filtering-plugin/) **Published:** November 12, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** We are absolutely thrilled to announce the launch of our newest product: **WPFilters**! Have you ever built a beautiful website filled with amazing content or products, only to realize that your visitors can’t easily find what they’re looking for? We’ve been there. The reality is, the default WordPress content organization often falls short. It can be a real challenge for users to filter through categories, tags, custom fields. So much of that valuable metadata stays hidden. That’s why we decided to build this solution. ## Why We Created WPFilters? At its heart, [WPFilters](https://searchwp.com/features/wpfilters/ "WPFilters") is designed to massively enhance your website’s user experience. We created it with one simple goal: to give you powerful, intuitive filtering capabilities that help your visitors find exactly what they need with minimal effort. Imagine your users being able to instantly sift through products, articles, listings, or any other content with just a few clicks. That’s the power of WPFilters! Plus, we’ve made it super simple to set up and starting using the plugin. No coding required! Simply follow the onboarding wizard to get started. ![WPFilters setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpfilters-setup-wizard-1030x587.png "WPFilters setup wizard - SearchWP")Now, let’s look at some of the features you get with WPFilters. ## Create Different Types of Filters With WPFilters, you can set up all types of filters for your website and help users find what they’re looking for. For instance, you can show multiple options using a checkbox, provide a dropdown list, add a radio lost and show one option, allow users to [filters by keywords](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Add Filters To WordPress Search"), and more. ![Create the type of filter you want](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-the-type-of-filter-you-want-1030x511.png "Create the type of filter you want - SearchWP")This gives you the flexibility to create different types of filters and display them anywhere on your site. Plus, WPFilters makes it super easy to select a source for your filter. For example, you can set up filters for categories, tags, custom fields, [WooCommerce product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), or more. ![Select source for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-source-for-filters-1030x582.png "Select source for filters - SearchWP")## Easily Customize Your Filters While WPFilters makes it effortless to [set up filters](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-filters-to-wordpress-search/ "How To Add Filters To WordPress Search"), it goes a step further by offering different customization options. You can show titles for each filter element, make them collapsible, or arrange the list horizontally. ![Edit container settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-container-settings-for-filters-1030x428.png "Edit container settings for filters - SearchWP")Besides that, there are also options to customize each item in the filter list. For example, you can display an item count, show empty filter items, and display hierarchical items. ![Edit items settings for filters](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-items-settings-for-filters-1030x456.png "Edit items settings for filters - SearchWP")## Embed Filters Anywhere on Your Site What makes WPFilters so powerful is that it takes the pain out of displaying filters on your site. You can use different embed options to show filters anywhere on your site. For example, there are options to use the WPFilters Gutenberg block, add a shortcode, or use PHP code. ![Embed filters to a page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-filters-to-a-page-1030x476.png "Embed filters to a page - SearchWP")That said, we’re thrilled for you to try WPFilters today! And we’re just getting started, and there are a lot more features planned for the best WordPress filters plugin. So what are you waiting for? [Get started with WPFilters right here](https://searchwp.com/buy-wpfilters/ "Get Started with WPFilters"). **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** best wordpress filters plugin, create site filters, embed filters anywhere, filter data sources, SearchWP, type of wordpress filters, WordPress search, WPFilters --- ### [How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/) **Published:** November 5, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Looking for a way to add a live Ajax search to your WordPress site without a plugin? It’ll allow you to instantly deliver search results to your visitors and improve their user experience. In this guide, we’ll talk about how you can add live search to your site without a plugin and the disadvantages of this method. Here’s a table of contents to help you navigate: - [Method 1: Add Live Ajax Search Using a Plugin](#Easiest-Method-to-Add-Live-Ajax-Search-to-Your-Site) - [Method 2: Add Live Ajax Search Without a Plugin](#How-to-Add-Live-Ajax-Search-to-Your-WordPress-Without-a-Plugin) ## Why Add Live Search to Your Site Adding live search to your site is helpful for several reasons. First, it’s much more convenient for your visitors to get instant search results rather than seeing them on a new separate page where WordPress shows them by default. It allows them to save time and faster figure out if the content they’re looking for is on your site or not. ![live search on a site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-on-a-site.png "live search on a site - SearchWP")Secondly, it helps you increase your pageviews, since visitors who’ve had a positive search experience on your site are more likely to use it again. It’s also a great way to attract more traffic from search engines, since Google pays a lot of attention to the average session duration on a site. But adding a live search without a plugin might be a challenging goal. Let’s take a closer look at why this is not the best option. ## Drawbacks of Adding Live Ajax Search Without A Plugin The main problem in adding live search to your site without a plugin is that it involves editing your theme code. This approach has a couple of serious disadvantages you should be aware of: - **It requires coding skills**. You must have coding experience and a deep understanding of how WordPress works to edit your theme code successfully. - **It takes more time**. In contrast to using a plugin, editing your theme code takes quite a time to figure out what changes you need to make and where to put them. - **It’s not reliable**. You can easily lose all your code customizations if you update your theme or WordPress version. - **It’s not convenient**. A plugin gives you much more flexibility since you can quickly enable and disable the features you need according to your needs. So, if you’re not an experienced WordPress user or web developer, you’re better off using another way to add live search to your site. Once we sorted that out, let’s see how you can add live search to your site without editing your theme files using a plugin. ## Method 1: Add Live Ajax Search Using a Plugin The easiest way to add a live Ajax search to your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 50,000 active installs. With it, you can enable live search on your site in just a few clicks, no coding needed. And that’s just one of many other SearchWP features. The main purpose of this plugin is to give you complete control over search on your site. For instance, using it, you can [change the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), make post tags, categories, and custom fields searchable, create custom search forms, and more. Here are some other SearchWP features that’ll help grow your business: - [**Enable fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): This way, your visitors can find the right search results, even if they make a typo in a search query. - **[Track searches on your visitors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Gather comprehensive data on search activity on your site, including the most popular searches, the number of clicks, and more. - [**Exclude specific pages from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Hide unnecessary pages from search results on your site to help visitors find the content they’re looking for faster. - **[Include PDF files to search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)")**: Let your visitors find PDFs and office documents using the search bar on your site. With that, let’s see how you can enable live search on your site using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site To get started, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). Once done, go to your SearchWP dashboard and click the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you should also copy your SearchWP license key on the same page. You’ll need it further to activate the plugin on your site. Now, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. Check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") tutorial if you require a reminder on how to do that. Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once you activate your license, you’re ready to move to the next step and install the Live Search extension. ### Step 2: Install the SearchWP Live Search Extension Installing this SearchWP extension allows you to enable Live Ajax search on your site in a few clicks without writing a single line of code. To get started, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you’ll need to find the **Live Search** extension and click the **Install** button. ![Install live search extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-live-search-extension-1030x536.png "Install live search extension - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve just successfully added a live Ajax search to your site. Let’s see how it works. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To do that, go to your site and perform a search. For example, here’s what a live SearchWP Ajax search looks like on our test site: ![how to add live search to your WordPress site without a plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-live-search-to-your-WordPress-site-without-a-plugin.gif "how to add live search to your WordPress site without a plugin - SearchWP")You can also see our guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ## Method 2: Add Live Ajax Search Without a Plugin To add a live Ajax search to your site without using a plugin, you should note that you’ll need to add a lot of custom code and make changes to your theme files. Now, if you’re not a developer, then we don’t recommend this method. Instead, you can follow the first method and use SearchWP to add live Ajax search. Before you start, we recommend creating a child theme of your current theme that you use on your site. It’ll allow you to quickly switch to your parent theme if you do something wrong and crash your site. You can check out this tutorial on [how to create a WordPress child theme](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-create-a-wordpress-child-theme-video/) if you need help with that. It’s also good practice to back up your site before you start editing, just in case. There are lots of [WordPress backup plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin (Expert Review)") you can select, like [Duplicator](https://duplicator.com/ "Duplicator"). Next, you will need to add JavaScript, PHP, and CSS for setting up Ajax search. To help you out, here is a list of functionalities you’ll need on your WordPress site: - Integrate the live results to the search forms on your site. - Make Ajax requests to fetch the results. - Display the results in a dropdown menu, so visitors can view them as they type. - Handle user interaction with the search results. For example, you will need to move across the results with the keyboard arrows, close the dropdown if the user clicks outside of it or presses the ESC key. - Add PHP code to handle the Ajax request, run the query and return the results, and send an Ajax response. - CSS to style the dropdown and the search results that will appear. Since this requires custom development, you may want to hire a developer or a professional service like [WPBeginner Pro Services](https://www.wpbeginner.com/services/ "WPBeginner Pro Services"). This way, you can explain your requirements and get a custom solution made for your WordPress site. It’ll allow your visitors to instantly get search results and increase the number of your pageviews. We hope this article helped you learn how to add live Ajax search to your WordPress without a plugin. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)") and [how to exclude category from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)"). Want to add live search to your site in a few clicks without coding? You can [get started with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!") here. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a live Ajax search to your WordPress site without a plugin, add live Ajax search to WordPress site, Ajax search WordPress plugin, How to create dynamic search box in WordPress, SearchWP, WordPress custom Ajax search, WordPress live search ajax without plugin, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Search Box Using Oxygen Visual Site Builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-using-oxygen-visual-site-builder/) **Published:** October 30, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Building WordPress sites for years reveals one consistent problem with the default search function. Visitors type in keywords for content that clearly exists on the site, but they get completely unrelated results or no results at all. The standard WordPress search only looks at post titles and content in a very basic way. It doesn’t understand context, can’t search custom fields, and often misses the mark entirely. However, if you combine SearchWP with site builder like Oxygen, you can create a much smarter search system and design a search box that looks professional. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add a search box using Oxygen visual builder. ## What is Oxygen Visual Site Builder? Oxygen is a visual page builder plugin for WordPress that works differently from most other builders. Instead of adding content on top of your existing theme, Oxygen replaces your theme entirely and gives you complete control over every aspect of your site’s design. The builder includes advanced features like custom post type integration, dynamic content capabilities, and the ability to create reusable templates. Now, if you create a search box using the [default WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"), then it has many limitations. It only examines post titles and basic content, while completely ignoring custom fields, [product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), and other important data that your visitors might be looking for. This is where SearchWP solves these issues by creating a more intelligent search system. When combined with Oxygen’s design flexibility, you get both powerful search functionality and complete control over how the search experience looks and feels to your visitors. Now, let’s see how you can create a smart search for your WordPress site. ## Adding a Search Form in WordPress Using Oxygen The best way to make your website search more powerful and better is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that’s trusted by over 50,000 business owners. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP helps you move beyond WordPress’s basic search limitations. You can include data from custom fields, [taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)"), product information, and other content types into your search functionality. The plugin’s strength lies in its compatibility with leading page builders like Oxygen. It offers pre-built functionality that you can easily integrate into your custom templates to display search forms and results. SearchWP works seamlessly with other popular builders too, including [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"), Divi, [WPBakery](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-in-wpbakery-page-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder"), Breakdance, and more. Other key features that SearchWP offers include: - **Track visitor search behavior**: Access comprehensive analytics to understand what users are looking for and gain valuable insights into their needs. - **Enable real-time search suggestions**: Display instant results while users type, helping them discover content faster and creating a smoother browsing experience. - **Control result prioritization**: Manage how search results are ranked to highlight important content and support your business objectives. - **Exclude content from searches**: Keep certain pages or posts out of search results to maintain a streamlined user experience. - **Create custom search forms:** Easily create custom search forms and results page from pre-built templates in SearchWP. Now, let’s look at the steps you can follow to change search settings and add a search box using the Oxygen site builder. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to sign up for a new account by visiting the SearchWP official website. Once that’s done, simply head to the ‘Downloads’ tab in SearchWP account area and click the **Download SearchWP** button. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can save the plugin files on your computer. We also recommend copying the License Key, as you’ll need it later in the setup process. From here, you’ll need to upload the plugin files to your WordPress site. If you need help, then please follow this [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine Next, you can edit the search engine in SearchWP and improve the overall search experience. With SearchWP, you can include different sources, like products if you have an eCommerce store. Plus, you can also make additional data documents, product details, custom fields, categories, tags, and more searchable. To start, you’ll need to go **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you can manage sources for your engine. For instance, the default sources will include Posts, Pages, and Media. However, you can also select other sources like **Products** for your eCommerce store. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also edit the attributes for each source and include more information in the search process. For example, there are options to include custom fields that store product details like color, size, SKU, brand, and more. Or include different product categories, tags, type, and shipping classes. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")To learn more about customizing the search engine, you can see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Add a Search Form in SearchWP Now, you’re ready to create a search form in SearchWP. Simply go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and then create a new form or edit an existing one. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")Next, you can choose from pre-built templates in SearchWP and customize the form. Plus, you also get more options to further edit the form, like change its styling, modify the button settings, link a specific engine to the form, and more. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")You can follow our detailed guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") for more details. ### Step 4: Add a Search Box in Oxygen Visual Builder Now that you’ve customized the search engine and linked it to a form, the next step is to add a search box using the Oxygen visual page builder. First, you will need to go to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can edit an existing page or add a new one. Once you’re in the WordPress content editor, simply click the **Edit in Oxygen** button. ![Click edit in oxygen](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-edit-in-oxygen-1030x534.png "Click edit in oxygen - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see the Oxygen visual site builder. Go ahead and click the **+** button to add elements to your page. ![Add new element in oxygen](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-element-in-oxygen-1030x541.png "Add new element in oxygen - SearchWP")From here, you can add the SearchWP Form element from the panel on the left under the ‘Site’ category. Simply click on it or drag and drop the element onto your page. After that, you’ll need to select the search form you created in the previous step. Simply click the Form dropdown menu in Oxygen and select your form. ![Choose your form in oxygen](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-form-in-oxygen-1030x355.png "Choose your form in oxygen - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save’ button at the top. Now, you can exit the Oxygen page builder and visit your page to see the new search box in action. Here’s how the search box appeared on our demo site. ![View search form on demo site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-form-on-demo-site-1030x513.png "View search form on demo site - SearchWP")With SearchWP and Oxygen combined, you’ll have a search box that not only looks great, but actually helps your visitors find what they’re looking for. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search box using Oxygen visual builder in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to create a search form in Breakdance](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-form-in-breakdance/ "How to Create a Search Form in Breakdance (Easy Way)") and our list of the [best WordPress backup plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin (Expert Review)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to a WordPress page, Add a Search Box Using Oxygen, best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies, Oxygen, Page Builders, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search bar shortcode, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Create Custom Search in WordPress Without a Plugin](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-search-in-wordpress-without-a-plugin/) **Published:** October 28, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Wondering how to create a custom search in WordPress without a plugin? By customizing search on your site, you can increase the number of pageviews, boost your sales, and help your visitors find what they came for faster. In this article, we’ll talk about how you can customize search on your site without installing a plugin and why you should still consider using a plugin to do that. Let’s begin! ## Why is Custom Search Important to Your WordPress Website? To get started, let’s talk about how a custom search on your site can help you grow your business. Customizing search on your site allows you to: - **Deliver more relevant search results**. Limit your search to specific categories to narrow your search results and help visitors find what they’re looking for faster. - **Get more pageviews and sales**. Boost your content discoverability and increase your income by promoting specific posts or products in your search results. - **Build a loyal audience**. Visitors who’ve had a positive search experience on your site are more likely to return again to explore more of your content. - **Drive more traffic from search engines**. By helping visitors find the right content faster, you make them stay on your site longer, which is one of the main ranking factors in Google. After we’ve figured out what benefits custom search can bring to your business, let’s talk about what disadvantages you can expect if you do that without a plugin. ## Drawbacks of Creating Custom Search Without A Plugin You should consider a couple of major drawbacks if you want to create a custom search on your site without a plugin. ### 1. It Requires Coding Skills and Deep WordPress Knowledge The main disadvantage of customizing your site search manually is that it requires extensive coding experience and deep knowledge of WordPress. The thing is, there are no default search configuration tools in WordPress. Due to that, the only way to customize your search is to modify WordPress core files and the code of your theme. It’s inconvenient, time-consuming, and unsuitable for non tech-savvy people. Moreover, if you do something wrong, it can lead to the crash of your site, so you should be very careful when customizing your theme files. ### 2. You’ll Have Fewer Features Plus, even if you have extensive coding skills, the number of custom search features you can add without a plugin is limited. For example, you can’t add multiple search engines with a unique set of rules, exclude specific pages or categories from search, [manage the order of your search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), and many more. So if it’s crucial for you to get complete control over how search works on your site, you should consider using a powerful WordPress search plugin. ### 3. You May Lose Your Changes Finally, since customizing search without a plugin requires making edits to your site’s files, you’ll lose all changes you made when you update your theme or WordPress version. The best way to avoid such situations is to use a WordPress search plugin, as it keeps your settings whatever you do with your site. With that, let’s take a look at how you can customize search on your site in a few clicks, with no coding needed and regardless of your technical skills. ## Easiest Method for Customizing WordPress Search on Your Site The easiest way to customize a search on your WordPress site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the top-rated WordPress search plugin trusted by over 50,000 website owners. Its beginner-friendly interface and powerful features allow you to fully customize your search even if you launch your first website. For example, with SearchWP, you can manage where WordPress should look for matches, limit search to a specific type of content, [enable search by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)") and custom fields, and many more. The best thing is that you can do most of these things in just a few clicks. You can also use SearchWP to: - **[Show search results in live mode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites")**: Enable live display of search results on your site so your visitors can instantly navigate to the content they want. - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Collect data on what visitors are searching for on your site, which results are most clickable, and other valuable data. - **[Highlight search terms in search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)")**: Help your visitors figure out if they’ve found the right content faster by highlighting keywords in search results. - [**Exclude specific pages from search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Get rid of clutter in search results on your site by excluding redundant pages and outdated content. After you learn why SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, let’s see how you can use it to customize search on your site for your needs. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step is to go to the SearchWP website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). Once done, simply go to your SearchWP account dashboard and click **Downloads**. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin to your computer. After downloading, we also suggest to copy your SearchWP license key at the bottom left corner. Next, you’ll need to install SearchWP on your site. If you need help, you can follow our detailed guide on [installing a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After that, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Start Customizing Your Search Next, you can add, remove and customize search engines in SearchWP. Think of them as set of rules that will be followed when performing a search on your site. By customizing the engine, you can manage the list of your search sources, make it consider new content attributes, limit search to specific categories, and more. With SearchWP, you can add an unlimited number of search engines and connect them to individual search forms on your site. Thanks to that, you can quickly create custom search forms for various business needs and place them wherever you want on your site. Since in this tutorial we want to customize how search works throughout the whole site, we’ll edit the **Default** search engine. First, let’s specify where WordPress will search for content by configuring its list of search sources. #### Manage Your Search Sources To get started, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Here you can manage which sources to include in the search process. By default, it searches among Posts, Pages, and Media files. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")To remove a search source, you can uncheck a box next to it. For example, let’s limit search on our site to posts only. To do that, we’ll uncheck all other sources except **Posts** and then click **Done** to save the changes. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")Once we’ve set up our list of search sources, let’s also enhance our search by making WordPress consider post attributes and taxonomies. #### Configure Your Search Attributes To get started, you can click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button in the **Posts** search source section. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")On the next window, you can specify attributes like custom fields and taxonomies you want SearchWP to consider when performing a search. By default, it will include title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")To make a specific custom field searchable, you can click on the **Custom Fields** field and enter its name. Similarly, you can also include taxonomies like tags and categories for the source. To make a new taxonomy searchable, click the **Taxonomies** field and select the desired taxonomy. For instance, let’s make WordPress consider post tags when performing a search. To do that, choose the **Tags** option from the dropdown menu. ![Select post tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags--1030x597.png "Select post tags - SearchWP")After you finish managing the Posts source attributes, press **Done** to save the changes. Now, let’s see how you can narrow your search to give your visitors more relevant results. #### Limit Search to a Specific Post Category To get started, go ahead and press the **Edit Rules** button for your source. ![Edit rules for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-for-search-results-1030x512.png "Edit rules for search results - SearchWP")A new window will now popup. Simply click the **Add Rule** button. ![Add new search rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-search-rule-1030x385.png "Add new search rule - SearchWP")Here you can add rules according to which WordPress will filter content in search results. For instance, you can add a rule to exclude specific categories from your search or limit your search to them. Let’s assume we want to limit search on our test site to the News category. To do that, first make sure you choose the **Exclude entries if:** option and then choose the **Categories** taxonomy. From here, you can then enter the name of a category you want to limit your search to in the rightmost field. In our case, it’ll be the **News**. ![Set up exclude rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-up-exclude-rules-1030x506.png "Set up exclude rules - SearchWP")After you finish customizing the rules of your search engine, click **Done** to save your changes. When you’re happy with how you customized your search, you’re ready to move to the final step and save your search engine. #### Save Your Search Engine To do that, go ahead and press the **Save** button at the upper right corner of your SearchWP dashboard. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve fully customized search to your needs without writing a single line of code. Let’s test your new search to make sure it works according to your customizations. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To get started, go to your website and perform a test search. For example, since we made post tags searchable, let’s try to find a post by its tags only. On our test site, we have a post called “New WordPress Features”, which has the “Updates” tag. Let’s search by this tag and see if we can find our post. ![press Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Find-Results-4.png "press Find Results - SearchWP")We found the post even though there is no word “updates” in its title, excerpt, or content. It means that our search engine now considers post tags when looking for matches. ![we found the post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-post-2.png "we found the post - SearchWP")Let’s also make sure that search on our site is now limited to the “News” category. To do that, we’ll search for “WordPress”, since we have many posts related to WordPress in other categories. ![make another search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-another-search.png "make another search - SearchWP")You can see that only posts from the **News** category are displayed among the search results that we got. It means that the rule we added to our search engine, which says that WordPress should only search among the news, works as it should. ![we found the right posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-right-posts.png "we found the right posts - SearchWP")So, you’ve just learned the easiest way to customize your search. Now let’s see how you can do it without using a plugin. ## Create Custom Search in WordPress Without a Plugin To customize your search without a plugin, you’ll need to make edits to your theme. The safest way to do that is to create a child theme of the current theme you’re using on your site. This way, when you make changes to a child theme, your parent theme remains untouched, allowing you to quickly switch to it in case of critical errors. Plus, having a child theme allows you to update your parent theme without losing your changes. For more details on how to create a child theme, check out this [how to create a child theme tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-create-a-wordpress-child-theme-video/ "How to Create a WordPress Child Theme (Beginner’s Guide)"). **Pro Tip**: You can also use a [WordPress backup plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin (Expert Review)") to make sure you have a fresh copy of your site ready to restore in case something goes wrong. After you create and activate a child theme, you’re ready to start customizing your search. To get started, navigate to **Appearance » Theme Files Editor** in your WordPress dashboard. Then, find the **functions.php** file on the right panel and click on it. If you’re not comfortable editing the theme files, then we suggest using WPCode. It helps you insert custom code to your site without risking breaking anything. You can go through this guide on [how to copy and paste code snippets from the web into WordPress](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/beginners-guide-to-pasting-snippets-from-the-web-into-wordpress/ "Beginner’s Guide to Pasting Snippets from the Web into WordPress"). ![Open functions.php file](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-functions-php-file-1030x427.png "Open functions.php file - SearchWP")After that, follow the instructions below depending on what customizations you want to make to search on your site. ### Enable Search Posts by Tags and Categories To make post tags and categories searchable on your site without a plugin, you’ll need to add the following code to your theme’s **functions.php** file. ``` ``` ``` ``` When you’re finished, press the **Update File** button to save your changes. ![press Done](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/33.png "press Done - SearchWP")Now your site visitors can search for posts by tags and categories. ### Enable Search by Comment Content and Author Names To make comments and author names searchable on your site without a plugin, add the following code to your theme’s **functions.php** file: ``` ``` When you’re done, click the **Update File** button at the bottom of the editor to save your changes. ![click Done](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/34.png "click Done - SearchWP")Now your visitors can search by comment content and author names. ### Enable Search by Post Custom Fields To make custom fields searchable on your site without a plugin, add the following code to your theme’s **functions.php** file: ``` ``` ``` ``` Once done, press the **Update File** button at the bottom of the editor to save your changes. ![press Done](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/35.png "press Done - SearchWP")Now your visitors can search for posts by custom fields. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a custom search on your site without a plugin. You may also want to see our guide on [how to create a custom WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)") and [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"). Ready to customize search on your site in a few clicks? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a custom search in WordPress without a plugin, create custom search form in WordPress, how to create a custom search in WordPress without a plugin, SearchWP, WordPress custom search form code, WordPress search, WordPress search filter without plugin, wordpress search form for custom post type, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Search Form Using Beaver Builder in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-form-using-beaver-builder-in-wordpress/) **Published:** October 21, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Beaver Builder is a popular landing page and website builder for WordPress. It offers a drag-and-drop page builder that makes it incredibly easy to design professional layouts that look exactly how you want them. But here’s something we discovered while using Beaver Builder. Even the most beautiful website becomes frustrating when visitors can’t find what they’re looking for. The default WordPress search function often returns irrelevant results or completely misses important content. We’ve watched users type in search terms, get poor results, and then leave the site without finding the information they needed. That’s why combining Beaver Builder’s design flexibility with SearchWP’s powerful search capabilities helps deliver the results our visitors expect. In this article, we’ll show you how to add a search form using Beaver Builder in WordPress. ## Why Add a Custom Search Form in Beaver Builder? Beaver Builder is a [visual page builder](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "6 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)") that lets us create custom WordPress layouts without coding. We’ve used it in the past to build everything from simple business pages to complex landing pages. The drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to add elements, adjust layouts, and create professional designs that look exactly how we want them. Now, here’s the issue we encountered with the default search on countless websites. The default WordPress search has some serious limitations that affect user experience. It only searches post titles and content, completely ignoring [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), categories, and other important data. We’ve seen users search for products by brand name, only to get zero results because that information was stored in custom fields. Integrating SearchWP with Beaver Builder and creating a custom search forms solve these problems. It gives you control over what gets searched and how results are displayed. That said, let’s look at how you can easily customize the search and add a search form using Beaver Builder. ## Adding a Search Form Using Beaver Builder When it comes to improving the default search on your site, [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best solution. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is a leading [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that is used on over 50,000 websites to create better search experiences. Its beginner-friendly interface and powerful features allow you to fully customize your search. With SearchWP, you can manage where your website search should look for matches, [limit it to specific content types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"), and enable search by taxonomies and custom fields. The best thing is that you can do most of these things in just a few clicks. Here are some key features that make SearchWP stand out: - **[Live AJAX Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin")**: Display search results instantly as users type, creating an interactive experience that helps visitors find content faster. - **[Search Analytics](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Track what visitors are searching for on your site, which results get the most clicks, and other valuable user behavior data. - **[Advanced Customization](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)")**: Make custom fields searchable, exclude specific pages or categories, and fine-tune relevance weights for different content attributes. - **[Manual Result Reordering](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)")**: Take complete control by manually adjusting the order of search results to feature your most important content. What makes SearchWP perfect for our Beaver Builder project is its seamless integration with popular page builders. It offers customizable SearchWP Forms and Results blocks that work effortlessly within Beaver Builder’s drag-and-drop interface. Now, look at the steps you can follow to get started. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [sign up for a new account](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Sign Up for SearchWP Account"). After that, you can log in to your SearchWP account and click the **Downloads** tab in the dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP") Once that’s done, you can save the SearchWP plugin files on your computer. We also suggest copying the License Key, as you’ll need it later when setting up SearchWP. Next, you can install SearchWP on your site, upload the plugin’s ZIP file and activate it. If you need assistance, please follow this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the setup wizard to get started. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Edit Search Engine in SearchWP Now the next step is to customize the search engine in SearchWP and specify what to look for. The best part is that you can link each engine to a specific search form on your site. For example, you can select which sources to include, exclude content from the searching process, [make product details searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), ensure information in custom fields is available, and more. First, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. This is where you can manage your search engines created with this plugin. Initially, there will already be the **Default** search engine, which SearchWP automatically creates after installation. You can customize the default engine or add new ones. Next, you can edit the sources by clicking the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")When a new popup window opens, you can select which sources to include. For instance, the default sources will include Posts, Pages, and Media. But if you have a [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"), then you can include Products or include Downloads if you have an [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress") site. ![Include downloads in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-downloads-in-the-search-engine-1030x501.png "Include downloads in the search engine - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you can also edit the attributes for each source. These are additional details you’d like to include in the search process, like title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. To get started, simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the search source section. ![Change downloads attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-downloads-attributes-1030x423.png "Change downloads attributes - SearchWP")From here, you can add taxonomies such as categories and tags for your source. Similarly, if you’re using custom fields, then you can also include them in the search process. ![Add download categories and custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-download-categories-and-custom-fields-1030x550.png "Add download categories and custom fields - SearchWP")Once you’re finished, click the Done button. Lastly, you will need to scroll to the top and **Save** your engine. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")For more information, please see our detailed guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Create a Custom Search Form in SearchWP Now that you’ve customized the search engine, you can also create a custom search form in SearchWP. To create a search form, you can head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can create or edit a form, customize its layout and features, and select your newly created engine. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")From here, you can select theme for your search form. SearchWP offers multiple pre-built templates to choose from and offers lots of customization options. ![How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Layout Theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming-search-form-1030x644.jpg "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Layout Theme - SearchWP")To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### Step 4: Add Search Box Using Beaver Builder Now, the next step is to add your SearchWP form to a landing page using Beaver Builder. Simply go to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard and edit a page or add a new one. Once you’re in the WordPress content editor, simply click the **Convert to Beaver Builder** button. ![Click convert to Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-convert-to-beaver-builder-1030x498.png "Click convert to Beaver Builder - SearchWP")This will launch the drag and drop page builder by Beaver Builder. Go ahead and click the + button in the top right corner to add modules. ![Click the plus button in Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-plus-button-in-Beaver-Builder-1030x490.png "Click the plus button in Beaver Builder - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the SearchWP section. From here, simply drag the **Search Form** module and place it onto your page. ![Add search form module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-module-1030x719.png "Add search form module - SearchWP")After that, you will need to select your search form. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu and select the form you created in the previous step. ![Choose your search form in Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-search-form-in-Beaver-Builder-1-1030x534.png "Choose your search form in Beaver Builder - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the **Save** button. Now simply click the ‘Done’ button in the top right corner and then hit **Publish**. ![Publish Beaver Builder landing page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-Beaver-Builder-landing-page-1030x550.png "Publish Beaver Builder landing page - SearchWP")That’s it! You’ve successfully created a search form and added it to a landing page using Beaver Builder. You can now visit your site to see it in action. ![View beaver builder search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-beaver-builder-search-form-1030x616.png "View beaver builder search form - SearchWP")If you want, you can also test the search form and see if it is working according to your requirements. For example, is it finding the right products or download files, showing content from specified categories, and more. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search box using Beaver Builder in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a search box in WPBakery page builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-in-wpbakery-page-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder") and [how to enable search by WooCommerce product tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Beaver Builder, Page Builders, Search Form in Beaver Builder, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only (Easy)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/) **Published:** October 16, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re running a WooCommerce store but also have other content on the site, then it can be hard for your visitors to find the right products. But what if you could limit search results to WooCommerce products only? It’ll help you to clean up your search results from redundant pages, allow your visitors to find the products they’re looking for faster, and increase your sales. In this article, we’ll show you how to limit search on your site to WooCommerce products in a few minutes, with no coding needed. ## Why Limit Search Results to Products on Your Site? Before we get to the tutorial, let’s talk about how limiting WooCommerce search to products can benefit your business. ### 1. Get More Sales First, it helps your customers to find the right products faster, which directly affects the number of your sales. By default, WordPress performs searches among titles, content, and [excerpts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-excerpts-on-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Display Excerpts on the WordPress Search Results Page") of all posts and pages published on your site. Not surprisingly, your site visitors see a lot of redundant search results when searching for a product. That’s especially true if your online store has a blog where you publish company news, featured deals, product manuals, and other relevant content. ### 2. Build Customer Loyalty Secondly, having an accurate search on your site is crucial to building a loyal customer base. Visitors who’ve had a positive search experience on your site are more likely to return when they need to purchase something else. That’s why it’s essential to make it as easy as possible to find the right product in your store if you want to succeed online in the long run. After you’ve learned why it makes sense to limit your [WooCommerce store search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") to products, let’s talk about how you can do that on your site. ### 3. Improve Product Visibility Finally, limiting search on your site to only products allows you to boost product visibility across your site and also better optimize it for ranking in search engines. If your visitors can easily find on your site what they’re looking for and have a positive user experience, it’s a positive signal for Google to rank your site higher. With that, let’s see how you can limit search on your site to WooCommerce products with no coding needed. ## How to Limit Search Results to WooCommerce Products Only The easiest way to limit your site’s search to WooCommerce products is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best search plugin for WordPress that has seamless integration with WooCommerce. Using it, you can enhance search in your store to make it easier for your customers to find the product they’re looking for. For example, SearchWP allows you to [make product SKUs searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-search-by-sku-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step)"), display search results in live mode, enable fuzzy search, and many more. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners already use SearchWP to give their visitors more relevant search results and grow their business. Here are some other amazing SearchWP features: - **[Manage the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)")**: Customize the order of search results in your WooCommerce store to promote the best-selling products. - **[Exclude specific products from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce")**. Clean up search results on your site by excluding from search redundant or outdated products. - [**Track searches of your customers**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Look at what visitors are searching for on your site to find out which products are most popular and come up with new product ideas. - [**Add a search form to your shop page**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"): Enhance your shop page by placing a search form on it to get additional pageviews and sales. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to limit search results on your site to WooCommerce products only. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [sign up for a new account](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). When you’re done, simply go to your SearchWP dashboard and click the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once you get to the Downloads tab, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We’ll also recommend that you copy your license key in the bottom left corner when you’ve finished downloading, as you’ll need it later in the setup process. Next, you’ll need to install and activate SearchWP on your WordPress website. Not sure how to do that? Check out this beginner’s guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After setting up SearchWP, you’re ready to move to the next step and install the WooCommerce Integration extension. ### Step 2: Install the WooCommerce Integration Extension This extension ensures seamless SearchWP integration with WooCommerce, allowing you to fully customize the way search works in your store. To install it, simply navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. ![Installing the WooCommerce Integration extension for SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-woocommerce-extension-1030x464.jpg "installing-woocommerce-extension - SearchWP")Next, you will need to find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension and click Install under its section. After that, you’re ready to start customizing your search engine to make it search only among WooCommerce products. ### Step 3: Limit Your Search to WooCommerce Product Only To get started, you can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. click the **SearchWP** button on the left side of your WordPress dashboard. Here, you can customize the search engine by selecting which sources to include, or which additional information like custom fields and tags to make searchable. For example, you can enable search by WooCommerce product tags, [hide specific WooCommerce categories from search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-category-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Hide Category from Search in WooCommerce"), and many more. To limit search on your site to WooCommerce products, you’ll need to add them as a search source and then remove all other search sources. To get started, simply click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you will see a popup window that will have all the default sources, such as Posts, Pages, and Media. Go ahead and check the box next to the **Products** search source to make it active, and uncheck all other sources. ![Only select product as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-product-as-source-1030x500.png "Only select product as source - SearchWP")When finished, click **Done** to save your changes. You can go a step further and also select product attributes in the search process. For example, you can make product details like SKUs, color, size, categories, tags, and more searchable using SearchWP. To start, simply scroll down to the Products section and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")A new popup window will now open where you can select product attributes. By default, the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author attributes will be selected. You can simply click the ‘Custom Fields’ dropdown menu to add additional product details and the ‘Taxonomies’ dropdown menu to add tags and categories to the search process. ![How to Add WooCommerce Product Search Widget: customize attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-product-attribute-1030x567.jpg "customizing product attribute - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and click the **Done** button. The last step is to save your search engine. You can do that by pressing the **Save** button in the upper right corner. ![Save product search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-search-engine-1030x481.png "Save search engine - SearchWP")That’s it. Now search on your site is limited to WooCommerce products. Let’s test it to make sure that everything works as it should. ### Step 4: Test Your New Product Search To do that, go to your site and type some search query into the search field. For example, let’s say we sell tea on our test site and have several blog posts related to various tea topics. Let’s type “green tea” into the search and see what results we get. ![make a search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-a-search.png "make a search - SearchWP")As you can see, we only have products among our search results. It means that we have successfully limited search on our site to WooCommerce products, and now nothing will distract our customers from shopping. ![how to limit search results to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-limit-search-results-to-WooCommerce-products-only.png "how to limit search results to WooCommerce products only - SearchWP")## Bonus: Create a Custom Search Widget for WooCommerce Now that you’ve customized the WooCommerce search to only look for products, you can also set up custom widgets for your store. SearchWP offers prebuilt search form templates that you can link to your custom search engine. This way, you get full control over the appearance of the form and also power it with the search engine you just customized in SearchWP. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")For more details, please see our guide on [how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to limit search results on your site to WooCommerce products only. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [how to search by WooCommerce product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). Ready to improve your WooCommerce search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit search results to WooCommerce products only, improve woocommerce search, search woocommerce products only, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Create a Search Form in Breakdance (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-form-in-breakdance/) **Published:** October 14, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’ve used Breakdance to build websites, you’ll quickly discover a frustrating limitation. The default WordPress search functionality just isn’t powerful enough. Your visitors would search for content they knew existed on the site, only to get irrelevant results or no results at all. This is where using SearchWP can transform the search experience completely. Plus, it easily integrates with Breakdance, making it very easy to add custom search forms. In this guide, we’ll show you how we set up powerful search forms in Breakdance using SearchWP. ## What is Breakdance? Breakdance is a popular visual page builder plugin for WordPress. It lets you create custom websites without writing any code, using a drag-and-drop interface that feels intuitive and responsive. What sets Breakdance apart from other page builders is its focus on clean code output and performance. The plugin comes with a comprehensive set of design elements, from basic text and image blocks to advanced features like dynamic content, animations, and form builders. We particularly appreciate how it handles responsive design automatically, ensuring our sites look great on all devices. Breakdance also integrates well with popular WordPress plugins and themes. This includes SearchWP, which allows you to enhance the search process on your site. That said, let’s look at how you can easily include a search form in Breakdance builder. ## Adding a Search Form in WordPress Using Breakdance Setting up a powerful search form in Breakdance is easier than you might think. And the best way to go about it is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that’s trusted by over 50,000 business owners to enhance their website search. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)With SearchWP, you can overcome the limitations of the default search in WordPress. For instance, you get to include important details in custom fields, categories, tags, [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), and more in the search process. What makes SearchWP great is that it easily works with popular website builders, including Breakdance. It offers pre-built blocks that you can easily place on your custom landing pages to display search forms and results templates. Besides Breakdance, SearchWP also supports [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"), [Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-divi-search-not-working/ "How to Fix Divi Search Not Working in WordPress (4 Solutions)"), [WPBakery](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-in-wpbakery-page-builder/ "How to Add a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder"), Oxygen, and other website builders. Here are more key features offered by SearchWP: - **Monitor what your visitors are searching for:** Use detailed reports to [discover what customers are looking](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") for and gain powerful insights into their intent. - **Provide live search suggestions:** Show visitors instant results as they type, allowing them to find the right products more efficiently and improving their experience. - **Customize the order of your results:** Control the ranking of search results to feature specific items and align them with your business goals. - **Hide specific content from search:** Prevent certain pages or products from appearing in your search results, ensuring a clean and focused customer journey. Now, you can follow these steps to easily customize your website search, create a search form, and display it using Breakdance. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you will need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. After creating an account, you can head to your account page in SearchWP and then go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you will need to click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. Now, the next step is to install SearchWP on your site. To do that, you’ll need to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need help, then please follow this [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Edit and Customize the Search Engine With SearchWP, you can improve your site search by customizing the search engine. A search engine contains a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. You can edit it to include additional information. For example, there are options to make documents like [PDFs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), product details like color, size, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), categories like tutorials, and other details in the search process. First, you’ll need to go **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a small window will open where you can choose sources for your engine. By default, SearchWP will include Posts, Pages, and Media as sources. But if you have an [eCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads (2025)"), then you can include Products or Downloads as a source. ![Include downloads in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-downloads-in-the-search-engine-1030x501.png "Include downloads in the search engine - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the **Done** button. Another benefit of using SearchWP is that you can further customize the search by editing source attributes. Simply scroll down to the source you want to edit and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, you can add any additional information stored in custom fields in the search process. For example, if you have a food blog, then you can add custom fields like ingredients. Similarly, there is also an option to make [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") and tags searchable. All you have to do is click the Taxonomies dropdown menu. Do note that SearchWP will include title, content, slug, excerpt, and [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (Simple Steps)") as attributes by default. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the **Done** button when you’re finished. Now, you can scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")For more details about customizing the search engine, you may also want to see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Create a Search Form in SearchWP Now that you’ve customized the search engine, you can also create a custom search form in SearchWP. First, you can go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and then create a new form or edit an existing one. ![Select a search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-a-search-form-1030x518.png "Select a search form - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can select a theme for your form. SearchWP offers multiple search form templates that you can use for your site. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")With SearchWP, you can link each form to a specific search engine. This allows you to create unlimited search forms and display them in different areas of your site. ![Select new engine for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-new-engine-for-form-1030x484.png "Select new engine for form - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### Step 4: Adding a Search Form in Breakdance The next step is to add the search form you just created to a page using the Breakdance [page builder](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "6 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)"). Simply head to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can edit an existing page or add a new one. ![add a new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-page-1-1030x484.png "add a new page - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see the content editor in WordPress. From here, you can click the **Edit in Breakdance** button. ![Click edit with Breakdance](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-edit-with-breakdance-1030x497.png "Click edit with Breakdance - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see the Breakdance editor. To add a new element, simply click the **+** sign on the page. After that, you can select the **SearchWP Form** element from the menu on the left under the ‘Site’ group. ![Add SearchWP form element in breakdance](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-element-in-breakdance-1030x657.png "Add SearchWP form element in breakdance - SearchWP")Once the SearchWP Form element is added, you can select your search from. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu under SearchWP Form settings in the panel on the left. ![Select your form in Breakdance](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-form-in-breakdance-1030x524.png "Select your form in Breakdance - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the **Save** button at the top. After that, you can click close button (X icon) and then click the **Exit to Frontend** option. ![Save form and exit to frontend](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-form-and-exit-to-frontend-1030x491.png "Save form and exit to frontend - SearchWP")This will take you to the page you just created with Breakdance to display the search form. Here’s a preview of how the search form looks like on our demo site. ![Breakdance search form preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/breakdance-search-form-preview-1030x501.png "Breakdance search form preview - SearchWP")Now, you can simply try the search box and test if it’s working as intended. For instance, you try searching for custom fields or categories you included in the search process. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a search form in Breakdance. You may also want to see our guide on [how to display promoted ads on your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-promoted-ads-on-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Display Promoted Ads on WordPress Search Results Page") and the [best WordPress backup plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin (Expert Review)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to a WordPress page, best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies, Breakdance, landing page builders, Page Builders, search form, search form for breakdance, SearchWP, WordPress page builder plugin, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** October 9, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re running a WooCommerce store, then you’ll probably have tags to organize your products. But did you know that the default search on your site completely ignores them when performing a search? By making tags searchable, you give your customers an extra way to search for products in your store and help them find what they’re looking for faster. In this guide, we’ll show you the fastest way to enable search by WooCommerce product tags on your site with no coding needed. ## Why Add Search by Product Tags Allowing your visitors to search by product tags is helpful for several reasons. First, tags are a great source of additional information about your products. They are ideal for placing such data as product material, type, style, size, weight, and many other valuable attributes. So, by making this data searchable, you can help your visitors discover your store and increase your sales. Secondly, searching by tags is simply convenient. For example, you can create a product collection and add a unique tag for it so that customers can find products from that collection faster. With that, let’s see how you can make WooCommerce product tags searchable on your website. ## How to Enable Search by WooCommerce Product Tags on Your Site The easiest way to make WooCommerce product tags searchable on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin used by over 50,000 website owners worldwide. Thanks to seamless integration with WooCommerce, you can use the full power of SearchWP to customize your store search. For instance, you can [make product attributes searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), limit search to specific product categories, [track searches of your customers](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), and many more. And this is just a short list of SearchWP features. Here are some other things you can do with this plugin: - [**Enable search by product SKUs**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"): Let your customers search for products by SKU to help them find what they’re looking for faster. - **[Exclude specific products from search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce")**: Clean up your search results by hiding redundant products to make it easier for visitors to find the right products. - [**Restrict product search to titles only**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only"): Make WordPress only consider product titles when performing searches to reduce the amount of clutter in search results. - **[Add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)")**: Create an additional search engine, customize it to your needs, and link it to the search widget on your site. Now, let’s see how you can use it to enable search by WooCommerce product tags. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site To begin, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [grab a copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP "). After that, you can log in to your SearchWP account and click the **Downloads** tab in the dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to press the **Download SearchWP** button to download the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, we recommend to also copy your SearchWP license key in the lower left corner. Now, the next step is to install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your WordPress website. If you need help, then please check out this detailed guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After activating the plugin on your site, the next step is to install the WooCommerce extension in SearchWP. ### Step 2: Install WooCommerce Integration Extension By installing this extension, you ensure seamless integration of SearchWP with WooCommerce. To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension and click **Install**. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")After you’ve installed and activated the extension, you’re ready to start customizing your search engines to enable search by WooCommerce product tags. ### Step 3: Add Products as a Search Source To get started, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. This is where you can manage your search engines created with this plugin. As you can see, there is already the **Default** search engine, which SearchWP automatically creates after installation. You can simply customize this engine or add new ones as well. For instance, you can limit your search to WooCommerce products only, put specific products at the top of your search results, and more. To let your customers search for WooCommerce products by tags, the first step is to add products as a search source. First, you’ll need to click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you can manage sources for your engine. For instance, the default sources will include Posts, Pages, and Media. Go ahead and check the checkbox next to the **Products** search source to make it active. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click **Done** to save your changes. ### Step 4: Make Product Tags Searchable The next step is to add the **Product tags** taxonomy as a product attribute that SearchWP pays attention to when performing a search. To get started, simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the **Product** search source section. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see a new window popup, where you can manage post attributes, like title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. From here, you can click on the **Taxonomies** field and choose the **Product tags** option from the dropdown menu. ![Select product tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-tags--1030x625.png "Select product tags - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing your taxonomies, click **Done** to save the changes. The last step is to save your search engine. To do that, press the **Save** button. ![Save product search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-product-search-engine-1030x481.png "Save search engine - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully enabled search by product tags on your site. Let’s test your new search to make sure it works as it’s supposed to. ### Step 5: Test Your New Search by Product Tag To get started, go to your website and search for any product you have in your store by its tag. For example, on our test site, we have a “Green hoodie” product with the “Womenswear” tag. Let’s see if we can find this product by the tag only. ![click Find Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Search.png "click Find Search - SearchWP")As you can see, we successfully found our product, even though there is no word “womenswear” in its title or description. It means that WordPress now considers product tags, and visitors can use them to find the product they want. ![we found our product by the tag](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-product-by-the-tag.png "we found our product by the tag - SearchWP")## Bonus: Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working When your WooCommerce product search suddenly stops working, it can feel like a nightmare, especially when you have thousands of items in your store. If customers can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll likely leave, which is the last thing any online store owner wants. The tricky part is that there isn’t just one single cause for a broken search. The problem could be anything from a conflict with another plugin, a server memory limit issue, or even a corrupted database after a large product import using a CSV file. ![Nothing found results preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/nothoing-found.jpg "Nothing found results preview - SearchWP")The good news is that most of these issues are fixable. You can find all the details in our guide on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). We hope this article helped you learn how to enable search by WooCommerce product tags. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [how to hide category from search in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-category-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). If you’re ready to empower your WooCommerce search, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** enable search by product tags in WooCommerce, filter products by tags WooCommerce, how to search by product tags in WooCommerce, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search by sku, WooCommerce search engine, woocommerce search form --- ### [6 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/) **Published:** October 7, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are you looking for the best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies? Page builders allow you to create beautiful and modern pages for your site within minutes, no coding needed. And to improve your WordPress search, you can use a page builder to add a powerful search widget to your website. Since there are tons of plugins available, we picked the best page builders for WordPress and compared their features in this post to help you get started. Let’s dive into it. **Page Builders****Best For****Key Feature**1.[SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd")Most Powerful Website and Page BuilderDrag-and-drop builder with smart sections & AI-powered2.[Thrive Architect](https://thrivethemes.com/architect/ "Thrive Architect")Complete Marketing Suite and Page BuilderConversion-focused page building elements3.[Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/recommends/beaver-builder/ "Beaver Builder")Best for Learning Page BuildingClean interface with helpful tutorials4.[Divi](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elegant-themes-divi/ "Divi")All-in-One Page Builder SolutionComplete theme and builder combo5.[Elementor](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elementor-2/ "Elementor")Best Free Page Builder OptionPowerful free version with customization options6.[Visual Composer](https://searchwp.com/recommends/visual-composer/ "Visual Composer")Comprehensive Customization OptionsHuge template library & content elements## What to Look for in a WordPress Page Builder First, let’s figure out what you should pay attention to when choosing a page builder plugin for WordPress. A great page builder should be: - **Easy to use**. Using the beginner-friendly plugin, you can [start creating your pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)") immediately after installation. - **Optimized for search engines**. The proper HTML markup of your pages is crucial if you want to attract traffic from search engines. - **Fast and lightweight**. Site loading speed plays a huge role in the user experience of your visitors and the number of leads you get. - **Mobile-ready**. Responsive pages are the key to success since about 70% of the world’s traffic comes from mobile devices. - **Compatible with your theme**. This way, you can be sure that your new pages will match your current design. - **Packed with templates**. Ready-made page templates allow you to quickly customize them for your needs and get your site up and running. ## How We Test and Review We’ve spent countless hours testing page builders with one specific goal in mind: finding which ones actually work for people who’ve never built a website before. Our testing process goes far beyond just clicking through features. We approach each page builder like a complete beginner would. This means starting with fresh WordPress installations, timing how long it takes to create a basic page, and noting every moment of confusion or frustration. We also pay close attention to onboarding experiences, documentation quality, and how quickly we can get help when stuck. Our evaluation focuses on four key areas that matter most to newbies. First, we test the initial setup process and measure how many steps it takes to create your first page. Second, we evaluate the interface complexity and whether common tasks feel intuitive. After that, we examine the template library and starter content quality since beginners often need inspiration to get started. Finally, we stress-test the learning resources each company provides. We read through their tutorials, test their customer support response times, and check if their help materials actually make sense to non-technical users. Many page builders claim to be beginner-friendly, but we’ve found that good documentation and support make the biggest difference in whether new users succeed or give up in frustration. Now, let’s move on to our list of the best drag-and-drop page builders for WordPress. ### [1. SeedProd – Most Powerful Website and Page Builder](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd") [![SeedProd](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/seedprod-site-1030x530.png "SeedProd - SearchWP")](https://www.seedprod.com/)[SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd") is a lightweight and easy-to-use WordPress theme and landing page builder plugin that’s trusted by lots of site owners. It solves the biggest problem newbies face: overwhelming interfaces that assume you already know web design terminology. We’ve watched complete beginners create professional-looking landing pages in under 30 minutes using SeedProd’s smart sections feature. The drag-and-drop editor feels natural, almost like arranging blocks on a table, rather than wrestling with technical settings. ![Picks blocks from SeedProd builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/picks-blocks-from-seedprod-builder-1-1030x676.png "Pick blocks from SeedProd builder - SearchWP")Plus, it offers a [powerful AI builder](https://ai.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd AI Builder"), that lets you create entire website themes and pages by entering a text prompt. Another thing we liked about SeedProd was that all pages you create are fast-loading and SEO-optimized as this plugin is designed with performance in mind. SeedProd also comes with tons of ready-made professional templates to help you start building the pages you need right off the bat. For example, there are templates for creating high-converting landing pages, sales pages, shopping cart pages, and many more. ![how to create a custom WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-create-a-custom-WordPress-theme-1030x484.png "how to create a custom WordPress theme - SearchWP")In addition, SeedProd is fully compatible with the most popular email marketing services such as Drip, GetResponse, Mailchimp, and others. It allows you to collect visitors’ emails, run A/B tests, launch successful email marketing campaigns and grow your business. There is also a helpful SeedProd support team that’s always ready to help you with any questions you may have. **Features:** - **Beginner-friendly**. SeedProd’s visual drag and drop builder makes it easy to create a page for any purpose, regardless of your design and coding skills. - **Plenty of templates**. Over 300 ready-made templates for any case, including blog page, coming soon page, newsletter sign-up page, and many others. - **Huge variety of blocks**. There are more than 90 blocks in the SeedProd builder that you can use to create unique pages for any goal. - **Premium integrations**. Use SeedProd with [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)") and email marketing services to increase sales and grow your business. - **Mobile-ready.** Responsive page design ensures visitors feel comfortable browsing your site from any device. - **SEO optimized**. SeedProd templates and blocks are optimized for SEO, ensuring better ranking of your website pages in search engines. - **Live previews**. You can see the changes you make to a page at any stage of its creation, whether it’s a draft or a published page. - **Font combinations**. SeedProd has built-in integration with Google fonts that are pre-matched to each other, so you don’t have to waste time trying to pick them. - **Custom CSS**. If you want to further customize the appearance of elements on your pages, you can use your custom CSS. - **Access control**. Select users can access the pages you create with SeedProd by their role or IP address. - **Spam protection**. A built-in spam filter protects your landing pages from spammers, allowing you to improve the quality of the leads you get. **Our Verdict:** SeedProd consistently delivers the most beginner-friendly page building experience we’ve tested. The combination of intuitive AI builder, automatic mobile optimization, prebuilt templates, and excellent customization options makes it our top recommendation for WordPress newbies who want professional results without the learning curve. **Pricing**: Starting from $39.50/year for the Basic plan. There is also a SeedProd Lite version which you can use for free. ### [2. Thrive Architect – Complete Marketing Suite and Page Builder](https://thrivethemes.com/architect/ "Thrive Architect") [![Thrive Themes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/thrive-themes-1030x538.png "Thrive Themes - SearchWP")](https://thrivethemes.com/architect/)[Thrive Architect](https://thrivethemes.com/architect/ "Thrive Architect") is another popular WordPress page builder with drag and drop functionality. It’s oriented for business owners and comes with a built-in marketing suite designed to help you increase your income. During our hands-on testing sessions, we found Thrive Architect’s interface strikes a good balance between simplicity and marketing sophistication. The editor presents conversion-focused elements prominently, making it easy for beginners to discover tools they might not have known they needed. In addition, this plugin has over 300 smart landing page templates that you can quickly customize to get more leads. While Thrive Architect is the page builder, you get other tools in the suite. For instance, Thrive Leads helps create popups, Thrive Optimize lets you A/B test, and more. Features: - **Event-based pop-ups**. Like SeedProd, Thrive Architect allows you to create attractive popups that appear under certain conditions to engage your visitors and get more leads. - **Pre-built conversion elements**. Grow your business with various conversion-oriented elements like testimonials, call-to-action buttons, animated countdown timers, and more. - **Total font customization**. Get access to over 700 custom fonts to highlight your headlines and achieve a unique look and feel for your site. - **Dynamic text replacement**. Replace text on your landing pages depending on the current stage of your customers’ journey to encourage them to make a purchase. - **Build your email list**. Thrive Architect seamlessly integrates with the most popular email marketing services such as Drip, GetResponse, ConvertKit, and more. **Pricing**: Starting from $299/year for unlimited sites, you get the complete Thrive Suite. ### [3. Beaver Builder – Best for Learning Page Building](https://searchwp.com/recommends/beaver-builder/ "Beaver Builder") [![Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/beaver-builder-1-1030x524.png "Beaver Builder - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/beaver-builder/)[Beaver Builder](https://searchwp.com/recommends/beaver-builder/ "Beaver Builder") is a widely-used page builder plugin. During our extensive testing across different skill levels, we discovered that Beaver Builder strikes the perfect balance between simplicity and educational value. The interface introduces you to page building concepts gradually, so you’re learning proper design principles while you work. We’ve seen complete beginners become confident page builders faster with Beaver Builder than with more complex alternatives. What impressed us most during hands-on testing was Beaver Builder’s approach to modules and layouts. Instead of overwhelming you with hundreds of elements, it presents a curated selection of building blocks that work well together. Besides that, pages created with Beaver Builder are also responsive and optimized for fast loading, so you can be sure that your visitors will have a great user experience. **Features:** - **Intuitive page editor**. Like SeedProd, the Beaver Builder page editor allows you to quickly create pages for any type of site, whether it’s a blog, an online store, or anything else. - **Responsive editing mode**. See how your pages look on devices with different screen sizes as you customize them, with no delay. - **Ready-made templates**. Beaver Builder offers more than 170 page templates that you can customize for your needs to save time and create a page faster. - **Custom JavaScript**. Add any JavaScript code to your pages, such as call-to-action buttons, loading screens, or anything else to enhance your site’s functionality. - **Shortcodes support**. Insert Beaver Builder modules into your site layout using [shortcodes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-box-to-wordpress-post-with-a-shortcode/ "How to Add Search Box to WordPress Post With a Shortcode (Step by Step)") to add new features without changing the design. **Our Verdict:** Beaver Builder is ideal for beginners who want to understand page building rather than just use it. The excellent free version and educational approach make it perfect for newbies who plan to grow their skills over time. **Pricing**: Starting from $89/year for unlimited sites. There is also a free version of the plugin. ### [4. Divi – All-in-One Page Builder Solution](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elegant-themes-divi/ "Divi") [![Divi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Divi-1-1030x534.png "Divi - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elegant-themes-divi/)[Divi](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elegant-themes-divi/ "Divi") is one of the most popular page builder plugins for WordPress. Its visual drag-and-drop editor gives you the flexibility to create pages of any layout without having coding skills. It impressed us during testing because it functions as both a complete WordPress theme and a powerful page builder in one package. Even though Divi is a powerful tool, it’s well suited for everyone, from beginners to advanced users. Besides that, Divi also integrates seamlessly with other plugins and services. For instance, you can [use Divi with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-divi-search-not-working/ "How to Fix Divi Search Not Working in WordPress (4 Solutions)") to provide an excellent search experience. ![Add SearchWP forms module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-module-1030x551.png "Add SearchWP forms module - SearchWP")**Features:** - **High performance**. Like SeedProd, Divi comes with tons of speed-boosting options to ensure the fast loading of the pages you create. - **Hundreds of content elements**. Divi comes with a massive collection of built-in content elements that you can use to create any type of website. - **Custom CSS control**. Connect custom CSS style sheets with a few clicks to gain complete control over your site appearance. - **Filters and effects**. Use various filters and effects such as saturation, hue, contrast, and many others to improve the appearance of elements on your page. **Our Verdict:** Divi works best for beginners who want a solution they won’t outgrow. While it requires more initial learning investment, the comprehensive feature set and professional results make it worthwhile for newbies planning to expand their websites over time. **Pricing**: Starting from $89/year for unlimited sites. ### [5. Elementor – Best Free Page Builder Option](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elementor-2/ "Elementor") [![Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/elementor--1030x430.png "Elementor - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elementor-2/)[Elementor](https://searchwp.com/recommends/elementor-2/ "Elementor") is another popular drag-and-drop page builder that powers millions of websites. It comes with tons of industry-leading features and lets you create mobile-responsive and SEO-friendly pages regardless of your technical skills. During our extensive testing, we built complete landing pages, about pages, and service pages using only the free features. The results looked professional and functioned properly across all devices, proving that beginners don’t need to spend money immediately to create quality pages. Pro Tip: If you want to make your website search more powerful, then you can use SearchWP with Elementor. For more details, you can see our guide on [how to use SearchWP with Elementor to boost your site search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"). ![Add SearchWP form block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-in-elementor-1-1030x679.png "Add SearchWP form block in Elementor - SearchWP")Another thing that impressed us was that the mobile and tablet preview modes work reliably, and beginners can make device-specific adjustments without breaking their desktop layouts. This means that Elementor offers the perfect balance between ease of use and the freedom to create complex, professional-looking page designs. **Features:** - **Dozens of widgets**. More than 100 widgets that you can use to achieve your design goals and create top-notch pages. - **Revision history**. Like SeedProd, Elementor allows you to switch between previously saved page versions, so you can quickly go back if necessary. - **WooCommerce integration**. Use advanced integration with WooCommerce to create custom pages for every step of your customers’ journey. - **Optimized workflow**. Manage your site’s global elements and styles, such as header and footer, fonts, colors, and more, from one convenient dashboard. **Our Verdict:** Elementor provides the best risk-free entry point for beginners who want to test page building capabilities before committing financially. The free version offers enough functionality to create professional pages while you learn whether page building suits your needs. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version comes with Pro widgets, extended support, and WooCommerce integration, and starts from $4.99/month for 1 site. ### [6. Visual Composer – Comprehensive Customization Options](https://searchwp.com/recommends/visual-composer/ "Visual Composer") [![Visual Composer](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/visual-composer-1-1030x484.png "Visual Composer - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/visual-composer/)[Visual Composer](https://searchwp.com/recommends/visual-composer/ "Visual Composer") is a reliable and straightforward free page builder plugin that has a premium version. It offers a robust set of tools for business owners, marketers, and developers, allowing you to create impressive page layouts in minutes. We’ve tested Visual Composer across multiple projects and found it solves a specific problem that overwhelms many beginners. Visual Composer is a solid choice if you want to try your hand at page building and grow your business. **Features:** - **Huge base of templates**. Get your site up and running in minutes with over 100 stunning templates you can customize to fit your needs and business. - **Popup builder**. Create pop-ups of any type and configure their trigger action to increase the number of leads you get and reduce your site’s bounce rate. - **Auto responsiveness**. Due to built-in auto responsiveness, all layouts you create with Visual Composer automatically adapt to look good on mobile devices. - **High performance**. Pages created with Visual Composer are optimized for fast loading due to the lazy load of media files, CSS minification, and others. - **Grid layout**. Use the grid layout with flexible rows and columns to create pages of any complexity and for any website type. **Our Verdict:** Visual Composer works best for beginners who prefer starting with professional templates and customizing them gradually. The extensive template library provides excellent creative starting points, though customization flexibility is somewhat limited compared to other builders on our list. **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The premium version that comes with premium support, over 500 content elements, and many professional templates, starts from $49/year. ## Which WordPress Page Builder Is The Best? Now that we know the features of all the page builder plugins above, it’s time to choose the winner. Our verdict is that [SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd") is the best choice if you’re looking for a powerful and easy-to-use WordPress page builder. It’s beginner-friendly, has a powerful drag-and-drop editor, comes with plenty of ready-made templates, and is compatible with most WordPress themes. Pages you create with SeedProd are SEO optimized and mobile-ready, ensuring the best performance in search engines and a better experience for your visitors. In addition, this plugin comes with many integrations with business tools and email marketing services such as WooCommerce, Mailchimp, GetResponse, and more. It allows you to create high-converting landing pages and start getting more leads right away. Given all of the above, we believe SeedProd is the best WordPress page-building tool for business owners, bloggers, marketers, and everyone who wants to quickly create stunning pages. We hope this article helped you learn about the best WordPress page builders for newbies. You may also want to see our comparison about the [best WordPress search plugin – SearchWP vs Relevanssi](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-vs-relevanssi-which-is-the-best-wordpress-search-plugin/ "SearchWP vs Relevanssi: Which is the Best WordPress Search Plugin?") and the [best WordPress backup plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "6 Best WordPress Backup Plugin"). Want to enhance your pages with a smart search bar? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** Beaver Builder, best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies, best WordPress page builders for newbies, best WordPress theme builder, Divi, drag and drop WordPress theme builders, Elementor, SearchWP, SeedProd, Visual Composer, WordPress page builder plugin --- ### [How to Add a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-in-wpbakery-page-builder/) **Published:** October 3, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When we started building websites with WPBakery Page Builder, we quickly discovered a frustrating problem. The default WordPress search feature was letting our visitors down. People would search for content we knew existed on our sites, but they’d get irrelevant results or no results at all. We watched potential customers leave our sites because they couldn’t find what they were looking for. The default WordPress search misses important details that make results truly helpful. In this guide, we’ll show you how to add a search box in WPBakery Page Builder and customize the search experience. ## What is WPBakery Page Builder? WPBakery Page Builder is one of the [most popular drag-and-drop page builders](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "7 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)") for WordPress. It comes with dozens of prebuilt content elements, from basic text and images to complex pricing tables and testimonials. Plus, you get to choose from a template library and start customizing your page in an instant. WPBakery also offers an AI website building assistant that helps you create stunning pages using prompts. Now, why should you add a search box in WPBakery? WordPress’s built-in search works like a basic keyword matcher that only scratches the surface. When visitors search your site, they often get confused by results that don’t match what they’re actually looking for. Poor search results create a domino effect that hurts your business. Frustrated visitors spend less time on your site and are more likely to leave without converting. When people can’t find what they need quickly, they assume you don’t have it and go somewhere else. That said, let’s look at how you can easily add a search box in WordPress using WPBakery page builder. ## Adding a Search Box in WPBakery Page Builder Before integrating a search form using WPBakery Page Builder, you can first enhance your website’s search functionality with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). SearchWP is the [leading search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), trusted by over 50,000 website owners. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)With SearchWP, you can create a smarter, more effective search experience without any coding skills required. It allows you to decide exactly what’s searchable, such as easily excluding specific pages from results or ensuring your [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") are included. This results in an improved user experience, making it easier for your visitors to find what they’re looking for. Besides that, SearchWP offers customizable SearchWP Forms and SearchWP Results blocks, which you can effortlessly add within the WPBakery builder to display your search forms and custom results templates. In addition to WPBakery Page Builder, SearchWP supports other popular site builders like [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"), Divi, Beaver Builder, [Bricks](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-forms-in-wordpress-using-bricks/ "How to Add Search Forms in WordPress Using Bricks"), Breakdance, and Oxygen. Here are more key features offered by SearchWP: - **Search Analytics:** Understand user intent by tracking and analyzing what visitors search for on your site. - **Live AJAX Search:** Provide an interactive experience by displaying search results instantly as users type. - **Advanced Customization:** Make custom fields searchable, [exclude specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or categories, and fine-tune relevance weights for attributes. - **Manual Result Reordering:** Gain complete control by manually adjusting the order of search results to feature specific content. - **Multiple Search Engines:** Create and manage different search configurations, each assignable to various search forms on your site. Now, let’s see how you can quickly set up SearchWP and use it to customize search on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website to get your copy of the plugin. Once that’s done, simply log in to your SearchWP account, navigate to the ‘Downloads’ tab, and click the **Download SearchWP** button. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to save the plugin ZIP files on your computer. From here, you can install SearchWP on your site, upload the plugin’s ZIP file and activate it. If you need assistance, please follow this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the setup wizard to get started. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Customize or Add a New Search Engine SearchWP also lets you edit the default engine on your site and add new ones, defining rules for searches. This way, you can customize which sources to include in the search process, which content to exclude, and more. To start, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, simply click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button, and choose your preferred search sources. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")By default, Posts, Pages, and Media sources will be already included, but you can add more depending on your needs. For example, if you want to hide specific content, then you can simply uncheck that particular source. ![Choose sources for your default engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-sources-for-your-default-engine-1030x441.png "Choose sources for your default engine - SearchWP")SearchWP also lets you edit the attributes for each source. Attributes are types of content within each Source, such as title, content, custom field, [category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), tag, and more. Simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under any source. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can choose which attributes to include. For example, you can add custom fields like real estate listings or ingredients, post categories like tutorials, product details like [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), and more. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our detailed guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Create a Search Form in SearchWP Next, SearchWP also lets you create custom search forms that you can easily connect with the search engine. To create a search form that you can use with WPBakery Page Builder, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. You can create or edit a form, customize its layout and features, and select your newly created engine. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can start by editing the name of the form at the top. After that, SearchWP lets you choose a layout for your form. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")Besides that, you also get more options to edit the form. For example, you can change the form style, button style, colors, select an engine and results page, and more. ![Select new engine for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-new-engine-for-form-1030x484.png "Select new engine for form - SearchWP")For more details, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ## Step 4: Add Search Box Using WPBakery Page Builder Now, you can add the search form to a page using WPBakery Page Builder. Simply go to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard and edit a page or add a new one. When you’re in the content editor, click the **WPBakery Page Builder** button. ![Edit with WPBakery](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-with-wpbakery-1030x380.png "Edit with WPBakery - SearchWP")Next, you will be taken to the WPBakery Page Builder, where a popup message will appear. You can simply click the ‘Got It’ button to continue. ![WPBakery welcome screen popup](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpbakery-welcome-screen-popup-1030x583.png "WPBakery welcome screen popup - SearchWP")After that, you can start editing the page using WPBakery. By default, the page builder will open the Classic Mode. However, you can switch to Frontend Editor or [Gutenberg Editor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)") as well. For this tutorial, we’ll use the Frontend Editor and see how the search form will appear on the website in real time. ![Choose mode to edit the page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-mode-to-edit-the-page-1030x682.png "Choose mode to edit the page - SearchWP")Next, you will need to select a layout for your page. You can choose between the default WordPress theme layout or a blank page layout by WPBakery. ![Choose default layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-default-layout--1030x581.png "Choose default layout - SearchWP")For instance, we will use the ‘Blank Page Layout by WPBakery’ option. Next, you can click the ‘+ Add Element’ button. ![Add a new element button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-element-button-1030x455.png "Add a new element button - SearchWP")After that, you will see a list of elements to add. First, you need to switch to the ‘SearchWP’ tab at the top. From here, simply add the **SearchWP Form** element. ![Add the SearchWP form element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-searchwp-form-element-1030x521.png "Add the SearchWP form element - SearchWP")Next, WPBakery will ask you to select your SearchWP search form. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu to pick a form and then click the ‘Save Changes’ button. ![Select your form from dropdown](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-form-from-dropdown-1030x489.png "Select your form from dropdown - SearchWP")Once that’s done, go ahead and click the **Publish** button at the top. Next, you can close the page builder and visit the page to see the search box in action. ![View WPBakery search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-wpbakery-search-form-1030x366.png "View WPBakery search form - SearchWP")Now, try searching for categories, custom fields, tags, or any other information that you made searchable while customizing the search engine for your respective form. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search box in WPBakery page builder. You may also want to see our guide on [how to use SearchWP with Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)") and the [best WordPress backup plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-backup-plugin/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to a WordPress page, best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies, Page Builders, search box for WPBakery, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPBakery page builder --- ### [How to Fix Elementor Search Results Page Not Working (2 Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-elementor-search-results-page-not-working/) **Published:** September 30, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Elementor is one of the most popular website builders in the market. However, if you’re scratching your head, why the search results page isn’t working. Well, you’re not alone. There are several reasons that can cause problems with a search results page created with Elementor. In this guide, we’ll look at the most popular of these reasons, find out why they occur, and talk about how to fix them. Here is a table of contents to help you navigate through this article: - [Fix Elementor Search Results Page Not Working](#aioseo-fix-elementor-search-results-page-not-working) - [How to Choose the Right Search Results Page Template](#how-to-choose-the-right-search-results-page-template) - [Step 1: Check Out What Template You Chose](#aioseo-step-1-check-out-what-template-you-chose) - [Step 2: Create the Search Results Page Using the Right Template](#aioseo-step-2-create-the-search-results-page-using-the-right-template) - [Step 3: Choose One of the Ready-Made Product Archive Pages](#aioseo-step-3-choose-one-of-the-ready-made-product-archive-pages) - [Step 4: Publish Your Template and Add a Condition](#aioseo-step-4-publish-your-template-and-add-a-condition) - [How to Customize Your Search Results Page](#how-to-customize-your-search-results-page) - [Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP](#aioseo-step-1-install-and-activate-searchwp) - [Step 2: Customize Your Elementor Search Results Page](#aioseo-step-2-customize-your-elementor-search-results-page) Let’s begin! ## Reasons Why Elementor Search Results Page Not Working Let’s look at the 2 most common situations when you might have problems with your Elementor search results page. ### 1. Picking the Wrong Page Template The most popular reason why your Elementor search results page isn’t working is that you chose the wrong page template. The thing is, there are 2 different Elementor search page templates. The first is for regular blog posts and pages, and the second is for WooCommerce products. So if you’re a WooCommerce store owner, and you don’t see search results on your Elementor search page, the chances are that you’ve chosen the wrong template. ![check the type of your template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-the-type-of-your-template.png "check the type of your template - SearchWP")### 2. The Default WordPress Search is Weak Another popular reason your Elementor search page doesn’t show any results is that WordPress hasn’t found any relevant matches. In this case, you may think that the search on your site is broken, especially if you’re a beginner who just created your first page with Elementor. But the actual reason is that the default WordPress search engine is far from perfect. For example, it doesn’t consider post custom fields, tags, categories, and other valuable data when performing a search. It also doesn’t correct mistakes in search queries, so if you make a typo, you won’t get any results. Thankfully, this problem is easy to fix. We’ll show you how to customize your search results page to make it smarter further in this article. ## Fix Elementor Search Results Page Not Working After you’ve learned the most popular reasons that can lead to an Elementor search results page not working, let’s look at how you can fix them. ### How to Choose the Right Search Results Page Template The first step is to check if you chose the right template when you created the Elementor search results page. #### Step 1: Check Out What Template You Chose To get started, navigate to the **Templates** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![click templates](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-templates.png "click templates - SearchWP")Then, find the search results page you created and check out its **Type**. If it’s set to the **Search Results** type, you’ll see only regular blog posts and pages among your site’s search results. ![search results type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-results-type.png "search results type - SearchWP")If you want WooCommerce products to appear on your Elementor search results page, you’ll need to create a page with another type. Let’s see how you can do that in the next step below. #### Step 2: Create the Search Results Page Using the Right Template To get started, navigate to **Templates » Add New** in your WordPress dashboard. ![add a new template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-template.png "add a new template - SearchWP")In the next step, you can choose the type of page template you want to create. For example, to create a search page for WooCommerce products, click on the dropdown menu and choose the **Products Archive** type. ![Select product archive template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-archieve-template-1030x574.png "Select product archive template - SearchWP")Then, you’ll also need to select the Post Type from the dropdown menu. After that, simply enter the name of your template and press the **Create Template** button. ![Enter name of template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-of-template-1030x625.png "Enter name of template - SearchWP")#### Step 3: Choose One of the Ready-Made Product Archive Pages Next, Elementor will offer you a selection of ready-made product archive pages to choose from. Simply hover your mouse over the template that suits you best and insert it. ![Select blocks from library](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-blocks-from-library-1030x615.png "Select blocks from library - SearchWP")#### Step 4: Publish Your Template and Add a Condition After choosing a template, you can customize your WooCommerce product search results page just like any other page you customize with Elementor. When you’re happy with how it looks, click **Publish** in the top right corner of your page. ![Publish Elementor product results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-elementor-product-results-page-1030x575.png "Publish Elementor product results page - SearchWP")In the next step, you can add a condition to your template. A condition specifies where your template is used on your site. To get started, you can click the **Add Condition** button. ![Add conditions to publish template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-conditions-to-publish-template-1030x645.png "Add conditions to publish template - SearchWP")Then select the **Search Results** option from the dropdown menu. When you’re finished, simply click **Save & Close** in the bottom right corner to save the condition. ![Choose search results condition](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-results-condition-1-1030x596.png "Choose search results condition - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ll now see the search results page you created every time you search for WooCommerce products on your site. ### How to Customize Your Search Results Page The second reason your Elementor search results page is not working is that the default WordPress search is weak. The easiest way to make your search results page smarter is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the[ best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") trusted by over 50,000 site owners worldwide. After installing it, you get complete control over how search works on your site and can customize it to meet your needs. For instance, SearchWP allows you to [add multiple search forms to your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)"), change the order of search results, and much more. This way, you can help your visitors find what they’re looking for on your site faster and improve their user experience. Here is a quick overview of how else you can use SearchWP to grow your business: - [**Show search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Display search results on your site in real-time without writing a single line of code. - [**Exclude specific pages from search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Hide any page on your site from appearing on search results in a few clicks. - [**Create custom search fields**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Add custom search fields to your site to deliver more relevant results to your visitors. - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Collect data on what visitors are looking for on your site and use it to get new content ideas. Now that you know how SearchWP can help you improve your search results page, let’s see how to install and configure this plugin. #### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step, you’ll need to grab[ your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. After that, you can navigate to your SearchWP account dashboard and click **Downloads**. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once you get to the Downloads page, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin to your computer. When you finish downloading, you should also copy the SearchWP license key on the same page. You’ll need it further to activate your copy of the plugin. The next step is to install SearchWP. To do that, you’ll need to upload the downloaded file to your site. If you need help with that, you can check out this [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") detailed step-by-step tutorial. Upon activation, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now that SearchWP is up and running on your site, you can customize the WordPress search. To learn more, please see our guide on [11 ways to improve WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)"). #### Step 2: Customize Your Elementor Search Results Page Using SearchWP and Elementor, you can completely customize the search results page on your site. SearchWP offers pre-built templates that you can use for your results page. ![Choose a template and change name](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-template-and-change-name-1030x439.png "Choose a template and change name - SearchWP")It also offers lots of customization options, which give you more control over how search results appear on your site. For more details, please see our guide on [how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). The best part is that you can easily add the search results template in Elementor using the **SearchWP Results** widget. ![Add search results block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-results-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search results block in Elementor - SearchWP")For more details, check out our guide on [how to customize your Elementor search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)") step-by-step tutorial. By following the steps in this guide, you’ll be able to easily tackle any possible problems with Elementor search results pages and give the best user experience to your visitors. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix the Elementor search results page that isn’t working on your site. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") and [how to find out why your Elementor search form not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-elementor-search-form-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). If you’re ready to empower search on your site and grow your business, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Ekementor search results page doesn't work, Elementor search not working, Elementor search results page doesn't show products, Elementor WooCommerce search results page, how to fix Elementor search results page not working, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/) **Published:** September 25, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Building your first WordPress site can be tricky. With thousands of themes to choose from, it can be hard to find the right fit for your brand. This is where creating a custom theme that suits all your requirements comes in handy. However, the tricky part for beginners is that it usually requires coding experience and deep knowledge of WordPress. But with the right WordPress theme builder, you can simply use a drag and drop builder to build your own theme. In this article, we’ll show how to create a custom theme in a few simple steps with no coding needed. ## What is a WordPress Theme? To begin with, let’s clarify what exactly WordPress theme is and what it consists of. A WordPress theme is a set of files placed in a common folder in the WordPress Themes directory on your hosting. This set includes page templates written in HTML, PHP, and JavaScript languages, CSS style sheets, and graphics. When it comes to creating a custom theme from scratch, there are 2 typical ways: - **Do it yourself**: It requires extensive experience in web development and a lot of free time. - **Hire a developer or web agency**: The average price ranges from a couple of hundred to a couple of thousand dollars. For obvious reasons, both of these methods are hardly acceptable to beginners. Thankfully, there is a third way to create a custom theme without breaking the bank or being a coding guru. This is possible through the use of WordPress website builder like SeedProd. Let’s take a look at it in detail and find out why it’s so popular among WordPress users. ## Why Use SeedProd to Create a Custom WordPress Theme? [SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd") is the #1 AI-powered website builder plugin for WordPress that’s beginner friendly to use. [![SeedProd](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/seedprod-site-1030x530.png "SeedProd - SearchWP")](https://www.seedprod.com/)This is a real game-changer, as it allows you to create top-notch custom WordPress themes in minutes, no coding required. The secret ingredient is the handy and powerful SeedProd visual editor. Using it, you can easily drag and drop the necessary site elements, blocks, or even whole sections to your page. Here is a short preview of how it works: ![add a button to your page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-button-to-your-page.gif "add a button to your page - SearchWP")SeedProd automatically optimizes pages and themes for fast loading. It allows you to ensure the best user experience for your visitors. They are also responsive and mobile-ready by default, so you don’t have to worry about how your site looks on different devices. Along with that, SeedProd comes with [powerful features](https://www.seedprod.com/features/ "SeedProd Features") like: - **Hundreds of ready-made page templates**: Don’t feel inspired to create a theme from scratch? You can use one of 200+ pre-built templates and easily customize them to meet your needs. - **WooCommerce integration**: Selling products online? SeedProd is fully compatible with WooCommerce, so you can create modern coming soon and checkout pages, product grids, and more. - **E-mail subscribers management dashboard**: Do you have an email newsletter? SeedProd allows you to collect emails and track the status of your subscribers on a handy dashboard. - **SEO-optimized code**: Worried about code clarity? The code of themes and pages you create with SeedProd is SEO-friendly and meets all search engine requirements. Plus, SeedProd has an awesome and responsive support team. Even though this plugin is super easy to use, if you come up with any questions, they’re always ready to come to the rescue. The feedback from excited users leaves no chance to doubt that this rating is well deserved. Here is what people are saying about their experience with SeedProd: ![SeedProd reviews](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/seedprod-reviews-1030x595.png "SeedProd reviews - SearchWP")Now that you know why using SeedProd is the best way to create a custom theme for beginners, let’s see how you can do that. ## How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme This detailed tutorial has 6 easy steps. Follow them to create a beautiful custom WordPress theme without touching a single line of code. Here is a table of contents to help you navigate: - [Step 1: Install and Activate the SeedProd Plugin](#1) - [Step 2: Select a Pre-built WordPress Theme](#2) - [Step 3: Customize Your WordPress Theme Parts](#3) - [Step 4: Customize Your Theme’s Global CSS (No Code)](#4) - [Step 5: Connect to Your Email Marketing Service](#5) - [Step 6: Publish Your Custom WordPress Theme](#6) - [Bonus: Create Custom Search Forms and Results Page](#aioseo-bonus-create-custom-search-forms-and-results-page) ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SeedProd Plugin To get started, you can [grab your copy of SeedProd here](https://www.seedprod.com/pricing/ "Get SeedProd Today"). Next, you can log into your SeedProd account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SeedProd](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-seedprod-1030x549.png "Download SeedProd - SearchWP")Then, click the **Download SeedProd Pro** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. When you’ve finished downloading, copy your license key on the same tab. You’ll need it further to activate your copy of SeedProd. The next step is to upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. If you need help, you can follow along with this tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you’ve installed the plugin, you will see the SeedProd welcome screen. Here, you can go to your WordPress dashboard and click on the **SeedProd** button on the left panel. Then, paste your license key into the license field and press the **Verify key** button. ![verify your key](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/verify-your-key.png "verify your key - SearchWP")Once you activate your copy of SeedProd, you’re ready to start creating your custom WordPress theme. ### Step 2: Select a Pre-built WordPress Theme To get started, navigate to **SeedProd » Theme Builder** in your dashboard. ![go over to the theme builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-theme-builder.png "go over to the theme builder - SearchWP")On this page, you can manage your custom themes and create new ones. From here, you have 2 ways to get started. ![manage your themes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/global-CSS.png "manage your themes - SearchWP")The first one is to create each part of your custom theme from scratch. Every WordPress theme consists of the following parts: - Header - Footer - Single Post - Single Page - Archive (Blog Page) - Home Page - Sidebar These parts make up your theme, and SeedProd allows you to create and customize them individually. To start creating a new part of your theme, press the **Add New Theme Template** button. ![press Add New Theme Template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Add-New-Theme-Template.png "press Add New Theme Template - SearchWP")Here, you can choose the type of your theme part, give it a name, and then start building it from scratch. ![choose a type of your template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-type-of-your-template.png "choose a type of your template - SearchWP")But, if you feel like it’s too overwhelming for your first try, there is a second way to create your custom WordPress theme. SeedProd comes with a bunch of professional-looking premade theme templates. You can select them and customize them for your needs. In this tutorial, we’ll focus on this way as it’s easier for beginners and allows us to show you more SeedProd features. To start customizing one of the ready-made theme templates, press the **Theme Template Kits** button. ![Click theme template kits](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-theme-template-kits--1030x521.png "Click theme template kits - SearchWP")Here you will find a variety of themes for different purposes. For example, there are themes for personal blogs, portfolios, business or eCommerce sites, and more. ![how to create a custom WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-create-a-custom-WordPress-theme.png "how to create a custom WordPress theme - SearchWP")To choose a theme you like, hover your cursor over it and click the checkmark icon. For example, we’ll choose one of the starter templates. ![click to choose a template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-to-choose-a-template.png "click to choose a template - SearchWP")Once you’ve selected a template, SeedProd automatically creates the parts that make it up. As you can see, our theme not only includes page part templates, such as the header, footer, and sidebar. ![View theme template pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-theme-template-pages-1030x603.png "View theme template pages - SearchWP")There are also templates for entire pages, like a single page, post, archives, and homepage. If you don’t need a specific template on your site, you can unpublish it by switching the toggle next to it. ![Unpublish a theme template page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/unpublish-a-theme-template-page-1030x497.png "Unpublish a theme template page - SearchWP")To change the name of a template or edit conditions when it should appear on your site, click the **Edit Conditions** link. ![Edit conditions option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-conditions-option-1030x571.png "Edit conditions option - SearchWP")It’ll bring up a modal window where you can name a template the way you want and change its type, priority, and conditions. When you’re done, simply click the **Save** button. ![edit the page conditions](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-the-page-conditions-1.png "edit the page conditions - SearchWP")Now that you know how to manage parts of your theme, you’re ready to start customizing it. ### Step 3: Customize Your WordPress Theme Parts First, let’s customize the header as it’s the first thing that visitors see after coming to your site **Header** To get started, scroll the **Theme Builder** page down, find the **Header** template and click on it. ![click Header](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Header.png "click Header - SearchWP")**Note:** The header and footer are common to the entire site. It means that every change you make to them will be visible on every page of your site. As you can see, our header consists of two parts. There is the left part with the site logo and the right part with the navigational menu. ![edit the header](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-the-header.png "edit the header - SearchWP")SeedProd has a visual drag-and-drop editor. You can interact with any element on the page and add new ones by simply dragging them on the page. Let’s try to change the logo. To do so, simply click on it, and a sidebar will appear where you can edit the element settings. ![edit your logo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-your-logo.png "edit your logo - SearchWP")Each type of element in the SeedProd editor has its own set of settings and customization options. For example, our logo has the **Image** type. So it has all the settings you would normally expect from an image, such as its source file, alt text, size, and more. You can also switch between the **Content**, **Templates**, and **Advanced** tab on the left sidebar to discover even more customization options. ![you can switch between tables](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/you-can-switch-between-tables.png "you can switch between tables - SearchWP")Now, let’s say you want to replace the default logo with your own. To do that, click on the current logo image, and then you can select the image you want to use instead. ![click on the image](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-the-image.png "click on the image - SearchWP")Here is how our new logo looks on our test site: ![click on your logo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-your-logo.png "click on your logo - SearchWP")Now, let’s change the header background color. To do so, point a cursor over your header until it has a blue outline, and click on it. ![hover a mouse over your header](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/hover-a-mouse-over-your-header.png "hover a mouse over your header - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see the header customization options on the left sidebar. It has the **Row** element type. ![editing row](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/editing-row.png "editing row - SearchWP")On the **Content** tab, you can change your header background color, replace it with an image and choose the header width. To change the background color, click the color palette icon and select the color you want. ![choose a color](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-color.png "choose a color - SearchWP")Then, on the **Advanced** tab, you can add a shadow or border to your header, change its spacing settings, and more. ![go to the Advanced tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Advanced-tab.png "go to the Advanced tab - SearchWP")As the finishing touch, let’s make the navigation menu font a bit bigger. To do so, point a cursor over the menu and click on it. ![click on menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-menu.png "click on menu - SearchWP")Now, in the **Font Size** field on the left sidebar, enter the desired font size. Simply move the slider or enter a number to change the font size. ![change the font size](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-the-font-size.png "change the font size - SearchWP")When you’ve finished customizing the header, press the **Save** button in the top-right corner. Then, press the exit icon to leave the visual editor and go back to the theme templates page. ![press Save](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Save.png "press Save - SearchWP")Next, let’s customize the **Homepage**. **Homepage** To do so, find the **Homepage** template among the other theme templates and click on it. ![click Homepage](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Homepage.png "click Homepage - SearchWP")The starter template has a homepage with features you can find on a typical business site, such as: - Business description section - List of clients with their logos - Business features - Testimonials - FAQ section - and more… As with the header, you can interact with every element on the page and change its appearance. For example, you can see how to easily change the title, description and text of the button in the hero section with just a few clicks: ![how to create a custom WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-create-a-custom-WordPress-theme-1.gif "how to create a custom WordPress theme - SearchWP")Now, let’s try to add something new to our page. If no element on the page is currently selected, on the left sidebar, you can see the **Blocks** tab. ![the Blocks tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-Blocks-tab.png "the Blocks tab - SearchWP")There are plenty of ready-made blocks that you can add to your page with a few clicks, no coding needed. For example, you can find such blocks as the [post author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (Simple Steps)"), price table, search form, and many others. To add a specific block to your page, drag and drop it at the place you want. For example, let’s add a **Countdown** block to the Features section: ![add a countdown to your page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-countdown-to-your-page.gif "add a countdown to your page - SearchWP")Plus, if you go over to the **Sections** tab, you’ll find tons of premade sections that you can also add to your page, such as: - Headers - Footers - Call to action - Features - Testimonials - and many more… ![go over to the Sections tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-Sections-tab.png "go over to the Sections tab - SearchWP")To add a new section to the page, hover your mouse over the desired section and click the plus icon. For example, let’s add a new **Call to Action** section to our page. ![add a call to action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-call-to-action.png "add a call to action - SearchWP")By default, the new section will appear at the very end of the page. To change the section position, point a cursor over its top border, choose the **Move Section** option and drag it the same way as a block. ![move a section](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-a-section.png "move a section - SearchWP")When you’re finished customizing your homepage, you can see how it looks on mobile devices. To do that, click the mobile preview icon at the bottom left corner. ![switch to the mobile version](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/switch-to-the-mobile-version.png "switch to the mobile version - SearchWP")If there are some blocks or sections that don’t look right, you can move them around. This way, you can ensure that your mobile version offers the best user experience. ![our site mobile version](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/our-site-mobile-version.png "our site mobile version - SearchWP")When you’re satisfied with your homepage, don’t forget to press the **Save** button to save all the changes you’ve made. **Blog Index, Archives, and Search pages** Let’s now look at a template that’s called **Blog Index, Archives, Search**. ![click Blog Index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Blog-Index.png "click Blog Index - SearchWP")As you can assume from its name, this template is responsible for displaying the blog posts page, archives, and search results. This is handy since you can change the appearance of 3 pages at once. ![the archive page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-archive-page.png "the archive page - SearchWP")As you’ve already learned how to customize pages, and add new blocks and sections to them, let’s focus on setting up specific elements. For example, if you click on the **Posts** element, you can change the posts’ order, exclude posts from specific categories, tags or authors, and more. ![change the query type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-the-query-type.png "change the query type - SearchWP")Plus, you’re free to fully customize the layout of the post list. Namely, you can change the number of columns and posts per page, change the visibility of the author’s name, publish date, time, and comment count. It’s rare that a website builder allows you to control such things, no coding needed, which is another reason for SeedProd’s popularity. **Single Post** When you’re finished customizing your blog page, let’s also edit the **Single Post** template. ![click Single Post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Single-Post.png "click Single Post - SearchWP")A typical blog post has the following parts: - Featured image - Post title - Post info - Post content - Author box - Comments section ![singe post template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/singe-post-template.png "singe post template - SearchWP")The best thing is, with SeedProd, you can fully customize each of these parts. For example, if you click on the **Post info** element, you can add new useful data to it. ![customize the layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-the-layout.png "customize the layout - SearchWP")It can be a time of publication or modification, additional info about the post author, or something else you want to specify. For example, let’s say we want to display the number of comments in our post info section. To get started, press the **Add Item** button. ![press Add Item](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Add-Item.png "press Add Item - SearchWP")Then, click on the **Type** drop-down menu and select the **Comments** option. After that, you’ll see that the number of comments now displays inside the post info element. ![click on the Post Info element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-the-Post-Info-element.png "click on the Post Info element - SearchWP")This way, you can easily customize any element on the page. **Sidebar** Let’s also change the appearance of our theme’s sidebar. Head over to the theme builder dashboard and click on the **Sidebar** template. ![click sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-sidebar.png "click sidebar - SearchWP")[Sidebar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)") is very popular among WordPress site owners. It’s a great place to put relevant website elements such as a list of [recent posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress"), subscription form, and many others. ![edit your sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-your-sidebar.png "edit your sidebar - SearchWP")SeedProd also allows you to customize your sidebar totally in the same way as other templates. For example, you can add an email newsletter signup form to your sidebar with a few clicks. To do that, simply drag and drop the **Optin Form** element from the **Blocks** tab to your sidebar: ![add an optin form to your sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-an-optin-form-to-your-sidebar.gif "add an optin form to your sidebar - SearchWP")Then, if you click on it, you can change the number of fields, their type and more. ![customize the opt in form fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-the-opt-in-form-fields.png "customize the opt in form fields - SearchWP")Now that you know how to work within the SeedProd visual editor, you’re ready to customize your theme’s global CSS. ### Step 4: Customize Your Theme’s Global CSS (No Code) First, let’s clarify what CSS is and how you can change your site’s global appearance by editing this file. CSS stands for cascading style sheets. It’s a file that contains code that determines your site’s global styling, typography, and colors. When you change the appearance of an element in the CSS file, those changes apply to that element across your entire site. Every WordPress theme has its own CSS file. Typically, to make changes to it, you need to have some background in web development. But, SeedProd allows you to customize your site’s global CSS in a simple and beginner-friendly editor. To get started, click on the **Global CSS** template in your theme templates dashboard. ![open Global CSS](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-Global-CSS.png "open Global CSS - SearchWP")This will take you to the global CSS settings visual editor. On the left side, you’ll find tabs where you can change your site’s color, fonts, background, and more. And on the right side, you can see the results of the changes you’ve made in real-time. ![global CSS settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/global-CSS-settings.png "global CSS settings - SearchWP")For example, let’s change the font of the headings. To do that, you can click on the **Fonts** tab. ![go over to the Fonts tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-Fonts-tab.png "go over to the Fonts tab - SearchWP")To change the font of all headings from H1 to H6, select a new font from the dropdown menu under the **Header Font** title. There is also an option to change the color of the font. ![change the header font](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-the-header-font.png "change the header font - SearchWP")If you want to change the font of a particular heading, you can switch the **Show H1 – H6 Settings** toggle. ![click Show H1-H6 settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Show-H1-H6-settings.png "click Show H1-H6 settings - SearchWP")Then, click the **Edit** button next to the **Typography** option of a chosen heading and select the font you want to have. ![edit the font family](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-the-font-family.png "edit the font family - SearchWP")For example, we’ll change the H1 heading font to **Comic Sans**. As you can see, the font changed instantly. ![changhe the heading font family](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/changhe-the-heading-font-family.png "changhe the heading font family - SearchWP")When you’re done adjusting the CSS settings, click the **Save** button to save the changes you’ve made. ![save your changes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-changes.png "save your changes - SearchWP")By following this way, you can customize a lot of things related to the appearance of your custom WordPress theme. Now that you know how to edit the global CSS settings, you’re ready to move on and connect your email marketing service account. ### Step 5: Connect to Your Email Marketing Service SeedProd has seamless integration with the most popular email marketing services. This list includes but isn’t limited to Mailchimp, Constant Contact, and Drip. This is great news if you already have an active base of email subscribers or want to start growing your first email list. To connect your email marketing account, first navigate to the **Theme Builder** tab and click on any template. ![open a single post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-a-single-post.png "open a single post - SearchWP")Then, go over to the **Connect** tab at the top panel. Once there, point a cursor over a service you’re using, press the **Connect** button and follow the on-screen instructions. ![connect an email service](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/connect-an-email-service.png "connect an email service - SearchWP")When you’re done connecting your email service, press the **Save** button at the top right to save the changes. Now, SeedProd will collect emails of visitors who filled out your optin form and add them to your email base. ![press the Save button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-Save-button.png "press the Save button - SearchWP")### Step 6: Publish Your Custom WordPress Theme The final step is to publish your custom theme and make it live on your website. To do that, first, go to **SeedProd » Theme Builder** from your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to the Theme Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-Theme-Builder-1.png "navigate to the Theme Builder - SearchWP")Then, switch the **Enable SeedProd Theme** toggle at the top right. That’s it. Your custom WordPress theme is live, and you can see it on your site. ![publish your theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-your-theme.png "publish your theme - SearchWP")To do that, simply visit your website and see the new custom theme. For example, here is our customized homepage on our demo site: ![our homepage](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/our-homepage.png "our homepage - SearchWP")And here is the single blog post template we also customized with just a few clicks using SeedProd: ![our single post template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-changed-the-heading-font-family.png "our single post template - SearchWP")## Bonus: Create Custom Search Forms and Results Page Now, would you like to also enhance the search experience on your new custom themed WordPress site? The default WordPress search lacks a lot of features and often fails to deliver relevant results, especially if you have lots of articles or products on your site. This is where [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") can help you out. It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and enhances the default search by allowing you to include custom fields, tags, categories, product details, media files, documents, and more in the search process. With SearchWP, you can [set up custom search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and link them to specific search engines. It also offers prebuilt layouts and lots of customization options. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")That’s not all! SearchWP also comes with results template for WordPress. You can customize how the search results will appear on your site and select from prebuilt templates. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a professional-looking search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to create a custom WordPress theme in 6 easy steps, no coding needed. You may also want to see our guide on [best WordPress search plugins to boost your site search](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/) and [how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). If also want to improve the WordPress search, then you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a custom theme for WordPress, create a custom WordPress theme, create your own custom WordPress theme, how to create a custom theme for WordPress, how to create a custom WordPress theme, SearchWP, SeedProd, WordPress search --- ### [How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/) **Published:** September 23, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When it comes to creating custom WordPress search pages, Elementor is amongst the best tools to use. However, with the default WordPress search has a lot of limitations. For instance, you cannot include custom fields, categories, tags, authors, product details, and more in the search process. This is where a search plugin like SearchWP comes in handy. It enhances your website search and helps visitors find what they’re looking for with ease. So, do you want to know how to use SearchWP with Elementor to boost your site search? In this article, we’ll show you 4 ways how you can use SearchWP to help your visitors get more relevant search results. Since this is a huge and detailed guide, here is a table of contents to help you navigate through it: - [What is SearchWP and Why Use It](#1) - [How to Install SearchWP on Your WordPress Site](#aioseo-how-to-install-searchwp-on-your-wordpress-site) - [How to Add a Custom Search Widget to Elementor](#2) - [How to Help Your Visitors Find the Right Content Faster](#3) - [How to Display Live Search Results on Your Elementor Site](#4) - [How to Customize Your Elementor Search Results Page](#5) Let’s dive into it! ## What is SearchWP and Why Use It [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 50,000 active installs. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It comes with many useful features that you can use to make search on your site way smarter. The thing is that one of WordPress’s weaknesses has always been its search functionality. It ignores a lot of valuable data when performing searches and doesn’t give you any way to customize how the search works. This results in your visitors often not finding what they’re looking for and leaving your site unsatisfied. Here’s where SearchWP comes to the rescue. Using this plugin, you can make searchable almost anything on your site. This list includes custom post types, custom fields, post tags, categories, and other data you want to consider. SearchWP also allows you to completely customize how search works on your site. For example, you can exclude any pages from search results, limit search to specific content, and many more. This way, you can make it easier for your visitor to find the right content and improve their user experience. Here are some other SearchWP features that’ll help you to boost your search: - **[Multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")**: Would you like to create a custom search field? With SearchWP, you can create supplemental search engines with unique settings and link them to individual search fields. - [**WooCommerce integration**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"): Are you selling online using WooCommerce? SearchWP has seamless integration with this plugin to make your search better and boost your sales right away. - [**Search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): SearchWP collects data on any search activity on your site so you can get new content ideas and better understand your audience. - [**Fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to enrich your search results? With SearchWP’s fuzzy search feature, you can make WordPress search for partial matches when there are no exact ones. ## How to Install SearchWP on Your WordPress Site Now that you know why SearchWP is the best search plugin, let’s see how you can install it on your website. To begin, you’ll need to [get your copy of the Search](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. After that, you can log into your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** section. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, click the **Download SearchWP** button to download the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. We also recommend copying the license key in the bottom left corner of the same page. You’ll need this key to activate your plugin’s copy later. The next step is to install SearchWP. Simply upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site to do that. Need a refresher on how to do that? You can follow the [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and the setup wizard. You can click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to start boosting search on your site. ## 1. How to Add a Custom Search Widget to Elementor Using SearchWP and Elementor, you can add a custom search widget to your pages. It will help your visitors to discover more of your content and allow you to get more pageviews. To get started, navigate to the **Pages** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![click Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Pages.png "click Pages - SearchWP")Next, you will see all the pages on your site. Go ahead and hover your cursor over the page to which you want to add the search form and click **Edit with Elementor**. ![click Edit with Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Edit-with-Elementor-1.png "click Edit with Elementor - SearchWP")Once you get to the Elementor editor, you can add a search form to your page. Simply head to the SearchWP section from the panel on the left and look for the **SearchWP Form** widget. ![Add SearchWP form block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-in-elementor-1-1030x679.png "Add SearchWP form block in Elementor - SearchWP")Then drag this widget to the place on your page where you want to add the search form. After that, you can select a search form from the dropdown menu. ![Select the search form to add](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-the-search-form-to-add-1-1030x647.png "Select the search form to add - SearchWP")When you’ve finished, save your Elementor page. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to add a search box to Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)"). ## 2. How to Help Your Visitors Find the Right Content Faster SearchWP has seamless integration with Elementor and automatically connects to every existing search field on your site. So, after you add a search widget to your page, you’re ready to customize search on your site. **Customize Your Search Engine** To begin, you can go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Here you can find the search engine created with SearchWP. At the moment, you’ll see that there is a single search engine called **Default**. SearchWP automatically creates it after the plugin installation. By customizing the **Default** search engine settings, you can modify how searches work on your site. For example, you can edit the set of search sources, manage the list of applicable attributes, and much more. In addition, SearchWP allows you to add supplemental search engines and link them to specific search forms. This way, you can create custom search fields with unique settings and place them anywhere on your site. Let’s say we want to help our visitors find what they’re looking for faster by using any search field on our site. We’ll need to set up the **Default** search engine to do that. To begin, click the **Sources & Settings** button at the top right corner of the **Default** search engine section. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see a pop-up where you can add or remove search sources. By default, the **Posts**, **Pages**, and **Media** sources will be selected. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")However, you can choose which sources to choose and limit the search on your site When you’re finished managing your search sources, press **Done** to save the changes. Another way to make search on your site smarter is to enable search by post custom fields, tags, and categories. To get started, simply click on the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under **Posts** source. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Here you can manage post attributes that WordPress considers when performing searches. Post attributes are additional data that you can add to make it easier for your visitors to find the more relevant content. For example, it can be tags, custom fields, and more. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")Let’s say you’re using the [Advanced Custom Fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") plugin and added custom fields. To make them searchable, you can simply click the Custom Fields dropdown menu and select the fields you want to make searchable. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")You can find more details by following our guide on [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). When you’re finished managing searchable custom fields and taxonomies, press **Done** to save all your changes. SearchWP also allows you to control the [relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Relevance Weights") of attributes by moving the slider next to them to the left or right. The further right the slider, the more importance or relevance that particular Attribute will be given in the search algorithm. ![Move slider for custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-for-custom-fields-1030x595.png "Move slider for custom fields - SearchWP")Once you’re happy with how you customized your search engine, simply scroll to the top of the page. From here, you can press the **Save** button at the top right. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")Now, the post search on your site is a lot smarter. But, you can make it start delivering even more relevant search results to your visitors. **Exclude Specific Pages From Search Results** You can clean up search results on your site to get rid of redundant pages and any other clutter. Simply hide any pages from appearing in search results on your site by using the [SearchWP Exclude UI](https://searchwp.com/features/exclude-ui/ "SearchWP Exclude UI") extension. The extension adds an option inside the WordPress content editor. You can click the Exclude from SearchWP checkbox to hide any content. ![Check exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post-1030x984.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")For more information, check out our step-by-step guide on [how to exclude specific pages from search results on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). **Prioritize Specific Pages in Search Results** Another way to give your visitors more relevant search results with SearchWP is to use the [Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/features/custom-results-order/ "Custom Results Order") extension. This extension allows you to change the order of search results on your site. You can then manually put the most relevant posts or pages at the top of search results for specific keywords. ![Configure Custom Results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")For more details, please follow our step-by-step guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). ## 3. How to Display Live Search Results on Your Elementor Site Live search results are another SearchWP feature that you can use with Elementor to boost search on your site. By default, WordPress shows search results by opening a new separate page. It’s inconvenient and may confuse your visitors. With SearchWP live search feature, your visitors will start getting search results instantly without leaving the current page. ![live search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search.gif "live search - SearchWP")You can learn more by following our guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ## 4. How to Customize Your Elementor Search Results Page Using Elementor with SearchWP, you can create a custom search results page that’ll help you to get more pageviews. First, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Templates** from your WordPress dashboard and create a search results template. Now, you can add a new template or edit an existing one. ![Add multiple results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-multiple-results-template-1030x445.png "Add multiple results template - SearchWP")Next, SearchWP will offer different themes for your results page. Go ahead and select one. You’ll also get to see a preview of the theme under the layouts, which will help you pick the right theme for your results page. ![Choose a template and change name](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-template-and-change-name-1030x439.png "Choose a template and change name - SearchWP")Once that’s done, simply scroll down to the Custom Styling section. Here, you can further edit the style of your results page. ![Change theme custom styling](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-theme-custom-styling-1030x640.png "Change theme custom styling - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). Once the results page template is ready, you can add it using Elementor theme builder. Next, you can head to the page where you added the SearchWP search form and then click the **Edit with Elementor** button. ![Edit with Elementor button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-with-elementor-button-1030x484.png "Edit with Elementor button - SearchWP")Once you’re in the Elementor page editor, scroll down to the SearchWP section from the panel on the left. From here, simply drag and drop the **SearchWP Results** widget. ![Add search results block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-results-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search results block in Elementor - SearchWP")After adding the widget, you will also see options in the left panel to select a template and search engine. However, we recommend to keep the default settings, as this way the search results will appear based on your search form settings. ![Choose your search results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-search-results-template-1030x532.png "Choose your search results template - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply update or publish your Elementor page. That’s it. You successfully customized your search results page. We hope this article helped you learn how to use SearchWP with Elementor to boost your site search. You may also want to see our guides on [how to include shortcode results in WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search") and [how to make WordPress search in post content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"). Ready to boost Elementor search on your site? Get started with the most powerful [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") today. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** boost search on your site with searchwp and elementor, boost your site search with searchwp and elementor, how to use searchwp to boost your site on elementor, how to use searchwp with elementor, how to use searchwp with elementor to boost your site search, SearchWP, searchwp with elementor, searchwp with elementor integration, use searchwp with elementor to boost your site search, WordPress search --- ### [How to Search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-co-authors-plus-writers-in-wordpress/) **Published:** September 18, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Multi-author WordPress sites that use Co-Authors Plus plugin face a common search problem that frustrates both site owners and readers. When visitors search for content by specific guest authors or contributors, they often get zero results, even when those writers have published multiple posts. The issue comes from how the default WordPress search works. While Co-Authors Plus works perfectly for assigning credit to multiple writers per post, WordPress’s default search function completely ignores these co-authors. SearchWP solves this problem by improving the search process with support for Co-Authors Plus. In this article, we will show you how to search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress. ## Why Search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress WordPress’s default search has a major blind spot when it comes to Co-Authors Plus. It only searches through post titles, content, and [excerpts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-excerpts-on-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Display Excerpts on the WordPress Search Results Page"), completely skipping over the additional authors you’ve carefully assigned to each piece of content. This creates real issues for your readers. For example, when someone searches for “John Smith” on your site, they won’t find any of the five articles John co-authored, even though his name appears prominently in the byline of each post. Your editorial team faces similar frustrations. Finding all content by a specific freelance writer or guest contributor becomes a manual process of scrolling through archives or [filtering by categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). The user experience suffers too. Readers who discover a great article by a guest author have no easy way to find more of that person’s work on your site. They’re likely to leave instead of exploring further, which hurts your engagement and time-on-site metrics. That said, let’s look at how you can make Co-Author Plus writers searchable in WordPress. ## Set Up Search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress The easiest way of making Co-Authors Plus writers searchable is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the most powerful [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that improves your site’s search capabilities far beyond WordPress’s default limitations. While WordPress only searches post titles and content, SearchWP can make authors, custom fields, tags, categories, [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), and virtually any data on your site searchable. The plugin comes with built-in support for Co-Authors Plus through its extension. This means you won’t need to write custom code or configure complex settings to make co-authors searchable. SearchWP offers several other features that make it perfect for multi-author sites. You can create custom search forms with unique settings, [change search result ordering](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"), track popular searches, and limit searches to specific post types or categories. To get started, just follow these steps. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and create a new account. After creating your account, log in and click on the **Downloads** tab. From here, click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button and save the ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You should also copy your license key from the same page, as you’ll need it to activate your plugin in the next step. Next, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP plugin files to your WordPress site. If you need help with this, then please see this [guide on installing a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After the plugin installation is complete, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Install Co-Author Plus Extension Next, you’ll need to install the [Co-Author Plus extension](https://searchwp.com/features/co-authors-plus-integration/ "Co-Author Plus extension") in SearchWP. The extension allows SearchWP to easily integrate with Automattic’s Co-Authors Plus plugin and include author details in searches. First, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. From here, navigate to the Co-Author Plus Integration and click the **Install** button. ![Install Co-Author Plus extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-co-author-plus-extension-1030x466.png "Install Co-Author Plus extension - SearchWP")The extension will then automatically install and activate. Now, you’re ready to edit the search engine and include multiple authors in the search process. ### Step 3: Edit Search Engine to Include Co-Authors Plus Writers SearchWP lets you set up different search engines or edit the default engine on your WordPress site. You can think of search engines as different sets of rules for what gets searched, which attributes to include, and more. Simply navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. This is where you’ll customize [how your search engine works](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") and what content it includes. You’ll see your Default search engine listed here, which SearchWP created during the initial setup. First, you can edit the sources that the engine uses by clicking the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will appear showing the different sources your search engine currently includes. By default, this includes Posts, Pages, and [Media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). Here, you can narrow down your search and exclude sources that you don’t to include. For instance, if you want users to only find blog posts, then you can simply select the Posts source and uncheck other sources. We’ll keep the default sources for this tutorial. ![Choose sources for your default engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-sources-for-your-default-engine-1030x441.png "Choose sources for your default engine - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the **Done** button. Next, you will need to add Co-Author Plus writers as custom fields for your sources. SearchWP stores the Co-Author Plus data as [custom fields,](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") so you can specify which details to include in the search process. To start, simply head to a source like Posts and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")This opens a new window where you can select which attributes to include. By default, SearchWP will include title, content, slug, excerpt, and [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (Simple Steps)") as attributes. To start, you can click the ‘Custom Fields’ dropdown menu and select fields you want to include in the search process. For example, if you added author details in the Co-Author Plus plugin like a display name, first name, last name, and description, then you can make them searchable. ![Select Co Author plus custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-co-author-plus-custom-fields-1030x584.png "Select Co Author plus custom fields - SearchWP")After selecting the attributes, you can click the **Done** button. Next, you can select the [relevance weights](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Engine Configuration - Relevance Weights") for each of these attributes by moving the slider. The further to the right the slider is set for an attribute, the more influence that attribute has on the position in the search results. ![Change co author attributes weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-co-author-attributes-weights-1030x549.png "Change co author attributes weights - SearchWP")Now, you can scroll to the top of the page. After that, go ahead and click the ‘Save’ and ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")### Step 4: Test Co-Author Plus Search Now that you’ve set up the search engine to include Co-Author Plus writers, the next step is to test if everything is working correctly. To start, you can visit your site and head to the search form. From here, simply search for the author you’ve created using Co-Author Plus. ![Search for Co Author writers](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-co-author-writers-1030x541.png "Search for Co Author writers - SearchWP")For example, we added an author using Co-Author Plus called ‘John Smith.’ Upon searching for the author, all the posts written by the author will appear. ![View Co Authors in search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-co-authors-in-search-results-1030x561.png "View Co Authors in search results - SearchWP")As you can see, the search is working perfectly. It was able to find content written by a Co-Author Plus writer. ### FAQs About Making Co-Author Plus Writers Searchable in WordPress Here are some frequently asked questions about including writers in Co-Author Plus in the search process. **1. Does SearchWP work with guest authors who don’t have WordPress accounts?** Yes, Co-Authors Plus allows you to create “guest author” profiles for people who don’t have WordPress user accounts. SearchWP will index and search these guest author names just like regular user accounts. **2. Can I search for partial author names?** Yes, SearchWP supports partial name matching. Searching for “John” will find authors named “John Smith,” “Johnny Doe,” and similar variations. **3. How do I know if the co-author search is working correctly?** The easiest way is to search for a co-author’s name on your site and verify that their content appears in the results. You can also check the SearchWP statistics to see search queries and results. We hope this article helped you learn how to search by Co-Authors Plus Writers in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add search forms in WordPress using the Bricks visual builder](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-forms-in-wordpress-using-bricks/ "How to Add Search Forms in WordPress Using Bricks") and comparison between [SearchWP vs Better Search](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-vs-better-search-which-wordpress-search-tool-is-better/ "How to Add Search Forms in WordPress Using Bricks"). Are you ready to become one of them and boost search on your site with the best WordPress search plugin? You can go and [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add authors in WordPress search, advanced custom fields search & filter, author search wordpress, authors, Co-Author Plus writers, Co-Authors Plus, custom fields, SearchWP, wordpress custom fields search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add Search Forms in WordPress Using Bricks](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-forms-in-wordpress-using-bricks/) **Published:** September 9, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Adding a search form to your WordPress site with Bricks Visual Builder is surprisingly simple. However, the real magic happens when you combine Bricks with SearchWP. While Bricks handles the visual design of your search form, SearchWP powers up the search functionality to find content that WordPress normally misses. SearchWP searches through custom fields, categories, tags, and even file attachments. This means your visitors get accurate results and have a positive search experience. In this article, we’ll show you how to add search forms in WordPress using the Bricks visual builder. ## Why Use Bricks Visual Builder for Your Search Forms? Bricks is a visual page builder that lets you [create custom WordPress themes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)") and landing pages without writing any code. Unlike other page builders, Bricks generates clean, lightweight code that doesn’t slow down your website. The plugin gives you complete control over every element on your pages. For example, you can add search forms to your site’s theme that match your brand perfectly. When you pair Bricks with SearchWP, you get the best of both worlds. Bricks handles the visual design and layout of your search forms, while SearchWP powers the intelligent search functionality behind the scenes. SearchWP searches through custom fields, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"), tags, and even file attachments that regular WordPress search ignores. Your visitors get accurate, relevant results every time they search. This combination creates search experiences where visitors can find exactly what they’re looking for quickly, which keeps them engaged with your content longer. That said, let’s look at the steps you can follow to add a search form to your site using Bricks visual builder. ## Adding a Search Form in WordPress Using Bricks Before adding a search form in Bricks visual builder, you can first use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") to enhance the search feature on your site. SearchWP is the best search plugin for WordPress and is trusted by over 50,000 website owners. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP gives you total control to build a smarter, more effective search for your visitors, no coding required. You get to decide exactly what’s searchable. For instance, you can easily hide a [specific page from results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or make sure your custom fields are included. The result is a much better experience for your users, who can find what they’re looking for faster. What makes SearchWP stand out is its SearchWP Forms and SearchWP Results blocks. You can simply add them inside the site builder and display your search forms and custom results templates. Besides Bricks, SearchWP supports other popular site builders, such as Elementor, [Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"), Beaver Builder, WPBakery, Breakdance, and Oxygen. Here are more key features offered by SearchWP: - **Advanced Customization:** Make custom fields searchable, exclude specific pages or categories, and fine-tune result weighting. - **Search Analytics:** Understand user intent by tracking and analyzing what visitors search for on your site. - **Live AJAX Search:** Provide an interactive experience by [displaying search results instantly](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin") as users type. - **Manual Result Reordering:** Gain complete control by manually adjusting the order of search results to feature specific content. - **Multiple Search Engines:** Create and manage several unique search configurations, each assignable to different search forms on your site. Now, let’s see how you can quickly set up SearchWP and use it to customize search on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). Once done, simply log into your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you can click **Download SearchWP** and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, we recommend also copying your SearchWP license key on the same page. Now, the next step is to install SearchWP on your site. To do that, you’ll need to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need help, then please follow this [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP - SearchWP")Once SearchWP is up and running, you can use it to create custom search engines and search forms. ### Step 2: Customize or Add a New Search Engine With SearchWP, you can edit the default engine on your site and also add new ones. A search engine contains a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. By customizing the engine, you can select which sources to include, set up rules to exclude certain content, make custom fields, categories, [tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)"), and more searchable. To begin, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")From here, simply select search sources you want to consider when performing searches on the pop-up window. By default, SearchWP will include Posts, Pages, and Media sources. However, you can include more source. For example, let’s say you have an [eCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), then you can also include Products as a source. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the ‘Done’ button. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you edit the source attributes. This allows you to include custom fields and taxonomies in the search process. You can simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you can click the ‘Custom Fields’ dropdown menu to add additional information, like [SKU ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)")or any other product detail. Similarly, if you want to make categories and tags searchable, then simply click the ‘Taxonomies’ dropdown menu to add them. ![Add SKU custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-6-1030x375.jpg "Add SKU custom field - SearchWP")To learn more, you may want to see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). ### Step 3: Create a Search Form in SearchWP The next step is to create a search form in SearchWP that you can place on your site using Bricks. To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. Now, you can create a new form or edit an existing one. ![Select a search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-a-search-form-1030x518.png "Select a search form - SearchWP")After that, you will see options to edit the search form. To start, you can change the form name at the top. Next, you can choose a layout theme and customize it according to your needs. SearchWP offers 5 prebuilt themes to choose from and also shows a preview for each style. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to view more editing options. Here, SearchWP lets you customize your selected theme layout, select the engine you just created, edit form and button style, and more. ![Select new engine for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-new-engine-for-form-1030x484.png "Select new engine for form - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### Step 4: Add Search Forms Using Bricks Next, you can add the search form to a landing page using Bricks. To get started, navigate to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can edit an existing page or add a new one. ![Navigate to All Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-All-Pages-1030x507.png "Navigate to All Pages - SearchWP")Next, you will see the WordPress content editor. Go ahead and click the **Edit with Bricks** button at the top. ![Click edit with bricks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-edit-with-bricks-1-1030x432.png "Click edit with bricks - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see the Bricks visual editor. Here, you can drag and drop different Elements from the panel on the left onto the landing page. Simply navigate to SearchWP from the left-panel and add the **Search Form** element. ![Add search form block in Bricks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-block-in-bricks-1030x558.png "Add search form block in Bricks - SearchWP")After adding the Search Form element, go ahead and select it. You’ll now see options to select a search form from the panel on the left. Simply click the dropdown menu and select the search form you created earlier. ![Select your search form for bricks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-search-form-for-bricks-1030x561.png "Select your search form for bricks - SearchWP")Once that’s done, you can publish or update the landing page. Go ahead and click the power icon at the top to publish your page. ![Publish bricks page with search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-bricks-page-with-search-form-1030x434.png "Publish bricks page with search form - SearchWP")### Step 5: Preview Your Search Form Next, you can visit your visit and head to the newly created landing page with Bricks. From here, simply enter a search term in the search form to test if it’s working properly. ![Bricks search form preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-your-search-form-1030x357.png "Bricks search form preview - SearchWP")For example, you can try searching the categories and tags you configured when settings up the search engine. Or if you have a [WooCommerce store](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"), then you can search for product details and other attributes. We hope this article helped you learn how to add search forms in WordPress using Bricks. You may also want to see our guide on [how to create a professional-looking search page on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)") and [how to add a search box to Elementor pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search bar in wordpress, add search form to Bricks, best WordPress page builder plugin for newbies, Bricks, Bricks Visual Builder, Page Builders, search form, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Fix Divi Search Not Working in WordPress (4 Solutions)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-divi-search-not-working/) **Published:** August 28, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Divi is among the most popular website and page builders for WordPress. It lets you create search pages and add search forms anywhere on your site. However, it’s possible that the Divi search might not work due to different reasons. Fixing the search function is an essential task since visitors who can’t find what they’re looking for on your site are likely to leave it immediately. In this guide, we’ll cover the most popular reasons why Divi search on your site may not work and how to fix the problem. ## 4 Common Reasons for Divi Search Not Working To get started, let’s look at the 4 most popular reasons why Divi search might not work on your site. ### Weak WordPress Search The first reason is WordPress itself. Even though it’s a powerful and convenient content management system, it has a rather weak search engine. No wonder when you do a search and get no results, you might think it’s broken. For example, the default WordPress search engine doesn’t: - Search for custom post types - Consider post categories, custom fields, and tags - Have proper integration with eCommerce plugins - Index content of documents and PDF files - Allow you to customize your search - And many more… ### Theme Incompatibility Another reason why your Divi search may not work is the incompatibility of Divi with your current WordPress theme. Not every theme is compatible with page builders by default. So if it’s your case, the Divi search module may simply not work. ### Plugin Conflict You may also have problems with Divi search in case of a plugin conflict. There are a lot of plugins for WordPress, and not all of them are compatible with each other. That’s especially true for unpopular plugins whose developers have stopped updating them. If you use one of them on your site, it can cause problems not only with Divi but with any other plugins. ### Outdated Version of Divi or WordPress Another possible reason for Divi search not working is outdated versions of Divi or WordPress. It’s crucial to update WordPress and the plugins you use on your site in time due to security and compatibility reasons. If you’re using an older version, then it’s possible that the search feature might not work properly. ## How to Fix Divi Search Not Working Now that you’ve learned the most popular reasons Divi search may not work on your site, let’s look at how to deal with them. ### Create an Advanced Divi Search The easiest way to improve search on your WordPress site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 50,000 active installs. It helps you customize the search on your site to meet your needs with no need of coding or deep WordPress knowledge. With SearchWP, you can [allow visitors to search for posts by tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-tags-not-searchable/ "How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)") and custom fields, limit the search to specific post content, [change the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)"), and more. Here are some other amazing features of this plugin: - **[Fully compatible with Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)")**: SearchWP automatically integrates with the Divi search module, allowing you to start improving your search right away. - [**AJAX live search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Show search results on your site in real-time to help your visitors find the content they’re looking for faster. - [**Fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Help your visitors find the right content, even if they made a typo in a search query, to increase the number of pageviews you get. - **[WooCommerce integration](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)")**: Make product attributes searchable on your site to give your customers a new way to search for products and boost your sales. With that being said, let’s start customizing the search on your site to make it smarter with SearchWP. #### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin The first step is to download SearchWP and install it on your site. To get started, you can go and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and signing up for an account. Next, log in to your SearchWP dashboard and navigate the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, simply click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you should also copy your SearchWP license key in the lower left corner. Now you’re ready to install the plugin on your website. Need a refresher on how to do that? You can refer to this [detailed guide on installing a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once you install SearchWP on your site, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to move on to the next step and customize your search to make it smarter. #### Step 2: Customize Your Divi Search to Make it Smarter By setting up a search engine in SearchWP, you can control how search works on your site. For example, you can manage which attributes it should consider, which categories to exclude, include custom fields, and more. SearchWP allows you to create multiple search engines and connect them to different search forms. You can then display these forms on individual Divi pages on your site. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and click **Sources & Settings** under the Default search engine section. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open with different sources to consider in the search process. The default sources include are Posts, Pages, and Media. If you want to exclude any sources, then simply uncheck the box next to the sources. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Let’s say you want to limit the search on our site to posts since that’s the main type of content we publish. You will need to uncheck all search sources except the **Posts** to do that. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing your search sources, press **Done** to save the changes. Now, let’s make WordPress consider post custom fields, tags, and categories when performing a search. It’ll help our visitors to find the right content. To get started, head to the Posts search source and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, a new window will pop up where you can manage post attributes. To include additional information in the search process, simply click the **Custom Fields** field and choose from the dropdown menu. For example, if you have a food blog, then you can include custom fields like ingredients, calorie count, cuisine, and more. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")Once you’ve done that, you can also click the **Taxonomies** field and choose the Categories and Tags taxonomies. Making these taxonomies searchable allows your visitors to search for posts by their tags and categories. ![Choose post taxonomies to consider](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-post-taxonomies-to-consider-1-1030x599.png "Choose post taxonomies to consider - SearchWP")After you’ve finished managing the attributes, click **Done**. When you’re happy with how you customized your Divi search engine, click **Save** to store all the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. Your Divi search is now much smarter, and you’ll always find what you’re looking for. Let’s make sure of that by creating a new separate Divi search page and testing our new search engine. #### Step 3: Create a Divi Search Page To get started, you’ll need to navigate to **Pages » Add New** in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Pages Add New](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Pages-Add-New.png "go to Pages Add New - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see the content editor. Go ahead and click the **Use Divi Builder** button. ![Click edit with Divi builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-edit-with-divi-builder-1030x517.png "Click edit with Divi builder - SearchWP")On the following screen, Divi will present you with 3 options. You can select the **Build From Scratch** option to get started. ![choose the Build from scratch option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-Build-from-scratch-option.png "choose the Build from scratch option - SearchWP")Then, choose the row layout that suits you best. For example, we’ll select the first one for this tutorial. ![choose a row layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-row-layout.png "choose a row layout - SearchWP")Once done, you’ll now need to add a module. Simply search for the **SearchWP Form** module and click on it to add it to the page. ![Add SearchWP forms module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-module-1030x551.png "Add SearchWP forms module - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to select a search form. Simply click the Search Form dropdown menu and select one. If you want to learn more, then please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ![Select your search form for divi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-search-form-for-divi-1030x627.png "Select your search form for divi - SearchWP")Once that’s done, click the green check mark icon to save your changes. When you’re happy with how your search page looks, click the **three-dot** icon at the bottom of the page. ![click three dot icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-three-dot-icon.png "click three dot icon - SearchWP")This will open options to Save Draft or Publish the page. Go ahead and click **Publish** to make your page live. ![click Publish](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Publish-3.png "click Publish - SearchWP")#### Step 4: Test Your New Advanced Search in Divi The next step is to test your new search engine. To do that, open the Divi search page you published and search for some search term. For example, we have several posts on our site with the “Tutorial” custom field. Let’s try to find them only by this field to try out our new search. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-12.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found our posts, even though they don’t contain the word “Tutorial” in the title, excerpts, or content. It means that our Divi search became smarter, as now it considers post custom fields when performing a search. ![we found the posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-posts.png "we found the posts - SearchWP")This will make it easier for visitors to find the content they want and reduce the number of cases of missing search results. It should also fix the issue of Divi search not working. ### Fix Theme Incompatibility The first step is to find out if the incompatibility of your theme actually causes your Divi search problems. The fastest and easiest way to do that is to switch to one of the default WordPress themes. To get started, navigate to **Appearance » Themes** from your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Themes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Themes.png "go to Themes - SearchWP")Then, find one of the default themes. For example, these will include **Twenty Twenty-Five**. From here, you can click **Activate** under its section. ![Change to default theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-to-default-theme-1030x556.png "Change to default theme - SearchWP")After you’ve switched to a default WordPress theme, check out how the search works. If it works fine now, then the problem was in the incompatibility of your theme with Divi. The best solution in this case is to use a theme that is fully compatible with Divi. It’ll help avoid errors not only with search but also with other elements of your site. But, if search still doesn’t work even after you’ve changed themes, the root of the problem lies somewhere else. For example, it can also happen as a result of a plugin conflict. ### Fix Plugin Conflicts To check if the plugin conflict causes problems with your Divi search, you’ll need to deactivate all plugins except for the Divi Builder. To get started, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the Plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Plugins-tab.png "go to the Plugins tab - SearchWP")Once there, tick the leftmost checkbox to select all the plugins installed on your site at once. After that, make sure you uncheck the **Divi Builder** plugin. ![uncheck the Divi builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/uncheck-the-Divi-builder.png "uncheck the Divi builder - SearchWP")Next, click on the **Build actions** drop-down menu at the top. From here, choose the **Deactivate** option, and click **Apply**. ![deactivate all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deactivate-all-plugins-3.png "deactivate all plugins - SearchWP")After you’ve deactivated all the plugins on your site except Divi Builder, check to see if your search now works. If so, a plugin conflict was the reason Divi search wasn’t working on your site. The best solution in this case is to gradually activate plugins one by one until you find the one that’s causing problems with search. If your Divi search still doesn’t work, check out the following solution. ### Update Your Divi Plugin and WordPress Versions First, let’s check out if your WordPress is up to date. To do that, navigate to your dashboard and see if there is a message saying that a new version of WordPress is available. If so, click the **Please update now** link to update to the latest version of WordPress. ![click Update Now](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Update-Now-1.png "click Update Now - SearchWP")The next step is to check your version of Divi. To get started, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to the Plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-Plugins-tab-2.png "navigate to the Plugins tab - SearchWP")Then, find the **Divi Builder** plugin and check if it has the “There is a new version of Divi Builder available” message under its section. If the message is present, simply click the **Update now** link to update your Divi version. ![update your version of Divi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/update-your-version-of-Divi.png "update your version of Divi - SearchWP")After you make sure your site has the latest available version of WordPress and Divi, go and check your search. If it still doesn’t work even after you’ve tried everything we’ve talked about in this guide, then it is a good idea to reach out to Divi customer service. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix Divi search not working on your site. You may also want to see [how to create a Divi search results page template tutorial](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)") and [best WordPress page builders for newbies](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "7 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)"). Ready to empower your Divi search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Divi, Divi advanced search, Divi search doesn't work, Divi search module, Divi Search module not working, Divi search not working, Divi search results not working, how to fix Divi search not working, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [SearchWP vs Better Search: Which WordPress Search Tool is Better?](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-vs-better-search-which-wordpress-search-tool-is-better/) **Published:** August 26, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When it comes to choosing a search plugin for your WordPress site, you’ll find multiple options in the market. Among them will be SearchWP and Better Search. Both of these plugins help improve the default search and provide a better user experience for your visitors. However, there are a lot of differences between the two in terms of features, ease of use, pricing, and more. In this article, we’ll compare the features, ease of use, customer support, and pricing of these 2 plugins. Based on this comparison, you can choose the best option for your WordPress site that fits your needs. Here’s a quick overview of the two plugins: **[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP")****[Better Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-search/ "Better Search")****Overview**Comprehensive, beginner-friendly, premiumFree, simpler, fewer features compared to SearchWP**Features**Seamless theme integration Enrich search results Multiple search engines support On-site search activity tracking PDFs and documents indexing Show promoted ads Change search results order Add live searchSeamless integration with WordPress theme Search everything (excerpts, categories, tags) Inbuilt cache Search tracking (limited)**Ease of Use**User-friendly interface, setup wizard, highly customizableStandard WordPress UI, less intuitive**Customer Support**Highly responsive support team AI assistant Ticketing system Extensive documentationWordPress support forum Email support in paid plan Basic documentation**Pricing**Premium plans starting from $99/yearFree + premium plans starting at $49/year## How We Tested SearchWP vs Better Search To give you an honest comparison, we tested both SearchWP and Better Search on identical WordPress test sites over several weeks. We wanted to see how they performed in real-world conditions, not just read about their features. We evaluated each plugin across five key areas that matter most to WordPress site owners: - **Overview** – We looked at the overall functionality and what each plugin actually delivers compared to their promises. - **Features** – We tested different features offered by the plugin, how they help improve the default search, and how well each plugin worked with popular WordPress themes and other plugins. - **Ease of Use** – Another factor we checked is how easy it is to set up and use each plugin from scratch. - **Customer Support** – While testing, we reached out to customer support and how helpful their answers were for solving actual problems. - **Pricing** – We compared pricing structures to see which plugin offers better value for different types of websites and budgets. That said, let’s look at the comparison. ## SearchWP vs Better Search: Overview Before we get into a detailed comparison of these 2 WordPress search plugins, let’s look at their brief overview. ### SearchWP [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the most comprehensive solution on the market that has over 50,000 active installs. It’s a premium plugin that comes with tons of helpful features you can use to completely customize how search works on your site. For example, you can limit your search to certain types of content, [make PDFs and documents searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), include custom fields and taxonomies in search, and more. In addition to being a powerful plugin, SearchWP is also beginner-friendly. It has a modern and user-friendly interface that you can easily navigate through. Plus, you can set it up to meet your needs in a few minutes, even if you’re not tech-savvy. SearchWP also has an outstanding support team that’s always ready to help you with any question you have related to the plugin. ### Better Search [![Better Search free plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/better-search-free-plugin-1030x335.png "Better Search free plugin - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-search/)[Better Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/better-search/ "Better Search") is another WordPress plugin that helps you deliver more relevant search results to your visitors. It’s free to use and doesn’t have a premium version. Trusted by over 6,000 website owners, this plugin has an average rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. Like SearchWP, Better Search allows you to include multiple post types in the search process, make additional data searchable, include or exclude posts, and more. While testing, we found that it offers fewer features compared to SearchWP but still gets the job done. This plugin is a good choice if you want simplicity and making your site search smarter. ## SearchWP vs Better Search: Features After getting a quick look at both plugins, let’s see what features they have. ### SearchWP – Features SearchWP comes with a whole range of features that makes it one of the most powerful tools on the market. #### Seamless Integration To begin with, SearchWP has automatic theme integration. After installing it, the plugin integrates with the default search form on your site and also lets you create your own custom search forms. It saves time and allows you to instantly improve your site search without writing a single line of code. The best part is that it doesn’t matter which WordPress theme you use on your site. SearchWP is fully compatible with any of them, including [custom themes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"). It also works with the most popular WordPress page builders, such as [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)"), Divi, Oxygen, Beaver Builder and more. This shows that you can be 100% sure that SearchWP will work on your site without any issues. Other than that, you can also integrate SearchWP with popular eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce, custom fields plugins like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF), form plugins like [WPForms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-wordpress-form-submissions-in-search-results/ "How to Include WordPress Form Submission in Search Results"), knowledge base plugins, and more. #### Enrich Your Search Results One of the standout features of SearchWP we found while testing was that you can make a lot of valuable data searchable. For instance, you can [make custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), categories, shortcodes, tags, product details, and more searchable. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")It allows your visitors to find what they’re looking for faster, improving their user experience and encouraging them to explore your site further and view more of your content. To enrich your search results more, you can enable [SearchWP’s partial matches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") and closest match options. ![Enable partial matches and closest match](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-matches-and-closest-match-1030x573.png "Enable partial matches and closest match - SearchWP")This feature makes WordPress look for partial matches if there are no exact ones when enabled. It also lets your visitors find the right content, even if they made a typo in a search query. ![we found the post despite the typo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-post-despite-the-typo.png "we found the post despite the typo - SearchWP")#### Multiple Search Engines Support SearchWP has a multiple search engine support feature, which makes it more powerful than the Better Search plugin. ![Search engine in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-engine-in-searchWP-1030x521.png "Search engine in SearchWP - SearchWP")With this feature, you can add supplemental search engines and link them to individual search fields. As a result, you can create custom search fields with a unique set of settings and place them across your site. ![View new search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-new-search-engine-1030x528.png "View new search engine - SearchWP")For example, you can limit a search field to specific categories or [post types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"). It allows you to narrow your search and deliver more relevant search results. #### On-site Search Activity Tracking Do you want to know what visitors are searching for on your site? That’s valuable information that you can use in a lot of different ways. For example, you can develop new content ideas, find out what’s missing from your site, collect unique keywords, and more. While comparing SearchWP with Better Search, we uncovered that it offers a Metrics extension. You can [see your visitors’ search queries](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") without leaving your dashboard. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")Plus, you can see which pages are the most popular for a particular search query. This information allows you to look at your content from a different angle, so it’s easier for you to learn from search insights to grow your business even more. #### PDFs and Documents Indexing The default WordPress search completely ignores uploaded PDF files and office documents. It’s inconvenient and leaves your visitors with no other options but manually look for them. With SearchWP, you can fix this WordPress issue and [make PDFs and documents searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") in a few clicks. ![Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-document-source-2-1030x550.jpg "Making PDF and documents file searchable in SearchWP - SearchWP")Including documents and PDFs in search results helps your visitors find them much faster. It allows you to ensure a better user experience for your audience. #### Show Promoted Ads on Search Results Page Another feature that sets apart SearchWP from Better Search is its ability to [show promoted ads](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-promoted-ads-on-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Display Promoted Ads on WordPress Search Results Page") on the search results page. When visitors use your internal search, they’re actively looking for specific information or products. This makes them highly engaged and ready to take action. With SearchWP, you can promote affiliate products, highlight your services, or feature sponsored content that genuinely helps visitors while boosting your revenue. ![Click the toggle to enable promoted ads](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-toggle-to-enable-promoted-ads-1030x512.png "Click the toggle to enable promoted ads - SearchWP")#### Change Search Results Order Would you like to control the order of search results for particular search terms in WordPress? SearchWP lets you [change the search results order](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") and lets you promote a specific page or product on your site. The SearchWP Custom Results Order extension allows you to affect the order of the search results and customize it to fit your needs. To start, you can enter a search term to change the results order. ![Enter search query for custom results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-search-query-for-custom-results-order-1030x464.png "Enter search query for custom results order - SearchWP")Next, you will see a list of results for that particular keyword. From here, you can simply select which post to display at the top by clicking the ‘Promote to Top’ button. ![promote specific posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promote-specific-posts-1030x475.png "promote specific posts - SearchWP")#### Add Live Search While testing and comparing SearchWP with Better Search, we found that SearchWP offers a live search feature. You can use the free [SearchWP Live Ajax Search plugin ](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search")and allow users to view search results as they type in the search form. ![How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Live-search-final-preview.gif "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free: How the live search looks finally - SearchWP")This allows users to see results instantly as they type, significantly speeding up the search process. Plus, live search is particularly beneficial for users who may not remember the exact terms or correct spellings of what they are looking for without the full query. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ### Better Search – Features Once you learn the main features of SearchWP, let’s see what Better Search has to offer. #### Seamless Integration with WordPress Theme We found that Better Search also has seamless integration with your [WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"). Once you activate the plugin, it automatically replaces all existing default search fields on your site with smarter ones. This way, you can start delivering more relevant search results to your visitors right after installation. However, one downside we found while comparing Better Search with SearchWP was that it doesn’t support popular page builders. This means that you don’t get the flexibility and customization options in Better Search as you’d get in SearchWP. Besides that, we also didn’t find any integrations with other WordPress plugins and tools. #### Search Everything With Better Search, you can make it consider excerpts, categories, tags, and other attributes of posts and pages. ![Better Search advanced features](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Better-Search-advanced-features.png "Better Search advanced features - SearchWP")It’s helpful as it allows your visitors to get more relevant search results. But, in comparison with SearchWP, this plugin has a couple of significant drawbacks. First, Better Search doesn’t allow you to specify what particular taxonomies you want to make searchable. For instance, you cannot select which categories or [tags to include in the search process](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)"). You can only enable search by each of them in general, which gives you less control over the search results. ![enable searching taxonomies](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-searching-taxonomies.png "enable searching taxonomies - SearchWP")Secondly, using Better Search, you cannot make custom fields searchable. That’s a huge disadvantage since many WordPress plugins tend to store valuable information inside them. For example, WooCommerce uses custom fields to store data about [product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"). This means that you can’t make this data searchable using Better Search. ![WooCommerce product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WooCommerce-prodcut-attrubtes.png "WooCommerce product attributes - SearchWP")#### Inbuilt Cache During testing, we uncovered that Better Search comes with the inbuilt cache feature to reduce the number of calls to your database. Caching means storing data in a cache so that visitors can access it faster. Once you enable the caching feature, the plugin will start caching search results for an hour. It ensures the stable performance of your site without slowing it down. ![enable cache](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-cache.png "enable cache - SearchWP")In addition, Better Search has integration with popular WordPress caching plugins. This list includes WP-Super-Cache and W3 Total Cache. #### Search Tracking Like SearchWP, Better Search allows you to collect data on the search activity of your visitors. ![Better Search popular searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Better-Search-popular-searches.png "Better Search popular searches - SearchWP")You can even display a list of popular search queries on your site as a heatmap using a widget. Sadly, Better Search only shows a list of collected search queries and nothing else. On the other hand, using the [SearchWP metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "SearchWP metrics extension"), you get a complete picture of what your visitors are searching for on your site. For example, beyond the list of searches, you can also see the number of clicks per search, searches per user, and more. ## SearchWP vs Better Search: Ease of Use Before choosing a search plugin, you should ask: how quickly you can install a plugin, how easy it is to use, and does it directly affect your site’s performance. Ease of use is one of the most important factors you should consider when choosing a plugin. With that, let’s compare the ease of use of SearchWP and Better Search. ### SearchWP – Ease of Use Setting up and configuring SearchWP is user-friendly and easy for beginners. When you first install and activate the plugin, you’ll see a setup wizard. By simply following the onscreen instructions, you’ll be able to start using SearchWP in no time. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")SearchWP comes with a clean and modern user interface. You can easily navigate it, even if you’re launching your first WordPress site. For instance, you can easily customize your search engine and add new ones. ![Add new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-1030x485.png "Add new engine - SearchWP")You can choose which sources to select and configure the search engine according to your requirements. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you [exclude from search results specific categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)") by adding advanced search rules. ![Enter categories to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-categories-to-exclude-1030x510.png "Enter categories to exclude - SearchWP")Another feature we really liked while testing SearchWP was that you can add stopwords and synonyms to help it better understand your content. A stopword is a word that WordPress ignores when performing a search to improve the relevance of search results. ![Enter stopwords for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-stopwords-for-search-results-1030x590.png "Enter stopwords for search results - SearchWP")There are a bunch of popular stopwords that SearchWP adds by default, so you don’t have to worry about adding them yourself. SearchWP also lets you [set up a synonym rule](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search") and help users find relevant content using words with the same meaning. ![Add new synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-synonyms-1030x421.png "Add new synonyms - SearchWP")SearchWP also has a [blog with plenty of helpful how-to guides](https://searchwp.com/blog/ "SearchWP Blog Section"). You can check if you need any help in your search engine configuration. Plus, there is an extensive [knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/ "SearchWP Knowledgebase") for more experienced users. It’s excellent for those who want to dive even deeper into customizing search on their site. ### Better Search – Ease of Use Better Search is more suited for users that want basic controls for changing how search works on their site. That said, it has a couple of major drawbacks regarding its ease of use. First, it has the standard WordPress plugin user interface, which looks outdated and may scare off some users. ![Better Search settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Better-Search-settings.png "Better Search settings - SearchWP")Secondly, if you’re a beginner, then you might not know which setting to enable. Many settings can be complicated for non-technical users to understand. For example, you can only guess what “Boolean” and “mySQL fulltext search” modes are, as there is no explanation. ![Better Search features](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Better-Search-features.png "Better Search features - SearchWP")## Better Search vs SearchWP: Customer Support Customer support is one of the core things to consider when choosing a WordPress plugin. The quality of support directly affects your user experience, that’s why you shouldn’t underestimate its importance. With that, let’s compare what support options SearchWP and Better Search have to offer. ### SearchWP – Customer Support SearchWP has a responsive support team that’s always ready to come to the rescue. You can start with the AI assistant inside your account dashboard in SearchWP. Simply ask a question and get quick and accurate answers. ![SearchWP support option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-support-option-1030x629.png "SearchWP support option - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also ask for help using the ticket system that you can find in your WordPress dashboard. It’s convenient and doesn’t require you to mess around with sending emails. ![Fill out support ticket](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/fill-out-support-ticket-1030x668.png "Fill out support ticket - SearchWP")Also, if you prefer to do everything yourself, you can check out the helpful, clear, and usable [SearchWP documentation](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/ "SearchWP Knowledgebase"). ### Better Search – Customer Support When it comes to Better Search, you’ll notice that there is no dedicated customer support, like a live chat or email ticket, for the free version. However, you can use the support forum on WordPress plugin page and leave your query. ![Better Search support forum](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/better-search-support-forum-1030x562.png "Better Search support forum - SearchWP")On the other hand, if you upgrade to a paid plan, then you can unlock direct email support. Besides that, Better Search also offers a [knowledge base](https://webberzone.com/support/knowledgebase/ "Better Search Knowledgebase") that has basic documentation. From our comparison, SearchWP offers a more extensive and detailed knowledge base and support options. ## SearchWP vs Better Search: Pricing The price of a plugin plays a crucial role when selecting a solution for your business. You’d want value for your money, so it’s important to choose the right plugin. Let’s compare the pricing options that SearchWP and Better Search offer. ### SearchWP – Pricing SearchWP is a premium WordPress plugin that has [3 pricing plans](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "SearchWP pricing plans") varying in price and features. [![SearchWP pricing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-pricing-1030x585.png "SearchWP pricing - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/buy/)Let’s examine them more closely: - **Standard plan** – $99/year. License for 1 site, comes with all standard features, extensions, and support. - **Pro plan** – $199/year. License for 3 sites, comes with everything in the Standard plan along with advanced features, integrations, and priority support. - **Agency plan** – $399/year. License for an unlimited number of sites and comes with everything in the Pro plan. Plus, you get Client Management feature and premium support. If you decide to change the plan or cancel your account, you can do that at any time. SearchWP also offers a 14-day money-back guarantee if you feel that the plugin isn’t the right fit. ### Better Search – Pricing The base Better Search plugin is free to use, and is excellent for new website owners who want to save some money. However, it also offers 3 premium plans, starting from $49 per year with the Pro plan. The price goes up to $299/year with its Agency plan. ![Better Search pricing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/better-search-pricing-1030x553.png "Better Search pricing - SearchWP")When compared to SearchWP, the premium plans offered by Better Search don’t offer a comprehensive set of features. That said, Better Search also offers a 14-day refund policy. So you can cancel the subscription if you feel the plugin is not the right fit for your business. ## Better Search vs SearchWP: Our Verdict Now that we’ve compared SearchWP with Better Search, let’s choose the best among these plugins. Given the number of features, ease of use, and support quality, the winner is SearchWP. Using this plugin, you can easily customize search on your site to suit your needs without being a tech-savvy person. The number of features SearchWP offers sets it apart from other search plugins. As the cherry on the cake comes a professional support team that’s always ready to help you with any requests. Even though Better Search has fewer features than SearchWP and isn’t so easy to use, it’s also a great plugin for new website owners who are looking for a free solution. But if you’re looking for the ultimate solution, then we highly recommend SearchWP. We hope this article helped you learn which WordPress search tool is better: SearchWP or Better Search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to fix WordPress tags not searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-tags-not-searchable/ "How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)"). Are you ready to become one of them and boost search on your site with the best WordPress search plugin? You can go and [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** SearchWP, SearchWP or Better Search, SearchWP vs Better Search, what is better SearchWP or Better Search, what is the best search tool SearchWP or Better Search, what to choose SearchWP or Better Search, which plugin is the best SearchWP or Better Search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/) **Published:** August 21, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Looking for a way to create a search page in WordPress? By adding a custom search page to your site, you can help your visitors find what they’re looking for faster. It’s also a great way to encourage them to use search again in the future and discover more of your content. In this guide, we’ll show you 2 ways to create a professional-looking search page on your site. You can simply click the links below to jump ahead to any section: - [Method 1: Create a Search Page With SearchWP](#easiest-way-to-create-a-smarter-search-page) - [Method 2: Create a Search Page With SeedProd](#create-a-search-page-with-SeedProd) Let’s begin! ## Why Create a Search Page in WordPress? Creating a search page on your WordPress site has many advantages: - **Get more pageviews:** You can promote specific posts, pages, or categories on your search page to engage your visitors and get more pageviews. - **Promote ads to boost revenue**: A custom search page also allows you to showcase affiliate links, blog posts, products, and more to increase conversions. - **Customize your search form**: You can add a customized search form to your search page to narrow your search and deliver more relevant results to your visitors. - **Improve the user experience of your visitors**: By customizing your search page and search form, you help your visitors find the right content faster. - **Make visitors spend more time on your site**: Satisfied users who found what they were looking for on your site are more likely to continue exploring your content. - **Improve your site’s ranking in search engines**. High average session duration and low bounce rate are strong signals to Google that your site’s pages deserve better positions. Are you ready to add a search page to your site? Let’s see how you can do that below. ## Method 1: Create a Search Page With SearchWP The best way to create a search page is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It offers pre-built templates and lots of customization options. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the most powerful WordPress search plugin trusted by over 50,000 website owners. Using SearchWP, you can completely customize how search works on your site and create a smart search page – no coding needed. For example, you can [exclude specific pages from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"), make custom fields searchable, and more. As a result, you can give your visitors more relevant search results and improve their user experience. That’s not all. Here’s a quick overview of other SearchWP features: - [**Search tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Want to know your audience’s interest? SearchWP collects data on what visitors are searching for on your site, allowing you to understand their needs better. - [**Live search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): With SearchWP, you can enable displaying real-time search results in a few clicks. - [**Control over search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"): This plugin lets you manually change the order of search results the way you want. - **[Multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")**: Want to add custom search forms to your site? SearchWP allows you to create multiple search engines, customize them, and link to any search forms across your site. Now that you know how SearchWP helps you create a smart search page, let’s look at how to use it. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can visit the SearchWP website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). Once done, simply log into your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** page. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you can click **Download SearchWP** and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, also copy your SearchWP license key on the same page. The next step is to install SearchWP on your site. To do that, you’ll need to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. Need a refresher on how to do that? You can follow this [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now that SearchWP is up and running, you can use it to create custom search engines and search forms. To learn more, you may want to see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). Now, let’s add a new search ### Step 2: Create a Search Results Page SearchWP offers pre-built templates for creating a search results page. Plus, you can set up unlimited search results templates and connect them to specific search forms. To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Templates** in your WordPress dashboard. Here, you will see the default template that will appear on your site when a user performs a search. Now, you can edit the default template or simply click the ‘Add New’ button. For this tutorial, we’ll add a new search results page. ![Edit templates page in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-templates-page-in-searchwp-1030x494.png "Edit templates page in SearchWP - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can edit the name of the search results template at the top. After that, you can select a layout theme for your search results page. SearchWP offers 6 different layouts to choose from. ![Choose a template and change name](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-template-and-change-name-1030x439.png "Choose a template and change name - SearchWP")Under the layout, you’ll also see a theme preview. This helps you select the right theme for your site, as it shows how the results will look like. Do note that the final preview might differ depending on your WordPress theme. ![View theme preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Choose-layout-theme-1030x963.jpg "View theme preview - SearchWP")After that, you can scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. Here, you will find more options to customize your results page. For example, SearchWP offers options to change the layout style, enable description, change image size (if you’ve select a theme that shows featured images), and more. ![Change theme custom styling](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-theme-custom-styling-1030x640.png "Change theme custom styling - SearchWP")If you scroll down further, you will find more styling options for your search results page. For instance, you can control the results per page. By default, SearchWP will show 10 results but you can change that. Other than that, you also get to edit the pagination settings. ![Change results per page and pagination settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-results-per-page-and-pagination-settings-1030x544.png "Change results per page and pagination settings - SearchWP")When you’re done customizing the results page, simply scroll to the top and click the **Save** button. This will help save all your settings. ![Save results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-results-template-1030x500.png "Save results template - SearchWP")SearchWP also makes it very easy to embed the results template anywhere on your site. To start, simply click the **Embed** button at the top next to Save. This will open a new popup window with multiple embed options. ![Embed search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-results-page-1030x494.png "Embed search results page - SearchWP")You can use a Gutenberg block, shortcode, and PHP code to embed the template. Plus, you’ll also need to select whether you’d like to embed the template on an existing page or create a new page. For this tutorial, we’ll select the ‘Gutenberg Block’ option and ‘Create New Page’ for our search results template. Next, you’ll need to enter a name for your new page and click **Let’s Go**. ![Enter a name for new results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-a-name-for-new-results-page-1030x513.png "Enter a name for new results page - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll see the SearchWP Results block in the WordPress content editor. You can simply click the **Publish** button at the top. ![View search results block preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-results-block-preview-1030x430.png "View search results block preview - SearchWP")### Step 3: Edit Search Form Settings Next, you’ll need to change the search form settings in SearchWP and ensure that the form points to the newly created results page. To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. Now, you can create a new form or edit an existing one. For this tutorial, we’ll edit an existing form on our demo site. ![Select a search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-a-search-form-1030x518.png "Select a search form - SearchWP")After that, you will see options to edit the search form. For instance, you can choose a theme and customize it using other options. For more details, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. From here, you’ll need to change the ‘Results Page’ to **SearchWP** and ‘Target Page’ to the search results template you created earlier. ![Point target page to results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/point-target-page-to-results-template-1030x661.png "Point target page to results template - SearchWP")Besides that, you also get options change the Engine and also choose a Template. When you’re done, simply scroll to the top and click the **Save** button. ![Save search form settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-search-form-settings-1030x520.png "Save search form settings - SearchWP")### Step 4: Test Your New Search Page Now, let’s test our new search page, enhanced with SearchWP. For instance, we have multiple posts on WooCommerce. Let’s try to search for it and see how it looks on the new search results page. ![View search form on demo site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-form-on-demo-site-1030x513.png "View search form on demo site - SearchWP")As you can see, we successfully found the posts using the search term. Plus, the new search results template also works perfectly. ![Search results template testing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-results-template-testing-1030x522.png "Search results template testing - SearchWP")## Method 2: Create a Search Page With SeedProd If you want to create a fancier search page and want more customization options, then you can use [SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/ "SeedProd"). It is the best WordPress website builder plugin, that offers an AI-power website builder, prebuilt templates, and lots of customization options. [![SeedProd](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/seedprod-site-1030x530.png "SeedProd - SearchWP")](https://www.seedprod.com/)SeedProd comes with an easy-to-use and powerful drag-and-drop editor that allows you to build different page types – without writing a single line of code. It is fully compatible with popular WordPress themes so that you can easily integrate your new pages into your current design. All pages you create with this plugin are optimized for fast loading, SEO-ready, and fully responsive. The best part? SeedProd comes with a lot of ready-made templates so you can start building your page right off the bat and grow your business faster. No need to be an expert designer! Let’s see how you can use SeedProd to create a beautiful search page that will encourage your visitors to explore more of your content. ### Step 1: Install SeedProd on Your Site To get started, you can go to the SeedProd website and [grab your copy of SeedProd](https://www.seedprod.com/pricing/ "Get started with SeedProd today"). Once that’s done, simple install and activate the plugin on your site. If you need help, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). ### Step 2: Create a New Page Once done, you can navigate to **SeedProd » Landing Pages** from your WordPress dashboard. ![click SeedProd Landing Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-SeedProd-Landing-Pages.png "click SeedProd Landing Pages - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see pre-built pages like coming soon mode, maintenance mode, login page, and 404 error page. From here, you can press the **Add New Landing Page** button. ![click Add New Landing Page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Add-New-Landing-Page.png "click Add New Landing Page - SearchWP")In the next step, you can select one of the ready-made SeedProd page templates. There are different templates to choose from, depending on the type of page you want to create. ![there are a lot of ready-made templates](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/there-are-a-lot-of-ready-made-templates.png "there are a lot of ready-made templates - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we’ll create a search page from scratch. To get started, point a cursor over the **Blank Template** and click the checkmark icon. ![click on a template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-a-template.png "click on a template - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new a window where you can name your page and set its URL or web address. Simply enter the page’s name and URL and click **Save and Start Editing the Page**. ![click Save and Start Editing the Page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Save-and-Start-Editing-the-Page.png "click Save and Start Editing the Page - SearchWP")### Step 3: Choose a Layout for Your Search Page To start creating a new search page, you first need to select its layout. To do that, just click on the layout that suits you. For example, we’ll choose the first one by simply clicking on it. ![click on a layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-a-layout.png "click on a layout - SearchWP")### Step 4: Add a Heading to Your WordPress Search Page Now you can start adding blocks to your page. Let’s first add the headline. To add a new block to the page, drag it from the left panel. You can see how we do that below: ![add a headline](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-headline.gif "add a headline - SearchWP")To customize the headline, click it and enter the text you want. For example, we’ll change it to “What are you looking for?”. ![you can change the text](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/you-can-change-the-text.png "you can change the text - SearchWP")### Step 5: Add a Search Form to Your WordPress Search Page The next step is to add a search form to your search page. First, search for the **Search Form** box under Blocks and drag it to your page under the headline. ![click on the Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-the-Search-Form.png "click on the Search Form - SearchWP")Once you add the search form block, you can further customize its appearance in SeedProd. As you can see, the default search form has a relatively small width. ![we added a search form to the page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-added-a-search-form-to-the-page.png "we added a search form to the page - SearchWP")To make it wider, click on the search form, and go to the **Advanced** tab in the left panel. Here you can adjust the width of your search form by moving the **Width** slider left or right. ![adjust the width](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adjust-the-width.png "adjust the width - SearchWP")Let’s say we want to make it full page width. To do that, move the **Width** slider all the way right. ![set the max width](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-the-max-width.png "set the max width - SearchWP")### Step 6: Add Recent Posts to Your Search Page Now let’s also add recent posts to our search page. By doing this, you can promote the posts you’d like and get more traffic to your site. To get started, search for the **Posts** block and drag it to the search page. ![find the Posts element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/find-the-Posts-element.png "find the Posts element - SearchWP")To customize the **Posts** block, click on it. On the left panel, you can specify the categories from which you want to show posts, change the number of posts per page, customize the block title settings, and more. For example, we will reduce the number of posts on our page to 3, so we don’t distract visitors too much. ![set the number of posts per page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/set-the-number-of-posts-per-page.png "set the number of posts per page - SearchWP")When you’re happy with how your **Posts** block looks, let’s also add a headline above it. Simply drag the ‘Headline’ block onto the page. ![add a headline](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-headline.png "add a headline - SearchWP")Then you can change the headline text to something that will attract your users. For example, we’ll replace it with “Haven’t made up your mind yet? Check out our posts:”. ![we added a heading](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-addead-a-heading.png "we added a heading - SearchWP")### Step 7: Add a Subscription Form to Your Search Page Let’s add a newsletter subscription form to our search page as a finishing touch. With this, you can collect additional email addresses of your visitors so you can grow your email list. To get started, find the **Optin Form** block on the left panel and drag it to your page. ![add Optin Form element](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-Optin-Form-element.png "add Optin Form element - SearchWP")If you click on the block, you can customize its fields, style, button text, and many more. ![customize the fields of your form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-the-fields-of-your-form.png "customize the fields of your form - SearchWP")SeedProd has seamless integration with the [most popular email marketing services](https://www.seedprod.com/best-email-newsletter-services/ "10 Best Email Newsletter Services"), so you can collect new emails using your favorite one. The final step is to add a headline above our subscription form. Let’s call it “Sign up for our weekly newsletter”. ![heading before the sign-up form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/heading-before-the-sign-up-form.png "heading before the sign-up form - SearchWP")### Step 8: Publish Your Search Page When you’re satisfied with how your search page looks, it’s time to publish the page. To do that, click the down arrow next to the **Save** button in the upper right corner and select the **Publish** option. ![press the Publish button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-Publish-button.png "press the Publish button - SearchWP")A new window will popup. You can click **See Live Page** in the window. ![click See Live Page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-See-Live-Page.png "click See Live Page - SearchWP")Next, you can visit your SeedProd search page on your website. Here’s what our search page created with SeedProd looks like on our test site: ![how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-WordPress.png "how to create a search page in WordPress - SearchWP")## What’s Next… Creating a custom search page makes it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for. Plus, it allows you to get more pageviews so you can increase your income and grow your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a search page in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)") and [how to create a Divi search results page template](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"). If you’re ready to create a smart search page on your site, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a custom search page on your WordPress site, create a custom WordPress search page, create a search page template in WordPress, how to create a search page in WordPress, how to customize the default WordPress search page, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Display Promoted Ads on WordPress Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-promoted-ads-on-wordpress-search-results-page/) **Published:** August 12, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Running a WordPress website teaches most site owners something important about missed opportunities. Many websites have thousands of visitors using their search feature, but they aren’t making any money from those searches. For instance, they could be showing users relevant affiliate products or sponsored content that would actually help visitors while generating revenue. That’s where SearchWP comes in handy for displaying promoted ads directly in WordPress search results. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to display promoted ads on your WordPress search results page. ## Why Show Promoted Ads on Search Results Page? Your website’s search function is one of the most underutilized revenue streams available. When visitors use your internal search, they’re actively looking for specific information or [products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (7 Easy Ways)"). This makes them highly engaged and ready to take action. Without promoted ads, you’re essentially sending potential customers away empty-handed. They might find your regular content, but they won’t discover the products, services, or affiliate offers that could solve their problems and generate income for your site. Besides that, the search results page is also an overlooked place by site owners to show important messages and notices. You can inform visitors about an upcoming sale or maintenance while they’re searching on your WordPress website. That said, let’s look at how you can easily show promoted ads on your search results page. ## Showing Promoted Ads on WordPress Search Results Page The easiest way to add ads, affiliate links, and any general information on the search results page is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that’s trusted by over 50,000 website owners. Using the plugin, you can create custom search engines and improve the overall search experience by including [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), product details, categories, tags, and more. What makes SearchWP special is that it offers a feature for showing promoted search ads on the search results page. No coding needed! You can promote affiliate products, highlight your services, or feature sponsored content that genuinely helps visitors while boosting your revenue. Plus, it offers pre-built templates for creating search forms and results page. Besides that, you can also: - **[Analyze visitor search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"):** Uncover what your customers are looking for on your site with detailed reports, giving you valuable insights into their behavior. - **[Enable live search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"):** Provide your visitors with immediate search suggestions as they type, helping them find the right products more quickly and improving their user experience. - **[Control the display order of results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"):** Customize how search results are ranked on your site to better align with your business objectives. - **[Exclude specific items from search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"):** Hide certain pages or products from your site’s search results to ensure customers can shop without distraction. Now, let’s look at the steps you can follow to show search ads on the results page. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting their official website and creating a new account. SearchWP is a premium plugin that offers the advanced features we need for displaying promoted ads in search results. After creating your account, log into your SearchWP dashboard and navigate to the Downloads section. You’ll find a **Download SearchWP** button there, simply click it to save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")While you’re on the Downloads page, make sure to copy your license key as well. You’ll need this key later on in the setup process. Next, you can upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site. If you don’t know how to do that, you can see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see the SearchWP’s onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to show promoted ads on the search results page. ### Step 2: Enable Promoted Ads in SearchWP Next, you can edit the search results template in SearchWP to display promoted search ads. First, you’ll need to head to **SearchWP » Templates** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you will see the default template that will appear on your site when a user performs a search. SearchWP also lets you add multiple results templates, which gives you the flexibility to create unlimited specialized search experiences that actually serve your users’ needs. For this tutorial, we will edit the **Default** results template. Go ahead and click on the ‘Default’ option. ![Edit templates page in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-templates-page-in-searchwp-1030x494.png "Edit templates page in SearchWP - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll see different layouts for the results page. Simply scroll down to the ‘Promoted Search Ads’ section. From here, you will need to click the **Enable Promoted Ads** toggle. ![Click the toggle to enable promoted ads](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-toggle-to-enable-promoted-ads-1030x512.png "Click the toggle to enable promoted ads - SearchWP")Next, you can enter the text under the ‘Ad Content’ area and use the options to edit its styling, add a link, and more. SearchWP also gives you the option to select the ‘Ad Position’. By default, it will show the ad at the first spot, but you can change the number. ![Enter promoted ad details](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-promoted-ad-details-1030x589.png "Enter promoted ad details - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply scroll to the top. From here, click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-results-template-1030x500.png "Save results template - SearchWP")### Step 3: Change Search Form Template in SearchWP The next step is to edit the search form in SearchWP and make sure it uses the results template you created or edited in the previous step. With SearchWP, you can set up limited search forms and place them anywhere on your site. This provides a more customized and personal search experience for your visitors. To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. Now, you can create a new form or edit an existing one. ![Select a search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-a-search-form-1030x518.png "Select a search form - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see options to edit the search form. For instance, you can choose a theme and customize it using other options. For more details, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. From here, change the engine, results page, target page, and template. To make sure that promoted ads appear on your site, you’ll need to change: - Results Page to SearchWP - Target Page to SearchWP Default - Template to Default (or the template on which you enabled promoted ads) Here’s how the settings will look like: ![Edit template settings for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-template-settings-for-form-1030x625.png "Edit template settings for form - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll to the top and click Save. This will store all your changes. ![Save search form settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-search-form-settings-1030x520.png "Save search form settings - SearchWP")### Step 4: Test Your Promoted Search Ads Now that you’ve set up promoted ads, the next thing to do is test that they’re working properly. To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search form. ![Go to search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-search-form--1030x505.png "Go to search form - SearchWP")Next, you can enter a keyword or phrase into the search box. Once the search results appear, look for the promoted ad you set up earlier. ![View promoted ads preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-promoted-ads-preview-1030x655.png "View promoted ads preview - SearchWP")As you can see, the promoted search ads appears on the search results page. This shows that is working correctly and appears after the number of results specified in the settings. ## What’s Next… Showing ads, affiliate links, products, and other important information on the search results page is a great way to boost engagement and conversions. We hope this article helped you learn how to display promoted ads on WordPress search results page. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add search box to Elementor page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)") and [how to set up WordPress search settings for best results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** ads on search page, display ads on results page, Promoted Search Ads, search results page, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Fix Elementor Search Form Not Working (5 Easy Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-elementor-search-form-not-working/) **Published:** August 19, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to know how to fix Elementor search form not working? There are several reasons that can cause this problem. Fixing your Elementor search form is very important because visitors who don’t find what they’re looking for on your site will leave it unsatisfied. In this article, we’ll show you how to find out why your Elementor search form isn’t working and how to deal with that. Let’s begin! ## What Causes Elementor Search Form to Not Work Let’s take a look at the 5 most common reasons that can cause problems with the Elementor search form. ### 1. The Default WordPress Search is Weak WordPress is a great and powerful blogging platform, but its search engine leaves much to be desired. That’s why after you’ve performed a search and found nothing, you might even think that it doesn’t work. It happens because WordPress: - **Sorts search results by publication date, not by relevance**: Due to that, your recent posts will always appear higher in search results than more relevant ones. - **Ignores a lot of valuable data when performing a search**: For example, it doesn’t consider post custom fields, categories, tags, and more. - **Doesn’t look for partial matches**: If you’ve misspelled a search query, you won’t get any search results and may think that search is broken. ### 2. Theme Compatibility Issue Another reason you might have problems with search is that your WordPress theme isn’t compatible with Elementor. If it’s your case, there is no guarantee that all Elementor widgets will work as expected. Since the search form is also an Elementor widget, and search plugins like SearchWP also add their own widgets to Elementor as well, then you might have compatibility problems. ### 3. Plugin Conflict There are thousands of WordPress plugins, and Elementor might not be compatible with each of them. So when you use Elementor along with incompatible plugins, that can cause problems with its functionality. In most cases, it applies to unpopular and abandoned plugins, but there may be exceptions. ### 4. Hosting Limitations There is also a rare but possible case when your hosting limitations cause problems with search. For example, it requires the latest versions of PHP, MySQL, and a high volume of WP Memory Limit in WordPress. So if your hosting doesn’t meet these requirements, there is a great chance you’ll encounter some problems using Elementor. ### 5. Outdated Elementor or WordPress Version You may also have problems with the Elementor search form if you use an outdated version of Elementor or WordPress. It’s important to keep plugins and WordPress up to date to ensure their proper work and compatibility. ## How to Fix Elementor Search Form Not Working After you’ve learned what can cause issues with the Elementor search form, let’s look at how to deal with them in order. ### 1. How to Boost Your WordPress Search The easiest way to fix the weaknesses of the default WordPress search engine and boost your search is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful and easiest to use WordPress search plugin on the market. With SearchWP, you can make include custom fields, tags, categories, and many other post attributes in the search process. Due to that, you can help your visitors find the right content faster and improve their user experience. Plus, SearchWP comes with seamless Elementor integration, so you can start using it right after installation. But these features are not the only reason why more than 50,000 website owners already chose SearchWP. You can also use this plugin to: - [**Track your visitors’ searches**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): You can use SearchWP to see what visitors are searching for on your site and find out which search results are most popular. - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): The plugin lets you display search results in live mode to help your visitors find the right content faster. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): SearchWP allows you to create custom search forms with an individual set of settings in just a few clicks, no coding needed. - [**Exclude specific pages from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): With SearchWP, you can clean up search results on your site by excluding redundant pages. Now that you know why SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin, let’s see how you can use it to boost search on your site. #### Step 1: Get SearchWP and Install The Plugin To get started, you’ll need to go to the SearchWP website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Once you’ve signed up for a new account, you can sign in to your account and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After you get there, click **Download SearchWP** to download the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. You should also copy your SearchWP license key on the same tab when you finish downloading, as you’ll need it later on. The next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. Need help with that? Check out the [step-by-step tutorial on how to install the WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate SearchWP, you’ll see the onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you can move on to the next step and start customizing your search engine. #### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine to Make It Smarter With SearchWP, you can create custom search engines for your site. Think of a search engine as a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing searches. It also automatically connects to existing search form on your site after installation. So by customizing the **Default** search engine settings, you can control how search works on your site. Another benefit of using SearchWP is that you can make additional post attributes searchable, limit your search to specific categories, and more. With that, let’s customize your search engine to make it easier for your visitors to find what they’re looking for. First, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you can choose the sources for your search engine. By default, you’ll see that posts, pages, and media will be selected. For instance, let’s limit the search on our site to posts only, to clean up the search results from redundant pages. To do that, uncheck all sources except **Posts**. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing search sources, press **Done** to save the changes. Now, let’s also make additional post attributes such as custom fields, tags, and categories searchable on your site. It’ll help you deliver more relevant search results to your visitors. To get started, navigate to the Posts search source and click **Add/Remove** attributes. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, a new window will popup where you can manage the post attributes. By default, SearchWP will include title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes. Besides that, you can also include custom post fields in the search process since they often contain valuable information. To get started, simply click on the **Custom Fields** field and select an option from the dropdown menu. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")For example, if you’re using Advanced Custom Fields, then you can select an option from the dropdown menu. If you have a food blog, then you can add custom fields like ingredients or cuisine type in the search process. Or if you have a real estate listing, then you can make the number of bedrooms custom fields searchable. You can also make add common post taxonomies, such as tags and categories, to the search process. Simply click the **Taxonomies** field and select the Tags and Categories from the dropdown menu. ![Choose taxonomies for search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-taxonomies-for-search-engine-1030x591.png "Choose taxonomies for search engine - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing which post attributes, press **Done** to save the changes. The final step is to save all the changes we’ve made to the search engine. Simply scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")SearchWP also offers advanced options like partial matches. This allows the plugin to show relevant results even if a user makes a spelling mistake or a typo when entering the search term. Simply go to **SearchWP » Settings** and scroll down to the ‘Partial Matches’ under General Settings. From here, you can click the toggle to enable it. ![Enable partial searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-searches-1030x516.png "Enable partial searches - SearchWP")If you want to learn more, then please see our guide on [how to enable fuzzy search on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). That’s it. You’ve just made search on your Elementor site way smarter than it used to be. Now, your visitors won’t think your Elementor search form is broken if it doesn’t show any results. You can also create a custom search form and include it to your Elementor page using SearchWP blocks. ![Add search results block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-results-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search results block in Elementor - SearchWP")For more details, please see our guide on [how to add a search box to Elementor pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/ "How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner’s Guide)"). #### Step 3: Test Your New Improved Search Lastly, you can test your custom search engine and see if it’s working properly. To get started, simply visit your site and then go to your Elementor page which contains a search form, and type a search term into it. For example, we have a lot of posts on our test site related to WordPress. Let’s see what happens if we make a typo in a search query. ![click find results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-find-results-6.png "click find results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found our posts even though there’s a typo in the search query. Our website also highlighted the search terms in our search results. Due to that, we can be sure that our search engine understands that we were searching for “WordPress”. ![we found out posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-out-posts.png "we found out posts - SearchWP")In this step-by-step guide, you learned how to make Elementor search on your site smarter so no one ever thinks it’s broken. Now, let’s see how to deal with other issues that may be causing problems with your Elementor search form. ### 2. How to Fix Theme Compatibility Issue The first step is to check the compatibility of your theme with Elementor. If you use a premium theme, the easiest way to do that is to see its official site or documentation. On the other hand, if you use a free theme, then you can switch your current theme with one that you know is fully compatible with Elementor. For example, Astra is a theme that works seamlessly with Elementor. To change the theme, navigate to **Appearance » Themes** in your WordPress dashboard. ![WordPress theme customizer](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wordpress-theme-customizer-1030x523.png "WordPress theme customizer - SearchWP")Here, you will see different themes for your WordPress website. Go ahead and press the **Add Theme** button at the top. ![Add a new theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-theme.png "Add a new theme - SearchWP")From here, you can use the search bar to find the **Astra** theme Once you’ve located it, and click **Install** and **Activate** under its section. ![install your theme](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-your-theme.png "install your theme - SearchWP")If the search form works after you change the theme, then the problem is that your theme is not compatible with Elementor. The best solution in this case is to use a different theme. ### 3. How to Fix Plugin Conflicts There is an easy way to check if a plugin conflict causes the problem with your Elementor search form. To do that, you’ll need to deactivate all the plugins you use except Elementor. If the problem disappears after that, you’ve successfully identified its source. To get started, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![click Plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Plugins.png "click Plugins - SearchWP")This will take you to the Installed Plugins page in the WordPress dashboard. Now, you’ll need to tick the topmost checkbox to select all plugins at once. ![check all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-all-plugins.png "check all plugins - SearchWP")When you’re selecting all the plugins, make sure to leave out Elementor. Simply uncheck the Elementor and Elementor Pro plugins. ![uncheck Elementor and Elementor Pro](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/uncheck-Elementor-and-Elementor-Pro.png "uncheck Elementor and Elementor Pro - SearchWP")After that, click on the **Bulk actions** dropdown menu at the top. From here, choose the **Deactivate** option and click **Apply** to deactivate all plugins except Elementor and Elementor Pro. ![choose Deactivate and press Apply](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-Deactivate-and-press-Apply.png "choose Deactivate and press Apply - SearchWP")When you’ve finished, go to your site and check if your Elementor search form is now working. If plugins deactivation helped, the plugin conflict was the exact reason that caused problems with search on your site. Now, you can gradually activate the plugins one by one to find out which one is incompatible with Elementor. When you find it, you should stop using it to avoid any problems. ### 4. How to Deal With Hosting Limitations To ensure that problems with search on your site are not caused by hosting limitations, you can check the [official Elementor requirements](https://elementor.com/help/requirements/). But in most cases, you can neither see the full specifications of your hosting nor change them yourself. So the best thing you can do in this situation is to contact your hosting customer support team. They’ll help you find out if your current hosting plan meets Elementor’s requirements and suggest changing it if that’s not the case. ### 5. How to Update Elementor and WordPress If your Elementor or WordPress versions are not up to date, this may cause performance and compatibility issues. First, let’s check if you have the latest version of WordPress. To do that, navigate to the **Updates** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![click Updates](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Updates.png "click Updates - SearchWP")If you see the “You have the latest version of WordPress” message, then it means you’re using the latest WordPress version. However, you have an older version, then consider updating to the latest and see if it fixes the error. ![Update wordpress version](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/update-wordpress-version--1030x451.png "Update wordpress version - SearchWP")After you’ve ensured that you have the latest version of WordPress, let’s also check the version of Elementor. To get started, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to the Plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-Plugins-tab-1.png "navigate to the Plugins tab - SearchWP")From here, scroll down to the Elementor plugin. Then, click the **update now** link if you see the notification that there is a new version for Elementor available. ![update your plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/update-your-plugin.png "update your plugin - SearchWP")After you’ve updated your version of WordPress and Elementor, check if the problem with search form has disappeared. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix the Elementor search form not working. You may also want to see our guide on [how to exclude category from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)"). Ready to boost your WordPress search and help your visitors find the right content faster? Get started [with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Elementor search form not working, fix Elementor search form doesn't work, how to fix Elementor search form doesn't work, how to fix Elementor search form not working, SearchWP, the Elementor search form isn't working, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** August 14, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Do you want to know how to create product search in WooCommerce? It’ll help your visitors find the products they’re looking for faster, improve their user experience, and increase your profits. In this guide, we’ll show you how you can create a smart product search on your site in a few simple steps, with no coding needed. Let’s begin! ## Why Create Product Search in WooCommerce? The default WordPress search engine sees no difference between WooCommerce products and regular posts and pages. It makes it harder for your customers to find the products they came for since they get a lot of redundant search results. Plus, WordPress completely ignores WooCommerce product attributes when performing a search. Due to that, your customers can’t search for products by color options, size, SKU, and more. Thankfully, you can easily tackle both of these problems by **creating a product search**. It’ll help you: - **Clean up your search results**. Limit search on your site to WooCommerce products so that nothing distracts your customers from shopping. - **Enable search by product attributes**. Make product attributes searchable on your site to make it easier for your customers to find the products they want. - **Boost your sales**. The easier it is for visitors to find the right product in your store, the more sales you’ll make. - **Build a loyal customer base**. Happy customers who’ve had a positive user experience browsing your store are more likely to come again. - **Improve your site’s SEO**. When visitors spend a lot of time on your site, that’s a good signal to Google that it’s worth ranking higher in search results. After you’ve learned why WooCommerce product search is essential, let’s see how you can add it to your site. ## How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search The easiest way to make a WooCommerce product search on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the most powerful and easy-to-use WordPress search plugin trusted by over 50,000 website owners worldwide. SearchWP has seamless integration with WooCommerce, allowing you to fully [customize WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") to meet your needs. For example, you can enable search by product SKUs, make product attributes searchable, [add search by WooCommerce categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"), and many more. Here are some other SearchWP features that will boost your search and help grow your business: - [**Exclude specific products from search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce"): Hide redundant products from search results to clean them up and help your customers find what they’re looking for faster. - **[Track searches of your customers](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Find out what searches customers perform on your site to come up with new product ideas and meet their needs. - [**Customize your search results page**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)"): Change the appearance of your search results page to promote your products, collect emails, or anything else. - **[Add multiple search forms to your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")**: Place additional search forms on your site to encourage customers to use them and discover more of your products. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to enhance WooCommerce product search on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can go to visit the website and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP today"). Once done, you’ll need to log in to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you should also copy the license key in the bottom left corner on the same page. Now the next step is to upload the ZIP file you downloaded to your site and install SearchWP. If you need help with that, then you can check out this detailed step-by-step tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once you install and activate SearchWP, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After installing and activating SearchWP on your site, the next step is to install the WooCommerce integration extension. ### Step 2: Install the SearchWP WooCommerce Integration Extension The extension ensures seamless integration of SearchWP and WooCommerce plugins, allowing you to make product searches much smarter. Plus, if you’re using the WooCommerce search form, then the extension helps display results using the SearchWP engine. To install it, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. Then, find the WooCommerce Integration extension and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")After installing and activating the extension, you’re ready to start setting up your search engine. ### Step 3: Set Up Your Custom Search Engine A search engine includes a set of rules and conditions that SearchWP relies on when performing a search. With SearchWP, you can completely customize them to meet your needs and change the way search works on your site. For example, you can manage search sources, [exclude specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or categories from search, adjust attribute relevance weights, and much more. The best part is that SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines and link them to individual search forms throughout your site. This way, you can [create fully customized search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") with a unique set of rules and conditions. Right now, there is only the **Default** search engine, which SearchWP automatically creates after installation. You can add new engines as well, but for this tutorial, we’ll customize the default engine. #### Limit Search to WooCommerce Products First, you’ll need to visit the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can click the **Sources & Settings** button and see which sources the native search engine will include while searching. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")You’ll notice that the **Default** search engine will have 3 search sources: **Posts**, **Pages**, and **Media**. To create a smart product search, you can limit the search to WooCommerce products as a source. Let’s uncheck all other search sources except **Products**, so that customers can only see our products among search results. ![Only select product as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-product-as-source-1030x500.png "Only select product as source - SearchWP")When you’re finished customizing your search sources, press **Done** to save the changes. #### Make New Product Attributes Searchable You can also completely remove attributes from a search source or add new ones. To get started, scroll down to the Products source section and press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")By default, SearchWP will use the title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes for a source. If you want to remove any default attributes, simply uncheck the boxes. To add new attributes, you can click on the **Custom Fields** or **Taxonomies** field, depending on what you want to add. Then, start typing the name of an attribute you want to make searchable until the dropdown menu of available attributes pops up. For example, you can add **\_sku** to make product SKUs searchable on your site. ![Add SKU custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-6-1030x375.jpg "Add SKU custom field - SearchWP")There is also a way to quickly make other product attributes searchable, such as color, price, size, and so on. #### Let Your Customers Search by Product Tags You can also allow our customers to search by product tags. First, you can click on the **Taxonomies** field. ![Select product tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-tags--1030x625.png "Select product tags - SearchWP")Then, find the **Product tags** option and click on it to add tags as an attribute. When you’ve finished managing your search engine attributes, click **Done** to save the changes you’ve made. #### Manage WooCommerce Categories You Want to Appear in Search Along with tags, SearchWP also allows you to add product categories to the search process. This allows users to find entire categories instead of looking for a single product. You can do this by adding the **Product categories** under the Taxonomies section when managing the attributes. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the ‘Done’ button. Besides that, you can also exclude some WooCommerce product categories from search on our site. To get started, press the **Edit Rules** button. ![Edit product rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-product-rules-1030x443.png "Edit product rules - SearchWP")Next, a new popup window will . Initially, you won’t see any rules. To get started, simply click **Add Rule**. ![Add new rule for products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-rule-for-products-1030x383.png "Add new rule for products - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can set different conditions to exclude product categories. First, you’ll need to click on the **Only show entries if** menu and change it to **Exclude entries if**. Once you’ve done that, you can select **Taxonomy** and then select ‘Product categories (product\_cat)’ from the dropdown menu. ![Exclude products rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-products-rules-1-1030x504.png "Exclude products rules - SearchWP")Next, you can enter the name of the category you want to exclude from the search in the rightmost field. For example, let’s say you want to exclude the ‘Uncategorized’ category from the search. When you’re satisfied with excluded categories, press **Done**. To learn more, please see our guide on [how you can exclude any product from search in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce"). #### Save Your Customized Search Engine The final step is to save all changes you made to your search engine. To do that, simply press the **Save** button in the upper right corner. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")That’s it. Now you have a smart WooCommerce product search on your site. Let’s test it out and see how it works. ### Step 4: Test Your New Product Search To do that, you’ll need to leave your WordPress dashboard and go over to your site. There are several posts on our test site about how to choose a nice beanie for each season. ![we search for beanie](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-search-for-beanie.png "we search for beanie - SearchWP")Let’s try to search for “beanie” and see what results we get. As you can see, there are **only products** among search results even though we have a few articles on the same topic. ![how to create product search in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-create-product-search-in-WooCommerce-.png "how to create product search in WooCommerce - SearchWP")It means that the rule we added to our search engine works, and WordPress performs searches only among products. Let’s also check if we can find a product by the tag. We have a product on our test site called **Warm Jacket**. It doesn’t have any description, hasn’t been added to any category, but has the **Winter Clothes** tag. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-10.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")Let’s see if we can find this product by its tag alone. As you can see, we successfully found the product. ![we found our product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-product.png "we found our product - SearchWP")It means that WordPress now considers product tags when performing a search. ## Bonus: Create a Search Page in WooCommerce Using SearchWP, you can add a search form to a separate page to give your visitors a more convenient way to search for products. A separate search page helps you narrow your search results, promote your products, collect emails, and more. The best part is that SearchWP now supports some of the most popular site builders, like Elementor, Divi, Beaver Builder, and Oxygen. Here is an example of how it looks on our test site: ![search page with products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-page-with-products.png "search page with products - SearchWP")For more information, check out our step-by-step guide on [how to create a search page in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). ## FAQs About Product Search in WooCommerce Here are some common questions users have about creating a product search for WooCommerce. **1. Why should I create a product search in WooCommerce?** Creating a product search in WooCommerce enhances user experience by allowing visitors to efficiently find the products they seek. It limits the search to WooCommerce products and enables searches by product attributes like color, size, and SKU, improving site navigation and potentially boosting sales. **2. Can I add a search form to a specific page on my WooCommerce site?** Yes, SearchWP allows you to add a search form to a separate page by using dedicated blocks. Plus, it also supports popular site builders like Elementor or Divi, allowing to your create custom search pages. **3. What plugin can I use to create a smart WooCommerce product search?** SearchWP is a widely recommended plugin for enhancing WooCommerce’s search capabilities. It offers functionalities like searching by custom fields, product categories, tags, and more, and is trusted by over 50,000 sites for its seamless integration with WooCommerce. ## What’s Next… Creating a smart WooCommerce search helps your visitors find the right products, improve their user experience and boost your sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a product search in WooCommerce in a few simple steps. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/) and [how to add a WooCommerce search form to your shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/). If you’re ready to enhance search on your site and grow your business, you can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a product search to your WooCommerce site, custom product search in woocommerce, customize wooCommerce product search, how to create product search in WooCommerce, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/) **Published:** August 7, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Would you like to show certain blog posts or products at the top of the search results for certain keywords in WordPress? The default search doesn’t allow you to control the search results order. As a result, when someone searches for your main services, they might have to scroll past old blog posts and random pages to find what they need. By changing the results order, you can deliver more relevant search results to your visitors and improve their user experience. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you the easiest way to change the order of search results on your site. ## Why Change the Search Results Order in WordPress? Customizing the order of search results on your site can be useful for several reasons. First, by default, WordPress sorts search results not by relevance but by publication date. As a result, the newest posts rank higher than the older ones. It makes no sense, since a fresher publication date doesn’t mean higher post relevance. By manually changing the order of the search results, you can tackle this issue and deliver the most relevant matches to your visitors. Secondly, reordering search results come in handy when you want to promote a specific page or product on your site. You can put it at the top of your search results so that it gets more views. That’s a quick and free way to improve visibility of your content and increase your profits. That said, let’s look at how you can easily change the search results order in WordPress. ## Change the Search Results Order on Your Site The fastest and easiest way to change the order of search results with no coding is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that comes with tons of useful features to improve your website search. Customizing the order of search results is just one of them. You can also use SearchWP to [track your visitors’ searches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"), add search by categories, and many more. Even though it’s a powerful tool, it’s also beginner-friendly. With SearchWP, you can get full control over how search works on your site regardless of your WordPress experience. More than 50,000 site owners around the globe already use it to help their visitors find the right content faster. Here are some other SearchWP features that’ll help you boost your search: - **Automatic theme integration**: Like when everything works out of the box? SearchWP seamlessly integrates with existing search forms on your site, whatever theme you use. - [**Searchable custom fields**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Want your search to display more relevant content? Make WordPress consider the content of custom fields when performing searches with SearchWP. - [**PDFs and documents indexing**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Uploading PDF files or office documents to your site? With SearchWP, you can include them in search results, making it easier for your visitors to find them. - **[Multiple search engines support](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)")**: Looking for a way to create a custom search form? Using SearchWP, you can add a supplemental search engine, customize it, and link to a specific search form on your site. With that, let’s take a look at the step-by-step process of customizing the search results order with SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP todat") by visiting the website and creating a new account. Next, you can sign in to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, simply click **Download SearchWP** and save the plugin files on your computer. When you’re done, you should also copy the plugin’s license key on the same tab. Next, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your site. You can follow this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need help. Once the plugin is active, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now that SearchWP is up and running on your site, the next step is to install the Custom Results Order extension. ### Step 2: Install the Custom Results Order Extension The SearchWP Custom Results Order extension allows you to affect the order of the search results and customize it to fit your needs. To get started, you’ll need to head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can navigate to the **Custom Results Order** extension and then click the ‘Install’ button. ![Install custom results order extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-custom-results-order-extension-1030x522.png "Install custom results order extension - SearchWP")The extension will then automatically install and activate on your site. Now, you’re ready to start customizing the order of search results. ### Step 3: Change the Order of Search Results on Your Site First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and then switch to the ‘Custom Results Order’ tab. ![Custom results order tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/custom-results-order-tab-1030x415.png "Custom results order tab - SearchWP")Here you can specify search queries for which you want to have a custom search result order. To add a new search query, enter it in the **Enter search query** field and click **Add Search Query**. For example, let’s say we want to adjust the order of search results for the ‘wordpress’ search query for the default engine on our site. Here’s how the search query settings would look: ![Enter search query for custom results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-search-query-for-custom-results-order-1030x464.png "Enter search query for custom results order - SearchWP")After you’ve added a search query, SearchWP will offer you to set your own order of search results for this query. You can simply click the ‘Promote to Top’ button for the posts that you’d like to appear at the top of the search results. ![how to change the search results order in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-WordPress.png "how to change the search results order in WordPress - SearchWP")Let’s say we want the “TOP-3 WordPress eCommerce plugins” post to appear on the top of search results. To do that, we’ll press the **Promote to Top** button next to it. ![promote a post to the top](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promote-a-post-to-the-top.png "promote a post to the top - SearchWP")That’s it. The post you chose now appears at the top of search results. If you want to undo the results order, then simply click the ‘Remove Promotion’ button. ![View promoted post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-promoted-post-1030x358.png "View promoted post - SearchWP")You can also change the position of several posts in the search results. To do that, simply click the **Promote to Top** button next to each of them in the order you want them to appear in the search results. For instance, let’s move the “TOP-3 WordPress eCommerce plugins” post to second place and put the “What is the Best CMS” post first. This is what the final result looks like on our test site: ![we customized the search results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-customized-the-search-results-order.png "we customized the search results order - SearchWP")Now, let’s also make sure that we can see these changes on the site itself. ### Step 4: Check Out Your Customized Search Results To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search form. From here, enter in the search box the search query for which you changed the search results order. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-5.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, the order of search results we got is exactly the same as the one we customized with SearchWP. This shows that the custom results order feature is working perfectly. ![we sucessfully changed the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-sucessfully-changed-the-order-of-search-results.png "we sucessfully changed the order of search results - SearchWP")## FAQs about Changing Search Results Order Here are some common question users have about altering the search results order in WordPress. **1. How do you sort search results in WordPress?** By default, WordPress sorts search results by publication date, displaying the most recent posts first. To sort search results differently, you can use a plugin like SearchWP. This plugin allows you to sort search results based on criteria such as relevance, custom post types, or specific keywords. **2. Why should I change the search results order in WordPress?** Changing the search results order can help: - **Improve relevance:** WordPress, by default, sorts results by publication date, which may not reflect content relevance. - **Highlight important content:** Promote specific posts, pages, or products to improve visibility and user experience. **3. Can I reverse the changes if needed?** Yes, you can undo changes by clicking the ‘Remove Promotion’ button next to the post you want to demote in the search results. ## What’s Next… By promoting certain topics to the top, you make it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for. We hope this article helped you learn how to change the search results order in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to search posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)") and [how to exclude category from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)"). If you’re ready to start customizing the order of search results on your site, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** change the order of search results in WordPress, change the search results order in WordPress, how to change the order of search results in WordPress, how to change the order of search results in your WordPress site, how to change the search results order in WordPress, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Search Box to Elementor Page (Beginner's Guide)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-elementor-page/) **Published:** August 5, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Adding a search box to your Elementor page allows you to encourage visitors to explore your site. This way, you can effortlessly boost your content discoverability and get more pageviews. However, the default search functionality is pretty basic in WordPress and lacks advanced features. As a result, it would often miss relevant pages and return results that didn’t make sense. Visitors would search for topics, but they’d get zero results or completely unrelated posts. In this article, we’ll show you how to add a search box to Elementor pages using 2 very simple methods. - [How to Add a Default Search Box Without a Plugin](#1) - [How to Add a Smart Search Box With the SearchWP Plugin](#2) Let’s dive into it! ## Why You Should Consider Using a Search Plugin You can easily add a search box to an Elementor page without any plugins. We’ll show you in detail how to do that later in this article. But there’s a reason why you should consider adding it using a search plugin. The thing is, the default WordPress search engine is far from perfect. It searches only for titles, content, and excerpts of posts and pages. That’s a huge disadvantage as there is a **lot of information that WordPress ignores** when performing a search. This list includes custom fields, post tags and categories, shortcodes, and many other useful data. By making these searchable, you can help your visitors find what they’re looking for much faster and improve their user experience. The easiest way to do that is to use a WordPress search plugin. Using it, you can also customize a bunch of things related to search on your site. For example, with a search plugin, you can easily: - Create custom search fields - Change the order of search results - Collect data on search activity on your site - Limit search to specific posts, pages, or categories - And more! The best part? Using a plugin **takes only a few clicks to boost your site search** – no coding needed. In addition, if you use a plugin, you can always contact its support team and get help from WordPress experts. This way, you can **save money** on hiring a web developer if you face any issues adding a search box. With that said, let’s move on to adding a default search box to your Elementor page without a plugin. ## How to Add a Default Search Box Without a Plugin To get started, navigate to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to All Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-All-Pages.png "Navigate to All Pages - SearchWP")From here, you can select the page where you’d like to add the search box. Next, you will need to click the ‘Edit with Element’ button when you’re in the WordPress content editor. ![Edit with Elementor button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-with-elementor-button-1030x484.png "Edit with Elementor button - SearchWP")Once you are in the Elementor page editor, you will see multiple blocks in the panel on the left. The best part is that you can simply drag and drop these elements onto your page. ![search for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-search-form.png "search for search form - SearchWP")Simply type “search form” in the **Search Widget** field on the left panel. After that, you’ll see the **Search Form** widget. ![find the search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/find-the-search-form.png "find the search form - SearchWP")From here, you can drag and drop it to the spot on the page where you want the search box to appear. You can see how we do that below: ![how to add a search box to Elementor page (beginner's guide)](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-a-search-box-to-Elementor-page-beginners-guide.gif "how to add a search box to Elementor page (beginner's guide) - SearchWP")After you add a search form, go ahead and click the **Publish** button. This will save all your changes. That’s it. You’ve successfully added a search form to your Elementor page. ![click search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-search.png "click search - SearchWP")Now, let’s see how to add a smart search field to your Elementor page using a plugin. ## How to Add a Smart Search Box With the SearchWP Plugin If you want to add a smart custom search box to your Elementor page, then the easiest way to do that is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the most powerful and intuitive WordPress search plugin on the market. Using it, you can make search on your site better and help your visitors to find what they’re looking for. For example, with SearchWP, you can exclude specific pages from search results, [make custom fields searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), and more. There are over 50,000 WordPress site owners who already use it to give their visitors the most relevant search results. Beyond adding a smart search box to your pages, you can also use SearchWP to: - [**Make shortcodes searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"): Do you use shortcodes to display content on your site? With SearchWP, you can make shortcodes searchable so that your visitors can find that content. - [**Add live autocomplete search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to display live search results on your site? Using SearchWP, you can turn on this feature in a couple of clicks. - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): SearchWP collects data about search activity on your site so that you can see what your visitors are searching for. - [**Enable search by tags**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)"): Add tags to your posts? With SearchWP, you can make them searchable so that your visitors can find the right content faster. Now that you know how SearchWP can improve your on-site search, let’s see how you can add a smart custom search box to your Elementor page using it. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To begin, go and [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today") by visiting the website. Once you’ve created a new account, the next step is to log into your SearchWP account. From here, go over to the **Downloads** tab in your dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin and save the plugin files on your computer. Once the download is complete, copy your SearchWP license key on the same page. The next step is to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site and install SearchWP. If you need a refresher on how to do that, then you can follow this [step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you activate SearchWP, you’ll see the onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you can move on to adding a new search engine and customizing it to meet your needs. ### Step 2: Add a New Search Engine and Customize It A search engine contains a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. The best part is that you can create multiple search engines and link them to specific search forms. SearchWP also allows you to create custom search boxes with individual sets of rules and settings. Currently, you will see a single search engine named **Default**, which controls the native WordPress search forms. By customizing it, you can manage how search works across your site in general. For example, you can make searchable a lot of useful data, exclude specific categories from search results, and more. Since we want to make smarter every search box on our site, we’ll edit the **Default** search engine. To begin, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")You can choose which search sources you want WordPress to consider when performing searches on the pop-up window. By adding and removing search sources from this list, you can control where WordPress looks for matches. For example, let’s say we want to limit search on our test site to only posts. To do that, we uncheck all the search sources except **Posts**. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")When you’ve finished managing your search sources, press **Done**. Next, you can edit the attributes for each source that you want to consider while searching. Attributes are specific parts of the post, such as title, content, slug, and excerpt. For example, let’s help your visitors find the posts they want faster. To do that, simply head to the ‘Posts’ source section and click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, you can manage current attributes on the pop-up window and add new ones. For instance, you’ll see the default attributes like title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you add custom fields and taxonomies. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")To let your visitors find the posts they’re looking for faster, we’ll add new attributes to this list. The easiest way to make your post search smarter is to make SearchWP consider custom post fields. To make data searchable in a specific custom field, simply click on the **Custom Fields** field and select which fields to consider. For example, we’ll make searchable the **\_tutorial** custom field that we use on our test site: ![Add custom field and meta key for posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-field-and-meta-key-for-posts-1030x489.png "Add custom field and meta key for posts - SearchWP")Other than that, you can select the taxonomies such as categories and tags that you want SearchWP to consider when performing searches. Taxonomy in WordPress is a method of organizing content. When it comes to posts, it might be a category, tag, format, or something else. To do that, simply click on the **Taxonomies** field dropdown menu. ![Choose post taxonomies to consider](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-post-taxonomies-to-consider-1-1030x599.png "Choose post taxonomies to consider - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing searchable post attributes, click **Done** to save the changes you’ve made. In addition, you can manage the [relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Relevance Weight") of applicable attributes by moving the slider next to them to the left or right. The further right the slider, the more importance or relevance that particular Attribute will be given in the search algorithm. ![Adjust relevance weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adjust-relevance-weights-1-1030x512.png "Adjust relevance weights - SearchWP")When you’re satisfied with the way you’ve customized your search engine, you’ll need to save the changes you’ve made. You can do that by pressing the **Save** button in the upper right corner. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")Now, the final step is to add your new smart search box to the Elementor page. ### Step 3: Add a Smart Search Box to an Elementor Page All the changes you’ve made to the **Default** search engine automatically apply to every search form on your site. **Pro Tip:** SearchWP also lets you create custom search forms and link them to different engines. It offers pre-built templates and lots of customization options. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Now, let’s add the search box to a page using Elementor. To get started, navigate to **Pages » All Pages** in your WordPress dashboard. ![Navigate to All Pages](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-All-Pages-1030x507.png "Navigate to All Pages - SearchWP")From here, you can select the page where you’d like to add the search box. Next, you will need to click the ‘Edit with Element’ button when you’re in the WordPress content editor. ![Edit with Elementor button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-with-elementor-button-1030x484.png "Edit with Elementor button - SearchWP")After that, you will see the landing page editor in Elementor. From here, you can add the **SearchWP Form block** from the panel on the left. Simply head to ‘SearchWP’ section and drag and drop the element anywhere on your page. ![Add SearchWP form block in elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-form-block-in-elementor-1-1030x679.png "Add SearchWP form block in Elementor - SearchWP")After adding the SearchWP Form block, you also select which search form to show on the page. To do that, simply click the dropdown menu under the Form Settings and choose your form. ![Select the search form to add](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-the-search-form-to-add-1-1030x647.png "Select the search form to add - SearchWP")After adding the search form, you can go ahead and **Publish** your Elementor page. Next, you can visit your Elementor page and try out your new search engine. ![View Elementor search page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-elementor-search-page-1030x461.png "View Elementor search page - SearchWP")For example, on our test site, we have a post called How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step). Let’s check if we can find this post using the search form. ![Test new Elementor search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-new-elementor-search-box-1030x483.png "Test new Elementor search box - SearchWP")As you can see, we successfully found the post since our site when performing searches. It allows visitors to find the right content faster and makes their user experience more positive. We hope this article helped you learned how to add a search box to your Elementor page. You may also want to see our guides on [how to fix custom post type search not working in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-custom-post-type-search-not-working-in-wordpress/ "How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress") and [how to search posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)"). It’ll help you to encourage your visitors to make searches on your site and boost your content discoverability. If you’re ready to add a smart search box to your Elementor pages, [you can grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to Elementor page, add a search box to the Elementor page, add a search box your Elementor page, how to add a search box to Elementor page, how to add a search box to the Elementor page, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a Modal Search Form in WordPress (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-modal-search-form-in-wordpress/) **Published:** February 12, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Ever feel like the search bar on your site is taking up a lot of space and your navigation looks cluttered? But what if it could be a little more engaging, a little more modern? Over the years, we’ve changed our website design multiple times and experimented with making the search form more attractive. And based on our experience, using a modal search form can transform the search experience on your site. These nifty little pop-up search boxes can seriously enhance your website’s user experience, and they’re not as complicated to set up as you might think. In this article, we will show you how to add a modal search form in WordPress without editing code. ### What is a Modal Search Form & Why Use It? A modal search form is a popup window that overlays your current page. When a user clicks a search icon on your WordPress site, a window pops up directly over the page, containing only the search input field and submit button. Think of it like a spotlight, bringing focus to that specific content. It’s different from a traditional search bar that might be located in your header or sidebar, which is always visible. [Modal search forms](https://searchwp.com/features/modal-form/ "SearchWP Modal Search Form") are hidden by default and appear only when a user actively wants to search. For instance, on [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"), we use a modal search form to provide a distraction free search experience to our users. Here’s how it looks on our website: ![SearchWP modal form preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-modal-form-preview-2.gif "SearchWP modal form preview - SearchWP")A modal search form keeps your page layout clean and uncluttered. No more bulky search bars taking up valuable space. Plus, the user’s attention is immediately drawn to the search function when it appears. It’s hard to miss, which is great for improving engagement. Besides, a modal search form offers design flexibility. Whether your site has a minimalist design or a complex layout, it can fit in seamlessly. Now, let’s look at how to add a modal search form to your WordPress site. ### Adding a Modal Search Form in WordPress The easiest way to display a modal search form is by using the [SearchWP Modal Search Form](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-modal-search-form/ "SearchWP Modal Search Form") plugin. The best part is that the [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") is completely free to use and builds upon the style of your active WordPress theme. You don’t have to touch a single line of code to edit its appearance or style. To get started, you will need to install and activate the SearchWP Modal Search Form plugin. If you need help, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you can head to **SearchWP » Modal Form** page from the WordPress dashboard. From here, you will see that the ‘Enable Modal Form’ option will be active. ![Enable modal form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-modal-form-1030x605.png "Enable modal form - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down and select which CSS file to load for your site. For instance, SearchWP Modal Search Form will let you choose between positioning and visual styling, positioning styling, or no styling. We recommend using the default ‘Positioning and visual styling’ setting. This way, you will get more control over where the search form will appear and how it will look. ![Edit modal form settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-modal-form-settings-1030x579.png "Edit modal form settings - SearchWP")Besides that, there are also options to enable the full screen mode and disable scroll. The **Full Screen Mode** will cover the entire screen when a user opens the form, providing a distraction free experience. You can also enable the **Disable Scroll** option. This further improves the search experience by reducing the background motion when a user accidentally scrolls. When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save Settings’ button. ![Save your changes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-changes-1-1030x367.png "Save your changes - SearchWP")### Displaying Modal Search Form on Your Website Next, you’ll need to display the modal search form anywhere on your website. SearchWP lets you add the form to your site’s menu, use a Gutenberg block, or shortcode. Let’s look at each method for showing the modal search form in WordPress. **1. Adding a Modal Search Form to WordPress Menu** Depending on your WordPress theme, you can add the modal search form to any menu on your site. Simply head to **Appearance » Menus** from the WordPress dashboard. SearchWP will now add a new group called ‘SearchWP Modal Search Forms’ under the menu items. ![Add SearchWP modal form to menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-modal-form-to-menu-1030x592.png "Add SearchWP modal form to menu - SearchWP")Go ahead and select the modal form and click the ‘Add to menu’ button. When you’re done, don’t forget to click the ‘Save Menu’ button. After that, you can visit your site to see it in action. ![View modal form in menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-modal-form-in-menu-1030x344.png "View modal form in menu - SearchWP")**2. Display Modal Search Form in Blog Posts & Pages** You can also add the modal search form to any blog post or landing page using the Gutenberg block or shortcode. This is perfect if you want to show a search option within the content on your site. First, you’ll need to visit the page or post where you want to show the search form. Once you are in the content editor, simply click the ‘+’ button and add the ‘Modal Form’ block. ![Add modal form block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-modal-form-block-1030x520.png "Add modal form block - SearchWP")After that, you can change the Modal Form block settings from the panel on the right. For instance, there are options to change the text, choose a template, and select whether the form will be a link or a button. ![Change modal form block settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-modal-form-block-settings-1030x610.png "Change modal form block settings - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the Save or Publish button. From here, you can visit the page or post to see the modal form within your content. ![View modal form within content](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-modal-form-within-content-1030x554.png "View modal form within content - SearchWP")If you prefer to use [shortcodes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), then you can enter the following shortcode to display the modal form anywhere on your site. ``` Search ``` You can also apply customizations that control various attributes of the modal itself. For example, the following shortcode will show a button with ‘Open Search’ text: ``` Open Search ``` You can edit each attribute in the shortcode to customize the modal search form. For instance, simply replace the type with a link if you don’t want to show a button and edit the text. **3. Show the Modal Search Form in the Widgets Area** You can also add a modal search form to the widgets area of your WordPress theme, such as the sidebar or footer. To start, simply head to **Appearance » Widgets** from the WordPress admin panel. After that, you can click the ‘+’ button and add the Modal Form widget block. ![Add modal form widget block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-modal-form-widget-block-1030x498.png "Add modal form widget block - SearchWP")Next, you will see different options to edit the modal form settings in the panel on the right. There are options to change the text, choose a template, and change it from a link to button. ![Change modal form widget block settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-modal-form-widget-block-settings-1030x548.png "Change modal form widget block settings - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and click the ‘Update’ button. From here, you can visit your site and see the modal form in the widgets area. For instance, we added it to the sidebar of our demo site. ![View search modal in sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-modal-in-sidebar-1030x553.png "View search modal in sidebar - SearchWP")### What’s Next… Now that you know how to easily add a modal search form to your site, you can go a step further and improve the overall search experience for your visitors. The default WordPress search has many limitations and doesn’t include information like categories, tags, custom fields, product details, and more in the search process. However, you can change this by using SearchWP and [replace the default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). The plugin will help you create unlimited custom search engines for your website, set up custom search forms, and include taxonomies, custom fields, media files, and other important information when searching for content on your site. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")The best part, you can use SearchWP Modal Search Form plugin with SearchWP and use the whole potential of your website search. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a modal search form in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how you can create a Divi search results page template](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)") and [how to set up WordPress search settings for best results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** modal form, modal search form, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search bar shortcode, wordpress search form, wordpress search form for custom post type, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (7 Easy Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** July 31, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Looking for a way to improve product search in WooCommerce? A robust search is one of the key success factors for any online store, as it ensures that customers can easily find what they’re looking for. In this guide, we’ve picked the top ways to improve your product search in WooCommerce with no coding needed. Let’s dive into it! ## Why Improve Product Search in WooCommerce WooCommerce is one of the best and most powerful [eCommerce solutions](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") for WordPress. ![the WooCommerce interface](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-WooCommerce-interface.png "the WooCommerce interface - SearchWP")But when it comes to product search, everything isn’t so rosy. The thing is, since WooCommerce is just a plugin, it uses the default WordPress search engine, which has many weaknesses and might not show relevant results. For example, it doesn’t consider product attributes, custom fields, taxonomies in the search process, doesn’t give you a way to control your search results, doesn’t collect any search data, and more. That’s why if you want to succeed online and grow your business, improving WooCommerce search should be one of your main goals. Especially for you, we’ve selected the most effective ways to do that, regardless of your technical skills and WordPress experience. Let’s take a detailed look at them. ## How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce The easiest way to make your WooCommerce product search smarter is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is a powerful and beginner-friendly WordPress search plugin that comes with lots of features. It’s also fully compatible with WooCommerce, allowing you to improve your search immediately after installation. For example, you can [limit search to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), prioritize specific products in search results, [make product attributes searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), and more. But this is just a short list of features for which more than 50,000 site owners appreciate this plugin. You can also use SearchWP to: - **[Get detailed reports on your visitors’ search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: See what your customers are searching for on your site and get valuable insights into their search behavior. - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Give your visitors immediate search results to help them find the right products faster and improve their user experience. - **[Customize the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)")**: Change the order of search results on your site in the way you want to meet your business needs. - [**Hide specific products from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)"): Exclude redundant products or pages from your search results so that nothing will distract your customers from shopping. With that, let’s figure out how you can use SearchWP to make your WooCommerce search better. To get started, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, you can go to your SearchWP account dashboard and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to press the **Download SearchWP** button to save the plugin ZIP archive to your computer. After downloading, we recommend copying the plugin license key in the bottom left corner of the same page. Now, you’ll need to upload the downloaded file to your site and install the plugin. If you need help, then check out this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need help with that. Upon activation, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you will need to install the SearchWP’s WooCommerce extension. This extension ensures seamless integration and allows you to customize your WooCommerce search easily. To install it, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, go to ‘WooCommerce Integration’ and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Once the extension is active, you’re ready to start customizing your WooCommerce search. A search engine is a collection of settings and rules WordPress considers when performing searches across your site. You can edit them to make your WooCommerce search smarter and help your customers find the right products faster. For instance, you can limit your search to WooCommerce products only, enable search by product attributes, [exclude specific products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce"), and more. The best part is that SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines and customize them the way you want. Let’s take a look at 5 of the most effective examples of how you can do that to boost your sales. ### 1. Restrict Your Search to WooCommerce Products First, let’s see how you can limit your search to WooCommerce products to clean up your search results. To get started, you’ll need to navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a new window open with sources for the default engine that includes posts, pages, and media. To limit search to only WooCommerce products, go ahead and uncheck the boxes next to all search sources except **Products**. ![Only select product as source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-product-as-source-1030x500.png "Only select product as source - SearchWP")When you’re finished, press **Done** to save the changes. Now, your site visitors can only search for WooCommerce products. ### 2. Enable Search by Product Attributes Let’s also see how you can make product attributes that WooCommerce stores as custom fields searchable. To get started, press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the **Products** source section. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you can select which product attributes to include in the search process. By default, SearchWP will consider title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. However, you can go a step further and include custom fields as well. For instance, let’s click on the **Custom Fields** field and choose from the dropdown options. ![Select SKU custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Configure-SKU-search-step-7-1030x375.jpg "Select SKU custom field - SearchWP")You can also enter the names of specific custom fields if you want, like size, color, model, or SKU. When you’re finished managing product attributes, press **Done** to save your changes. Now, your customers can find product by their attributes, like color, size, price, or whatever you specified. ### 3. Enable Search by Product Category With SearchWP, you can also give your customers the ability to [search by product category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). It’s handy when they’re not looking for a specific product but a category. You can include product categories by editing the product attribute settings in SearchWP. Simply click the dropdown menu under **Taxonomies** and add ‘Product categories’ from the list. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")For more details, check out this tutorial on [how to make WooCommerce product categories searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). ### 4. Enable Search by Product Tags You can also enable search by product tags and include them as product attributes in SearchWP. It opens up new ways to search for products and allows your customers to find what they’re looking for faster. ![Select product tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-tags--1030x625.png "Select product tags - SearchWP")For more information, check out the [how to enable search by WooCommerce product tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)") tutorial. ### 5. Make Product SKUs Searchable Another way to help your visitors find the right products is to enable search by product SKUs. SKU is a unique product identifier that you can specify by yourself. Making it searchable allows your customers to find a product immediately if they know its SKU. ![Include sku custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-sku-custom-field-1030x513.png "Include sku custom field - SearchWP")To learn more, please see this step-by-step guide on [how to make WooCommerce product SKUs searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"). ### 6. Exclude Products from WooCommerce Search There might be situations where hiding products from search results on your site would be useful. For example, if you have special deals for a certain group of visitors, such as your newsletter subscribers. If anyone can find these deals using a search, then it doesn’t make much sense. Or you have products that are out of stock or no longer offered (discontinued), then hiding them would provide users with a better user experience. With SearchWP, it’s very easy to hide certain products. It offers an Exclude UI extension that lets you simply click a button and hide the item inside the WooCommerce product editor. ![Enable exclude from SearchWP option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-exclude-from-searchwp-option-1030x549.png "Enable exclude from SearchWP option - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also set up conditional rules to exclude products by categories or tags. To learn more, please see our guide on [how you can exclude any product from search results in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce"). ### 7. Prioritize Specific Products in Search Results Would you like to customize the search results order and show certain products higher up in the results? With SearchWP, it’s very easy to control the order of product search results in WooCommerce. You can quickly select search terms and prioritize specific products or content by clicking the ‘Promote to Top’ button. ![Configure Custom Results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")You can learn more by following our guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). ## What’s Next… The default WooCommerce search isn’t super powerful or customizable. However, with SearchWP, you can transform it and make it even smarter. By following the tips in this guide, you can supercharge your WooCommerce search, help users find the right products, and boost sales. We hope this article helped you learn how you can improve your WooCommerce product search in a few simple ways. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add Ajax search to WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)") and [how to make your WordPress site consider product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"). Ready to empower your WooCommerce search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to improve product search in WooCommerce, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by category plugin, WooCommerce product search custom code, woocommerce product search hook, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add Search Box to WordPress Post With a Shortcode (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-search-box-to-wordpress-post-with-a-shortcode/) **Published:** July 30, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Did you know that you can help users find content on your site without leaving the blog post they’re reading? By adding an add search box to a WordPress post with a shortcode, you provide a great search experience. That’s handy, as it allows your visitors to search for new content without distracting themselves from exploring your site. In this article, we’ll show you step-by-step how you can add a search box to any post on your site with no coding needed. ### Why Add a Search Box to a WordPress Post With a Shortcode Adding a search form to your posts brings a lot of advantages. Mainly, it allows your visitors to find the content they’re looking for faster and improve their user experience. For example, you can [create a custom search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") limited to a specific category and put it within the relevant post, like this: ![how to add search box to WordPress post with a shortcode](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Find-Results-3.png "press Find Results - SearchWP")This way, you won’t only make it easier for your visitors to find the right content but also encourage them to explore your site further. In addition, placing a search bar inside your WordPress site posts will help you to: - **Increase the average session duration** – By offering a search form in the post, you’ll help your visitors find more content that interests them. - **Get more traffic from search engines** – The average session duration is an important ranking factor in Google, so by keeping it high, you can get better rankings. - **Build a loyal audience** – Satisfied visitors who’ve had a positive user experience when browsing your site are more likely to return again. Now that you know what are the benefits of adding a search bar to your posts with a shortcode, let’s see how you can do that. ### Add a Search Box to a WordPress Post With a Shortcode Using a plugin is the easiest way to add a search box to posts on your site with a shortcode. In this regard, no plugin beats [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Why? Because SearchWP is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), and it offers the most comprehensive solution on the market that can cover all your needs. Beyond adding a search box with a shortcode, you can use it to [display search results in live mode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"), track on-site search activity, and more. SearchWP boosts your on-site search by helping you: - **[Add multiple search engines:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")** Want to add custom search fields to your site? You can create multiple search engines with different settings and link them to specific search fields. - [**Impact search results order**:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress") Not happy with the current order of search results on your site? SearchWP allows you to customize it the way you want. - [**Exclude pages from search**:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") Looking for a way to exclude unwanted pages from search results? With SearchWP, you can do that with a few clicks, no coding needed. - [**Make custom fields searchable**:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") Store valuable post data in custom fields? Using SearchWP, you can make WordPress consider them when performing a search. Over 50,000 websites are already using this plugin to give their visitors the most relevant search results. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to add a search box to your posts with a shortcode. ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin The first step is to [get your own copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and creating a new account. Once done, you can sign in to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button to begin downloading the plugin ZIP file to your computer. After you’ve downloaded the file, also copy your SearchWP license key on the same tab. You’ll need it further to activate the plugin. The next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your site. Need a refresher on how to do that? Follow the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step tutorial. Upon activation, you’ll see the welcome screen and the setup wizard. Simply click the **Start Onboarding Wizard** button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After SearchWP is up and running, you can use it to customize the [default search engine](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") or create new ones. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")After that, you can select which sources to include in the search process. SearchWP will use posts, pages, and [media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") by default. However, if you have an eCommerce store, then you can include products or downloads as well. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, click the **Done** button. Next, you can also edit the attributes for each source that SearchWP should consider while searching. For instance, let’s say you want to include custom fields and taxonomies for posts. Simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button under Posts source. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")A new window will now open where you can manage the post attributes. SearchWP will automatically include title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes. However, you can also include any additional information that’s stored in custom fields or consider categories and tags in the search process. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Lastly, scroll to the top and click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")Now, the next step is to create a custom search form that you can place inside an article. ### Step 2: Create a Custom Search Form SearchWP lets you create unlimited custom search forms for your site and link them to different search engines. For example, you can add a search box within content that only searches posts or place it between products and limit search to only goods on your eCommerce store. To start, simply go to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")After that, you can enter a name for your form at the top and select a layout. SearchWP offers 5 pre-built theme layouts to choose from. The best part is that you get to see a theme preview of the search form. This helps in selecting the style you want to use on your site. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")If you scroll down, then you’ll see more options to edit the form. For instance, under the Custom Styling section, you can select the Engine to use for your form, choose a results page, and more. ![Select search engine for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-engine-for-search-form-1030x586.png "Select search engine for search form - SearchWP")You’ll also find more options to change the form and button styling. For more details, please follow our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Next, you can scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. ![Save and embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-embed-new-search-form-1030x534.png "Save and embed new search form - SearchWP")Once the form is save, go ahead and click the Embed button next to it. This will open a small window where you can choose different methods to display your search form. ![Choose how to embed results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-how-to-embed-results-page-1030x490.png "Choose how to embed results page - SearchWP")Simply select the ‘Shortcode’ as the Embed Results Template option. From here, you can click the Copy button next to the shortcode. ![Copy the shortcode for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-the-shortcode-for-search-form-1030x525.png "Copy the shortcode for search form - SearchWP")Now, the next step is to add a search box to one of your posts using the shortcode. ### Step 3: Add a Search Box to Your Post With a Shortcode To get started, navigate to the **Posts** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Posts.png "go to Posts - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll see all the posts that you have on your website. Simply click on the post where you want to add a search box. ![click on a post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-a-post.png "click on a post - SearchWP")Once in the post editor, select the exact spot in the post where you want to add a search box. After that, you’ll need to click the **Plus (+)** button next to it and then add a ‘Shortcode’ block. ![Add a shortcode block for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-shortcode-block-for-search-form-1030x512.png "Add a shortcode block for search form - SearchWP")Next, you will see the shortcode block appear within your content. Go ahead and enter the shortcode for the search form you copied earlier. ![Enter the shortcode for search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-the-shortcode-for-search-box-1030x639.png "Enter the shortcode for search box - SearchWP")Alternatively, a better way to place a search box in WordPress blog post is by using the SearchWP Form block. You can simply click the **Plus (+)** sign and add the ‘SearchWP Form’ block. ![Add SearchWP forms block to add a search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-searchwp-forms-block-1030x514.png "Add SearchWP forms block - SearchWP")Next, you will see the SearchWP Form block added to your post. From here, simply click the dropdown menu and select your search form. ![Choose the search form from the block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-search-form-from-the-block-1030x494.png "Choose the search form from the block - SearchWP")After you choose the right search form, you can publish or update your blog post. That’s it. You’ve added a search bar to your post, so your visitors can discover more of your content. ### Step 4: Check Out Your Post With a Search Box To go to your post, click **Preview**, and then select **Preview in new tab** option from the drop-down menu. ![Preview your post with search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-your-post-with-search-box-1030x484.png "Preview your post with search box - SearchWP")Here’s how the search bar looks within a post on our test site. To test it, let’s try to search for “WooCommerce”. ![Test your search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-your-searchbox-1030x546.png "Test your search box - SearchWP")As you can see, search results for the “WooCommerce” search term appear right inside our post. It’s helpful because it allows your visitors to search your website without getting distracted from reading your posts. **Pro Tip:** You can use SearchWP Live Search extension to show search results in the dropdown as users type in the search term. To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to add live autocomplete search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). ![Preview of search box](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-of-search-box-1030x580.png "Preview of search box - SearchWP")### FAQs About Adding a Search Box in WordPress Posts Here are some common questions about showing a search in WordPress posts using shortcodes. **1. Can I use SearchWP shortcodes without coding knowledge?** Yes, SearchWP shortcodes work without any coding experience. You simply copy and paste the code snippet in a Custom HTML block into your post content where you want the search box to appear. The plugin handles all the technical aspects automatically. **2. Will adding search boxes to my posts slow down my website?** SearchWP is designed to be lightweight and won’t significantly impact your site’s speed. The plugin uses efficient indexing methods and only loads search functionality when needed. **3. Does SearchWP work with all WordPress themes?** Yes, SearchWP is compatible with virtually all WordPress themes. The shortcode generates standard HTML that works across different theme designs. If you encounter any styling issues, they can usually be resolved with minor CSS adjustments. We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search box to a WordPress post with a shortcode. You may also want to see our guide on [how to exclude category from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to limit search to only posts in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/ "How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)"). If you’re ready to add a search box to posts with a shortcode on your WordPress site, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search box to a WordPress post with a shortcode, add a search box to WordPress post with a shortcode, add a search box to your WordPress post with a shortcode, how to add a search box to WordPress post with a shortcode, how to add a search box to your WordPress post with a shortcode, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [Introducing SearchWP Site Builder Compatibility and Promoted Search Ads ](https://searchwp.com/introducing-searchwp-site-builder-compatibility-and-promoted-search-ads/) **Published:** July 24, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** For the past few weeks, we’ve been busy working on some exciting new features for SearchWP. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce new site builder compatibility and promoted search ads features. You can now integrate SearchWP with some of the most popular site builders and display search forms and results page using blocks. That’s not all! The latest version also lets you display ads and promotions on the search results page without editing code. Let’s look at each of these features in detail. ## Powerful Site Builder Compatibility For years, users who worked with page builders had to hunt down shortcodes and paste them into their builder’s interface to display search forms. But what if there is a better way to do this? Now, SearchWP offers native blocks for the [most popular site builders](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-page-builders-for-newbies/ "7 Best WordPress Page Builders for Newbies (Compared)"), not just Gutenberg. You can simply add the SearchWP Forms and SearchWP Results blocks inside the site builder and display your search forms and custom results templates. It’s literally a simple way to add powerful search features exactly where you want them, without ever leaving your builder or messing with shortcode copy-pasting. Some of these site builders include Elementor, [Divi](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)"), Beaver Builder, WPBakery, Bricks, Breakdance, and Oxygen. For example, let’s say you’re using [Elementor](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-searchwp-with-elementor-to-boost-your-site-search/ "How to Use SearchWP with Elementor to Boost Your Site Search (4 Ways)") to create a page for your website. To add a search form, simply click the ‘+’ button or drag the SearchWP Forms block from the menu on the left. ![Add search form block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-form-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search form block in Elementor - SearchWP")Once the block is added, you can pick your search. Just click the dropdown menu under the **Form Settings** on the panel on your left and select the search form you want to display on this page. ![Choose your search form in elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-search-form-in-elementor-1030x460.png "Choose your search form in elementor - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also show a custom search results page that you created using SearchWP. Go ahead and click the ‘+’ button or simply drag and drop the SearchWP Results block to the page. ![Add search results block in Elementor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-results-block-in-elementor-1030x597.png "Add search results block in Elementor - SearchWP")After that, you will see options to select the template and search engine from the Results Settings in the left-side panel. However, by default the search results will appear here based on your search form settings pointing to this page. We recommend using the default settings and keep it to ‘Set by Search Form’, as this will lead to the best outcome. ![Choose your search results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-search-results-template-1030x532.png "Choose your search results template - SearchWP")## Display Promoted Search Ads on the Results Page Want to add promotional messages, ads, or any general information inside your search results? Now you can! With the new SearchWP Promoted Search Ads features, you can add arbitrary HTML blocks between results to spotlight deals, announcements, or whatever you want. The best part, you can do all this without breaking the layout or needing complex tweaks. Simple. Flexible. Powerful. To start, simply head to SearchWP Templates from your WordPress dashboard. From there, you can scroll down to the **Promoted Search Ads** section and click the toggle to Enable Promoted Ads. ![Promoted search ads](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promoted-search-ads-1030x575.png "Promoted search ads - SearchWP")Next, SearchWP lets you enter the text, images, and other information under the Ad Content section. You can also choose after how many results will the search ads will appear in the search results. With that, we’re excited for you to experience these new enhancements. They not only streamline your workflow but also extend the functionality of SearchWP beyond traditional limits. So, are you ready to make your search smarter and easier to manage? [Update to SearchWP’s latest version today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Update to SearchWP's latest version today") and start exploring these awesome new features! If you have any questions, then feel free to drop a comment below or reach out to our [support team](https://searchwp.com/account/support/ "Reach out to our Support for Assistance"). **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** Beaver Builder, Breakdance, Bricks, Divi, Elementor, landing page builders, Oxygen, Promoted Search Ads, SearchWP, Site Builder, website builders, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, WPBakery --- ### [How to Make a Smart BetterDocs Search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-betterdocs-search-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 22, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re using BetterDocs on your WordPress site to create documentation and knowledge base, then you know that it comes with its own search function. Now, this search feature is fine for finding basic documents and articles that you’ve created in BetterDocs. However, it lacks advanced features like keyword stemming, setting up synonym rule, or including custom fields and taxonomies in the search process. This is where SearchWP can help you out. It enhances BetterDocs search and offers more advanced features. In this guide, we’ll show you how to make a smart BetterDocs search in WordPress. ## Why You Make a Smart BetterDocs Search in WordPress? When you add documentation through BetterDocs or create a knowledge base, you can use its built-in search function to find content. However, the problem with BetterDocs own search feature is that it is quite limited. You don’t get any advanced search options to improve the overall search experience. For instance, it doesn’t include [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), categories, or tags when performing a search. Similarly, it doesn’t offer features like setting up synonyms or [keyword stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming"). We’ve seen this issue cause real business challenges as customers get frustrated when they can’t find the right articles for support. They either give up entirely or contact support, which increases your workload unnecessarily. By making a smart BetterDocs search, you can create a better search experience that keeps people on your site instead of sending frustrated emails to your inbox. That said, let’s look at how you can easily include BetterDocs content in the search process on your site. ## Create a Smart BetterDocs Search in WordPress The best way to make a smart BetterDocs search in WordPress is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the most powerful [search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that gives you complete control over how search works on your site. What makes SearchWP different is that it doesn’t just search through your regular posts and pages. It enhances BetterDocs search by offering advanced features, like including custom fields and taxonomies in search. SearchWP also lets you create a unified search experience where visitors can find answers from your documentation, [blog posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-search-form-for-custom-post-types/ "How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types"), and pages all in one place. This means no more frustrated customers who can’t locate the help articles you’ve already written. Besides making BetterDocs search more powerful, SearchWP also lets you: - **[Display Live Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free")**: Add instant search suggestions that appear as visitors type, making it even easier to find documentation quickly. - **[Track Documentation Searches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: See exactly what help topics people are searching for, so you can identify content gaps in your knowledge base. - [**Customize Search Result Order**:](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") Prioritize your most important documentation articles so they appear first in search results. - **[Exclude Outdated Content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress")**: Keep old or draft documentation from appearing in search results with just a few clicks. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP Plugin First, you need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today") by visiting their website and creating a new account. After purchasing, navigate to your SearchWP account and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, simply click the Download SearchWP button to get the plugin’s ZIP. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You should also copy your SearchWP license key from the same tab, as you’ll need this to activate the plugin shortly. Once the download finishes, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see SearchWP’s onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to configure SearchWP specifically for BetterDocs integration. ### Step 2: Install BetterDocs Integration Extension You will first need to install the [BetterDocs extension](https://searchwp.com/features/betterdocs-integration/ "BetterDocs extension") in SearchWP. To start, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. From here, you can navigate to the ‘BetterDocs Integration’ and click the **Install** button. ![Install BetterDocs extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-betterdocs-extension-1030x518.png "Install BetterDocs extension - SearchWP")The extension will then automatically install and activate on your site. ### Step 3: Edit Default Engine to Include BetterDocs Documents Next, you can edit search engines in SearchWP. Think of a search engine as a set of rules that tells the plugin what to search and how to show results. The best part is that you can [create multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)") or customize the default engine on your site using SearchWP. Here, you can see that there is only the **Default** search engine, which you can use to manage how search works on your entire site. To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")A new window will now open where you can select the Sources for your new engine. You’ll see that it will already include Posts, Pages, and Media. From here, make sure the **Docs** source is checked as a source. ![Include docs at source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-docs-at-source-1030x438.png "Include docs at source - SearchWP")Next, you can click the **Done** button. After that, simply scroll down to the Docs section and click **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Edit attributes for docs](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-attributes-for-docs-1030x421.png "Edit attributes for docs - SearchWP")Here, you can select different attributes to include in the search process. By default, SearchWP will include title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. However, you can also include custom fields or any [categories and tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)"). Simply click the Custom Fields or Taxonomies dropdown menu to add them. For example, let’s say you added tags and categories to organize your documents. Using SearchWP, you can make them searchable and provide more accurate results. ![Add attribute for docs](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-docs-1030x504.png "Add attribute for docs - SearchWP")Simply click the ‘Done’ button when you are finished. Next, you can click the **Save** button at the top to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 4: Set Up Synonym Rules Once you’ve configured the search engine in SearchWP, you can also [set up a synonym rule](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search"). BetterDocs default engine doesn’t offer this feature, and you can’t search for words with similar meaning. As a result, they won’t find the right document and end up exiting your site. This is where SearchWP comes in handy. It offers a powerful synonym rule feature that lets you add search terms and their synonyms. To start, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and then switch to the ‘Global Rules’ tab. ![Global rules SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/global-rules-searchwp-1-1030x474.png "Global rules SearchWP - SearchWP")From here, you’ll need to click the ‘Add New’ button under the Synonyms section. Next, go ahead and enter the ‘Search Terms’ and their respective Synonyms. ![Add new synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-synonyms-1030x421.png "Add new synonyms - SearchWP")Do note that SearchWP will only work with single words, such as ‘password’ or ‘support’, and not with sentences or phrases. So when setting up a rule, just make sure to use specific search terms. Once you’ve entered the search and synonym, simply click the **Save Synonyms** button. ### Step 5: Test BetterDocs Search on Your Site Now, you can simply visit your site and head to the documentation area created using BetterDocs. ![Visit documentation area in wordpress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/visit-documentation-area-in-wordpress-1030x574.png "Visit documentation area in wordpress - SearchWP")From here, you can click the search bar and enter a keyword or phrase to search for a document. For instance, we have a category called ‘Password’ on our demo site, and we added an article on ‘How to Reset Your Password’ to this category. ![BetterDocs live search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/betterdocs-live-search-1030x333.png "BetterDocs live search - SearchWP")When we searched for the category in BetterDocs search, the correct article appeared. This shows that SearchWP integration is working smoothly with BetterDocs. ## FAQs about Smart BetterDocs Search Here are some common questions users have about creating a smart BetterDocs search in WordPress: **1. What are the limitations of the default BetterDocs search feature?** The default BetterDocs search is limited because it does not include advanced features such as keyword stemming, setting up synonym rules, or incorporating custom fields and taxonomies. **2. Why is a smart BetterDocs search important for my site?** A smart BetterDocs search improves the search experience on your site by helping visitors find relevant documentation more easily. This reduces frustration, decreases the likelihood of visitors contacting support unnecessarily, and keeps them engaged on your site. **3. How does SearchWP help manage search results?** SearchWP allows customization of search results by prioritizing important documentation, excluding outdated content, and tracking user search terms to identify content gaps. We hope this article helped you learn how to make a smart BetterDocs search in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make MS Office files searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-ms-office-files-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress") and [how to exclude documents from search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-documents-from-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** BetterDocs, document, searchable documents, SearchWP, smart betterdocs search, synonym rule, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-tags-not-searchable/) **Published:** July 17, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WordPress tags are supposed to help visitors find related content on a website. But here’s a problem: WordPress tags aren’t searchable by default. When visitors search for topics they know are tagged on a site, they often come up empty-handed. We’ve seen this issue frustrate both website owners and their visitors. The root of this issue lies in how WordPress handles search queries. The default search completely ignores tags and categories. In this post, we’ll show you how to fix WordPress tags not searchable in a few clicks, no coding needed. ### Why Search by Tags Doesn’t Work on Your Site You can’t search for posts by tags because WordPress doesn’t consider them when performing a search. By default, it searches only by title, content, and excerpts of posts and pages. That’s inconvenient and limits the number of ways your visitors can search for content. Visitors who haven’t found what they came for on your site are likely to leave it straight away. That’s why making tags searchable on your site is important if you want to succeed online. In addition, it’ll help you to: - **Increase the average session duration**: When visitors find the right content, it makes them stay at your site longer. - **Build a loyal audience**: Visitors who’ve had a positive user experience on your site will come back again. - **Boost your site SEO**: High average session duration and percentage of returned visitors are major ranking factors in Google. After you’ve learned why it’s important to make tags searchable on your WordPress site, let’s see how to do that. ### How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable The easiest way to make tags searchable on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the most powerful WordPress search plugin on the market. It comes with lots of useful features that you can use to fully customize the way search works on your site. Using SearchWP, you can make searchable not only tags, but [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), shortcodes, and many more. This plugin comes with an intuitive interface, so you can set it up to suit your needs even if you’re not tech-savvy. More than 50,000 WordPress site owners already use it to help their visitors find the right content easier and faster. Beyond making searchable almost anything on your site, you can also use SearchWP to: - [**Track search activity on your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Wondering what visitors are searching for on your site? SearchWP allows you to track your visitors’ searches to better understand their needs. - [**Control the order of search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Want some page to appear at the top of search results? With SearchWP, you can customize the search results order with a few clicks. - [**Enable fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to make WordPress search for partial matches if there are no exact ones? You can do that without writing a single line of code due to the SearchWP fuzzy search feature. - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Would you like to add a live search to your site? Using SearchWP, you can instantly deliver search results to your visitors. With that, let’s see how to make WordPress consider tags when performing a search with SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, you will need to navigate to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** section. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. After the download is complete, you should also copy your SearchWP license key in the lower-left corner. The next step is to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need help, then you can follow this tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you install the plugin, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you can start customizing your site’s search engine to make it consider tags. ### Step 2: Make WordPress Search by Tags With SearchWP, you can add new search engines and manage the existing ones. By customizing an engine, you can control the way SearchWP performs searches across your entire site. For example, you can make it index post tags, limit search to a specific type of content, and many more. The best part is that you can create multiple search engines with different sets of settings and link them to individual search forms. To start, you’ll need to visit the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. For this tutorial, we’ll customize the **Default** search engine and make tags searchable. To begin, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button and select the sources for your engine. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a small window will open with sources for the default engine. These include posts, pages, and media. However, you can add more sources in this window. For example, if you’re using an eCommerce plugin, like WooCommerce, then you can add products as a source. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. The next step is to add tags as a search attribute. To do that, first press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the Posts section. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")This will open a new window where you can add custom fields, tags, and categories to the search process. Go ahead and click on the **Taxonomies** field. You’ll see the dropdown menu where you can choose which post taxonomies you want to make searchable. Simply select the **Tags (post\_tag)** taxonomy to add it as an attribute. ![Select post tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags--1030x597.png "Select post tags - SearchWP")When you’re finished adding taxonomies, click **Done**. The last step is to click the **Save** button in the upper right corner to save the changes you’ve made. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")That’s it. Now, your visitors can find your posts by tags. Let’s check out how your new search works. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search by Tags To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search form. For the purposes of this guide, we’ve added a post called “What is the best WordPress search plugin” to our test site. This post has the **Showcase** tag. Let’s check out if we can find it by the tag only. ![search for your post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-your-post.png "search for your post - SearchWP")As you can see, we found our post by the **Showcase** search term. This post doesn’t have the word “showcase” anywhere except its tags. It means that we successfully made post tags searchable on our site. ![we found our post by a tag](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-post-by-a-tag.png "we found our post by a tag - SearchWP")### FAQs about Tags Not Searchable in WordPress Here are some common queries users have about how to fix WordPress search to include tags. **1. Why aren’t WordPress tags searchable by default?** WordPress’s default search function only searches through post titles and post content. It doesn’t include tags, categories, or custom fields in search queries. That’s when you search by tags, your content won’t appear in the search results. **2. Can I make categories searchable too?** Yes, SearchWP allows you to make categories, custom taxonomies, and even custom fields searchable. You can configure which content types to include when setting up your search engine and adding categories for any source in the plugin settings. **3. Do I need to re-index my content after installing SearchWP?** [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") automatically builds an index of your content when you first activate it. If you have a large website, this initial indexing process might take some time, but it runs in the background without affecting your site’s performance. **4. Can visitors search for specific tags directly?** With SearchWP configured properly, visitors can search for tag names and find all posts associated with those tags. The search results will show relevant content based on the tags you’ve made searchable. ### What’s Next… By making tags searchable, you make it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix WordPress tags not searchable. You may also want to see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, how to fix tags are not searchable in WordPress, how to fix WordPress tags are not searchable, how to fix WordPress tags not searchable, SearchWP, tags in WordPress are not searchable, WordPress search, WordPress tags not searchable --- ### [How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (Simple Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/) **Published:** July 15, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you run a multi-author WordPress site, then you’ll quickly discover a frustrating problem. Visitors would search for their favorite writers by name, only to find empty results or irrelevant content. The built-in WordPress search completely ignores authors. But adding authors to WordPress search results can help your visitors find more content from their favorite authors and allow you to get more pageviews. In this step-by-step guide, we’ll show you how to include authors in search results on your site, no coding needed. ### Why Add Authors in WordPress Search Results By default, WordPress ignores any data about post authors when performing a search. It makes finding posts from specific authors a real hassle for your site visitors. The only option they have in this case is to check the authors’ archive. That’s not convenient, not to mention that not every site has such an archive. By making authors’ data searchable, you can resolve this issue and help your visitors find the right content faster. It also boosts your content discoverability and allows your authors to increase their online presence. Now that you know why adding authors to search results can be beneficial, let’s see how you can do that. ### How to Add Authors to Search Results on Your WordPress Site The easiest way to include authors in search results on your site is to use the [SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful WordPress search plugin which you can use to make anything searchable on your site. It not only allows you to make WordPress index authors’ data, but also custom fields, tags, categories, and other helpful information. Beyond that, you can use this plugin to completely customize how search works on your site. For example, you can [customize your search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)"), exclude a specific post category from the search, and more. But that’s not all the features this plugin comes with. You can also use SearchWP to: - [**Create custom search fields**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Do you want to have a search field with a unique set of settings? With SearchWP, you can create a search form, customize it to meet your needs, and place it anywhere on your site. - [**Change the order of search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"): SearchWP allows you to change your search results order with just a few clicks, no coding needed. - [**Track the most popular searches**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site"): Do you want to know what users are looking for most often on your site? SearchWP gathers data on all search activity on your site, allowing you to understand your audience’s needs better. - **[Limit search to specific post types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)")**: Using SearchWP, you can limit search on your site to specific post types, categories, or anything else. There are over 50,000 website owners who already use SearchWP to deliver the most relevant search results to their visitors. Are you ready to become one of them and add authors in search results on your WordPress site? If so, follow the step-by-step guide below. ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin First, you’ll need to visit the website and [create a new SearchWP account](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). Once that’s done, the next step is to install the plugin on your site. To get started, you can log in to your SearchWP account and click on the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")To download the plugin, go ahead and click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the ZIP file to your computer. You should also copy your license key on the same page. You’ll need it on one of the following steps to activate your plugin copy. The next step is to upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site and install SearchWP. You can follow this [guide on installing a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you need help. After the plugin installation is complete, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to move on to the next step and customize the search engine to include authors. ### Step 2: Customize Search Engine to Include Authors To get started, you’ll need to navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Here, you can customize the search engine for your website or create new ones. SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines and link them to separate search forms. This way, you can place fully customized search forms with a unique set of settings anywhere on your site. But since we want to add authors to search across the whole site, we will customize the **Default** search engine. First, you will need to press the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open with different sources used by the search engine. By default, it will include posts, pages, and media, but you can add more sources. For example, if you’re running a WooCommerce store, then you can also include products as a source. ![Choose sources for your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-selection-1030x475.jpg "Choose sources for your engine - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the **Done** button. Next, will notice that SearchWP will include ‘Author’ as an attribute for all the sources, along with title, content, slug, and excerpt. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")However, if you want to customize the source attributes, then simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under any source. This will open a new window where you can see all these attributes. Besides that, you can also add custom fields and taxonomies in the search process. ![Post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/post-attributes-2-1030x506.png "Post attributes - SearchWP")Go ahead and click ‘Done’ when you’re finished. SearchWP also lets you change the [relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Relevance Weight") of attributes by moving the slider next to them left or right. The further to the right the slider is set for an attribute, the more influence that attribute has on the position in the search results. ![Adjust author slider](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adjust-author-slider-1030x486.png "Adjust author slider - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll to the top of the page. From here, simply click the ‘Save’ button to store all your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. Now, your visitors can search for posts written by specific authors. Let’s make sure and try out your new search. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search by Authors To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search bar or search form. Then enter the author’s name whose posts you want to find into the search bar on your site. For example, we have an author named **Henry Turner** on our test site. Let’s try to find posts written by him. ![how to add authors in WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-authors-in-WordPress-search-results.png "how to add authors in WordPress search results - SearchWP")As you can see, we successfully found the posts written by Henry Turner. It means that now search by author works on our site. ![we found posts written by the first author](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-posts-written-by-the-first-author.png "we found posts written by the first author - SearchWP")### FAQs About Adding Authors to WordPress Search Here are some queries users ask when it comes to including authors in WordPress Search. **1. Can I add authors to search results without using a plugin?** While it’s technically possible to modify WordPress search through custom code, we don’t recommend this approach for most users. SearchWP provides a much safer and more reliable solution that won’t break when you update your theme or WordPress core. **2. Will adding authors to search slow down my website?** SearchWP is optimized for performance and shouldn’t noticeably impact your site speed. The plugin creates its own search index that runs efficiently alongside WordPress. However, if you have thousands of authors, you may want to monitor your site’s performance after installation. **3. Can I create a separate search form just for authors?** Absolutely. SearchWP lets you create multiple search engines with different configurations. You can set up one search engine specifically for finding authors and another for regular content, then use different search forms on your site. ### What’s Next… Allowing users to search by authors helps them find posts from specific writers faster and increase the number of pageviews you get. We hope this article helped you learned how to add authors in WordPress search results. You may also want to see our guides on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/) and [how to add fuzzy search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/). Are you ready to include authors in search on your site and start delivering more relevant search results to your visitors? You can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add authors in WordPress search, add authors in WordPress search results, how to add authors in WordPress search results, how to include authors in WordPress search results, include authors in WordPress search results, make WordPress consider authors when performing a search, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [Introducing SearchWP Multiple Results Templates](https://searchwp.com/introducing-searchwp-multiple-results-templates/) **Published:** July 10, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Here’s a scary thought: How many potential customers are abandoning your site right now because your search experience doesn’t match what they actually need? The problem is that most WordPress sites have just one generic search results page that tries to handle everything. It’s like using the same key to open every door in your house. That’s why we are absolutely thrilled to announce SearchWP’s Multiple Results Templates! You can now create unlimited custom search results pages for your WordPress website. Plus, using the Search Results block, you can add them anywhere on your site without touching a single line of code. Let’s dive into the details. ### Create Unlimited Search Results Pages with Multiple Results Templates Imagine how much more valuable your website is when visitors can find exactly what they’re looking for through a search experience designed specifically for that content type? While WordPress may force you to use the generic search results page, SearchWP gives you the flexibility to create unlimited specialized search experiences that actually serve your users’ needs. You can now easily set up numerous search result pages using the new Multiple Results Template feature. For example, simply create separate results pages for [products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"), blog posts, documentation, team members, or any content type you need. To start, head to **SearchWP » Templates** from the WordPress dashboard. ![Add multiple results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-multiple-results-template-1030x445.png "Add multiple results template - SearchWP")From here, you can click the **Add New** button to add a new search results page. After that, SearchWP offers pre-built themes and lots of customization options to choose from. The best part is that you can take complete control of the [look and feel of every search page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)") without writing a single line of code. ![How to customize the WooCommerce search results page: Choose search results page layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Choose-layout-theme-1030x963.jpg "View theme preview - SearchWP")What makes the Multiple Results Template feature so powerful is that you can link each page with a [search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Simply edit or create a new search form in SearchWP and scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. From here, you can change the **Results Page** option to ‘SearchWP’ and then select a **Template** you created earlier. ![Select search template for your form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-template-for-your-form-1030x538.png "Select search template for your form - SearchWP")This way, your search form will go to the custom search results page instead of the default page in WordPress. ### Advanced Search Results Block for WordPress Editor Another new feature you’ll find in SearchWP is the Search Results block. You can simply add a Search Results block to display the search results template anywhere on your site. This provides you complete control over the display and placement of search results, without editing code. You can head to the WordPress content editor by editing a page or creating a new one. From here, click the ‘+’ sign and add the **SearchWP Results** block. ![Add search results block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-results-block-1-1030x442.png "Add search results block - SearchWP")Once the block is added, the search results will appear on this page based on the settings in SearchWP search forms. You can also override the form settings and select a template and search engine for the block from the settings panel on the right. ![Choose a template and engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-template-and-engine--1030x649.png "Choose a template and engine - SearchWP")SearchWP Results block also pairs with the SearchWP Forms block to create an even tighter integration. This means that even non-technical users can build advanced search configurations that used to require expensive custom development. With that, the Multiple Results Templates feature is [available now for SearchWP users](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"), and we genuinely believe this will transform how you think about search on your WordPress site. So give these new features a try today, and let us know your feedback! As always, thank you for your continued support of SearchWP. We look forward to bringing you more exciting features and updates designed to help you create better search experiences for your visitors. **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** add a WordPress search form for custom post types, blocks, results template, search form, search results block, search results page, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 3, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you add tags to your blog posts or products, then they can boost the search experience on your website. By including tags in the search process, you can allow your visitors to find the content they’re looking for much faster. As a result, you’ll notice more engagement as people will spend more time on your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to make posts on your site searchable by tags without writing a single line of code. ### Why Make WordPress Consider Post Tags When Performing a Search? By default, WordPress searches only by post title, description, content, and excerpts. But there are many other attributes you can add to your posts to make it easier to find them using search. Post tags are one of these attributes. For example, you can mark specific posts with the **Tutorial** tag to let your visitors find these posts by the “tutorial” search term. It’ll allow them to find the right content much faster. ![add the Tutorial tag](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-Tutorial-tag.png "add the Tutorial tag - SearchWP")And this is not the only benefit of making post tags searchable on your site. It’ll also help you to: - **Improve the user experience of your visitors**: The easier it is to find the right content on your site, the better user experience your visitors will have. - **Increase the average session duration**: Users who find the right content stay on your site longer, which is one of the strongest signals for Google to rank your site higher. - **Boost your content discoverability**: A positive search experience encourages your visitors to explore more of your content. Now that you’ve learned why it’s useful to enable search by post tags on your WordPress site, let’s see how you can do that. ### How to Make Post Tags Searchable on Your Site The easiest way to enable search by post tags on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin that comes with a lot of powerful tools and features. It allows you to get full control over how search works on your WordPress site and customize it to meet your needs. For example, using this plugin, you can limit search to specific post types, exclude pages from search results, and more. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners are already using SearchWP to give their visitors the most relevant search results. Here are a few more amazing things that you can do with SearchWP: - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to immediately deliver search results to your visitors? With SearchWP, you can enable displaying search results in live mode in a few clicks, no coding needed. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Want to create a search form with an individual set of settings? SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines, fully customize them, and link to specific search forms across your site. - [**Prioritize specific pages in search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): You can use SearchWP to put specific pages at the top of search results on your site. - **[Enable fuzzy search on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites")**: Want to give your visitors even more relevant search results? Turn on the SearchWP fuzzy search feature, which makes WordPress search for partial matches. With that, let’s see how you can easily enable search by posts tags on your site using this plugin. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, go ahead and [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Right Here") by visiting the website and creating a new account. Then, log into your SearchWP account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. When you finish downloading, also copy your license key on the same tab. You’ll need it further to activate your copy of SearchWP. The next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site. If you don’t know how to do that, you can see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see the SearchWP’s onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once SearchWP is ready, the next step is to configure your search engine to make it consider post tags. ### Step 2: Make Changes to Your Search Engine You can think of a search engine as a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines and link them to individual search forms. First, there will be only an automatically created search engine called **Default**. It’s linked to every existing search form on your site. By customizing its rules and settings, you can change how SearchWP performs a search across your entire site. For example, you can add or remove search sources, change attribute relevance weights, and more. To start, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. The default engine will already have Post selected as a source. However, you can confirm this by clicking the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open where you can set the sources for the Default engine. Just ensure that the ‘Posts’ option is selected as a source. Once finished, you can click the **Done** button. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")To make SearchWP search by post tags, you need to add them to the list of **Posts** source attributes. By default, SearchWP considers the following post attributes: title, content, slug, author, and excerpt. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Let’s add post tags to this list. To do that, first press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. A new popup window will now open where you can include custom fields and taxonomies to the search process. After that, you can click the Taxonomies dropdown menu and click on the **Tags (post\_tag)** taxonomy to add it to the list. ![Select post tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-post-tags--1030x597.png "Select post tags - SearchWP")After you’re finished adding taxonomies, go ahead and press **Done**. The final step is to save the changes you’ve made to the Default search engine. To do that, press the **Save** button in the top right corner. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")After that, click **Rebuild Index** to make SearchWP reindex your posts and check if they have any tags. That’s it. Now your visitors can find posts by their tags. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")Let’s try out your new search. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search by Tags To get started, simply visit your site and head to the search form or search bar. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ve added a “How to Install a WordPress Plugin” post that has a **Tutorial** tag. Let’s see if we can find it only by the tag. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-3.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")Even though there is no word “tutorial” in the title, description, or content of the post, it still found the correct post. This means that the search function is working properly and is including tags in the search process. ![we found a post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-a-post.png "we found a post - SearchWP")To make sure it wasn’t a coincidence, let’s do another experiment. For example, there are several posts with the **Showcase** tag on our test site. Let’s try to search for them as well. ![search for the showcase tag](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-the-22showcase22-tag.png "search for the showcase tag - SearchWP")As you can see, it successfully found the posts by the search term “showcase”. It means that our WordPress site now considers post tags when performing a search. ![we found our posts](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-posts.png "we found our posts - SearchWP")### FAQs about Searching Posts by Tags You can also check out some of the common questions users have about searching posts by tags. **1. What are tags, and how do they improve my website’s search experience?** Tags are keywords or phrases that categorize and describe your content. Adding tags to your blog posts or products helps visitors find content more easily, enhancing the user experience by making searches quicker and more relevant. **2. Why should I make post tags searchable on my WordPress site?** Making post tags searchable allows visitors to find content faster, improves the user experience, increases session duration, boosts content discoverability, and helps your site rank higher on Google by signaling better engagement. **3. How can I enable search by tags on my WordPress site without coding?** You can use a plugin like SearchWP, which offers powerful tools to customize your WordPress search functionality, including making post tags searchable. ### What’s Next… Searching by tags will make it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for and improve their user experience. We hope this article helped you learn how to search posts by tags in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)") and [how to add a WordPress search bar with shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)"). If you’re ready to enable search by post tags on your WordPress site, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Grab your copy of SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to search posts by tags in WordPress, how to search posts by tags on a WordPress site, search by post tags in WordPress, search posts by tags in WordPress, search posts by tags on a WordPress site, SearchWP, woocommerce product search by tags, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-to-post-titles-only/) **Published:** July 1, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Are you wondering how to limit WordPress search to post titles only? By default, WordPress doesn’t allow you to choose which parts of posts or pages it should consider when performing a search. So, usually, you need to have extensive coding experience to apply any type of search limitations on your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to limit WordPress search to post titles only without writing a single line of code. ### Why Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only There are a bunch of benefits in limiting search on your site to post titles only. ![limit search to titles only](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/limit-search-to-titles-only.png "limit search to titles only - SearchWP")Here are the ones that stand out the most: - **More relevant search results**. Typically, there is a lot of unnecessary information in post descriptions, which makes it harder to find the right content. - **Lower bounce rate**. The easier it is for visitors to find what they’re looking for on your site, the lower your bounce rate will be. - **Better ranking in search engines**. Since bounce rate is one of the main ranking factors in Google, keeping it low allows your site to rank higher in search results. - **Build a loyal audience**. Satisfied visitors who could easily find the desired content on your site are more likely to return again. - **Content discoverability boost**. When visitors see that search on your site is convenient, it encourages them to explore your site. Now that we know why it’s useful to limit search to post titles only, let’s see how you can do that on your site. ### How to Make WordPress Search by Post Titles Only The easiest and fastest way to make WordPress search by post titles only is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the best search plugin for WordPress, with over 50,000 active installations. It comes with a lot of useful features that allow you to fully customize the way search works on your site. In addition to limiting search only to posts, pages, or their specific parts, with this plugin, you can do a lot of useful things. For example, you can [exclude specific search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"), make custom post types searchable, add a search bar to any place on your site, and more. Along with this, SearchWP comes with powerful features like: - [**Search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Want to know what visitors were searching for on your site? SearchWP gathers detailed data on your audience’s search behavior so that you can better understand their needs. - [**Seamless WooCommerce integration**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"): Are you a WooCommerce store owner? Due to the integration with SearchWP, you can start customizing search on your store right after the plugin installation. - [**Live search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to display search results on your site in live mode? Using SearchWP, you can add live search with autocomplete feature to your site with a few clicks. - **[Support of multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)")**: Want to create custom search fields with unique settings? SearchWP allows you to add an unlimited number of fully customized search engines and link them to separate search forms. Now that you know why using SearchWP is the best option for limiting search on your site to post titles, let’s see how you can do it. ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, you can sign in to your SearchWP account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, click on the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After you’re finished downloading, also copy your license key on the same tab. You’ll need it at one of the next steps to activate your copy of SearchWP. The next step is to upload the downloaded ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. If you haven’t installed a plugin before, then check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") for step-by-step instructions. Upon activation, you can go through the setup wizard by clicking the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you’re ready to start customizing your search engine. ### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine To get started, you’ll need to navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard Here you’ll find your search engines created with SearchWP. Right now, there is only one search engine called **Default**. This search engine is connected to every single search form that exists on your site. It means that by editing its settings, you can customize how search works across your entire site. For example, you can add or remove search sources, [exclude specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or categories from search, and much more. SearchWP allows you to add multiple search engines and link them to separate search forms. Due to this feature, you can place fully customized search forms with a unique set of settings. But since we want to limit search to post titles on the whole site, we will customize the **Default** search engine. First, you will need to press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open with different sources used by the default engine. These include posts, pages, and media. Go ahead and uncheck the Pages and Media sources so that only the **Posts** search source remains active. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click **Done**. The next step is to customize the list of post attributes that WordPress takes into account when performing a search. You’ll notice that it considers 5 post attributes: title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")To make WordPress only consider post titles, you need to remove all attributes except title. Simply click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button to get started. Then, go ahead and uncheck all other attributes, other than ‘Title.’ ![Manage post attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-post-attributes-4-1030x501.png "Manage post attributes - SearchWP")When you’re finished, press **Done**. The final step is to press the **Save** button at the top right to apply the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")After you’ve limited search on your site to post titles only, let’s check out how it works. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search bar or search form. For the purposes of this tutorial, we added a post with the **Greek salad** title and **Onion soup** description to our test site. If we can find this post by title but can’t find it by description, it means that search on our site is now limited to post titles only. First, let’s search for “onion soup”. ![search for description](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-description.png "search for description - SearchWP")As you can see, we didn’t find any matches for the “onion soup” search term. It means that our WordPress site no longer considers a post description when performing a search. ![we haven't found a product by description](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-havent-found-a-prodcut-by-description.png "we haven't found a product by description - SearchWP")Now, let’s search for “greek salad” to make sure that post exists. This will ensure that the search is able to find the content by the title. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-2.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found the post. It means that our WordPress site now only considers post titles when performing searches. ![we found a product by title](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-a-product-by-title.png "we found a product by title - SearchWP")## FAQs About Limiting WordPress Search to Post Titles Here are some common questions that users have about restricting search on their site to post titles. **1. Why would I want to limit WordPress search to post titles only?** Limiting WordPress search to post titles can enhance search relevance, especially if you have a large amount of content. This ensures that search results are more focused and directly relevant to the search query, as they match the titles specifically. **2. Is there a plugin that can help me limit searches to post titles in WordPress?** Yes, you can use plugins like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") to customize and limit searches to specific areas, such as post titles. **3. Can I implement this search limitation without a plugin?** Yes, it’s possible to achieve this by modifying your theme’s functions.php file or creating a custom search query. However, using a plugin can be more user-friendly and easier to maintain. **4. How does limiting search to titles impact SEO?** This change only affects how searches function internally on your site and does not directly impact your site’s SEO. However, it may improve user experience by providing more relevant search results, potentially leading to better user engagement. ### What’s Next… Limiting WordPress search to only titles helps you to give your visitors more relevant search results and reduce your site’s bounce rate. It also boosts engagement and makes the search experience better. We hope this article helped you learn how to limit WordPress search to post titles only. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make WordPress search in post content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/ "How to Make WordPress Search in Post Content") and [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)"). If you’re ready to limit search on your WordPress site to post titles only, you can[ grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit WordPress search to post titles only, limit search on a WordPress site to post title only, limit search to post titles only in WordPress, limit WordPress search to post titles, limit WordPress search to post titles only, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Fix WooCommerce Search by SKU Not Working (Step by Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-search-by-sku-not-working/) **Published:** June 26, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’re running a WooCommerce store, then allowing users to search by SKUs is a great way to help customers find the right products. However, it might not work properly at times due to different reasons. Solving this problem is important to ensure a positive user experience for your customers and increase your sales. In this article, we’ll show you how to find out why search by product SKUs doesn’t work on your site and how to fix this issue. Since this tutorial contains a lot of helpful tips, we’ve organized it into several sections for you. Feel free to click on a specific section to skip ahead: - [Fix WooCommerce Search by SKUs Doesn’t Work on Site](#1) - [Fix WooCommerce Search by SKUs Doesn’t Work in The Admin Panel](#2) ### Why WooCommerce Search by SKU Does Not Work? Let’s look at 2 of the most common cases why search by SKU of WooCommerce products might not work on your site. #### WordPress Doesn’t Search by WooCommerce Products SKUs on Site To begin, SKU stands for stock keeping unit. This is a unique product ID you’re free to specify the way you want. By assigning it to a product, you can help your customers to find it faster. The main reason you can’t find a product by SKU is that [WooCommerce stores](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/ "7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)") this data in custom fields. Custom fields are fields where you can add any extra information to your posts, pages, or products. Apart from SKUs, WooCommerce also stores in custom fields product price, weight, color, and many other attributes. This is valuable data, adding which can make it much easier for your customers to find the products they’re looking for. But, there is a problem. WordPress doesn’t consider custom fields when performing a search by default. Thankfully, you can handle this issue with a couple of clicks. #### Search by WooCommerce Products SKUs Doesn’t Work in the Admin Panel WooCommerce supports searching for products by their SKUs in the admin panel by default. So if you can’t find your products, it means that your plugin doesn’t work correctly. A list of possible reasons why this might happen includes: - **Plugin conflict**: Some of the plugins you use on your site may not be compatible with each other. - **Import a large number of products via CSV**: If you uploaded tons of products at once through a CSV file import, it could have corrupted the WooCommerce database. - **Hosting memory limit**: Some web hosting services have hidden memory limitations that may cause WooCommerce not to work properly. With that, let’s see how you can quickly fix these issues. ### Fix WooCommerce Search by SKUs Doesn’t Work on Site The easiest way to enable search by product SKUs on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful and easy-to-use WordPress search plugin on the market. Using this plugin, you can make any additional info about your products searchable – no technical knowledge needed. But this is only a small part of SearchWP features. In fact, with this plugin, you can [create custom search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), prioritize specific products in search results, and much more. Over 50,000 eCommerce websites are already using SearchWP to give their customers more relevant search results. Here are a few more amazing things that you can do with this plugin: - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to show search results to visitors in live mode? With SearchWP, you can add live search with autocomplete feature to your site in a few clicks. - [**Track searches on your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Wondering what products your customers were looking for on your site? SearchWP collects data on search activity in your store so that you can better understand your audience’s needs. - [**Add a search bar with a shortcode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/ "How to Add a WordPress Search Bar with Shortcode (Step-by-Step)"): Looking for a way to add a search bar to your site? With SearchWP, you can display a search bar using a shortcode at almost any place on your site. - [**Enable search by partial matches**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Want your visitors to find the right product, even if they enter its name with a typo? Enable SearchWP fuzzy search feature to make it easier to find products in your store. With that, let’s see how you can use SearchWP to enable searching by WooCommerce product SKUs on your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you can [get your own copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting the site and signing up for a new account. The next step is to sign in to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once you’re there, simply press the **Download SearchWP** button to begin downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After you finish downloading, you should also copy the plugin license key at the bottom left on the same tab. The next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your site. Not sure how to do that? You can follow this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once SearchWP is installed and activated, you will see the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Install the WooCommerce Integration Extension Next, you can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the [WooCommerce Integration](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce Integration Extension") extension. This extension ensures seamless integration of SearchWP and WooCommerce plugins. From here, simply press the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")After that, you can move on to the next step and start customizing your site’s search engine. ### Step 3: Make Custom Fields Searchable on Your Site To get started, you’ll need to visit the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. By default, there is only one search engine called **Default**. Any changes you make to it apply to all existing search boxes on your site. With SearchWP, you’re free to fully customize a search engine to meet your needs. For example, you can specify what search sources WordPress should consider, which pages exclude from search, and more. SearchWP also allows you to create multiple search engines and link them to individual search forms. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to make WooCommerce product SKUs searchable using any search box on your site. The first step is to add WooCommerce products to the Default search engine’s list of search sources. To get started, press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a small window will open with sources for the default engine. These include posts, pages, and media. From here, you can tick the box next to the **Products** source and click ‘Done’ to save the changes. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")Once you’ve added WooCommerce products as a search source, the next step is to make WordPress consider SKUs. To get started, click on the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the **Products** section. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")A small window will now open where you can select custom fields and taxonomies to include in the search process. Go ahead and select **\_sku** from the dropdown menu under Custom Fields. ![Include sku custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-sku-custom-field-1030x513.png "Include sku custom field - SearchWP")Once you’ve finished, press **Done** to save the changes. The last step is to click the **Save Engines** button in the upper right corner to save all the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")Now let’s try out how search by SKU works on your site. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search To do that, simply visit your WooCommerce store and head to the search bar or form. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ve added to our test site a product called **Mountain bike**, which has “MB7534” as the SKU. Let’s see if we can find this product by SKU alone. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-1.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found the product. It means that search by WooCommerce product SKUs now works on our test site. ![we found a WooCommerce product by its SKU](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-a-WooCommerce-product-by-its-SKU.png "we found a WooCommerce product by its SKU - SearchWP")### Fix WooCommerce Search by SKUs Doesn’t Work in The Admin Panel Now let’s see what you can do if search by WooCommerce product SKUs doesn’t work in the admin panel. #### Fix Plugin Compatibility Issue The most common reason for that is plugin incompatibility. To find out if it’s your case, you first need to disable all the plugins installed on your site. To get started, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to the Plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-Plugins-tab.png "navigate to the Plugins tab - SearchWP")Then, tick a checkbox next to every installed plugin except for WooCommerce, SearchWP, and its extensions. When you’re finished, select the **Deactivate** option from the drop-down menu and press **Apply**. ![deactivate all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deactivate-all-plugins-2.png "deactivate all plugins - SearchWP")Try to search by a product SKU after these actions. If it works correctly now, then the problem was in the plugin incompatibility. You can start activating plugins one by one to find out which one is causing problems with search. If product search in the WooCommerce admin panel still doesn’t work, you can also try the following solutions below. #### Fix WooCommerce Products Database Corruption Recently uploaded a large number of products using the CSV file import? In this case, the problem with search in the admin panel may be related to corruption of the WooCommerce database. You can update your product database to fix this problem. To get started, navigate to **WooCommerce » Status** from your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the Tools tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Tools-tab.png "go to the Tools tab - SearchWP")Then, switch to the ‘Tools’ tab. From here, you can scroll the page down to the **Product lookup tables** section and click **Regenerate**. ![press Regenerate](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Regenerate.png "press Regenerate - SearchWP")After that, scroll down to the Update database section. From here, you can press the **Update Database** button at the appropriate section. ![click Update database](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Update-database.png "click Update database - SearchWP")When you’re done, wait for a couple of minutes to let WooCommerce finish updating the database. Then check if the search in the admin panel has started working properly. If updating the database didn’t help, try the following method below. ![go to the All Products tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-All-Products-tab.png "go to the All Products tab - SearchWP")First, navigate to **Products » All Products** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, you can highlight the products visible on the page by checking the topmost checkbox. ![check all products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-all-products.png "check all products - SearchWP")Then, click on the **Bulk actions** drop-down menu at the top. Next, you can choose the **Edit** option, and press **Apply**. ![click Apply](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Apply.png "click Apply - SearchWP")After that, click the **Update** button to update all your products at once. It’ll make WooCommerce reindex all products and help solve problems with their display in search in the admin panel. ![press Update](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Update-2.png "press Update - SearchWP")#### How to Deal with Hosting Memory Limitations Another possible reason that can cause problems with search in the admin panel is hosting memory limitations. Typically, you don’t have access to the hosting configuration options and can’t increase the memory limit yourself. So the only way to solve the problem is to contact your hosting support team. They’ll help you to figure out if it’s your case and increase the memory limit if it’s necessary. ### What’s Next… By fixing SKU searchin WooCommerce, you allow your customers to find the products they’re looking for faster and increase your sales. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU not working. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") and [how to search by WooCommerce product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"). If you’re ready to fix not working search by WooCommerce products’ SKU on your site, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU doesn't work, how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU isn't working, how to fix Woocommerce search by SKU not working, SearchWP, Woocommerce search by SKU doesn't work, Woocommerce search by SKU not working, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-ms-office-files-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** June 19, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’ve been managing WordPress websites for years, then you know that the default WordPress search wouldn’t search MS documents on your site accurately. Perhaps you uploaded Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. But default search completely ignored what was inside those files. However, with SearchWP, you can make your Office files and all that hidden content within the files searchable without editing code. In this article, we’ll show you how to make MS Office files searchable in WordPress. ### Why You Need to Make MS Office Files Searchable? Your WordPress site probably has more content than you realize. Every time you upload a Word document, Excel spreadsheet, or PowerPoint presentation, you’re adding valuable information that your visitors can’t actually find. For example, when someone searches your site for ‘quarterly report’ or ‘training materials,’ [default WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") only looks at page titles and basic file names. It completely ignores the 50 pages of detailed analysis inside that ‘quarterly-report.docx’ file you uploaded. This creates a frustrating experience for your visitors. They know the information exists somewhere on your site, but they can’t locate it through search. As a result, many people will give up and leave rather than dig through multiple pages trying to find what they need. From a business perspective, this is like having a treasure chest that’s locked away. All that expert knowledge, research data, and detailed documentation becomes essentially invisible to the people who need it most. The problem gets worse as your site grows, and you have hundreds of Office documents uploaded over the years, containing thousands of pages of valuable content. Making these files searchable transforms your website into a true [knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress"). Suddenly, every piece of content becomes discoverable, and your visitors can find exactly what they’re looking for with a simple search. That said, let’s look at how you can include MS Office files in WordPress search. ### Make MS Office Files Searchable in WordPress The best way to include MS Office files in the search process on your WordPress site is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that gives you complete control over how search works on your site. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)What makes SearchWP different is that it doesn’t just index file names. It actually reads the content inside your Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations. This means visitors can search for specific phrases or data that appear anywhere within these files. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you: - **[Display Live Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free")**: Want to instantly display search results on your site? With SearchWP, you can add live search results effortlessly with just a few clicks. - **[Make WordPress Search PDF Files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)")**: Do you upload PDFs to your site? With SearchWP, you can make the content within them searchable, enriching your site’s search capabilities. - **[Exclude Pages from Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress")**: Want to exclude specific pages from search results on your site? SearchWP allows you to do so quickly and easily with just a few clicks. - **[Track Searches on Your Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**: Want to uncover what your visitors are searching for on your site? SearchWP gathers data about search activity, giving you valuable insights into your users’ queries. Now, let’s look at all the steps you need to follow to make MS Office documents searchable using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you need to get your [copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting their website and creating a new account. After purchasing, you can navigate to your SearchWP account and go to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, simply click the **Download SearchWP** button to get the plugin’s ZIP file on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You should also copy your SearchWP license key from the same tab, as you’ll need this to activate the plugin shortly. Once the download finishes, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After activation, you’ll see SearchWP’s onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the instructions to complete the setup. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it for the basic installation. Now, you’re ready to configure SearchWP specifically for Office file searching. ### Step 2: Customize Search Engine to Include MS Office Files Now that SearchWP is installed, you need to configure it to actually search inside your Office files. By default, WordPress completely ignores attachment content, so this step is crucial for making your documents searchable. Think of a search engine in SearchWP as a set of rules that tells the plugin what to search and how to rank results. You can [create multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)") or customize the default engine on your site. For this tutorial, we will edit the default engine and include MS Office files. To start, head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")A new window will open showing different content sources SearchWP can index. You’ll see options for Posts, Pages, and [Media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"), this is where the magic happens for Office files. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Make sure the **Media** source is checked. This tells SearchWP to include your uploaded MS Office files in search results, not just your regular posts and pages. After that, you can click ‘Done’ to save these changes. The next step is configuring which attributes SearchWP should consider when searching through your attachments. To edit this, simply click **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the ‘Media’ section. ![Add remove attributes for media](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-remove-attributes-for-media-1030x453.png "Add remove attributes for media - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see several options already selected, like title, description, slug, caption, and author. Just make sure that the **Document Content** attribute is checked. This allows SearchWP to read inside your Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and PowerPoint presentations rather than just searching file names. ![Select attributes for media source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-attributes-for-media-source-1030x550.png "Select attributes for media source - SearchWP")That’s not all, it also lets SearchWP look inside all media files, including PDF documents, image metadata, and more. This further improves your website search and helps users find what they’re looking for. When you’re finished, go ahead and click ‘Done’ button. After that, simply scroll to the top and click **Save** to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")Your search engine is now configured to include MS Office file content. ### Step 3: Test Your MS Office File Search Now comes the exciting part, testing whether SearchWP is actually reading inside your Office files. First, make sure you have some Office files uploaded to your WordPress media library. If you don’t have any test files, upload a Word document or Excel spreadsheet that contains specific text you can search for later. Then, you can visit your website’s search form or search bar and try searching for your uploaded Office documents. For instance, we uploaded an ‘Event Planner and Timeline’ Excel spreadsheet on our demo site. ![Search for MS Office document](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-ms-office-document-1030x444.png "Search for MS Office document - SearchWP")When we search for the document or enter search terms that are within the Excel file, the search showed correct results. This means that your MS Office files are now searchable in WordPress. ### Bonus: Exclude Documents from Search Results While making important documents searchable can improve user experience on your site, there are situations where you don’t want visitors to find certain files. For instance, you might want to hide outdated files, internal administrative documents, or irrelevant file types, such as zip archives or design mockups, from the search results. Similarly, sensitive internal documents, policies, or exclusive content shouldn’t be discoverable through a general site search. This is where you can use SearchWP to easily exclude documents from search results. It lets you set up advanced rules to hide documents based on file type, filename, publish date, or ID. ![Enter name of file to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-of-file-to-exclude-1030x481.png "Enter name of file to exclude - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our step-by-step guide on [how to exclude documents from search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-documents-from-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How to Exclude Documents from Search Results in WordPress"). We hope this article helped you learn how to make MS Office file searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to display excerpts on the WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-excerpts-on-the-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Display Excerpts on the WordPress Search Results Page") and [how to limit WordPress search to post content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/ "How to Display Excerpts on the WordPress Search Results Page"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** documents, excel, make MS Office files searchable, MS Office, MS Word files, searchable documents, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** June 17, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Have you ever noticed customers finding products they shouldn’t see in your WooCommerce store search results? Maybe you’re running a special promotion that’s only meant for certain customers, or you have seasonal items that shouldn’t appear during off-peak times. Perhaps you’ve got products that are temporarily out of stock, or items that are only available through direct links for VIP customers. We’ve seen this frustration countless times with store owners who want more control over their search functionality. The default WooCommerce search can be pretty basic, showing everything to everyone, and that’s not always what you want for your business strategy. In this article, we’ll show you how you can exclude any product from search results on your site with a few clicks. ### Why Exclude Products from Search in WooCommerce There are a couple of common situations when hiding products from search results on your site might be useful. For instance, let’s say you have special deals for a certain group of visitors, such as your newsletter subscribers. If anyone can find these deals using a search, then it doesn’t make much sense. By hiding such products from search results, you can control their visibility and ensure that they are only available to the right users. Another example is when some of your products are no longer in business or are out of stock, but you don’t want to remove them from your store. If your customers come across such products in a search and decide to buy them, they’ll face disappointment. Since frustrated customers are harmful to your business, it’s better to avoid such situations. That said, let’s see how you can do that on your site. ### Exclude a WooCommerce Product from Search Results The easiest way to exclude specific products from your site search results is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the most powerful [WooCommerce search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/ "7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)") that allows you to get full control over how search works in your store. With SearchWP, you can create customized search forms, display search results in live mode, add or remove search sources, and more. Plus, it’s fully compatible with WooCommerce and offers a dedicated extension. It means that you can start using the plugin right after installation without any extra steps. Besides that, more than 50,000 eCommerce site owners already use SearchWP to give their visitors more relevant search results. It allows them to increase their revenue and build a loyal base of customers. In addition to excluding products from search, you can also use SearchWP to: - **[Enable search by product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)")**: Would you like to let your customers search by product attributes like color, price, and so on? Using this plugin, you can enable this feature in just a few clicks. - [**Prioritize products in search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Want to put a specific product at the top of search results by a particular keyword? SearchWP allows you to do that with no coding needed. - [**Limit search to certain product categories**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"): Prefer to limit search in your store to some specific categories? Just add the appropriate rule to your search engine in SearchWP settings to make it come true. - [**Track searches of your customers**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Are you interested in what visitors were searching for in your online store? SearchWP automatically gathers data about all search activity on your site. Now, let’s take a look at how you can exclude WooCommerce products from search using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you will need to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, simply sign in to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After completing the download, you should also copy the license key at the bottom left, as you’ll need it further to activate the plugin. The next step is to upload the downloaded SearchWP ZIP file to your site. Not sure how to do that? Follow this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After you’ve configured SearchWP, the next step is to install a couple of extensions. ### Step 2: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Integration Extension The first extension you’ll need to install is the [WooCommerce Integration extension](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "Advanced WooCommerce Product Search Plugin"). It ensures seamless integration of SearchWP and WooCommerce, so you can fully customize how search works in your store. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. Then head to WooCommerce Integration and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")### Step 3: Install and Activate the Exclude UI Extension The next step is to install the [Exclude UI](https://searchwp.com/features/exclude-ui/ "Exclude Content from WordPress Search Plugin") SearchWP extension. It allows you to exclude any post, page, or product from search results from the content editor. You will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the ‘Exclude UI’ extension. ![Install Exclude UI extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-exclude-ui-extension-1030x560.jpg "Install Exclude UI extension - SearchWP")From here, simply click the **Install** button and the extension will automatically activate. Once you’ve installed the extensions, you’re now ready to start excluding products from search results. ### Step 4: Exclude Products from Search Results in WooCommerce Now, there are 2 ways to hide products from WooCommerce search results. First, you can use the Exclude UI option and manually exclude products from search. Second, you can set up rules in SearchWP and specify which products to remove from the search process. Let’s take a look at each of these methods. #### Method 1: Manually Mark Products You Want to Exclude from Search The first way is to manually mark products that you want to exclude from search. To get started, you’ll need to visit the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. Here, you can edit the default WordPress search or add a new engine for your site. Plus, you can control which sources and attributes to include in the search process. Next, you can click the **Sources & Settings** button and see which sources the native search engine will include while searching. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open with the default sources, which includes posts, pages, and media. From here, you’ll need to ensure that **Products** is also selected as a source. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")Once you’re finished, click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you will need to navigate to the **Products** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go over to the Products tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-Prodcuts-tab.png "go over to the Products tab - SearchWP")Here, you can find all the products on your WooCommerce store. After that, go ahead and click on a [product you want to hide](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)") from appearing in search results. ![click on a product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-a-product.png "click on a product - SearchWP")Next, you will see the product editor in WooCommerce. Go ahead and tick the **Exclude from SearchWP** checkbox under the Publish metabox. ![Enable exclude from SearchWP option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-exclude-from-searchwp-option-1030x549.png "Enable exclude from SearchWP option - SearchWP")Once done, press the **Update** button to save the changes. That’s it. This product will no longer appear in the search results on your site. Now, let’s take a look at the second way of excluding products with SearchWP where you can automatically exclude products by attributes, tags, or anything else. #### Method 2: Automatically Exclude Products by Specific Taxonomy To get started, you will need to go to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and customize the search engine. You can think of a search engine as a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. By adding or removing these rules, you can fully customize [how search works](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") on your site. For example, you can specify where it should search, what attributes to consider, and many more. To exclude products by a certain attribute, [tag](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-wordpress-posts-by-tags-only/ "How to Search WordPress Posts by Tags Only (Newbie-Friendly)"), category, or anything else, you’ll need to add an appropriate rule. But before that, we should add WooCommerce products as a search source to our search engine. So, go ahead and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")A new window will open, where you’ll see the sources used by the search engine. After that, you need to tick the box next to the **Products** source and press **Done** when you’re finished. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")Now your WordPress site will consider WooCommerce products while performing a search. The next step is to add a rule specifying which products you want to hide from displaying in search results. To do that, you can scroll down to the **Products** section and press the **Edit Rules** button. ![Edit product rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-product-rules-1030x443.png "Edit product rules - SearchWP")A new window will now open where you’ll need to add new rules. At first, there will be no rules. You can go ahead and click **Add Rule** to add the first rule. ![Add new rule for products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-rule-for-products-1030x383.png "Add new rule for products - SearchWP")On the next screen, you can set the rule to exclude WooCommerce products. First, you will need to choose the **Exclude entries if:** option from the top-left dropdown menu. ![Choose exclude from option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-exclude-from-option-1030x516.png "Choose exclude from option - SearchWP")After that, click on the **Taxonomy** field and choose a particular taxonomy by which you want to exclude products. Taxonomy is a common attribute of a group of products. It might be a product type, category, tag, or something else. ![Select product tags to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-tags-to-exclude-1030x571.png "Select product tags to exclude - SearchWP")For example, let’s say that we want to automatically exclude from search all products with the **Special deal** tag. To do that, you can select the **Product tags** taxonomy from the dropdown menu and then enter **Special deal** into the field next to it. Here is how it looks on our test site: ![Enter product tags to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-product-tags-to-exclude-1030x503.png "Enter product tags to exclude - SearchWP")You can also exclude products based on categories, color, size, [shipping class](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/ "How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)"), and more by setting up different rules. When you finish editing the rules, click **Done** to save them. After that, you can press the **Save** button at the top right to save all the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. Now all products with a **Special deal** tag will no longer appear in search results on your site. The final step is to try out your new search. ### Step 5: Test Your New Search To do that, simply visit your website and head to the search form on your WooCommerce store. For the purposes of this tutorial, we uploaded the **Daily moisture lotion** product to our store and added a **Special deal** tag to it. Let’s try to search for it and see if it shows up in the search results or not. ![press Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Find-Results-2.png "press Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, there are no results for the **Daily moisture lotion**. It means that the rule we added to our search engine to exclude products with the **Special deal** tag from the search works correctly. ![no results found](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/no-results-found-1.png "no results found - SearchWP")### FAQs About Excluding Products from WooCommerce Search Here are some common questions people have about excluding products from search in WooCommerce. **1. How do I hide specific products from WooCommerce search results?** You can hide specific products from search results using a plugin like SearchWP. After installing the plugin and the Exclude UI extension, you can simply check the ‘Exclude from SearchWP’ box in the product editor to remove it from search. **2. Can I automatically exclude products based on tags or categories?** Yes, with SearchWP you can set up rules to automatically exclude products from search based on taxonomies like product tags, categories, or even custom attributes. This is ideal for seasonal items, special deals, or limited-access products. **3. Will excluded products still appear in my store or category pages?** Yes, excluding products from search results only affects the internal search function. The products will still be visible on other parts of your store (like category pages or direct URLs) unless you take additional steps to hide them elsewhere. **4. Can I reverse the exclusion and make products searchable again?** Yes, you can easily make excluded products searchable again. Simply uncheck the “Exclude from SearchWP” option in the product editor or remove the exclusion rule from your SearchWP algorithm settings. We hope this article helped you learn how to exclude product from search in WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guides on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [how to search by SKU in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). If you’re ready to start easily exclude WooCommerce products from search on your site, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** exclude a WooCommerce product from search, exclude a WooCommerce products from search results, exclude product from search in WooCommerce, how to exclude a product from search in WooCommerce, how to exclude product from search in WooCommerce --- ### [How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/) **Published:** June 12, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Did you know that the default WordPress search doesn’t allow your customers to search product attributes? WordPress’s built-in search treats your WooCommerce store like a blog, looking only at post titles and content. So, if you have product details like color, size, brand, material, and more, then WordPress will ignore these details. But with the right plugin, like SearchWP, you can include product details and enhance the search process of your eCommerce store. In this article, we’ll show you how to make your WordPress site consider product attributes when performing a search. ## Why Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes To begin with, let’s clarify what product attributes are. Product attributes are any additional information you specify about your product. It might be its color, size, weight, price, or anything else. Making this info searchable is crucial, as it helps customers to find products they’re looking for faster. For example, let’s say you’re the owner of an online clothing store. Typically, the names of products in a clothing store contain only its type and brand, such as Adidas Full-Zip hoodie. But what if a customer’s looking for a hoodie in a particular color? You could’ve specified the color in the product attributes, but WordPress doesn’t consider this data when performing a search. ![specify the product's color](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/specify-the-products-color.png "specify the product's color - SearchWP")So, your customers have no choice but to manually browse your store to find the desired product. It’s tedious and boring, so it’s much easier for them to leave your site and make a purchase somewhere else. That’s why it’s so important to make the product attributes in your [WooCommerce store searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") if you want to succeed online. Additionally, customers who have had a positive user experience on your site are more likely to return once again. Building a loyal customer base is essential, as it allows you to maintain a stable flow of orders. Now that we know why to make WordPress consider product attributes while searching, let’s see how you can do that. ### How to Make WooCommerce Product Attributes Searchable The easiest way to make WooCommerce product attributes searchable on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP.](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best WooCommerce search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/ "7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)") that brings tons of useful features. Plus, it has seamless WooCommerce integration. With SearchWP, you can hide or prioritize specific products in search results, [add a search form to your shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"), and much more. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners already use it to give their visitors more relevant search results. In addition to making WordPress consider product attributes, you can also use SearchWP to: - [**Track searches on your site:**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") Would you like to find out what customers were searching for in your store? SearchWP collects data about search activity on your site so that you can get useful information on your customers’ needs. - [**Enable fuzzy search feature**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to improve your customers’ search experience even further? Turn on the partial match feature in SearchWP settings so that your visitors can find the right product even if they make a typo in its name. - [**Make PDF files searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Do you upload any PDFs to your site, such as user manuals or product installation guides? With SearchWP, you can make the text in them searchable so that your visitors can find them more easily. - [**Restrict search to products only**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only"): Want to exclude unnecessary pages such as “About us” and so on from search results on your site? With SearchWP, you can do that in a few clicks so that nothing distracts your customers from shopping. Now let’s take a look at how you can add a search by WooCommerce product attributes to your site using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Next, you can log into your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, click **Download SearchWP** to begin downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After downloading, you can also copy your license key in the same tab. You’ll need to activate the plugin further. The next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site. If you need help with this, then check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After you’ve set up SearchWP, the next step is to install the WooCommerce Integration extension. ### Step 2: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Integration Extension This extension ensures the seamless integration of SearchWP with WooCommerce and helps customers to find different products on your site with ease. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. Then head to WooCommerce Integration and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to start customizing your search engine to make it consider WooCommerce product attributes. ### Step 3: Customize Your Search Engine SearchWP allows you to create an unlimited number of search engines and link them to specific search forms. With this feature, you can add separate, fully customized search forms to any place on your site. Besides that, you can also edit the default search engines settings to customize how the search works across your entire WooCommerce store. For example, you can add new search sources, [exclude certain content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)") from search results, and more. To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. Here you’ll find the list of search engines created by SearchWP. By default, there is only the **Default** search engine, which is associated with every existing search form on your site. For this tutorial, we want to allow visitors to search for [WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)") by the attributes using any search form on our site. That’s why we’ll customize the **Default** search engine. The first step is to add WooCommerce products as a search source. To do so, simply press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you’ll see different sources that the default engine will use. Go ahead and tick the checkbox next to the **Products** search source to make it active. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, press **Done** to save the changes. The next step is to make the product attributes searchable. To get started, scroll down to the **Products** section and press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new window popup. Here, you can add attributes stored as custom fields or taxonomies (categories and tags). First, click on the ‘Custom Fields’ field and choose the **Any Meta Key** option. ![Choose product any meta option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-product-any-meta-option-1030x502.png "Choose product any meta option - SearchWP")This will automatically make all the custom fields on your site searchable so that you don’t have to enter the name of each of them manually. Since WooCommerce stores product attributes exactly as [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"), by adding this shortcut, you’ll make them searchable too. Besides that, you can also include product categories, tags, type, shipping classes, and more in the search process. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and press **Done**. Then scroll back to the top and click **Save** to apply all the changes you’ve made to the Default search engine. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. Now, your customers can search for products by their attributes. The final step is to test your new search engine. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search by Product Attributes To get started, simply visit your site and try entering a product attribute in the search form. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ve added the **Men’s Casual Pullover Hoodie** product, which has the **black** color as an attribute. Let’s see if we can find this product by searching for **black**. ![click Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, we found the product, even though it doesn’t have the word **black** in its title or description. It means that our test site now considers WooCommerce product attributes when performing a search. ![we found the product by its attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-product-by-its-attributes.png "we found the product by its attributes - SearchWP")### Bonus: Search in Category in WooCommerce Offering customers the ability to search for products exclusively within a specific category on your WooCommerce store can significantly refine their shopping experience. When a user is already browsing a particular category, a site-wide search can introduce irrelevant results, causing frustration and potentially leading them away from their intended purchase. By providing a category-specific search option, you help them quickly narrow down their choices and find exactly what they’re looking for within that focused area of your inventory. With SearchWP, you can create custom rules and limit the search to specific WooCommerce categories. ![Select your category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-category-1030x500.png "Select your category - SearchWP")The best part is that SearchWP lets you create unlimited search engines, which can be linked to different search forms. This allows you to create separate forms for your online store. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to search in category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). We hope this article helped you learn how to search by WooCommerce product attributes. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") and [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)"). If you’re ready to enable search by WooCommerce product attributes on your site, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, how to search by WooCommerce product attributes, how to search by WooCommerce product attributes in WordPress, how to search by WooCommerce product attributes on your site, make WooCommerce product attributes searchable, search by WooCommerce product attributes, SearchWP, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form --- ### [How to Exclude Documents from Search Results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-documents-from-search-results-in-wordpress/) **Published:** June 10, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Managing document search results in WordPress can be tricky, especially when you have sensitive files or internal documents that shouldn’t appear in public searches. After managing multiple WordPress sites with thousands of documents, we learned that having control over what appears in search results is crucial for maintaining site security and user experience. For instance, if every single PDF, document, and media file started showing up in search results, then this isn’t ideal. Especially when some documents are meant for specific team members or contained information that wasn’t ready for public viewing. In this article, we’ll show you how to exclude documents from search results in WordPress. ### Why Exclude Documents from WordPress Search Results Tailoring your WordPress site’s search by excluding certain documents can significantly enhance user experience and relevance. Many website owners may want to remove items like outdated files, internal administrative documents, or irrelevant file types, such as zip archives or design mockups, from the search results. This declutters the search experience, guiding visitors more efficiently towards key content like [blog posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"), product pages, or publicly available PDFs, rather than irrelevant documentation. Besides, excluding documents is often crucial for maintaining privacy and security. Sensitive internal materials, draft policies, or member-only content, even if accessible via direct link, shouldn’t necessarily be discoverable through a general site search. Similarly, if you have dedicated document libraries or specialized search portals (like a [knowledge base](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-the-knowledge-base-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make The Knowledge Base Searchable In WordPress")), excluding those documents from the main site search can prevent duplicate work and direct users appropriately. Ultimately, selectively excluding documents isn’t about hiding information, but about curating a more effective and user-friendly search. That said, let’s look at how you can prevent certain documents from appearing in WordPress search. ### Excluding Documents from Search Results in WordPress The easiest way to include documents and filter which files to show in the search results is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)The default WordPress search is able to find [PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and other documents in your media library. However, its search capabilities are quite limited and won’t show relevant results. The [native search](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") also doesn’t give you the option to customize which documents should appear in the search results. This is where SearchWP helps you out. It is a powerful WordPress search plugin designed to dramatically improve your website’s native search capabilities. Unlike the often limited default WordPress search, SearchWP allows you to make more of your site’s content searchable, including PDF content, custom fields, [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), categories, tags, and more. It gives you control over the search algorithm, enabling you to define relevance and customize what users find, ultimately leading to a better user experience. With that, let’s look at the steps for excluding certain documents from the search process. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to [visit the SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Sign Up for a SearchWP Account") and create a new account. Next, you can go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. Once there, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to log into your WordPress admin dashboard to upload and set up the plugin. If you need some help doing this, then check out this detailed guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once SearchWP is ready to use, you can now customize the search engine to exclude documents. ### Step 2: Customize Engine to Exclude Documents from Search Results To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can customize the default WordPress search or create new search engines for your site. Think of setting up a search engine like adding a mini Google search algorithm to your site. It allows you to control how SearchWP will look for search results. First, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button at the top and see which sources the default engine is using. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a small window will open, where you can edit the sources for the native search engine. Just make sure that **Media** is selected as a source. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and click the **Done** button. After that, you can scroll down to the Media source section and then add a rule to exclude specific documents. To start, simply click the **Edit Rule** option. ![Edit media rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-media-rules-1030x456.png "Edit media rules - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you can define rules for the search engine. At first, there won’t be any rules. So, go ahead and click the **Add Rule** button. ![Add rule for media](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-rule-for-media-1030x378.png "Add rule for media - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will need to click the dropdown menu at the top. From here, simply choose the ‘Exclude entries if’ option. ![Select exclude from option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-exclude-from-option-1030x505.png "Select exclude from option - SearchWP")Next, SearchWP gives multiple options to exclude content from the search process. For instance, you can exclude documents based on file type, file name, publish date, or ID. ![Choose how to exclude documents from search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-how-to-exclude-documents-1030x477.png "Choose how to exclude documents - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we’ll exclude documents based on ‘Filename’. After that, we’ll enter the title of the document. ![Enter name of file to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-of-file-to-exclude-1030x481.png "Enter name of file to exclude - SearchWP")You can use the same option or use another one to exclude documents from WordPress search. For example, if you don’t want anyone to find PDFs on your website, then you can simply choose the ‘File Type’ option and select the PDFs option. When you’ve added the rule, simple click the **Done** button. Now, you can simply scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store changes to the search engine. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Step 3: Test Your New Search Engine for Excluded Documents Now that you’ve set up the search engine to search specific documents, the next step is to test it on your site. To do this, simply visit your site and enter the name of the document in the [search bar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") that you don’t want users to find. For example, if we search for the ‘Internal Team Training’ document on our demo site, the result doesn’t pick up anything. ![No search result for document](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/no-search-result-for-document-1030x475.png "No search result for document - SearchWP")This shows that the search is working correctly, and it filters the document you don’t want people to find on your site. ### Bonus: Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content Did you know that you can use search operators or Boolean search to filter search results in WordPress? Boolean search is a powerful technique that can significantly refine search results on your WordPress site. It goes beyond simple keyword matching by using operators to create more precise search queries. While common operators include “AND” to find results containing all specified terms and “OR” to find results containing either term, the “NOT” operator is particularly useful for filtering out irrelevant content and [enhancing the search experience](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)"). SearchWP offers a Boolean Search extension that users can use to exclude keywords from search results using the **NOT** or **–** operators. For example, they can search for “cats -dogs” and the search would return results including “cats” but not “dogs”. ![Search your site using operators](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-your-site-using-operators-1030x340.png "Search your site using operators - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our detailed guide on [how to use boolean search to exclude content from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-boolean-search-to-exclude-content-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content from WordPress Search"). We hope this article helped you learn how to exclude documents from search results in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how you can exclude any product from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Exclude Product from Search in WooCommerce") and [how to exclude pages or posts from site search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** documents, exclude a custom post type from wordpress search, exclude documents from search, searchable documents, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Hide Category from Search in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-category-from-search-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** June 5, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Managing search results in your WooCommerce store can be tricky, especially when product categories keep showing up where they shouldn’t. Product categories are great for organizing your store, but they can clutter up search results and confuse your customers. By hiding certain categories, you can avoid cluttering search results, making it easier to navigate your online store. In this article, we’ll show you the easiest way to exclude specific WooCommerce categories from search results on your site. ### Why Hide Categories from Search in WooCommerce There are lots of reasons why you might want to hide some WooCommerce product categories from the search results on your site. By hiding categories from search in WooCommerce, you can: - **Make it easier to browse your store** – The easier it is for your customers to find a product they’re looking for, the more profit you’ll make. - **Manage products more effectively** – It’s convenient to have a specific category where you can store products that you don’t want to appear in search results. - **Restrict access to limited offers** – If you have a category with limited offers for certain customers, it’s better to exclude it from public search results. Once we’ve figured that out, let’s take a look at how you can hide specific WooCommerce categories from being displayed. ### Hide a WooCommerce Category from Search on Your Site The easiest and fastest way to hide a WooCommerce category from search results on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), and it gives you complete control over how search works on your WordPress site. With it, you can select which categories you want to appear in search, prioritize specific search results, create custom search forms, and much more. Over 50,000 eCommerce WordPress site owners already use it to give their customers more relevant search results and boost their sales. SearchWP also improves your site search by helping you: - **Enable search by product attributes**: Want your customers to search for products by their features, such as color, size, price, and others? With SearchWP, you can make WordPress consider product attributes when searching with just a few clicks. - [**Add a search form to your shop page**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"): Want to effortlessly increase your profit and make it easier for customers to browse your store? One of the best ways to do that is to add a search form to your shop page with SearchWP. - [**Track on-site search activity**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Wondering what your customers search for on your site? SearchWP gathers all the search data and gives you useful insights into your customers’ needs. - [**Show search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to show search results in your store in Amazon style? With SearchWP, you can add live autocomplete search to your store, making it faster for your customers to find what they’re looking for. Now let’s take a look at how to exclude particular categories from your site’s search results using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to visit the website and [signup for a SearchWP account](https://searchwp.com/buy/). After that, you can go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, go ahead and press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. Once the download begins, copy the SearchWP license key on the same tab. You’ll need it later to activate the plugin. After you’ve finished downloading, the next step is to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need a refresher on how to do that, please check this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Next, you will see the SearchWP setup wizard. Simply click the **Start Onboarding Wizard** button and follow the on-screen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")The next step is to install the WooCommerce extension on your site. ### Step 2: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Extension This extension ensures seamless integration of WooCommerce and SearchWP, allowing you to get full control over search in your store. To start, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. From here, simply go to WooCommerce Integration and click the ‘Install’ button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Once you’ve installed and activated the WooCommerce Integration extension, the next step is to customize your search engine. ### Step 3: Customize Your Search Engine By setting up a search engine, you can specify the way WordPress should carry out searches on your site. For instance, you can add or remove search sources, limit search to certain types of content, adjust the weight of relevance attributes and much more. To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. You will see that there will be only one search engine called **Default**. By editing its settings, you can customize how the search works across your site. To hide a specific WooCommerce category from search, you first need to add WooCommerce products as a search source. To do so, press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you will see the sources used by the default WordPress search. You’ll need to ensure that the checkbox next to the **Products** source is selected. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. After that, there will appear a new **Products** search source. It means that WordPress now considers WooCommerce products when searching. The next step is to add a rule that will exclude certain WooCommerce categories from search results. To do so, press the **Edit rules** button within the Products source section. ![Product category rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/product-category-rules-1030x413.png "Product category rules - SearchWP")Here you can find the rules that apply to the **Products** search source. ![Edit rules of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-of-products-1-1030x383.png "Edit rules of products - SearchWP")First, you’ll see that there will be no rules by default, so let’s add the first one. To do that, you can click the **Add Rule** button. ![Edit rules of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-of-products-1-1030x383.png "Edit rules of products - SearchWP")Since you want to exclude WooCommerce categories from search, first, choose the **Exclude entries if** option from the dropdown menu. Once done, you’ll need to choose **Taxonomy** and then select the **Product categories** you want to exclude from the drop-down menu. ![WooCommerce category to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-woocommerce-category-to-exclude-1030x443.png "WooCommerce category to exclude - SearchWP")After that, enter the name of a WooCommerce category you’d like to exclude from the search to the very right field. Click **Done** to save your changes when you’re finished adding categories you want to exclude. Next, you can go to the top of the page and press the **Save** button to apply all the edits you made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it! You’ve successfully excluded a WooCommerce category from search results on your eCommerce website. The final step is to test your new search. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search To do that, simply visit your WooCommerce store. For the purposes of this tutorial, we excluded the WooCommerce **Hats** category from the search results on our test site. To check if the exclusion rules have been applied correctly, we’ll search for the **Green hat** product, which is placed in the **Hats** category. ![search for a product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-a-product.png "search for a product - SearchWP")As you can see, no results were found. It means that we’ve successfully excluded the **Hats** category from the search results. ![no results were found](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/no-results-were-found.png "no results were found - SearchWP")We hope this article helped you learn how to hide a category from search in WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)") and [how to customize your WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"). If you’re ready to get full control over the search on your site and easily exclude any categories with a few clicks, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** hide a category from search in WooCommerce, hide category from search in WooCommerce, how to hide a category from search in WooCommerce, how to hide a WooCommerce category from search results, how to hide category from search in WooCommerce, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form --- ### [How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/) **Published:** June 3, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** For WooCommerce store owners looking to improve product discovery, reduce bounce rates, and ultimately boost sales, having a powerful search function is critical. A smart search is essential if you want your customers to easily find what they’re looking for, especially if you have thousands of products. That’s because many online shoppers will quickly abandon your online store if they cannot find their desired products. But with the right plugin, you can boost the search experience on your WooCommerce store. In this article, we’ll show you the best way to make a smart WooCommerce product search without writing any code. ### What is a “Smart” Product Search in WooCommerce? It’s hard to call the default WordPress search engine a smart one, as it has a lot of weak points. To begin with, it doesn’t reliably or extensively search for WooCommerce product attributes. The thing is that WooCommerce stores products and their attributes as posts and [custom post fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), respectively. But the native [WordPress search engine](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/ "How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)") is not good at including additional information stored in custom fields while performing a search. So making them searchable is essential if you want to provide your customers with the most relevant search results. Besides that, the default search also lacks many basic features when it comes to search. For example, you can’t change the search results order, keyword stemming, [using synonyms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search"), show live searches, and more. As a WooCommerce store owner, your income directly depends on your visitors’ ability to find the products they’re looking for. That’s why it’s essential to ensure that this process is as straightforward as possible. Now, let’s take a look at how you can add a smart product search to your WooCommerce site. ### How to Make a Smart WooCommerce Product Search The easiest way to make a smart WooCommerce product search in your store is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)As the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), SearchWP gives you full control over your site search. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners already use it to deliver better search results to their visitors. Using this plugin, you can boost product discoverability and increase the number of sales. Here are other things you can do with SearchWP: - [**On-site search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Would you like to look at what your customers are searching for on your site? SearchWP tracks your visitors’ searches and allows you to view them directly in your WordPress dashboard. - [**Exclude pages from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Are there any unwanted pages in the current search results on your site? SearchWP allows you to hide them in just a few clicks. - [**Prioritize specific search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Launching a new product and want as many people as possible to notice it? Put it at the top of your store’s search results with SearchWP. - [**Enable fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Do you want customers to find the right product even if they make a typo? Simply turn on fuzzy search in the SearchWP settings. Now, let’s take a look at how to add a smart WooCommerce search to your online store using SearchWP. The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!") by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. Once done, you can go to the **Downloads** tab in your SearchWP account dashboard. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After you get there, simply press the **Download SearchWP** button to save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. Then, copy the license key at the same tab, as you’ll need it soon to activate SearchWP. Once the download is finished, the next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin ZIP file to your site. If you need help, then please see this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and the setup wizard. You can click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After you’ve installed and activated SearchWP, it’s time to install the WooCommerce Integration extension. This extension ensures seamless integration of SearchWP and WooCommerce, allowing you to easily customize how search works in your store. First, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. From here, simply navigate to ‘WooCommerce Integration’ and click the **Install** button. ![Installing the WooCommerce Integration extension for SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-woocommerce-extension-1030x464.jpg "installing-woocommerce-extension - SearchWP")Once you’ve installed the WooCommerce extension, you’re ready to start making smart WooCommerce product search on your site. ### How to Add a Custom WooCommerce Search Widget Would you like to add a custom WooCommerce search widget to your site? It’ll help your visitors find the products they’re looking for faster. For example, you can limit this widget to search only for [specific product categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)"). Or make it consider specific product tags, like refurbished or bestseller. Using SearchWP, you can easily create and add a custom WooCommerce search widget to your store. ![press search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-search.png "press search - SearchWP")The first step is to customize the default search engine and include WooCommerce products as a source. To get started, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard. Then, press the **Source & Settings** button to select new sources. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see the sources that the default engine uses. These include posts, pages, and media. Make sure to select ‘Products’ as a source and then click the **Done** button. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Now, you can scroll to the top and click the Save button to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")After that, you can add a WooCommerce widget to your site’s widget area. To start, simply go to **Appearance » Widgets** from the admin panel and click the + sign. From here, simply add the ‘Product Search’ widget block. ![Select product search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-search-widget-1030x653.png "Select product search widget - SearchWP")For more details, follow our step-by-step guide on [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)"). ### How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page Do you want to add a WooCommerce search form to your shop page? That’s a great way to boost your sales and allow visitors to navigate your store faster. ![add a search bar to the shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-search-bar-to-the-shop-page.png "add a search bar to the shop page - SearchWP")Using SearchWP, you can add a fully featured WooCommerce search form to your shop page within a few simple steps. For more details, see our guide on [how to add a WooCommerce search form to your shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"). ### How to Search By WooCommerce Product Attributes Would you like to make your WordPress site search by WooCommerce product attributes? Product attributes include features such as product size, color, price, and other details you would like to add. With SearchWP, you can easily include categories, tags, custom fields, and other attributes in the search process. Simply scroll down to the ‘Products’ source and click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a new window with attributes like title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. You can then add custom fields like product color or model and taxonomies ([tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search by Product Tags in WooCommerce (Fastest Way)"), categories, shipping classes) to include in the search process. ![How to Add WooCommerce Product Search Widget: customize attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-product-attribute-1030x567.jpg "customizing product attribute - SearchWP")When you finish, don’t forget to click the **Save** button at the top right once again to save your changes. That’s it. Now, your WordPress site supports search by WooCommerce product attributes. To learn more, you may want to see our guide on [how to search eCommerce product details in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"). ### How to Search in WooCommerce Category Would you like to let your customers search by a specific category? That’s super convenient and allows them to find products much faster. Using SearchWP, you can easily limit specific search forms to search by specific categories or create a category select search form. This way, you can provide your customers with more relevant search results and boost your sales. ![Select your category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-category-1030x500.png "Select your category - SearchWP")For more details, see our detailed tutorial on [how to search in WooCommerce category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). ### How to Add Fuzzy Search to Your Website Do you want to make it even easier for your customers to find a product they’re looking for? You can do that by enabling fuzzy search in SearchWP. This feature allows you to make WordPress search for partial matches. It ensures that your customers can find a product they’re looking for even if they make a typo in its name. For example, if while searching for marshmallows they misspell it as “marshmellows”, they still will find this sweet product. Using SearchWP, you can enable fuzzy search just by selecting a single checkbox. ![Enable partial matches and closest match](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-matches-and-closest-match-1030x573.png "Enable partial matches and closest match - SearchWP")For more details, see our step-by-step tutorial on [how to add fuzzy search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). ### How to Prioritize Specific Products in Search Results Would you like to bring some of your products to the top of the search results on your site? This is a great way to promote new products and increase the number of sales. With SearchWP, you can prioritize specific products in the search results for certain search terms within minutes using the Custom Results Order extension. ![Configure Custom Results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")For more details, check out our detailed guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). ### How to Exclude Specific Product from Search Results Are there some products or pages you’d like to remove from search results on your site? This helps you avoid cluttering search results and gives your customers more relevant matches. SearchWP allows you to exclude any pages, posts, or WooCommerce products from search results with just a few clicks. Using the Exclude UI extension, you will see an option inside the WordPress block editor. Simply enable the option and SearchWP will exclude it from the search process. ![Check exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post-1030x984.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")For more details, follow our guide on [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). We hope this article helped you learn how to make a smart WooCommerce product search. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search by SKU in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)") and [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"). If you’re ready to add a smart WooCommerce product search to your site, then you can [get started with SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a smart WooCommerce product search, how to add a smart WooCommerce product search, how to make a smart WooCommerce product search, make a smart WooCommerce product search, make a smart WooCommerce product search on your site, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Display Excerpts on the WordPress Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-excerpts-on-the-wordpress-search-results-page/) **Published:** May 29, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Every website owner knows the frustration of a basic WordPress search that has limited capabilities and lack of control when it comes to showing search results. To enhance the search experience, adding excerpts to WordPress search results transforms how users interact with your site’s search function. Instead of seeing just titles and a few lines from the introduction, visitors get preview text that helps them decide if a result matches what they’re looking for. In this article, we’ll show you how to display excerpts on the WordPress search results page. ### Why Add Excerpts to WordPress Search Results? Depending on your website theme, the default WordPress search shows the first few lines of your content in the search results. This means that even if someone searches for a term that appears in the middle of your post, they’ll only see the beginning text that might not include key information they’re looking for. Search results with excerpts give users a preview of the content before they click. This saves them time and helps them make better decisions about which results to explore. Think of search excerpts like movie trailers. Just as a good trailer shows the most relevant scenes to attract viewers, a good search excerpt should show the most relevant parts of your content that match what people are searching for. Adding excerpts to search results also helps prevent the frustrating experience of clicking back and forth between results. Users can scan the excerpts to find exactly what they need without loading multiple pages. That said, let’s look at how you can easily show excerpts on the search results page on your site. ### Adding Excerpts to WordPress Search Results Page One of the ways to display excerpts below search results is by customizing your WordPress website theme. However, this method can be tricky for users, as it may involve hiring a developer. An easier way to show excerpts for each search result is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that is beginner-friendly to use and helps transform the default WordPress search. SearchWP comes with pre-built templates for search results page. You can customize it to show descriptions for your products or excerpts for blog posts, and more. The plugin also lets you connect the results page with custom search forms, so you get complete control on how search works on your site. Another benefit of using SearchWP is that you can include custom fields, categories, tags, [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), documents, PDFs, and other additional information in the search process. With that, let’s look at how you can display excerpts in search results. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP Plugin First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. Once done, simply navigate to your SearchWP account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After that, you should also copy your license key, as you’ll need it further to activate the plugin. When you finish downloading, the next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need help with this, then check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step guide. Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the steps in the wizard. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now that SearchWP is set up on your site, the next step is to create a results page template. ### Step 2: Customize the Results Page Template To start, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Templates** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can edit the [default results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)") that will appear on your website or create a new one by clicking the ‘Add New’ button. ![Edit templates page in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-templates-page-in-searchwp-1030x494.png "Edit templates page in SearchWP - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we’ll go ahead and add a new results page template. Next, you can start by editing the name at the top and then choosing a layout theme for your results page. ![Choose a search results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-search-results-template-1030x506.png "Choose a search results template - SearchWP")SearchWP offers 6 pre-built themes, each with different layouts. You can pick a minimal theme with title and excerpt or one that shows the featured image. The best part is that you also get to see a preview of the page, so you can easily select the layout that you like. ![View preview of results page template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-preview-of-results-page-template-1030x633.png "View preview of results page template - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section and further customize your search results page. When you change the layout style, ensure that the Description option is enabled to show excerpts. Besides that, you can also edit the title style, change the button style, and more. ![Change custom styling options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-custom-styling-options-1030x646.png "Change custom styling options - SearchWP")When you’re done customizing the theme, scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store your changes. From here, you’ll need to click the **Embed** button. ![Save and embed your results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-embed-your-results-page-1030x506.png "Save and embed your results page - SearchWP")After that, you should see a popup window open. Here, you will need to choose how to embed the results template (Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code) and where you’d like to embed it. For instance, we’ll select the ‘Gutenberg Block’ option and embed it by creating a new page. ![Choose how to embed results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-how-to-embed-results-page-1030x490.png "Choose how to embed results page - SearchWP")Next, you will need to enter a name for the new page. Once that’s done, simply click the **Let’s Go** button. ![Enter name for new results template page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-results-template-page-1030x492.png "Enter name for new results template page - SearchWP")After that, you will view the results template in the content editor. Do note that you won’t see the search results preview right away. You’ll first need to connect it to a search form. ![See preview and publish page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/see-preview-and-publish-page-1030x466.png "See preview and publish page - SearchWP")Go ahead and **Publish** your page. ### Step 3: Point a Search Form to Results Template Page The next step is to make sure your search form points to the new search results page you just created. The best part about using SearchWP is that you can create unlimited search forms, connect them to custom search engines, and point them to a custom search results page. To start, simply head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** page from the admin panel. Here, you can select an existing search form or add a new one. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll need to select the layout theme for your [search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-search-form-for-custom-post-types/ "How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types"). SearchWP offers pre-built templates, which you can easily customize. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the Custom Styling section. Here, make sure to set the Results Page to SearchWP, **Target Page** to the results page you created earlier (Excerpt Results Page in our example), and **Template** to the results template you added in the previous step. ![Change template and results page options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-template-and-results-page-options-2-1030x597.png "Change template and results page options - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the Save button at the top. From here, you can go ahead and embed the form on your website. ![Save and embed category form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-embed-category-form-1030x489.png "Save and embed category form - SearchWP")If you want to learn more, then please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). ### Step 4: Test and See if Excerpts Appear on Search Results Page Once you’ve added the new search form to your site, the next thing to do is test if it is working correctly. To do that, simply visit your website and search for a blog post that has an excerpt. **Note:** If you’re not sure where to add an excerpt in the content, then you may want to see this guide on [how to easily add post excerpts to your WordPress theme](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-themes/how-to-display-post-excerpts-in-wordpress-themes/ "How to Display Post Excerpts in WordPress Themes"). For example, when we search for a blog post that had an excerpt using the search form on our test site, the results page showed the title of the post along with the excerpt under it. ![Search for posts with excerpt](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-posts-with-excerpt-1030x418.png "Search for posts with excerpt - SearchWP")That it! You’ve now successfully added excerpts on the search results page. We hope this article helped you learn how to display excerpts on the WordPress search results page. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix custom post type search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-custom-post-type-search-not-working-in-wordpress/ "How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress") and [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress"). If you’re ready to gain full control over how search works on your WordPress site, then you can [get started with SearchWP today.](https://searchwp.com/buy/) **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** change the order of search results in WordPress, customize a WordPress search results page, highlight search terms in WordPress search results, SearchWP, show excerpts on results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search results page --- ### [How to Exclude Category from WordPress Search (3 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/) **Published:** May 27, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Categories can help you organize content on your site, but there are situations when you don’t want users to find specific categories. For instance, you might have sensitive content or want users to only find products from a certain category. Sadly, there is no way to hide categories by default because WordPress search has many limitations. In this article, we’ll show you how to exclude any category from search results on your site in a few clicks. ### Why Exclude Category from WordPress Search There are a couple of possible reasons why you might want to hide some categories or pages from search on your site. To begin with, it helps your visitors to find what they’re looking for faster. Let’s assume you have the news section on your blog. News blends in with regular blog posts in search results, making it harder to find the right content. Let’s say you’re an[ eCommerce WordPress site owner](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads "). You’d prefer to exclude non-product categories from the search so that nothing distracts your customers from shopping. Another reason why you might want to hide certain categories from showing up in search results is sensitive content. Imagine that you have a category with content accessible only to a certain group of visitors. If anyone can find it using a search, it barely makes any sense. Now that we know why it might be beneficial to hide specific categories from search results, let’s look at how you can do that. ### How to Exclude a Category from WordPress Search Results The easiest way to exclude a category from search results on your WordPress site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Trusted by over 50,000 WordPress site owners, SearchWP is a powerful and easy-to-use plugin allows you to fully customize how search works on your site. Specifically, you can use it to exclude or prioritize specific search results, make searchable custom post types, track searches, and many more. SearchWP also improves your site search by helping you: - [**Limit search to only posts**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress"): Would you like to limit the search on your site to only posts? Using SearchWP, you can do that within minutes, no coding needed. - [**Add a search bar to your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)"). Looking for a way to add a search bar to your site without coding? There are 4 different ways to do that in a few easy steps with SearchWP. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). Want to create a fully customized search form that meets your needs? SearchWP allows you to create multiple customized search engines and link them to separate search forms. - [**Enable fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). Do you want WordPress to search for partial matches when there are no full ones? With SearchWP, you can enable this feature just by ticking a checkbox. Now, let’s take a look at how to exclude a category from search on your WordPress site using the SearchWP plugin. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today"). Simply visit the website and create a new account. After that, you’ll need to open your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After completing the download, you can also copy the plugin license key in the bottom left corner on the same tab. You’ll need it further to activate your copy of SearchWP. The next step is to upload the downloaded SearchWP ZIP file to your site. For more details, please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step. Upon activation, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once you’ve activated SearchWP, you’re ready to start setting up your search engine. ### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine To get started, you can go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here you can manage your search engines created with SearchWP. By customizing search engine settings, you can specify how WordPress should perform searches. For example, you can add or remove search sources, adjust attribute, set conditions for showing entries, and much more. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Currently, there is only one search engine called **Default**. WordPress uses it to perform searches across the entire site. It means that any changes you make in its settings will be automatically applied to every search form on your site. SearchWP allows you to create multiple search engines with a different set of rules and link them to specific search forms. You can also edit the sources of the search engine by clicking the ‘Source & Settings’ button. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the **Done** button. Next, you can hide categories from WordPress search by adding rules. For example, let’s say you want to exclude categories from posts. Simply navigate to ‘Posts’ and then click the **Edit Rules** button. ![Edit rules for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-for-search-results-1030x512.png "Edit rules for search results - SearchWP")There are no rules by default, so you’ll need to add the first one. Go ahead and click **Add Rule**. ![Add a new rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-rule--1030x403.png "Add a new rule - SearchWP")Then, choose the **Exclude entries if** option from the top-left drop-down menu. ![Select exclude from entries](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-exclude-from-entries-1030x489.png "Select exclude from entries - SearchWP")Make sure you have the **Categories** taxonomy selected, and enter the names of the categories you want to exclude in the very right field. For example, we’ll exclude the **News** post category on our test site. ![Enter categories to exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-categories-to-exclude-1030x510.png "Enter categories to exclude - SearchWP")When you’re finished adding categories, press **Done** to apply the rule. Then, scroll to the top and click the **Save** button at the top right to save the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully excluded a category from appearing in search results on your site. The final step is to try out your new search engine. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search To do that, simply visit your website and access the search bar. To test how search works on our test site, we’ve added the **New features announcement** post and added it to the **News** category. Let’s try to search for it. ![press Find results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Find-results-1.png "press Find results - SearchWP")As you can see, there is nothing found. It means that posts from the **News** category no longer appear in search results. ![no results found](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/no-results-found.png "no results found - SearchWP")We hope this article helped you learn how to exclude category from WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to track searches on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") and [how to add a search form to your WooCommerce shop page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/ "How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page"). If you’re ready to get complete control over how search works on your site, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** exclude a category from WordPress search, exclude a category from WordPress search results, exclude category from WordPress search, how to exclude a category from WordPress search, how to exclude category from WordPress search, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-custom-post-type-search-not-working-in-wordpress/) **Published:** May 22, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Custom post types help you organize different types of content on your WordPress site, like products, testimonials, or team members. But there’s one frustrating issue: custom post types don’t show up in WordPress search results by default. So you might wonder, how to fix custom post type search not working in WordPress? It can be challenging, as there are a lot of possible reasons why this might be happening. In this article, we’ll show you the most popular reasons why your custom post type may not appear in search results and how to fix them. ### Why Custom Post Type Search Does Not Work? Custom post types are popular among WordPress site owners. Adding them allows you to go beyond standard posts and pages and turn WordPress into a full-fledged content management system. Specifically, you’re free to name a custom post whatever you want and add [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") containing any additional information to it. It allows you to publish recipes, reviews, tutorials, and other types of content. Here is an example of a custom post type: ![an example of a custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/an-example-of-a-custom-post-type.png "an example of a custom post type - SearchWP")But if your visitors can’t search by custom post types, it hardly makes sense to publish them, as they won’t get any views. Below, you’ll find the 3 most common examples of why search by custom post types may not work on your site. #### 1. WordPress Doesn’t Show Custom Post Type in Search Results By default, WordPress will include custom post types in the search results, as long as you’ve not made them hidden using a plugin. However, the default search has many limitations and it often doesn’t show relevant results. So if you try to search for content that’s a custom post type, then chances are that you might get accurate results. To tackle this issue and make your custom post types searchable, you can use a search plugin and improve the default search process. #### 2. You Hid Your Custom Post Type from Search The easiest way to create a custom post type is to use a WordPress plugin. But many plugins have a feature that lets you choose whether you want the custom post type to be visible in search or not. So, if you changed this parameter, then it may be the reason your custom post type doesn’t appear in search results. #### 3. Plugin Compatibility Issue Added a custom post type to your site using a plugin, but it doesn’t appear in search results? The possible reason may be a plugin compatibility issue. When two or more plugins conflict with one another, it can cause problems which would lead to custom post type not appearing in search results. ### How to Fix Custom Post Type Search Not Working in WordPress Now that you know why search by custom post types might not work on your WordPress site, let’s look at possible ways to solve this problem. #### 1. Make WordPress Search by Custom Post Types The easiest way to make WordPress search by custom post types is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). ![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")It is the best [search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and is a comprehensive solution that allows you to get complete control over how search works across your site. Beyond making custom post types searchable, it has tons of useful features. For example, using SearchWP, you can display search results in live mode, add a search bar with a shortcode, and much more. SearchWP boosts your on-site search by helping you: - [**Prioritize specific search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"): Would you like to put a specific page at the top of search results on your site? SearchWP allows you to manually affect the search results order, so you can easily swap them around. - [**Exclude specific pages from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Are there some pages you’d prefer to hide from search? Using SearchWP, you can do that with a few clicks, no coding needed. - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Wondering what search terms visitors enter on your site? SearchWP collects data about search activity on your site so you can understand your audience’s interests better. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Do you want to create a customized search form? With SearchWP, you can fully customize a search form to meet your needs and then add it to any place on your site. Now, let’s look at how to make WordPress consider custom post types when searching with SearchWP. **Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP** To get started, you’ll need to [grab a copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today") by visiting the website and creating a new account. Once done, simply navigate to your SearchWP account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. After that, you can also copy your license key at the bottom left on the same tab. You’ll need it further to activate the plugin. When you finish downloading, the next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin’s ZIP file to your site. If you need help with this, then check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step guide. Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the steps in the wizard. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After you set up SearchWP, the next step is to add your custom post type as a search source. **Step 2: Add Your Custom Post Type as a Search Source** To do that, you can go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress admin panel. By default, there is only one search engine called Default. You can customize the [default engine](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") and change how the search works throughout your site. For example, you can change what types of content WordPress considers when searching, exclude specific categories or pages, and more. As you can see, currently, this search engine performs searches by 3 sources: posts, pages, and media. To make WordPress search by a custom post type, we need to add it as a search source as well. To do that, you can press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see the window where you can choose search sources you want WordPress to take into account while searching. Simply find your custom post type among these sources and tick the box next to it to add it as a search source. For example, on our test site, we added a custom post type called **Tutorials**. ![Select custom post type source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-custom-post-type-source-1030x492.png "Select custom post type source - SearchWP")When you’re finished, go ahead and click the **Done** button. Next, you can press the **Save** button at the top right to store the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully added a custom post type to your site search. The next step is to try out your customized search engine. **Step 3: Test Your New Search** To do that, simply visit your website and search for the custom post type. For example, on our test site, we’ve added the ‘How to install a WordPress plugin’ post as the **Tutorial** custom post type. Let’s search for it and see if it appears in search results. ![press Find Results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Find-Results.png "press Find Results - SearchWP")The search form should show the custom post type. As you can see, it found the post. ![we found the custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-custom-post-type.png "we found the custom post type - SearchWP")This means that the search engine now considers custom post types and searches by them. ### How to Reveal Your Custom Post Type in Search Results Added your custom post type as a search source following the guide above, but it still doesn’t appear in search? If you’ve created a custom post type using a plugin, then there is a good chance you accidentally changed its visibility settings within the plugin. For example, we’ll show you how to check it on the [Custom Post Type UI](https://wordpress.org/plugins/custom-post-type-ui/ "Custom Post Type UI") plugin. First, you’ll need to navigate to **CPT UI » Add/Edit Post Types** in the left panel of your WordPress dashboard. ![press Add Edit Post Types](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Add-Edit-Post-Types.png "press Add Edit Post Types - SearchWP")Here, you will see options to create a new custom post type. Once there, you can switch to the **Edit Post Types** tab. ![go over to the Edit Post Types tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-Edit-Post-Types-tab.png "go over to the Edit Post Types tab - SearchWP")After that, you will need to choose a custom post you want to edit from the dropdown menu at the top left. In this example, we’ll select the **Tutorials** custom post type. ![choose your custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-your-custom-post-type.png "choose your custom post type - SearchWP")Once you’ve selected the desired custom post type, scroll down to the Settings section and navigate to the **Exclude From Search** option. ![make sure you didn't exclude your post from search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-sure-you-didnt-exclude-your-post-from-search.png "make sure you didn't exclude your post from search - SearchWP")Make sure that it’s set to **False**. If not, then simply switch it from **True** to **False** to make the selected custom post type display in search on your site. ### How to Fix the Plugin Compatibility Issue Have you tried all the guides above, but your custom post type is still not showing up in the search results? Another possible reason for that is a plugin conflict. The easiest way to check if it’s the case is to deactivate each plugin in turn until you find the one that’s causing the problem. To get started, go over to the **Plugins** tab in the left panel of your WordPress dashboard. ![go to Plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-Plugins.png "go to Plugins - SearchWP")Then, tick the checkbox next to each installed plugin except SearchWP and the plugin you used to add a custom post type. Once that’s done, you can choose the **Deactivate** option from the **Bulk actions** drop-down menu and press **Apply**. ![deactivate all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deactivate-all-plugins-1.png "deactivate all plugins - SearchWP")After deactivating the plugins, check if the issue with displaying custom post types in search disappeared. If so, you can start activating the plugins gradually one by one. It’ll allow you to find out which one is causing the problem and avoid using it in the future. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix custom post type search not working in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") and [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). If you’re ready to make custom post types searchable on your site and ensure a better search experience for your visitors, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** fix custom post type search isn't working in WordPress, fix custom post type search not working in WordPress, how to fix custom post type search doesn't work in WordPress, how to fix custom post type search isn't working in WordPress, how to fix custom post type search not working in WordPress, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page (5 Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/) **Published:** May 20, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Imagine you having full control of how search results will behave and appear on your WordPress site. You can show certain articles at the top for specific search terms, display live search, and much more. Sadly, the default WordPress search doesn’t allow you to do so. But there is a way to gain complete control over your search results page without writing a single line of code. In this article, we’ll show you how to easily customize your WordPress search results page in just a few clicks. ### Why Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page Customizing your site’s search results page allows you to improve the user experience of your visitors and show them more relevant search results. It’s crucial if you want to drive traffic from search engines and ensure the success of your site in the long run. There are a few ways how you can customize your WordPress search results page: - **Show Search Results in Live Mode**: WordPress shows search results on a new separate page, which isn’t convenient for most visitors. You can display them in live mode so that your visitors can instantly find what they’re looking for. - **Exclude Pages from Search Results**: Are there some pages you don’t want to appear in search results? You can exclude them to avoid cluttering search results and make it easier to find the right matches. - **Prioritize Pages in Search Results**: Do you want to promote specific pages in search results? You can give them a higher priority to make finding them easier for your audience. - **Include Shortcode Results in WordPress Search**: WordPress search ignores shortcodes, making it impossible to find the content they display. You can make shortcodes searchable to solve this issue and enrich your search results. - **Enable Fuzzy Search Feature**: Would you like to help your visitors find the results they want, even if they make a typo? Enable fuzzy search to make WordPress find partial matches. Now, let’s take a look at how you can do all of the above even without being an experienced WordPress user. ### How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page The easiest way to customize your WordPress search results page is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is a flexible and easy-to-use plugin designed to improve WordPress search on your website. After the installation, you’ll get full control over how search works on your site and can easily customize it. Specifically, you can exclude and prioritize pages from search results, display matches in live mode, and many more. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners worldwide already use SearchWP to provide more relevant search results to their audience. Here are other things you can do with SearchWP: - **Make custom data types searchable**: The native WordPress search indexes only the title and content of posts and pages. With SearchWP, you can make searchable custom fields, taxonomies, database tables, and many more. - [**Track s**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/)**[e](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site")**[**arches**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/): SearchWP automatically gathers all data about your site visitors’ search activity. You can use this information to better understand the needs of your audience and cover them. - **Use multiple search engines**: With SearchWP, you can simultaneously use a few search engines with different settings. It allows you to create search forms limited to specific categories, showing your visitors more relevant results. - [**Add search by PDFs and documents**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Using SearchWP, you can make WordPress search by the content within PDF files and office documents. Now, let’s take a look at how to install SearchWP and use it to customize your search results page. The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP") by visiting the website and creating a new account. Once done, simply go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You can also copy the license key, as you’ll need it soon to activate your copy of the plugin. When the download is finished, the next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site. Need a refresher on how to do that? Kindly follow the instructions described in [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step tutorial. Once you install and activate SearchWP, you’ll see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve configured the plugin and are now ready to start customizing your search results page using SearchWP. ### 1. Show Search Results in Live Mode If you want to make your WordPress site show search results in live mode, then the first step is to install the [SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") plugin. Anyone can add live search to their WordPress website using the Live Ajax Search plugin with only a few clicks, no coding knowledge is required. After installing this plugin, all the existing search forms on your site will automatically start displaying search results in live mode. You don’t need to perform any extra steps. Every search box on your site now shows live search results. Here is how it looks on our test WordPress site: ![category choose search field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/category-choose-search-field.gif "category choose search field - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our detailed guide on [how to add live search to WordPress for free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"). ### 2. Exclude Specific Pages from Search Results If you want to exclude specific pages from your site search results, then you can use the [SearchWP Exclude UI](https://searchwp.com/features/exclude-ui/ "Exclude UI Extension") extension. This extension adds an exclude checkbox to the post and page editor, allowing you to hide them from search results with a single click. You can simply install the extension from the WordPress dashboard by heading to **SearchWP » Extensions** and navigate to Exclude UI. ![Install Exclude UI extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-exclude-ui-extension-1030x560.jpg "Install Exclude UI extension - SearchWP")After you install and activate the extension, the next step is to go to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the post or page you want to hide from the search results. Once you’re in the WordPress content editor (block editor), simply check the **Exclude from search** checkbox in the right panel to hide the post or page. ![check the exclude from search checkbox](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-the-exclude-from-search-checkbox.png "check the exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully excluded a post from your WordPress site search results. For more details, see our step-by-step guide on [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). ### 3. Prioritize Specific Pages in Search Results You might also want to prioritize specific search results to improve their visibility or boost conversions. For instance, if you operate an online store, then you can increase sales by making your best-selling product appear first in the search results. Unfortunately, the default WordPress search doesn’t allow you to control the order of search results. However, you can easily control the order of search results by using the [Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/features/custom-results-order/ "Custom Results Order Extension") extension in SearchWP. This extension allows you to choose which posts or pages you want to show at the top of search results for a specific search term. ![Configure Custom Results order](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4-1030x557.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP")For more details, see our guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). ### 4. Include Shortcode Results in WordPress Search Would you like to enrich search results with shortcodes content? It’ll let your visitors search for galleries, tables, and anything else displayed by shortcodes. Here is an example of a gallery that you added using shortcodes, and you want to make it searchable: ![search by galleries](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-by-galleries.png "search by galleries - SearchWP")With SearchWP, you can make WordPress include shortcodes with just a few clicks. Simply enable the **Parse Shortcodes** options in SearchWP settings, and you’re all set. ![Enable parse shortcode](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-shortcode-searchable-932x1030.jpg "Enable parse shortcode - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our tutorial on [how to include shortcode results in WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"). ### 5. Enable Fuzzy Search Feature Would you like to add a fuzzy search feature to your site? When enabled in SearchWP, it makes WordPress find partial matches when search terms yield no results. This feature is super helpful and allows your visitors to find what they’re looking for, even if they’ve made a typo. For example, if they misspell WordPress as “WordtPress,” then they’ll still find posts on the right topic. ![find the right results even if you make a typo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/find-the-right-results-even-if-you-make-a-typo.png "find the right results even if you make a typo - SearchWP")Using SearchWP, you can enable fuzzy search just by ticking a checkbox, no coding needed. For more details, follow the [how to add fuzzy search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites") tutorial. That’s it! By customizing your search results page, you can ensure a better user experience and boost engagement. We hope this article helped you learn how to customize your WordPress search results page. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a search bar in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress ") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress "). If you’re ready to gain full control over how search works on your WordPress site, then you can [get started with SearchWP today.](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today") **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** customize a WordPress search results page, customize your WordPress search results page, how to customize a search results page in WordPress, how to customize a WordPress search results page, how to customize your WordPress search results page --- ### [How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/) **Published:** February 25, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Having a search bar on your WordPress website is a helpful feature that allows visitors to find the content they’re looking for in a few seconds. Unfortunately, not every WordPress theme has a search bar by default. And it might be challenging to figure out how to add it if you’re a beginner. But there are simple ways of showing a search bar on your site. You can simply enable an option in your site’s theme settings, use a widget, or add it using the theme editor. In this article, we’ll show you how to add a search bar to your WordPress website without any code. ### Why Add a Search Bar to Your Website? A search bar not only allows your website visitors to find the content faster. It also brings plenty of hidden advantages that significantly boost your website’s performance. Here are just a few examples of why you need a search bar on your website: - **Boost Conversion Rate:** The easier it is for people to find the product they want on your site, the higher the chances are that they’ll buy from you. - **Increase Content Discoverability:** Creating quality content takes hard work and a lot of time. The search bar allows you to maximize your efforts by helping visitors discover your content with ease. - **Improve User Experience:** If visitors had a great time exploring your website, it makes them return again and again. A loyal audience is valuable, as they want to consume as much of your content as possible. - **Skyrocket SEO:** Rest assured, all of the above won’t escape the attention of Google. By increasing engagement on your site, you encourage users to spend more time on your site. This sends a positive signal to Google and helps boost your keyword rankings. Now that we know the benefits of having a search bar, let’s see how to change the default WordPress search and different ways to add a search bar on your website. You can click the links below to jump ahead to any section: - [Change the Default WordPress Search Settings](#aioseo-change-the-default-wordpress-search-settings) - [Method 1: Add a Search Bar as a Widget](#aioseo-method-1-add-a-search-bar-as-a-widget) - [Method 2: Add a Search Bar Using WordPress Theme Customizer](#aioseo-method-2-add-a-search-bar-using-wordpress-theme-customizer) - [Method 3: Add a Search Bar Using Full Site Editor](#aioseo-method-3-add-a-search-bar-using-full-site-editor) - [Bonus: Add a Modal Search Form to WordPress Menu](#aioseo-bonus-add-a-modal-search-form-to-wordpress-menu) ### Change the Default WordPress Search Settings The native WordPress search is limited and not great for sites that have a lot of content or products. For instance, it doesn’t include important information like tags, categories, custom fields, product details, documentation like PDF files, and more while searching for content. This leads to poor user experience, as your visitors might not be able to find what they are looking for. Besides that, you cannot exclude or prioritize specific pages, as well as customize the order of search results in general. And you also don’t get any search statistics, which can be a great source for generating new content ideas and understanding your audience. The best way to improve the search experience in WordPress is by replacing it with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and helps you create custom search engines, include custom fields, taxonomies, and other essential details in the search process. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Plus, you can also create custom search forms using the pre-made layouts in SearchWP. There are different options for customizations, so you can easily edit the templates to match your brand. The plugin also lets you [make a search bar that searches your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/ "How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site"). For more details, please see our guide on [how to change the default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). Next, let’s look at different methods for adding a search bar in WordPress. ### Method 1: Add a Search Bar as a Widget One of the most popular way of adding the search bar is to add it as a widget. To do that, you only need to drag and drop the appropriate widget to the area where you want it to appear. However, you’ll need to ensure that your WordPress theme supports a widget area. The very first step is to open your WordPress dashboard and navigate to the **Widgets** tab under **Appearance**. ![Go to widgets tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-widgets-tab.jpg "Go to widgets tab - SearchWP")Next, you need to decide where you’d like to show the search bar in the widget area. Simply click the **Plus** button at the top left and find the ‘Search’ widget. ![Find the search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/find-the-search-widget.jpg "Find the search widget - SearchWP")Then drag it to the area you want it to appear on your website. Here is how it should look like: ![Drag and drop the search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/drag-and-drop-the-search-widget.jpg "Drag and drop the search widget - SearchWP")Don’t forget to press the **Update** button at the top right. This will save all your changes, and your search bar will be live on your website. ![press the update button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-update-button.jpg "press the update button - SearchWP")Now we need to make sure that the search bar actually starts displaying in the footer widget area where we added it. As you can see, the search bar works perfectly on our demo site. To provide a more rich experience, we’re also using the [Live Ajax Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin") feature in SearchWP, so users can quickly get relevant search results. ![The search bar works](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-search-bar-works.jpg "The search bar works - SearchWP")### Method 2: Add a Search Bar Using WordPress Theme Customizer Another way of adding a search bar in WordPress is by enabling it in your site’s theme. Some WordPress themes come with a built-in search bar, but it’s not active by default. You will need to open the Theme Customizer and head to the navigation settings to enable it. **Note:** The steps may vary depending on the WordPress theme you’re using. For this tutorial, we used the GeneratePress theme. To get started, you can head to **Appearance » Customize** from the WordPress dashboard. ![Go to customize tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-customize-tab.jpg "Go to customize tab - SearchWP")On the next screen, you should see the WordPress Theme Customizer. From here, you’ll need to go to **Layout » Primary Navigation** from the menu on the left. ![Go to primary navigation](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-primary-navigation-1.jpg "Go to primary navigation - SearchWP")Next, you will see different navigation options for your theme. Go ahead and click the dropdown menu under Navigation Search and select the **Enable** option. ![Enable the navigation search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-the-navigation-search.jpg "Enable the navigation search - SearchWP")When you’re done, don’t forget to press the **Publish** button at the top once done. After that, let’s go ahead and visit our website and check if everything works fine. There should be a magnifying glass icon in the top right corner. ![Magnifying glass icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/magnifying-glass-icon.jpg "Magnifying glass icon - SearchWP")### Method 3: Add a Search Bar Using Full Site Editor If you’re using a block based [WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"), then you can add a search bar using the Full Site Editor (FSE). To start, you’ll need to head to **Appearance » Themes** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Customize’ button. ![WordPress theme customizer](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wordpress-theme-customizer-1030x523.png "WordPress theme customizer - SearchWP")On the next screen, you will see the Full Site Editor. From here, head to **Navigation** from the menu on the left. ![Head to navigation menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/head-to-navigation-menu-1030x476.png "Head to navigation menu - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to click the 3-dots icon to open more options. Then you can click the ‘Edit’ button. ![Edit the navigation menu](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-the-navigation-menu-1030x585.png "Edit the navigation menu - SearchWP")After that, you can click the ‘+’ button to add a new block. Simply navigate to the ‘Search’ block and add it to your navigation. ![Add search widget to FSE](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-widget-to-FSE-1030x510.png "Add search widget to FSE - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply save your changes. After that, you can visit your website to see the search bar in action. ![View search in FSE](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-in-FSE-1030x565.png "View search in FSE - SearchWP")### Bonus: Add a Modal Search Form to WordPress Menu Is the search bar taking up a lot of space on your site, but you still want to offer a search functionality to visitors? The perfect solution is to add a modal search form. It transforms the search experience and declutters your site. When a user clicks on the search option or an icon on your website, a small popup box opens with the search form. The easiest way to add a modal search form to the WordPress navigation menu is by using the [SearchWP Modal Search Form](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-modal-search-form/ "SearchWP Modal Search Form") plugin. It lets you can add a lightweight modal search form next to your menu items in just a few clicks. ![SearchWP modal form preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-modal-form-preview-2.gif "SearchWP modal form preview - SearchWP")A modal search form in the WordPress menu also provides a modern look. It provides a distraction free search experience and fits seamlessly into your site’s theme. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to add a modal search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-modal-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Modal Search Form in WordPress (No Coding)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search bar in WordPress using different ways. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize the search widget in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a search bar in wordpress, how to add a search bar in wordpress, how to add a search bar to a wordpress website, how to add a search bar to wordpress menu, how to add a search bar to wordpress navigation, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [7 Best WooCommerce Search Plugins (Free + Paid)](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins/) **Published:** May 15, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Landing on a website and not being able to find what you’re looking for is one of the quickest ways to hit the back button. For an online store, that’s not just frustrating for the customer, it’s lost revenue for you. While WooCommerce provides a basic search feature out of the box, it’s often limited. It might only search product titles, ignore important product details, and lack the speed and intelligence modern shoppers expect. The result? Customers abandon their search, bounce from your site, and take their wallets elsewhere. To help you out, we tested multiple search plugins for WooCommerce. The result showed that SearchWP, Advanced Woo Search, and YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search were among the top plugins. In this post, we’ll share the best WooCommerce search plugins and break down their strengths and weaknesses to help you find the perfect solution for your online store. If you’re in a hurry, then here’s a quick look at some of the best WooCommerce search plugins you can get your hands on. **\#****Search Plugins****Recommended For****Pricing**1.[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP")Precise control, detailed analytics, full-site searchPaid2.[Advanced Woo Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-woo-search/ "Advanced Woo Search")Beginners, budget-friendly, instant improvementFree3.[YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search")Visually appealing live search, YITH usersPaid4.[FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch")Fast, smart product search with live suggestionsFree5.[Ivory Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/ "Ivory Search")Multiple custom search forms, basic needsFree6.[WooCommerce Product Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommerce-product-search/ "WooCommerce Product Search")Official WooCommerce tool, built-in analyticsPaid7.[SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search")SearchWP users needing live searchFree### How We Test and Review WooCommerce Search Plugins Investing in a better search for your WooCommerce store helps boost conversions and sales. It also drastically improves the user experience on your eCommerce store. Customers can quickly and easily find exactly what they need, leading to a more positive shopping journey. A search plugin helps find relevant search results, which means customers are more likely to find products they want to buy, turning searches into sales. That said, choosing the best WooCommerce search plugin can be tricky. To give the best recommendations, we tested and reviewed multiple plugins based on: - **Speed & Performance:** We assessed how quickly search results appeared, particularly testing the responsiveness of AJAX live search as users type. A fast search keeps users engaged. - **Relevance Accuracy:** We tested how well each plugin returned the most relevant products for various types of queries, including exact terms, partial words, and related topics. - **Searchable Content:** We checked how deeply the plugin searches. Does it only look at titles, or can it also find results based on descriptions, short descriptions, SKUs, categories, tags, product attributes (like color or size), or custom fields? - **Ease of Use & Configuration:** When testing, we also checked how straightforward it is to install the plugin and configure its settings to get optimal results. - **Customization Options:** What control do you have over the appearance of the search forms, do you get prebuilt templates, and can you customize the search results page? - **Additional Features:** We noted any extra capabilities, such as search analytics, control over search results order, or support for searching non-product content (like blog posts). Now, let’s look at some of the best search plugins for WooCommerce you can use today. ### [1. SearchWP ](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)If you need complete control over exactly how your search works on your WooCommerce store, then [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best solution out there. It’s not just product search, it’s a full-site search solution for WordPress that integrates deeply with WooCommerce, allowing you to create advanced search rules to find specific products. Unlike many plugins that offer limited controls, SearchWP lets you create multiple search engines, each with different rules and priorities. ![Manage product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-product-attributes--1030x518.png "Manage product attributes - SearchWP")You can even make different attributes like product title, description, SKU, categories, tags, and custom fields searchable. During testing, we also found that you can filter or exclude certain content from the searching process. For example, you can limit searches to a particular product category. ![Exclude products rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-products-rules-1030x508.png "Exclude products rules - SearchWP")It also offers powerful search analytics, providing data on what customers are searching for, giving you actionable insights to improve both your search relevance and your product catalog. Besides that, SearchWP also lets you make PDFs, documents, comments, custom fields, and more searchable in WordPress. It also easily integrates with other eCommerce platforms like Easy Digital Downloads and BigCommerce. **Pros:** - Unparalleled control over WooCommerce search - Offers a WooCommerce extension for smooth integration - Can search any content type on your WordPress site - Supports custom fields, taxonomies, and product attributes - Provides valuable, detailed search analytics - Provides autocomplete suggestions - Improves search with fuzzy search feature - Prebuilt search form templates - Seamless integration with popular plugins, page builders, and tools **Cons:** - Doesn’t offer a free plugin **Why We Recommend SearchWP:** We chose SearchWP for this list because it is the most powerful and feature-rich search plugin for WooCommerce and WordPress. It’s the go-to option for stores or sites that want precise control over search results, include important product details, and get detailed search analytics. **Pricing:** SearchWP prices start from $99 per year. ### [2. Advanced Woo Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-woo-search/ "Advanced Woo Search") [![Advanced Woo search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/advanced-woo-search-1-1030x332.png "Advanced Woo search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-woo-search/)[Advanced Woo Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-woo-search/ "Advanced Woo Search") is a free search plugin for WooCommerce and best for beginners or store owners on a tight budget. What impressed us most during testing was how much it improves the search experience without costing anything. It’s a great way to instantly make your WooCommerce search feel more modern. The plugin searches in product title, content, excerpt, categories, tags, ID and SKU when finding products on your store. It even has basic help for common typos and understanding similar words, which improves the chances of customers finding what they need even if they don’t type it perfectly. Setting up Advanced Woo Search is also quite simple, as you just install it, and it replaces the default search automatically. There are options to customize the search results and show images, descriptions, prices, categories, tags, and more. On the downside, we found that the free version will not search specific product details like “Color” or “Size” or custom fields for product info. You’ll need the paid version of the plugin. **Pros:** - It’s completely free - Provides fast and instant search suggestions - Searches important product details like title, categories, description, and SKU - Helps with simple typos and similar words - Quick and easy to set up **Cons:** - Doesn’t search product details like attributes (color, size) or custom fields in the free version - Fewer options to change how it looks compared to paid plugins **Why We Recommend Advanced Woo Search:** We recommend Advanced Woo Search as the top free choice for WooCommerce search. It provides a significant and immediate improvement in search experience while offering valuable features. It’s perfect for beginners or stores who need a better search but aren’t ready to pay for a premium solution. **Pricing:** Advanced Woo Search is a free WordPress plugin. ### [3. YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search") [![YITH WooCommerce ajax search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search-1-1030x532.png "YITH WooCommerce ajax search - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/)[YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/ "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search") focuses on providing a seamless and visually appealing live search experience. The main job of this plugin is to make your search bar interactive. As soon as a customer starts typing, a neat little box appears below it with product suggestions that update instantly. What impressed us the most was that you can define which parameters of your products to use to perform the search. For example, you can include product name, description, SKU, attributes, categories, and more. Besides that, you can also set up a synonym rule to improve search, define a matching threshold that helps find products when there are misspellings or typos, customize search form design, see search history, and more. **Pros:** - Shows product pictures, prices, and descriptions in the live suggestions - Easily add the search form using a dedicated Gutenberg block or a shortcode - Customize the form’s appearance - Set a limit on the maximum number of products shown in the search results - Provides a fully responsive design **Cons:** - Free version offers limited features - Can’t create multiple search engines **Why We Recommend YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search:** We suggest this plugin if you are already using YITH products or if your main goal is to add a quick, visually appealing, and interactive live search bar to your WooCommerce store. It significantly enhances the immediate search experience for your customers. **Pricing:** YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search prices start from $89.99 per year. There is also a free version. ### [4. FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch") [![FiboSearch](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/fibosearch-1-1030x334.png "FiboSearch - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/)[FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch") is the next search plugin on our list and it focuses specifically on enhancing the search experience within your WooCommerce products. It provides an Ajax search bar with live search suggestions. As users type, a dropdown instantly appears showing suggestions with useful details like a product picture, its price, and a short description. This allows customers to see at a glance if the suggested product is what they’re looking for without having to click anything else. FiboSearch is smart enough to consider product details like title and description, SKUs, categories, tags, and more while searching. One of the standout features we liked was that FiboSearch also offers Google Analytics integration. This means you can connect it to your Google Analytics account to see reports on what keywords people are using to search on your site. While the plugin offers useful features, it’s only designed for WooCommrece. So if you’re looking for a solution for both WooCommerce and WordPress, then you might want to consider other options, such as SearchWP. **Pros:** - Quickly add a live search bar - Provides instant live search suggestions with product images, prices, and descriptions - Searches deeply into product details like attributes, tags, brands, and SKUs - Offers Google Analytics integration for search insights **Cons:** - Only designed for searching WooCommerce products - Advanced features require the paid Pro version **Why We Recommend FiboSearch:** After testing the plugin, we recommend FiboSearch to all WooCommerce users who need a fast, smart, and user-friendly search specifically for their products. It works seamlessly with WooCommerce and provides live search suggestions. **Pricing:** FiboSearch is a free WooCommerce search plugin. ### [5. Ivory Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/ "Ivory Search") [![Ivory Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/ivory-search-plugin-1030x316.png "Ivory Search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/)[Ivory Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/ "Ivory Search") is another free WooCommerce search plugin that offers a flexible way to add search to your online store, especially if you want different search forms that look for different things. For instance, you can tailor a search form to only search within a specific product category, providing customers with more precise results. The plugin can search the basic product title, description, and excerpt. One thing we found during testing was that searching product SKUs or variations is not available in the free plugin. That said, we liked that you get basic customization options and can change how the search form looks in the free version. Overall, Ivory Search offers valuable features, but its capabilities are not as extensive as other premium plugins, like SearchWP, which provides more advanced control and integration options. **Pros:** - You can create different search forms that search different things - Search various types of content on your site (products, posts, pages, attachments, forums) - The free version is good for basic needs and creating separate search forms - Get insights about users’ search behavior **Cons:** - Many key features are only in the paid version - Managing multiple search forms can be a bit confusing if you’re new **Why We Recommend Ivory Search:** We recommend Ivory Search if you’re seeking a straightforward plugin to enhance your site’s search functionality and improve user experience. It offers sufficient features to customize the core WordPress search engine effectively. **Pricing:** Ivory Search is a free WooCommerce search plugin. It also offers premium plans. ### [6. WooCommerce Product Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommerce-product-search/ "WooCommerce Product Search") [![WooCommerce Product search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/woocommerce-product-search-1030x591.png "WooCommerce Product search - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommerce-product-search/)[WooCommerce Product Search](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommerce-product-search/ "WooCommerce Product Search") is the official search extension developed by WooCommerce itself. Our experience testing it showed it offers a solid, reliable upgrade over the default search. It provides features like live search, filters, and valuable analytics, making it a trustworthy option for WooCommerce users. One of the standout features of the official extension is its built-in search analytics. It provides insights directly within the WooCommerce interface about what customers are searching for, identifying popular search terms, and highlighting searches that return no results. That said, one thing we didn’t like was that it doesn’t offer advanced features found in some other premium plugins. For example, you can’t include product attributes or custom fields in the search process. **Pros:** - Made by the official WooCommerce team, ensuring good compatibility - Adds a live search functionality - Includes valuable built-in search analytics - Solid improvement over the default WooCommerce search - Add search forms using blocks and widgets **Cons:** - Lacks advanced features like custom field searching - Slightly expensive compared to the features it offers **Why We Recommend WooCommerce Product Search:** We recommend the official WooCommerce Product Search plugin for store owners who prefer using tools from the core WooCommerce team for compatibility and reliability. The built-in search analytics are a major benefit, offering valuable insights that many other plugins don’t provide out-of-the-box. **Pricing:** WooCommerce Product Search will cost you $59 per year. ### [7. SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") [![SearchWP live ajax search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-live-ajax-search-1-1030x336.png "SearchWP live ajax search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/)[SearchWP Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") is a free addon for SearchWP, and it enables Ajax powered live search for your search forms. In our testing, it did exactly what it promised, instantly displaying search suggestions based on the results that the main SearchWP plugin finds. Using SearchWP Live Ajax Search is very simple if you already have SearchWP installed. You just activate this plugin, and it automatically improves your website’s search boxes to show live results. You can learn more about this plugin by following our guide on [how to add live autocomplete search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/). **Pros:** - Provides extremely fast and smooth instant search suggestions as you type - Leverages the powerful and customizable search index of SearchWP - Free plugin that acts as an extension for SearchWP - Easy to use and configure **Cons:** - Requires the paid SearchWP plugin to work - Limited customization options **Why We Recommend SearchWP Live Ajax Search:** We recommend this plugin specifically for users that are already using SearchWP. It’s the missing piece that adds a crucial, lightning-fast live search experience to SearchWP’s powerful search engine. **Pricing:** SearchWP Live Ajax Search is a free WooCommerce plugin. ### Which WooCommerce Search Plugin Should You Choose? After testing multiple search plugins for WooCommerce store, our top pick is [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is a complete premium solution that offers powerful features and smoothly integrates with WooCommerce, thanks it its extension. You can include product details, documents, comments, SKUs, custom fields, taxonomies, and other custom post types in the search process to deliver exceptional user experience on your online store. Besides that, it integrates well with many popular theme builders, plugins, and tools. This makes it very versatile compared to other search plugins. That said, if you’re looking for a free solution, then [Advanced Woo Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-woo-search/ "Advanced Woo Search") and [FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch") are good alternatives. They don’t offer advanced features like SearchWP, but are a good option for new business owners who have a tight budget. With that, we hope this article helped you pick the best WooCommerce search plugin for your business. You may also want to see our guides on [how to customize your WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") and [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search"). If you’re ready to make your WordPress site search WooCommerce products, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** best WooCommerce search plugins, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How Does WordPress Search Work? (Beginners Guide)](https://searchwp.com/how-does-wordpress-search-work/) **Published:** May 8, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When someone lands on your WordPress website, they’re usually looking for something specific. Maybe it’s a particular product, a piece of information, or contact details. But ever wonder what goes on behind the scene to help users find content they’re looking for? WordPress comes with its own built-in search feature right out of the box. But how does this standard WordPress search actually work? And is it doing the best job it could be for your visitors? In this article, we’ll break down exactly how does WordPress search work, point out its main limitations, and show you how you can easily make it much better for your website. ### How Does the Default WordPress Search Work? WordPress comes with a built-in search system that people can use to find content or products on your site. Users can use this feature by typing something in the [search bar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") on your WordPress site. The location of the search bar depends on your website theme, as it could be in the sidebar or navigation menu. That said, what happens behind the scenes when they hit the Enter button? ![View search in FSE](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-in-FSE-1030x565.png "View search in FSE - SearchWP")At its core, the default WordPress search is quite straightforward. It works by looking through your website’s database, which is where all your website’s content (like your pages, posts, and settings) is stored. Specifically, the WordPress search usually looks in just a few key places for the words or phrases someone types in: - **The Title of Your Pages and Posts:** This is the main heading of your articles or pages. - **The Main Content of Your Pages and Posts:** This is the body text you write. - **The Excerpt:** A short summary you might write for blog posts. It’s like quickly scanning through a filing cabinet, but only looking at the label on the file folder and content inside. If the[ keyword](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site") is found in any of these spots, WordPress considers that piece of content a potential match and includes it in the search results. The search results are based on the published date (newest first) by default, not by how relevant the content is to the query. For instance, suppose you’ve recently published a blog post called “Why I Love Gardening”, and you also have an older post titled “Gardening Tips for Beginners.” If someone searches for the term “Gardening,” the older post is likely to appear first in search results because the keyword is part of the title. That said, let’s look at what the default WordPress search doesn’t do well and the restrictions it offers. ### Limitations of Default WordPress Search While the basic WordPress search is a good starting point for small websites, it has significant limitations. Especially, if your website has thousands of blog posts, products, videos, and other types of content. Here’s where it often falls short: - **It’s Not Very Smart About Relevance:** The default search doesn’t really understand which results are most important. If a word appears in the title of one page and just once deep inside the content of another, WordPress might actually show the less relevant one first. It’s not good at figuring out the intent behind the search. - **It Only Looks in Limited Places:** The default search completely ignores essential details that might be stored somewhere else. For instance, if you use custom fields to store specific information (like product numbers, ingredients, or listing details), the search won’t see it. Similarly, the default search completely ignores the actual text within [PDF guides](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), Word documents, or PowerPoint presentation files. - **Can Get Slow on Larger Sites:** As you add more and more content, asking the default search to scan through everything each time someone searches can become slow. This means visitors wait longer and get irrelevant results. - **You Have Little Control:** Want results with the keyword in the title to appear before results where it’s just in the content? The default search gives you almost no way to control the [order or importance of results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"). - **Ignores Categories and Tags:** These are great ways to organize content, but the default search skips over tags and categories when searching for posts, pages, and products. - **Skips Comments in the Search Process:** If valuable discussion or information is in your comments section, then WordPress search won’t find it. - **Specific Data Types:** Running an online store with WooCommerce? Default search might miss product attributes, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), or even product descriptions. These shortcomings of the default search directly affect your website’s visitors and, ultimately, your business. If someone can’t quickly find the product, service description, or blog post they’re looking for, then they’re likely to get annoyed and go to a competitor’s site. Imagine a customer searching for a specific product feature that’s only mentioned in a custom field or a product PDF. If the search doesn’t find it, then you could lose a sale. So, what’s the solution? Do you need to hire a developer or get super technical? Let’s find out. ### How to Improve Search on Your WordPress Site The easiest way to remove the limitations of the default WordPress search and improve it is by using a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that offers powerful features and help provide a better search experience on your site. The best part is that you don’t need any technical skills, edit code, or hire a developer to get SearchWP to work. It’s beginner-friendly to use and makes site search smart, fast, and genuinely helpful for your visitors. SearchWP tackles all the limitations of the default WordPress search and adds a lot more capability. For instance, it offers advanced indexing. Instead of just scanning the database on the fly for each search, SearchWP builds its own detailed index of your site’s content. This index is like a comprehensive catalog that knows exactly where every word appears across your site, making searches much faster and more accurate. Plus, you get more control over the search. SearchWP lets you decide how results should be ranked. You can easily give more importance to keywords found in titles compared to those in the content, or prioritize content from a specific category or [custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). You decide what’s most relevant for your site. Besides that, SearchWP goes way beyond titles and content. It can search all your posts, pages, products, and custom fields. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")With SearchWP, you can also include taxonomies (categories, tags, and [product attributes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress")) in the search process. This helps users find more accurate search results. Another advantage of using the plugin is that it makes different documents searchable in WordPress. For instance, if you uploaded files like PDFs, Docs, XLSX, PPTX, and more, then SearchWP will search contents within these documents to find the best result. ![Showing only PDF files in the search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/showing-pdf-only-results.jpg "showing-pdf-only-results - SearchWP")You can also set up rules for your search engine and filter search results. For example, you can exclude posts from a specific category, hide content that’s published before a certain date, only show a specific type of content (PDFs, videos, spreadsheets), and more. With SearchWP, you can [set up synonym rules](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search") and tell that “sofa” and “couch” are the same thing. Simply add lists of synonyms, and SearchWP will ensure searches for one term find content using the other. ![Enter search terms and synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-search-terms-and-synonyms-1030x490.png "Enter search terms and synonyms - SearchWP")SearchWP doesn’t just improve the search, it also tells you what people are searching for. This valuable information shows you what content visitors are seeking (and potentially not finding), helping you identify gaps in your content or ways to improve your search configuration. To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to see search metrics in WordPress.](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)") ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")SearchWP also offers powerful extensions and integrations. It works seamlessly with eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce and Easy Digital Downloads, custom field plugins like [Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"), and more. That said, if you’re looking for more tips to enhance the search experience on your site, then check out our guide on [11 ways to improve WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/ways-to-improve-wordpress-search/ "11 Ways to Improve WordPress Search (Expert Tips)"). We hope this article helped you learn how does WordPress search work and how to improve it. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize your WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") and [how to use boolean search to exclude content from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-boolean-search-to-exclude-content-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content from WordPress Search"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how does wordpress search work, limitations of default search, SearchWP, woocommerce search form, WordPress search, wordpress search bar shortcode, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add a WooCommerce Search Form to Your Shop Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-search-form-to-shop-page/) **Published:** May 13, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** You might have seen search forms on many eCommerce sites, but they don’t always provide relevant results. That’s because the default search function in WordPress is quite limited and ignores important information while searching. Adding a powerful search form to your shop page will help your site visitors navigate your store faster and get the results they’re looking for. You can easily get more sales and boost customer satisfaction this way. In this article, we’ll show you how to add a search form to your WooCommerce shop page. ### Why Add a Search Form to Your Shop Page? Site search is a common feature online shoppers use to navigate eCommerce websites. At least 30% of your store visitors are using the search box if your site already offers one. Adding a search form to your shop page will help them find your products even faster. These days, site search is an important part of every successful eCommerce strategy. It’s a major source of revenue, as shoppers who use search are more likely to buy from you than those who don’t. Site search is often more difficult in larger stores. Site visitors tend to spend more time looking for the products they need. You can make things easier by adding search to specific locations of your store. This will help you increase your conversion rates. You can [add a search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)") to different locations of your site like the sidebar and the header. But adding one to your shop page (especially at the top) makes it easier to find. ![Search form at the top of WooCommerce shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Search-form-at-the-top-of-WooCommerce-shop-page.png "Search form at the top of WooCommerce shop page - SearchWP")On most mobile devices, your users will need to scroll for a while to find the sidebar. A search form in the header or menu can also go unnoticed in some cases. If you want to make your search form more accessible, you should consider adding it to your shop page. Adding a search form to your shop page isn’t enough — you also have to make sure your search form is fast and functional. WooCommerce offers a search feature by default. But if you have a medium or large site, you’ll need a better solution. The default [WooCommerce search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") is slow and doesn’t always give relevant results. This means most of your site users won’t be able to find what they’re looking for. Want to add a powerful and fast search form to your WooCommerce shop page, even if you’re not tech-savvy? Below, we’ll show you how to easily do this without writing a single line of code. ### How to Add a Search Form to Your WooCommerce Shop Page Do you want to add a fully featured WooCommerce search form to your shop page? You can use a WordPress plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). This method lets you offer your users a lot of functionalities without the need to write any code. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is a leading [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"). It has all the search features your WooCommerce site users need. Unlike the default WooCommerce search, they can use it to find any product or post. SearchWP indexes all your product attributes like variations, categories, and tags. This means your users can now find a product by simply typing any of its attributes in the search bar. Other awesome features you get include: - **Exclude attributes in results.** If you choose, you can exclude certain product attributes so SearchWP doesn’t show results for them. - **Search insights and statistics.** With SearchWP, you can now log searches. This way, you’ll learn what your users are searching for. You can then use the statistics gathered to serve them better. - **Search advanced custom fields.** [Custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") are good for storing more information about your site content. Your search engine will no longer ignore them when visitors use the search feature. Once you install and activate the plugin, it automatically integrates with the native WooCommerce search. So, you can easily add a search bar to any location on your site with the block editor. We’ll show you how to do this now. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step to adding a search form to your WooCommerce shop page is to [grab a copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") by visiting the website and creating a new account. Next, you can go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. Once there, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After that, you need to log into your WordPress admin dashboard to upload and set up the plugin. If you need some help doing this, then check out this detailed guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, the welcome screen will appear along with the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Congrats! Your SearchWP plugin is now ready for use. Now, let’s look at how to use it to power your WooCommerce search. ### Step 2: Install and Activate the SearchWP WooCommerce Extension The SearchWP WooCommerce extension helps customers find products on your store. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. Then head to WooCommerce Integration and click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")The next thing you need to do is set up your first SearchWP search engine. ### Step 3: Set Up a New SearchWP Search Engine SearchWP gives you a lot of control over how your users look for content on your site. You can select from a list of sources and adjust the relevance of each attribute. To make sure your store visitors can [find products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") on your shop page, you need to add products as a source in the search engine. To do this, you will need to go to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. Here, you get the option to edit the default search engine or create a new one. For this tutorial, we will edit the default WordPress engine. Go ahead and click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see different sources that the default engine will use. Make sure to tick the **Products** box from the list of sources available. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. After selecting products as a source, scroll down to the newly added Products tab and click **Add/Remove Attributes**. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Here, you can choose to index any product attribute like the title, content, slug, excerpt, and [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (5 Steps)"). You can further improve your WooCommerce search with custom fields and taxonomies. This will let your users find products with attributes like colors, tags, variations, categories, and shipping classes. ![How to Add WooCommerce Product Search Widget: customize attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-product-attribute-1030x567.jpg "customizing product attribute - SearchWP")Once you’re done selecting product attributes, click **Done**. Next, you can scroll to the top and click **Save**. SearchWP will now apply the new settings. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")Next, let’s add the search form to your shop page. ### Step 4: Add a Search Form to Your Shop Page Using the block editor, you can add a search form to any page in your WordPress site. We’ll add one to your shop page now. First you need to find your shop page by going to **Pages » All Pages**. ![Go to all pages in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Go-to-all-pages-in-WordPress.png "Go to all pages in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you can navigate to the **Shop** page. From here, hover over it with your mouse and click **Edit**. ![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Edit-WordPress-shop-page-e1630919434789.png "Edit WordPress shop page - SearchWP")Once you are in the WordPress content editor, you can add a new Search block to show a [WooCommerce search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). Simply click the **+** icon at the top and select the **Product Search** block. ![Select product search block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-search-block-1030x591.png "Select product search block - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a preview of the search form in the content editor. From here, you can simply update or publish your product page. ![See product search preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/see-product-search-preview-1030x422.png "See product search preview - SearchWP")You’ve successfully added a WooCommerce search form to the store page. Now, when your users visit your shop page, they can easily search for the products they want. ![WooCommerce product search form on shop page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WooCommerce-product-search-form-on-shop-page.png "WooCommerce product search form on shop page - SearchWP")We hope this article helped you learn how to add a search form to your WooCommerce search page. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)") and [how to customize the WooCommerce search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-woocommerce-search-results-page/ "How To Customize The WooCommerce Search Results Page"). If you’re ready to add a search form to your shop page, then [start by getting your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search form shortcode, woocommerce product search plugin, woocommerce product search programmatically, woocommerce search, woocommerce search form, wordpress product search, wordpress product search css, WordPress search, wordpress search form --- ### [7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/) **Published:** January 22, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Having a good search on your site is important if you want to ensure a positive user experience for your visitors. It’s also a great way to increase sales and grow your business, as it’s easier to find products with a powerful search. However, the default WordPress search has limitations and doesn’t include a lot of essential content on your site. For instance, it won’t include custom fields, tags, categories, product details, and documents when looking for content. Fortunately, there are many WordPress search plugins, and SearchWP is one of the best options in the market. Our focus is on creating a better and more personalized search experience. While SearchWP is powerful and full of features, we also tested several other options to help you find the right solution. In this article, we’ll show you the best WordPress search plugins that you can use to deliver more relevant search results to your visitors. ### Why Use a WordPress Search Plugin? WordPress is a great and most popular blogging platform. But, its search functionality leaves much to be desired. Namely, the native WordPress search engine doesn’t search: - **Custom fields and taxonomies**. Are you an online store owner? Most [WordPress eCommerce plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") store product attributes in custom fields and taxonomies. As WordPress doesn’t index data inside them, customers won’t be able to find a product by its attributes. - **Text within office documents and PDFs**. Do you upload any useful documents or [PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") to your site? By default, your visitors can’t search for content within them, making it much harder to find a document they’re looking for. - **Custom database tables**. Do you use any popular WordPress plugins? Most of them store tons of valuable data within custom database tables. All of this data isn’t searchable by default, making it challenging to find the right content in some cases. - **Shortcodes**. Are you an active shortcodes user? They actually contain a lot of search-worthy information. For example, by making them searchable, you can let your visitors find specific galleries and tables. In addition, the default WordPress search has some unpleasant features that limit your capabilities. For instance, it doesn’t allow you to impact search results in any way. You cannot exclude or prioritize specific pages, as well as customize the order of search results in general. Similarly, it doesn’t collect any search statistics. Your site visitors’ search activity data is a great source of new content ideas. Plus, it displays search results by opening a new separate page, which is not convenient as most users expect to see live results on a site when they search. Thankfully, there are lots of WordPress search plugins that can help you tackle these problems. ### How We Test and Review WordPress Search Plugins Our goal is to give you a clear understanding of each plugin’s strengths and weaknesses so you can make an informed decision for your own site. That’s why we personally test each WordPress search plugin on real websites to see how they perform under different conditions. Here’s a peek into our testing and review process: - **Feature Exploration:** We dive deep into each plugin’s features and examine its search capabilities, customization options, and any extra functionalities. For exmaple, we test features like [live search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free"), keyword stemming, and the ability to include/exclude specific content types. - **Indexing Capabilities:** When testing search plugins, we check how effectively and efficiently each plugin indexes content. We look at how it handles different types of content including posts, pages, custom post types, [comments](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"), and even media files. - **Search Accuracy and Relevance:** This is the core of our testing as we perform various searches on our test site using different keywords and phrases. We then analyze the relevance of the results, how well the plugin prioritizes content, and whether it delivers a satisfying search experience for the user. - **Customization Options:** We also explore the plugin’s customization options and look for the ability to fine-tune search results, adjust styling to match our theme, and configure advanced settings to optimize search performance. - **Pricing:** Finally, we consider the plugin’s pricing in relation to its features and performance. We determine whether the plugin offers good value for its price and compare it with other search plugins. That said, let’s take a look at the best WordPress search plugins you choose for your website. ### [1. SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)[SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is a truly comprehensive solution that deservedly takes first place among WordPress search plugins. We recommend SearchWP because it is the most powerful and comprehensive plugin that’s capable of covering all your needs. You can add a lightening fast search to your site that improves the overall search experience. One of the best things about using the plugin is that you can create custom search engines for your website. You get complete control over which sources to include, like pages, posts, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), tags, comments, and more. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")Besides that, another feature we really think is useful for users is [custom search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). You get pre-built templates for search forms, which includes a basic layout or more complex designs. The best part, these layouts can be embedded easily on your site. ![Choosing a search form template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step-1-1-create-search-form-1030x614.jpg "Choosing a search form template - SearchWP")SearchWP also has tons of useful [extensions](https://searchwp.com/features/ "SearchWP Extensions"). You can install them to display search results in live mode, add a search bar with a shortcode, prioritize or exclude search results, and many more. If you’re ready to provide your site visitors with the best possible search experience, you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Features:** - **Make literally anything on your site searchable** – WordPress doesn’t display your content in search results? With SearchWP, you can make searchable custom post types, taxonomies, documents, PDF files, and many more. - **Add a custom search bar** – SearchWP supports the simultaneous use of multiple search engines with a different set of rules. It allows you to create custom search fields linked to certain types of content. - **On-site search activity tracking** – SearchWP gathers the on-site [search activity of your visitors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") and provides you with it right in the WordPress dashboard. It’s an excellent opportunity to better understand your audience and give them the content or products they want. - **Seamless integration with WooCommerce** – WordPress doesn’t show WooCommerce products in search results by default. With SearchWP, you can make [WordPress search by product name](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)"), description, attributes, reviews, and more. - **Everything works out of the box** – SearchWP automatically integrates into any existing search bar on your site after installation. It’s easy to use and configure for your needs, even if you’ve just launched your first WordPress site. **Why We Recommend SearchWP:** When it comes to improving your site’s search experience, nothing comes close to SearchWP. It offers powerful features and extensions that help you create custom search engines for your site. Plus, you can easily integrate with it other plugins like WooCommerce and WPForms to extend your site’s functionality. **Pricing:** Starting at $99 per year. ### [2. FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch") [![FiboSearch](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/FiboSearch.jpg "FiboSearch - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/)[FiboSearch](https://wordpress.org/plugins/ajax-search-for-woocommerce/ "FiboSearch") is a must-have plugin for every WooCommerce store owner. We really liked that you can add to your site an advanced [AJAX search bar](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/ "How to Add Ajax Search to WooCommerce (Step by Step)") with live search suggestions to your eCommerce store. Each suggestion contains a product image, price, and description, allowing customers to instantly determine if the product suits them or not. That said, the main disadvantage we experienced while using the plugin is that it’s only useful if you’re the WooCommerce store owner. So if it’s not the case, we recommend using a more versatile WordPress search plugin, like SearchWP, for all your WordPress search needs. **Features:** - **Ultra-fast search engine** – FiboSearch instantly shows search matches even if you have a whole bunch of products in your shop. - **Advanced search results** – Just like SearchWP, this plugin also considers product attributes, tags, brands, and [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"). It helps to provide more accurate search results, thereby increasing sales. - **The fuzzy search feature** – Fuzzy search ensures that customers can find a product even if they make a typo in its name. This feature is similar to the one SearchWP has. - **Google Analytics integration** – With Google Analytics, you can find out what keywords your site is ranking for and what search terms users have entered on it. It’s a great opportunity to discover the needs of your audience and provide them with new arrivals. **Why We Recommend FiboSearch:** After testing the plugin, we recommend this plugin to all WooCommerce users. It works seamlessly with the [eCommerce platform](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") and helps improve the overall search experience for your customers. **Pricing:** The base plugin with limited features is free. The Pro version starts from $49 per year. ### [3. Ivory Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/ "Ivory Search") [![IvorySearch](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/IvorySearch.jpg "IvorySearch - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/)[Ivory Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/add-search-to-menu/ "Ivory Search") is the next search plugin for WordPress on our list. We tested the plugin and were pleased to see that it allows you to create an [unlimited number of search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)") and individually customize each of them. This in turn opens up a lot of possibilities. For example, you can create a form limited to a specific category to provide your visitors with more accurate search results. Or, if you have an online store, you might want to add separate search forms for regular pages and products to avoid cluttering search results. That said, Ivory Search is a great plugin that has some useful features but that’s barely half of what SearchWP has to offer. If you want to have full control over your WordPress site search, need advanced features, and integrate with other tools, then it’s better to use SearchWP. You may want to see our comparison between [SearchWP vs Ivory Search](https://searchwp.com/ivory-search-vs-searchwp/ "Ivory Search vs SearchWP: Search Plugins Compared [2022]") for more details. **Features:** - **Better search results** – While not as powerful as SearchWP, Ivory Search also allows you to make images, files, attachments, and [shortcodes content searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"). - **Exclude specific pages from search results** – As with SearchWP, you can use this plugin to exclude any pages from search results. It really comes in handy when you have a lot of technical pages that don’t make sense to display in search. - **Track searches of your visitors** – Just like SearchWP, the Ivory Search plugin allows you to track on-site search activity. It’s a great opportunity to get to know your audience better and provide them with the content they want. - **Multilingual search support** – Does your audience speak languages other than English? Due to multilingual search support, they can find content in any language. **Why We Recommend Ivory Search:** If you’re looking for a simple search plugin that helps improve the overall user experience of your site, then we recommend using Ivory Search. It packs enough features to help you customize the search engine for WordPress. **Pricing:** Ivory Search’s base plugin with limited features is free to use. However, the Pro version starts at $19.99 per year. ### [4. SearchWP Ajax Live Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Ajax Live Search") [![SearchWP live ajax search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-live-ajax-search-1-1030x336.png "SearchWP live ajax search - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/)Would you like to display search results on your site in live mode?[ SearchWP Ajax Live Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Live Ajax Search") allows you to enable such a feature in a few clicks. Although this plugin is an extension of SearchWP, it can be installed separately. The best thing we found while testing the plugin is that it’s completely free. You can add live search to your site without editing code. It helps users quickly find what they’re looking for. If you want to learn more about this plugin, feel free to check out the[ how to add live autocomplete search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") guide. **Features:** - **Automatic integration**: Once you install the plugin, all the search forms on your site will start to show search results in live mode. It allows your visitors to instantly get search results without jumping from one page to another. - **Autocomplete feature**: When a user starts typing something into the search form, it lists the results that match the typed search string. It makes search boxes on your site look like a Google search and helps your visitors find what they came for much faster. - **Fast and lightweight**: SearchWP Ajax Live Search is a lightweight plugin that’s optimized for fast loading. **Why We Recommend SearchWP Ajax Live Search:** If you’re looking to add a live search feature to the default WordPress search feature, then this plugin is for you. It works out of the box and there is no complicated set up process. **Pricing:** SearchWP Ajax Live Search is 100% free to use. ### [5. Relevanssi](https://wordpress.org/plugins/relevanssi/ "Relevanssi") [![Relevanssi](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Relevanssi.jpg "Relevanssi - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/relevanssi/)[Relevanssi](https://wordpress.org/plugins/relevanssi/ "Relevanssi") is another top WordPress search plugin and we included it becasue it can be considered the most functional plugin in our selection after SearchWP. This plugin allows you to replace the native WordPress search engine with a fully customizable one. What impressed us the most was that you can configure it to search only by certain categories, make it consider [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), enable fuzzy search, and many more. However, the biggest disadvantage of Relevanssi we found was that it can require a large amount of database space to work. So if you have limited free space on your hosting server, you may encounter some problems using the plugin. The Relevanssi interface is also rather difficult to call user-friendly and it can be challenging to figure out how to set it up to meet your needs, especially if you’re a beginner. Besides, most of the plugin features are only available in the premium version. Considering all of the above, if you put convenience and versatility in the first place, you better stick with SearchWP. **Features:** - **Search suggestions** – If there are no results for a search, then Relevanssi checks if the search term has misspellings. It then corrects them and searches again to provide search suggestions. - **Assign an extra weight to new posts** – As SearchWP, Relevanssi allows you to prioritize new posts in search results so that they get more views from day one. - **Highlight search terms** – With this plugin, you can enable search term highlighting so that visitors can find the information they need faster. - **Restrict searches** – While not as flexible as SearchWP, Relevanssi allows you to limit specific search fields to particular categories or tags. **Why We Recommend Relevanssi:** We chose this plugin because it offers powerful features to improve search on your site. However, Relevanssi is great for large websites that don’t have limited hosting resources because it requires large amounts of database space to run. **Pricing:** Relevanssi offers a base plugin which totally free. But there is a premium version which starts from $109 per year. ### [6. Search Exclude](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-exclude/ "Search Exclude") [![Search Exclude](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Search-Exclude.jpg "Search Exclude - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-exclude/)[Search Exclude](https://wordpress.org/plugins/search-exclude/ "Search Exclude") is a simple and lightweight plugin that can be useful to every WordPress site owner. As the name suggests, it lets you exclude specific posts or pages from search results. What we liked about this plugin is that it is probably the best option if you’re just looking to have control over which pages appear in search results for standard WordPress search. That said, a downside of using Search Exclude is that it doesn’t have its own search engines. It relies on the default WordPress search, which has limitations. But if you strive to provide your visitors with the most relevant search results and the best user experience, consider choosing SearchWP. The ability to exclude pages from search results is just one of many that this plugin has. **Features:** - **Easy to use** – As with SearchWP, to exclude a page from search results, you just need to check the appropriate box at the page editor. - **Quick and bulk edit** – There is no need to individually exclude every page or post you don’t want to appear in search results. - **Fast and lightweight** – As this plugin brings just a single feature, it doesn’t have a lot of code and works super fast. **Why We Recommend Search Exclude:** If you’re simply looking for a way to remove or stop certain content from appearing in WordPress search, then we recommend using this plugin. **Pricing:** Search Exclude is a free WordPress plugin. ### [7. WP Search Insights](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-search-insights/ "WP Search Insights") [![WP Search Insights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WP-Search-Insights.jpg "WP Search Insights - SearchWP")](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-search-insights/)Would you like to find out what visitors were looking for on your site? [WP Search Insights](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-search-insights/ "WP Search Insights") will help you do that. We added this plugin to our list because it records all searches made on your site and gives you valuable insights into your visitors’ search behavior. That said, the plugin lacks other features that you would find in other plugins on our list. For instance, you can’t set up custom search engines, customize search forms, and choose which content to include or exclude while searching. So if you’re looking for a comprehensive solution that will take your site’s search a step further, you’d better opt for another alternative. **Features:** - **Track what search terms visitors entered on your site**: Although this plugin is not as powerful as SearchWP, it also allows you to track searches of your visitors. You can see on what specific page a search occurred and what results they ended up clicking on. - **Spam protection**: The built-in search filter prevents spam from getting into the gathered statistics, ensuring the quality of the collected data. It also lets you exclude admin searches if needed. - **Compatibility with Ajax search forms**: You don’t have to worry if you use [AJAX search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-ajax-search-to-your-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Add Live Ajax Search to Your WordPress Without a Plugin") on your site to display search results in live mode. WP Search Insights is fully compatible with them. **Why We Recommend WP Search Insights:** We choose this plugin because it shows you statistics for searches performed on your site in a dashboard inside WordPress. This is useful for users who want insights to find out what users are looking for on their site and use the data to create new content or fix issues. **Pricing:** WP Search Insights is free to use. ### Which WordPress Search Plugin is The Best? After going through our list, you can see that each plugins adds some specific feature that enhances the default WordPress capabilities. But after testing multiple plugins, we believe that SearchWP is the best solution. That’s because if you’re looking for the best and versatileWordPress search plugin, you’d better opt for [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). Here are the things that allow it to deservedly take first place among other WordPress search plugins: - **The most comprehensive solution**. With this plugin, you can completely customize the WordPress search engine, make almost everything on your site searchable, and much more. - **User-friendly interface**. You can easily set up SearchWP the way you want, even if you’re not a tech-savvy user, and just launched your first WordPress site ever. - **Plenty of useful extensions**. Even though this plugin has tons of features, there are a decent number of extensions you can install to additionally expand its capabilities. - **The support team**. Although SearchWP is really easy to use and configure, if you come up with any questions, they’re always ready to help you with any issue. ### FAQs About The Best WordPress Search Plugins Here are some common questions users have about the best WordPress search plugins: **1. What does a WordPress search plugin do?** A WordPress search plugin enhances and improves the default search functionality of your WordPress website. In simpler terms, it helps your visitors find what they’re looking for on your site more easily and accurately. **2. Why do I need a search plugin? Isn’t WordPress’s built-in search good enough?** WordPress’s built-in search is very basic and often insufficient, especially as your website grows. The default search primarily only includes post and page titles and content. It often misses other important content like custom fields, product details, or attached files. That’s why a search plugin helps you improve the overall search experience in WordPress. **3. How do I add live search to my WordPress website?** WordPress doesn’t come with a default feature to add live search. However, you can use a plugin like [SearchWP Ajax Live Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/ "SearchWP Ajax Live Search") to add autocomplete functionality to your site. We hope this article helped you pick the best WordPress search plugin to boost site search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). So, in this article, you learned what are the best WordPress search plugins to boost your site search. Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!") today! **Categories:** Showcases **Tags:** best WordPress search plugins, best WordPress search plugins to boost your site search, the best WordPress plugins for search, the best WordPress search plugins, the best WordPress search plugins to boost your site search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Make WordPress Search in Post Content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-in-post-content/) **Published:** May 2, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** One of the most common questions we get from WordPress users is how to make their site search more accurate. It might be challenging for your site visitors to find what they’re looking for if you have a lot of posts. The default WordPress search has limited capabilities. It would ignore important information that might be present in custom fields, categories, or tags. As a result, showing irrelevant search results. In this article, we’ll show you how to limit WordPress search to post content. ### Why Make WordPress Search in Post Content If you want to succeed online, then it’s important to ensure that your site visitors can quickly find what they’re looking for. A positive user experience makes them discover more of your content, return to your site over again, and even share a link to it on social media. On top of that, the satisfaction of your visitors directly affects the ranking of your site in search engines. One of the best ways to give your visitors more relevant search results is to limit searches to a certain type of content. The thing is, by default, WordPress searches for title, content, and excerpt of posts and pages. Due to that, there is usually a lot of clutter in the search results, making it much more difficult to find the right content. Limiting search only to posts, or even to a specific attribute like content or title, helps solve this issue. That said, let’s look at how you can make WordPress search in post content. ### Make WordPress Search in Post Content The fastest and most convenient way to make WordPress search in post content is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the best WordPress search plugin that allows you to get complete control over how search works on your site. Using it, you can make searchable anything on your site, create custom search fields, track searches, and more. Over 50,000 WordPress site owners already use SearchWP to give their visitors the most relevant search results. SearchWP also helps you: - [**Display Search Results in Live Mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to instantly display search results on your site? Using SearchWP, you can do that with just a few clicks. - [**Make WordPress Search PDF Files**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Do you upload any PDFs to your site? With SearchWP, you can make the content within them searchable, enriching your site’s search results. - [**Exclude Pages from Search Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Want to exclude specific pages from search results on your site? SearchWP allows you to do that in just a few clicks. - [**Enable Fuzzy Search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Do you want to make WordPress search for fuzzy matches if there are no exact ones? Using SearchWP, you can turn on fuzzy search, so your visitors can find more results. Now, let’s take a look at how to limit WordPress search to post content only using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and creating a new account. After that, you can navigate to your SearchWP account and go over to the **Downloads** tab. Then click **Download SearchWP** to start downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You should also copy the SearchWP license key at the same tab, as you’ll need it further to activate the plugin. Once the download is finished, the next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site and install the plugin. If you need help with this, then feel free to check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") step-by-step tutorial. Upon activation, you will see the onboarding wizard for SearchWP. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to set up the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it. You have successfully activated SearchWP, and now you’re ready to make WordPress search only for post content. ### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine To begin, you can customize the default search engine or create a new one using SearchWP. Think of a search engine as a set of rules and conditions that SearchWP considers while performing a search. It also allows you to add and use multiple search engines with different sets of settings. Right now, there is only one search engine called Default. WordPress uses it for native searches. By customizing it, you can edit how search works across your entire site. Since we want to limit WordPress search only by post content, the first step is to remove all the sources except **Posts**. To do so, you can head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and press the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open where you can select different sources for the engine. Go ahead and uncheck **Pages** and **Media** sources, so that there will be only **Posts** left. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")After that, simply click the **Done** button to save the changes. The next step is to change the set of post attributes that SearchWP considers when searching. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, like title, content, excerpt, slug, custom fields, taxonomy terms, and more. This decides which content details to consider when your site is looking for results. By default, 5 attributes will be selected, which includes title, content, slug, excerpt, and author. To limit WordPress search for post content only, you can remove all the post attributes except **Content**. To do so, first press the **Add/Remove attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Go ahead and uncheck all the attributes except **Content**. From here, press **Done** to save the changes. ![Only select content attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-content-attribute-1030x513.png "Only select content attribute - SearchWP")You can also change the [relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Relevance Weight") of attributes by moving the slider next to them left or right. The bigger the weight, the more attention SearchWP will pay to an attribute when performing a search. ![Change content relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-content-relevance-weight-1030x465.png "Change content relevance weight - SearchWP")Finally, you can press the **Save** button to store the changes when you’re finished. That’s it. You’ve just made WordPress search for post content only. ![Save your engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-engine-1030x437.png "Save your engine - SearchWP")### Step 3: Test Your New Search The next step is to try out your new search engine. To do so, simply visit your website and head to the search form or search bar. For instance, we added a post on our test site containing the word “Apple” in the content and “Orange” in the title. First, let’s see if we find this post by the **Apple** search term. ![we found the Orange blog post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-Orange-blog-post.png "we found the Orange blog post - SearchWP")As you can see, we were able to find the post because WordPress considers the post content and gives it the highest priority. Now, let’s see if we can find it by the title, which is **Orange**. ![nothing found](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/nothing-found.png "nothing found - SearchWP")There is nothing found. It means that our WordPress site now considers only the content of posts when searching, ignoring everything else. ### Bonus: How to Make WordPress Consider Post Custom Fields Would you like to make your WordPress site consider post custom fields when searching? Custom fields are the fields where you can put any additional information about the post. For example, you can specify its type, author, time to read, or anything else. Making this data searchable is a great way to give your visitors more relevant search results. With SearchWP, you can make post custom fields searchable in just a couple of clicks. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")For more details, follow the [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") tutorial. We hope this article helped you learn how to make WordPress search in post content. You may also want to see [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") and [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit WordPress search to post content, how to make search in post content in WordPressWordPress, how to make WordPress search in post content, how to make WordPress search only by post content, make WordPress search in post content, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/) **Published:** April 29, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Remember the last time you couldn’t find something on an online store, even though you knew it was there? That’s exactly what your customers experience with WooCommerce’s default search. Many store owners think that the basic WooCommerce search is enough for their online store. However, it has limited search capabilities. That’s why customizing product search is important if you want to increase your sales and grow your business. In this article, we’ll show you the easiest and fastest way to customize your WooCommerce product search. ### Why Customize WooCommerce Product Search on Your Site You might want to customize WooCommerce product search on your site due to a couple of reasons. First, it helps you give your customers more accurate and comprehensive search results. The thing is, the native WordPress search engine completely ignores WooCommerce product attributes, tags, reviews, and other details. It happens because [WooCommerce stores](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads (2025)") all additional product data as custom fields. By default, WordPress only includes title, content, and excerpt of posts and pages. This means it doesn’t consider any content within [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") while performing a search. As a result, customers can only find products by titles and descriptions, making it harder to find what they’re looking for. If customers can’t find the product they came for in your store, they’ll simply leave and are unlikely to come back again. That’s why it’s important to customize your product search and make custom fields searchable. Besides that, you can create search fields limited to specific categories or tags. It can help you further narrow the search and provide your audience with more relevant search results. Now, let’s look at how you can customize WooCommerce product search on your WordPress site. ### Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search The easiest and fastest way to customize your WooCommerce product search is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the most powerful [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), which allows you to fully customize how search works on your site. For example, using it, you can make searchable WooCommerce product attributes, exclude or prioritize specific products in search results and many more. Also, using SearchWP, you can add and use multiple search engines with different rules. This feature allows you to create search boxes limited to specific categories and product types. More than 50,000 online store owners already use it to boost their sales by providing customers with more relevant search results. Here are other things you can do with SearchWP: - [**Keyword Tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Do you want to know what customers were searching for in your store? SearchWP gathers all on-site search activity, providing precious insights into customers’ needs. - [**Fuzzy Search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Would you like WordPress to recognize that the words ‘ball’ and ‘basketball’ refer to the same product? It’s possible with the SearchWP fuzzy search feature, also known as partial matching. - [**Live Search Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Want to display search results on your online site in live mode? Using SearchWP, you can turn this feature on, helping your customers to find products faster. - [**Searchable PDFs**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"): Do you upload any PDF files with price lists, tutorials, or anything else to your store? With SearchWP, you can make the content within them searchable. That said, let’s see how you can customize your WooCommerce product search using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. After that, you can go to your SearchWP account and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. Once there, press the **Download SearchWP** button to start downloading the plugin ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You can also copy the license key on the same tab, as you’ll need it to activate the plugin on your site after the installation. After the download is complete, upload the SearchWP plugin ZIP file to your WordPress site. Need any help with that? Check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the welcome screen along with the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it. You successfully activated your copy of SearchWP. ### Step 2: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Integration Extension The next step is to install the [WooCommerce Extension](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce Extension"). This extension ensures the seamless integration of SearchWP with WooCommerce. Next, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to WooCommerce Integration. From here, simply click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")### Step 3: Customize a Search Engine Once you’ve installed WooCommerce Integration extension, the next step is to customize the WordPress search engine. You can think of a search engine as a list of rules that SearchWP follows when performing a search. By changing the settings of a search engine, you can customize the way it works. For example, you can specify which search sources it should look for, what post or page attributes to consider, and many more. For this tutorial, we will edit the **Default** search engine, which is used for native WordPress searches. It means that by customizing it, you can change how the search works across the entire site. First, head to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Here, you can change which sources SearchWP will include in the search process. To make it consider WooCommerce products, simply check the box next to the **Products** source. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")After you finish selecting the necessary sources, click **Done** to save the changes. Next, you can make WordPress consider custom fields, taxonomies, and other details. To do that, scroll down to Products source and press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Here, you can specify which custom fields and taxonomies you want the search engine to consider while performing a search. The default search engine will already include title, content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes. However, you can click the **Custom Fields** and **Taxonomies** dropdown menu to select the attribute you’d like to include in WooCommerce search. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")For example, we’ll add the product categories as an attribute to include in WooCommerce search. When you’re finished managing attributes and taxonomies, click **Done** to save the changes. As you can see, the Product categories taxonomy now appears among the list of attributes of the Products source. ![Product category attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/product-category-attribute-1030x413.png "Product category attribute - SearchWP")You can also adjust the [relevance weight](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Relevance weight") of the attributes by moving the slider next to each one to the left or right. The greater the weight, the more attention SearchWP will pay to the attribute when searching. Now, let’s take a look at how you can hide products from appearing in search results. SearchWP also lets you automatically exclude products from search results if they fall under certain conditions. To get started, simply press the **Edit Rules** button. ![Product category rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/product-category-rules-1030x413.png "Product category rules - SearchWP")At first, there are no rules here. To add a new one, click **Add Rule**. ![Edit rules of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-of-products-1-1030x383.png "Edit rules of products - SearchWP")Here, you can specify under what conditions products should be shown or excluded from search results. For example, you can add a rule to limit search to certain categories or exclude out-of-stock products from search results. Let’s say we want to exclude products that are not categorized. To do so, we’ll select the **Product categories** taxonomy from the drop-down menu and select **Uncategorized** in the field next to it. ![Exclude products rules](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-products-rules-1-1030x504.png "Exclude products rules - SearchWP")When you’re finished adding rules, click **Done**. After that, you can scroll to the top and click the **Save** button at the top right to apply all the changes you’ve made. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. Now you have a fully customized search engine. The next step is to try how the customized search works on your site. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search To test your customized WooCommerce product search, simply visit your site. From here, you can head to the search bar on your site. For example, we’ve added a product titled **Green beanie** and placed it into the **Hats** category. ![click search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-search.jpg "click search - SearchWP")If we can find this product by searching for “hat”, it means that search on our test WordPress site now considers product categories. As you can see, we successfully found the **Green beanie** product, even though it doesn’t contain the word “hat” in the title or description. ![the green beanie product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-green-beanie-product.jpg "the green beanie product - SearchWP")### Bonus: How to Fix WooCommerce Search Not Working Now that you know how to customize WooCommerce product search, you should also know that at times it might not work properly. There can be several technical factors that can prevent the basic search from working correctly. Common culprits include caching issues that serve outdated or incorrect results. Conflicts with your active theme or other installed plugins are also frequent causes, as they can interfere with WooCommerce’s search process. Lastly, incorrect settings within WooCommerce or your theme might also hide products from search results or misconfigure the search behavior. ![Nothing found results preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/nothoing-found-1030x385.jpg "Nothing found results preview - SearchWP")Initial troubleshooting steps like clearing caches, temporarily deactivating plugins/switching themes to check for conflicts, and ensuring products are correctly published and visible can fix issues preventing the default search from functioning. On the other hand, if customers are searching by [SKU](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), attribute, or other details not in the title or main content, the default search will simply return no results. This is where you can use a search plugin like SearchWP to improve WooCommerce product search. To learn more, please follow our detailed guide on [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). We hope this article helped you learn how to customize your WooCommerce product search. You may also want to see our guides on [how to search in category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") and [how to add custom WooCommerce search widgets](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** customize a WooCommerce product search, customize your WooCommerce product search, how to customize a WooCommerce product search, how to customize your WooCommerce product search, SearchWP, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, WooCommerce product search customization, woocommerce search form --- ### [How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/) **Published:** April 22, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Understanding which keywords your visitors use on your WordPress site is like having a direct line to their thoughts. Instead of guessing what content to create next or which products to sell, you can see exactly what your audience is looking for, and deliver exactly what they need. It also helps you improve user experience and even boost sales on your site. Now, there are several ways you can uncover which search terms users use to find your site and which keywords they use on your site to locate different content. In this article, we’ll show you how to track the most popular search keywords on your site using multiple methods. ### What is Keyword Tracking? To begin with, let’s talk about what keywords are. Keywords are search terms that people enter into a search form or search engine when they search for content or products. Keyword tracking can be divided into 2 parts: - **On-site tracking** – Lets you know what keywords visitors are using when searching on your site. - **Off-site tracking** – Lets you find out what keywords visitors use to find your site in search engines. Below, we’ll show you how to perform both types of keyword tracking and explain in detail why keyword tracking is essential for everyone who wants to succeed online. ### Why You Should Track Your Site’s Keywords Off-site keyword tracking helps you can get valuable insight into how your site performs in search engines. It lets you find out what keywords people use to find your site and how much traffic specific keywords bring to it. It’s important to regularly monitor the keywords your site ranks for to see points of potential traffic growth. Using this information, you can figure out what articles on your site are the most successful and adjust your content marketing strategy as needed. The case is a little different with [on-site keyword tracking](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). If a visitor uses the search form on your site, it usually means they couldn’t find the right content right away, or they wanted to consume even more of your content. Both are great opportunities to find out what’s missing from your site and to reach your audience’s needs. Now that we’ve figured out the importance of keyword tracking, let’s take a look at how you can enable it on your site. ### How to Track Keywords People Use to Find Your Site There are 2 ways to track keywords people use to find your site. Let’s talk about both methods below. #### Method 1: Track Keywords Using Google Search Console The first way is to use Google Search Console. This free online tool allows you to measure your site’s overall performance on the search engine and fix issues that might be preventing your site from appearing in Google. To start using it, you need to add your WordPress site to Google Search Console. If you haven’t done it yet, then simply follow this guide on [how to add your WordPress site to Google Search Console](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-add-your-wordpress-site-to-google-webmaster-tools/ "How to Add Your WordPress Site to Google Search Console"). Once you’ve added your site to Google Search Console, simply go over to the **Performance** tab. ![Go to performance tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-performance-tab-1030x505.png "Go to performance tab - SearchWP")Here you’ll find different reports to see how your site is performing on Google. If you scroll down under **Queries**, you’ll see the list of keywords your website ranks for, along with their impressions and clicks. ![View list of top queries](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-list-of-top-queries-1030x595.png "View list of top queries - SearchWP")Note that if you have just added your site to the Google Search Console, collecting the data will take some time. Google Search Console is a nice and powerful online tool. But its main job is to give you reports about your site’s health and performance. That’s why, you can get only basic information on keywords your site ranks for. If you’re looking for advanced analytics, you’re better off using the second method. #### Method 2: Track Search Terms Using MonsterInsights The best way to get a comprehensive report on what keywords people use to find your site is to use a plugin like [MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights"). [![MonsterInsights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-website-1030x600.png "MonsterInsights - SearchWP")](https://www.monsterinsights.com/)As the [best Google Analytics plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-analytics-plugins/ "9 Best WordPress Analytics Plugins [Compared]"), MonsterInsights ensures seamless integration of your site with Google Analytics – even if you’re not tech-savvy. Usually, when you’re adding your site to Google Analytics, you need to edit the code of your theme. It’s challenging for beginners and requires advanced WordPress knowledge. Using MonsterInsights, you can connect your site with Google Analytics in just a few clicks, no coding needed. Plus, MonsterInsights allows you to see the Google Analytics dashboard right inside WordPress. You don’t even need to leave your site to check your traffic report! The first step is to [grab your copy of the MonsterInsights plugin](https://www.monsterinsights.com/pricing/ "Get MonsterInsights Pro "). Do note that you’ll need the MonsterInsights Pro version to view the Search Console report. Once done, you can navigate to your MonsterInsights account and head to the **Downloads** tab. From here, click **Download MonsterInsights** and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![press the download MonsterInsights button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-download-MonsterInsights-button.jpg "press the download MonsterInsights button - SearchWP")You can also copy your license key, as you’ll need it to activate the plugin later. Once you’ve finished downloading, go to your WordPress site dashboard and upload the MonsterInsights plugin ZIP file. Need any help on how to do that? Check out this step-by-step tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you installed and activated MonsterInsights, you will see the setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Launch the Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to connect your site with Google Analytics. ![MonsterInsights setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-setup-wizard-1030x623.png "MonsterInsights setup wizard - SearchWP")If you require help, then please see this guide on [how to install Google Analytics in WordPress](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-install-google-analytics-in-wordpress/ "How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners") for complete step-by-step instructions. Once you’ve connected Google Analytics to your site, the next step is to add it to Google Search Console. Feel free to check out the [how to add a WordPress site to Google Search Console](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-add-your-wordpress-site-to-google-webmaster-tools/ "How to Add Your WordPress Site to Google Search Console") step-by-step tutorial for more details. To see your site search terms data, simply navigate to the **Insights » Reports** page in your WordPress dashboard. From here, simply switch to the **Search Console** tab. ![Search console report MonsterInsights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-console-report-monsterinsights-1030x528.png "Search console report MonsterInsights - SearchWP")Here you’ll find a list of the top 50 search terms for your site with the number of clicks, CTR, and average positions in the search results. It’s very easy to check the most popular keywords for which your site ranks without even leaving the WordPress dashboard. If you also want to see the keywords people use to find your site via Google Analytics, go to the next step below. ### How to Find Out What People Are Searching For on Your Site The easiest way to find out what people are searching for on your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)This is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that brings tons of useful features to enhance your site’s search capabilities. Over 30,000 site owners already use it to provide their visitors with relevant search results and increase content discoverability. Beyond the ability to track keywords on your site, you can also use SearchWP to: - [**Display search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"): Would you like to show search results on your site in a real-time mode? Turn it on in SearchWP settings to provide visitors with a better user experience. - [**Make custom post types searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Have you published a new custom post type, but it doesn’t appear in search results? Using SearchWP, you can make custom post types searchable in a few clicks. - [**Enable fuzzy search**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"): Want your visitors to find the right content even if they make a typo? Enable fuzzy search with SearchWP and improve the discoverability of your content. Now, let’s take a look at how you can find out what people are searching for on your site using SearchWP. **Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP Plugin** The first step is to [grab your copy of the SearchWP plugin](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") and create a new account. Once done, you can go to your SearchWP account area and navigate to the **Downloads** tab. From here, simply press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")You can also copy the license key at the same tab, as you’ll need it to activate your copy of SearchWP further on. Once you’ve downloaded the plugin, the next step is to upload it to your site. Need a refresher on how to do that? Follow this detailed guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see a welcome screen and the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once that’s done, the next step is to install and activate the Metrics extension. **Step 2: Install and Activate the Metrics Extension** The [SearchWP Metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "Metrics Extension") gives you a detailed report on your visitors’ on-site search activity. You can use it to find out what people are looking for most often on your site, how much they click on search results, and much more. Simply head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the ‘Metrics’ extension. From here, you can click the **Install** button. ![Install metrics addon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-metrics-addon-1030x491.png "Install metrics addon - SearchWP")**Step 3: Check Out the Search Activity on Your Site** Once done, you can go to **SearchWP » Metrics** from your WordPress dashboard. Here you’ll find data on all search queries that visitors have made on your site. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")If you scroll down to the ‘Popular Searches’ section, you’ll see the search terms people use on your website. That’s valuable information that can help you get to know your audience better, come up with new content ideas, and improve conversions. Another advantage of using SearchWP is that you get actionable insights as well. For instance, it will highlight queries with high conversion rate, so you can optimize them across your site. We hope this article helped you learn how to track keywords that visitors entered on your site and how to find out what keywords they used to find it in search engines. You may also want to see our guide on [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)"). If you’re ready to start tracking keywords that visitors search for on your site, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to track the most popular search keywords on a WordPress site, how to track the most popular search keywords on your site, how to track the most popular search keywords on your WordPress site, Metrics, SearchWP, track the most popular search keywords on your WordPress site, tracking of the most popular search keywords on your WordPress site --- ### [How to Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content from WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-use-boolean-search-to-exclude-content-from-wordpress-search/) **Published:** April 17, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** The default WordPress search is functional for most sites, but often shows irrelevant results. It can be tricky to get it to only show the content you really want users to see, especially when you need to exclude certain types of content from the results. Imagine a user searching for “advanced WordPress performance tips” on your site, but they are not interested in beginner guides. With a basic keyword search, they’ll likely get a mix of everything, beginner and advanced guides. This is where the power of Boolean search comes in, specifically its ability to exclude content. Boolean search might sound intimidating, but it’s actually a straightforward way to add precision to your WordPress search queries. In this article, we’ll show you how to use boolean search to exclude content from WordPress search. ### What is Boolean Search? Boolean search is simply a way to search using specific keywords combined with operators that tell the search engine how to interpret those keywords. Instead of just typing in words and hoping for the best, you can use operators to create more targeted searches. There are different types of search operators you can use to narrow down the search results. Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common operators: - **AND (or +):** Narrows your search by requiring that all keywords used must be present in the search results. - **OR:** Broadens your search by including results that contain either of the keywords, or both. - **NOT (or -):** Excludes results that contain a specific keyword, helping to remove irrelevant information. ### Why Use Boolean Search to Exclude Content from WordPress? You may wonder why is [excluding content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)") even important? Isn’t more search results always better? Not really. In search, providing relevant results to visitors is always better than quantity. By filtering out unwanted content, you can ensure that users see results that are much more closely aligned with their actual needs. No more wading through pages of irrelevant posts. A more relevant search experience is a better user experience. Users find what they need faster, with less frustration. This keeps them engaged and encourages them to spend more time on your site. Lastly, excluding content using boolean search allows users to really drill down and find niche content. For example, do they want tutorials, but not for beginners? Want product reviews, but not from last year? That said, let’s see how you can easily use boolean search in WordPress. ### How Do You Exclude Content Using Boolean Search in WordPress? The default WordPress search has a lot of limitations and doesn’t provide a great search experience. Even if you use boolean operators, chances are that you might not get relevant results. The easiest way to enhance the search process in WordPress is by using [SearchWP.](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), and over 50,000 website owners trust it to provide a great search experience. With SearchWP, you can be confident that your Boolean operators, including the crucial NOT operator, will be interpreted correctly and efficiently. It also ensures accurate and predictable search results, giving you and your users the refined search experience you need. Plus, SearchWP offers a whole host of other features to customize and enhance your WordPress search in ways the default search simply can’t. For example, you can include content from [ACF custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)"), tags, categories, product details, documents, [PDFs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)"), and more in the search process. To get started, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and signup for a new account. Once you’ve created a new account, simply head to the ‘Downloads’ tab in your account dashboard, click the **Download SearchWP** button, and save the plugin files on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to visit your WordPress website and install SearchWP plugin. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After that, you can install the [Boolean Search extension](https://searchwp.com/features/boolean-search/ "Boolean Search Extension") by navigating to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. From here, simply navigate to Boolean Search and click the **Install** button. ![Install Boolean search extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-boolean-search-extension-1030x528.png "Install Boolean search extension - SearchWP")By default, SearchWP pulls results using all the keywords in a search. With this extension, users can exclude keywords from search results using the **NOT** or **–** operators. For example, they can search for “cats -dogs” and the search would return results including “cats” but not “dogs”. The best part about using Search Boolean extension is that you don’t need any further configuration. Simply visit your site and start using the search operators to exclude content from search results. ![Search your site using operators](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-your-site-using-operators-1030x340.png "Search your site using operators - SearchWP")Here are some more examples of how you can use Boolean search to exclude content on your site: - **`"SEO tips -beginners"`** : Find articles about SEO tips, but exclude anything specifically targeted at beginners. Great for intermediate or advanced users. - **`"WordPress themes -ecommerce"`**: Looking for WordPress themes, but definitely not for online stores? This will help filter out e-commerce focused themes. - **`"photography tutorial NOT video"`**: Want to learn about photography through tutorials, but prefer written guides to video? This search will exclude video tutorials. - **`"best project management tools security -free"`**: Searching for the best secure project management tools, and you’re not interested in free options? This combines inclusion (security) with exclusion (free). ### Bonus: Exclude Pages or Posts from Search Results With SearchWP, you can take the search experience to the next level and [create custom search engines](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-search-in-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Create Custom Search in WordPress Without a Plugin") that only search posts or pages on your site. For example, you can hide technical pages like sitemap, category, or login pages, which might not serve your visitors any valuable information when they search for content. In SearchWP, you can choose which sources to use when looking up content. If you only want users to find posts, then you can uncheck the ‘Pages’ source option. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Exclude-all-pages-1030x440.jpg "Exclude all pages - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to exclude pages or posts from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). We hope this article helped you learn how to use boolean search to exclude content from WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to track your WordPress site search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") and [how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Boolean Search, Boolean Search extension, exclude content, NOT operator, search operator, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/) **Published:** April 15, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you have a WooCommerce store and have thousands of products, then you’d want your website search to work without any trouble, But what if it doesn’t? It’s an absolute nightmare for any eCommerce website owner. The main problem is that there are several possible reasons that can cause the product search to not work. In this article, we’ll talk about the most popular issues with search in WooCommerce and how to solve them. Since this is a comprehensive article, here is a table of contents to help you navigate: - [What Causes WooCommerce Product Search to Not Work?](#aioseo-3-common-examples-of-woocommerce-product-search-not-working) - [Fix WooCommerce Doesn't Show Products in the Admin Panel](#admin) - [Fix WordPress Doesn’t Display WooCommerce Products](#product) - [Fix WordPress Doesn’t Search by WooCommerce Product Attributes](#attribute) ### What Causes WooCommerce Product Search to Not Work? [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/recommends/woocommmerce/ "WooCommerce") is one of the best and most powerful [eCommerce WordPress plugins](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads"). But, as with any other plugin, you may encounter errors when using it from time to time. It’s especially frustrating when the errors are related to the product search. If the search on your website is broken, customers can’t find what they came for! Unfortunately, there are plenty of reasons that can cause troubles with WooCommerce search. Let’s look at the most common issues that can cause the WooCommerce product search to malfunction. #### 1. WooCommerce Product Search in Admin Isn’t Working There is a fairly widespread problem when WooCoomerce shows products in the search results on a site but doesn’t display them in the admin panel. Although this issue doesn’t affect customers, it causes considerable inconvenience to the site owner. Can you imagine how it feels to manually search for the product you want to customize out of a thousand others? To solve this problem, you first need to figure out what caused it. Here is the list of the most likely reasons: - **Plugin conflict**: Plugin incompatibility can sometimes lead to problems with [WooCommerce search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). - **Mass product import via CSV**: When you upload thousands of products to your site at once, it can corrupt the product database. - **Memory limit**: If your hosting has strict memory limitations, it may cause problems with the WooCommerce search. #### 2. WooCommerce Products Don’t Display in Site Search Results ![nothing found](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/nothoing-found.jpg "Nothing found results preview - SearchWP")If products don’t show up in the search results on the site itself, then that’s a much bigger concern. Customers are very likely to leave your store as soon as they use a search on your site and figure that it’s broken. To prevent that, it’s important to quickly understand what caused the problem and fix it. The main reason why WooCommerce products don’t show up in on-site search results is because the default WordPress search is quite limited. It will search for products, but might not show the right results to users. Plus, the default search doesn’t take into account additional product information while searching, which can cause items to not show up in the search results. One way to solve this problem is by using a WordPress search plugin like SearchWP. You can customize the default search or create a custom engine that only searches WooCommerce products. If you’ve already done that, but the problem still persists, then it may be caused by the following reasons: - **Customized product visibility**: If a particular product doesn’t show up in the search results, there’s a good chance you changed its default visibility. - **Cached search results page**: If you’ve added products and haven’t cleared the cache, then it’s possible that an outdated version of your site is being displayed. - **Plugin compatibility issues**: As in the case of a broken search in the admin panel, products may not appear in on-site search results due to plugin compatibility issues. #### 3. WordPress Doesn’t Search by WooCommerce Product Attributes The default WordPress search isn’t that powerful when it comes to searching WooCommerce products. This also means that it won’t show any product attributes in the search results because WooCommerce stores them as custom fields. To make them searchable, you’ll first need to get WordPress to consider the custom fields they contain. That said, let’s look at some simple ways you can fix the WooCommerce product search on your site. ### Fix WooCommerce Doesn’t Show Products in the Admin Panel Here are different ways to get WooCommerce product search to work in the admin panel in WordPress. #### Plugin Compatibility Issues Installed any new plugins shortly before WooCommerce stopped displaying products in search results? Disabling every plugin apart from WooCommerce will help to figure out if it’s the reason. To do so, navigate to the **Plugins** tab in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the plugins tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-plugins-tab.jpg "go to the plugins tab - SearchWP")Next, you can check the box at the top left to select all installed plugins at once. This will help save time as you can perform bulk actions without having to deactivate each plugin individually. ![check out all the plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-out-all-the-plugins.jpg "check out all the plugins - SearchWP")After that, ensure you have unchecked the WooCommerce plugin. From here, simply select **Deactivate** from the **Bulk actions** drop-down menu, and press **Apply**. ![deactivate all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deactivate-all-plugins.jpg "deactivate all plugins - SearchWP")That’s it. You deactivated all the plugins you’ve installed except for WooCommerce. Did the problem with the search disappear after these actions? Then gradually activate the plugins one by one until you find which one is causing the problem. If WooCommerce still doesn’t display products in search results in the admin panel, then you can also try the following solutions below. #### Mass Product Import via CSV Have you recently imported a large number of products into WooCommerce? Then issues with search in the admin panel may be caused by database corruption. ![navigate to the WooCommerce tools](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-woocommerce-tools.jpg "navigate to the WooCommerce tools - SearchWP")To regenerate the database, navigate to **WooCommerce » Status » Tools** in your WordPress dashboard. Once there, press the ‘Regenerate’ button in the Product lookup tables section. ![regenerate tables](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/regenerate-tables.jpg "regenerate tables - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll the page to the very bottom. From here, simply press the **Update Database** button. ![press update database](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-update-database.jpg "press update database - SearchWP")Note that these operations may take some time to complete, depending on the number of products in your store. If that doesn’t solve the problem, then try the following way. ![navigate to the products tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-products.jpg "navigate to the products tab - SearchWP")First, navigate to **Products » All Products** in your WordPress dashboard. From here, tick the topmost checkbox to highlight all products. ![check all products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-all-products.jpg "check all products - SearchWP")Then, select the **Edit** option from the **Bulk actions** drop-down menu. Once that’s done, simply click **Apply**. ![press quick edit](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-quick-edit.jpg "press quick edit - SearchWP")This will open the quick edit options for your products. Simply click **Update** to update all your products at once. ![click update](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-update.jpg "click update - SearchWP")These actions make WooCommerce include all products and begin displaying them in the search results in the admin panel as it’s supposed to be. #### Server Memory Limit Just launched your first WordPress site? Or moved your site to new hosting? That could be a possible reason for issues with the WooCommerce search, especially if you have a lot of products. The thing is that the server that hosts your site may not have enough power to handle a large number of WooCommerce products at once. Or, the server may have software restrictions that limit the amount of available memory. The best possible solution is to reach out to your hosting provider’s customer support. They’ll help you figure out if the issue with WooCommerce search is related to a server and solve it if it’s the case. ### Fix WordPress Doesn’t Display WooCommerce Products The best way to include WooCommerce products in your WordPress site search results is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Beyond making WooCommerce products searchable, this plugin has many other valuable features. Over 50,000 site owners use this best WordPress search plugin because of its features, such as: - **Automatic theme integration**. You don’t need to be a tech-savvy user or edit any code to start using SearchWP. After installing, the plugin automatically integrates with all existing search forms on your site. - [**Search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). Do you wonder what products your visitors search for on your site? SearchWP allows you to start tracking searches and get valuable insights into your audience’s interest. - [**Search results in live mode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). By default, WordPress shows search results by opening a new separate page. With SearchWP, you can display search results in live mode, providing your customers with a better user experience. Now, let’s take a look at how to make WordPress display WooCommerce products in search results using SearchWP. **Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP** The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!"). Once done, simply go over to the **Downloads** tab. Then, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin files to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Besides that, you should also copy your license key, as you will need it further to activate the plugin. Once the download is completed, upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your WordPress site. If you need a help on how to do that, then feel free to check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully activated SearchWP on your site. **Step 2: Install and Activate the WooCommerce Integration Extension** The next step is to install the WooCommerce Integration extension. Simply head to **SearchWP » Extensions** and navigate to WooCommerce Integration. From here, click the **Install** button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")Once done, you’re ready to proceed to customize the default WordPress search engine. **Step 3: Add WooCommerce Products as a Search Source** To get started, you can go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here you’ll find the list of search engines you currently have. By customizing the default search engine, you can edit how the search works across the entire site. And if you want to add additional search engines and link them to specific search boxes, SearchWP allows you to do so, too. The default search engine has only 3 sources: posts, pages, and media. It means that currently, WordPress does search exclusively among these 3. To make WooCommerce products searchable, you need to add them as an engine source. To get started, first, click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see the default sources for the engine, which includes posts, pages, and media. Simply check the box next to the **Products** source, and then click **Done** at the bottom right. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")After you’ve finished, press the **Save** button at the top right to save the changes. That’s it. Now WooCommerce products appear in search results on your website. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")**Step 4: Test Your New Search** Let’s make sure that you can now find products through search. To do so, simply visit your site and enter the name of any product you have in your store into the search box and click **Search**. As you can see, WooCommerce products now appear in search results on our test site. ![we found the product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-the-product2.jpg "we found the product - SearchWP")#### Customized Product Visibility Did you add or edit a product, but it didn’t appear in the search results? There’s a good chance that you’ve accidentally changed its default visibility settings. To figure that out, navigate to **Products** in your WordPress dashboard and click on the product whose visibility you’d like to change. ![open the product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-the-product.jpg "open the product - SearchWP")Then, make sure that the product’s catalog visibility option is set to **Shop and search results**. You can find the option under the Publish metabox. ![check the product catalog visibility](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/check-the-product-catalog-visibility.jpg "check the product catalog visibility - SearchWP")If it’s not the case, you’ve just found the reason why your product doesn’t appear in the search results. To fix this, simply press **Edit** next to the **Catalog visibility** option. Then, change this parameter to **Shop and search results** or **Search results only**, depending on your needs. ![change the product search visibility](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-the-product-search-visibility.jpg "change the product search visibility - SearchWP")Once done, you can press **OK**. Then don’t forget to save the changes by clicking the **Update** button. ![press update to update the product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-update-to-update-the-product.jpg "press update to update the product - SearchWP")#### Cached Search Results Page Do you use any caching plugins on your WordPress website? Your search results page may have simply been cached. This problem can be solved in a couple of clicks by clearing your site’s cache. The exact steps depend on which plugin you’re using. For this tutorial, we’ll show you how to clear the cache with one of the most popular WordPress caching plugins called [WP Super Cache](https://wordpress.org/plugins/wp-super-cache/ "WP Super Cache"). First, navigate to **Settings » WP Super Cache** from your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the wp super cache tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-wp-super-cache-tab.jpg "go to the wp super cache tab - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the ‘Delete Cached Pages’ section. Then, press the **Delete Cache** button to display updated versions of pages on your site. ![Delete cache button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/delete-cache-button-1030x437.png "Delete cache button - SearchWP")#### Plugin Compatibility Issues A plugin conflict can cause problems with displaying products in search results not only in the admin panel but also on the site itself. To resolve this issue, you can simply deactivate all the plugins on your site (except WooCommerce). ![deactivate all plugins](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deactivate-all-plugins.jpg "deactivate all plugins - SearchWP")Once that’s done, you can enable each plugin one at a time and check which one is causing the issue. ### Fix WordPress Doesn’t Search by WooCommerce Product Attributes The default WordPress search doesn’t include product attributes in the search process. To fix this issue, the easiest solution is to use a search plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). Its WooCommerce extension lets you make products searchable in WordPress and include different attributes in the search process. For example, you can use product categories, tags, shipping classes, SKUs, product type, and other product details. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")To learn more, you can see our guide on [how to search eCommerce product details in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"). Using the tips in this post, you can easily solve almost any problem with search in your online store. Properly working search is essential to getting more sales and growing your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to fix WooCommerce product search not working. You may also want to see our guide on [how to search in category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") and [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)"). If you’re ready to make your WordPress site search WooCommerce products, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** fix WooCommerce product search not working, how to fix WooCommerce product search not working, how to fix WooCommerce search not working, WooCommerce doesn't search for products, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, WooCommerce product search doesn't work, woocommerce search form --- ### [How to Add a WordPress Search Bar with Shortcode (Step-by-Step)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/) **Published:** April 10, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** One of the most common questions we get from our readers is if it’s possible to add a search bar to specific pages or posts using shortcodes. Typically, a search bar on a WordPress site is in the site navigation menu or in the sidebar. But using shortcodes lets you place a search bar right inside a post or page. And with SearchWP, you can take the search experience to the next level and help users find what they’re looking for quicker. In this article, we’ll show you how you can add a search bar using a shortcode to your WordPress site. ### Why Add A Search Bar with Shortcode in WordPress? Usually, there are not so many places where you can add a search bar. Most of the WordPress themes allow you to put a search bar as a widget in one of the widget areas. You can also display your search bar next to the navigation menu. But what if you want to create a page that contains a search bar? Or put a search bar inside the article, so your readers don’t have to interrupt the reading if they want to search for something? ![a search bar within the post's body](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-find-results-2.jpg "press find results - SearchWP")That’s where shortcodes come in handy. Using shortcodes, you’re free to add a search bar to any place within a post or page. This is helpful if your theme doesn’t support adding a search box, and you don’t want to edit the code to add it. Now, let’s look at how you can add a search bar to your site using a shortcode. ### Adding a WordPress Search Bar with Shortcode The easiest way to add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Search WP is the most powerful and comprehensive [WordPress search plugin.](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") More than 50,000 website owners already use it to provide their visitors with more accurate search results. This plugin not only allows you to add a search bar with a shortcode, it also helps you gain full control over the WordPress search engine. For example, using SearchWP, you can customize the search results order, make documents, media files, product details, PDFs, [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), and a lot more searchable. This plugin automatically integrates with every search bar you have on your site. So you can enhance your site search immediately after the installation, no coding needed. Here are just some other useful things you can do with SearchWP: - **Custom Fields Indexing**: Lots of WordPress plugins use custom fields to store your data. But, the native WordPress search engine doesn’t consider them while searching. SearchWP allows you to [make custom fields searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") on your site. - **Search Tracking**: Ever wondered [what searches visitors make](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") on your site? SearchWP gives you insights about search activity on your site in a few clicks, so you can get new content ideas and meet your audience’s needs. - **Seamless WooCommerce Integration**: By default, WordPress search ignores [WooCommerce product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), so it’s harder for your customers to find a product they’re looking for. Using SearchWP, you can make any WooCommerce custom fields searchable, including product attributes, tags, and reviews. Let’s see how you can use SearchWP to add a search bar with a shortcode in minutes. #### Step 1: Install and Activate the SearchWP plugin The first step is to visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today") and sign up for a new account. Once done, you’ll need to go to your SearchWP account and switch to the **Downloads** tab. From here, simply press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin ZIP file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")When the download is complete, copy your license key, as you’ll need it later to activate the plugin. After you’ve downloaded SearchWP and copied the license key, upload the plugin ZIP file to your WordPress site and install SearchWP. If you require any help on how to do that, then please check out this [step-by-step guide on how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once SearchWP is installed and activated, you will see the setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")#### Step 2: Install and Activate the Shortcodes Extension Next, you need to install the [Shortcodes extension](https://searchwp.com/features/shortcodes/ "SearchWP Shortcodes Extension") in SearchWP. This extension allows you to add a search bar with a shortcode to any place in a post or page. To start, you can head to the **SearchWP » Extensions** page and navigate to the ‘Shortcode’ extension. From here, simply click the ‘Install’ button and the extension automatically activate on your site. ![Install shortcodes extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-shortcodes-extension-1030x500.png "Install shortcodes extension - SearchWP")#### Step 3: Create a Page for the New Search Bar Now, you need to create a new page, on which you’ll place the search box. To do that, simply navigate to **Pages** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New Page’ button. ![Add a new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-page-2-1030x465.png "Add a new page - SearchWP")Once you’re in the WordPress content editor, go ahead and add a title to your page. After that, you can click the **Plus** button, search for the **Custom HTML** block, and then click on it to add it to the page. ![choose the custom html block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-custom-html-block.jpg "choose the custom html block - SearchWP")Then, copy the following code and paste it into the **Custom HTML** block: ``` [searchwp_search_form engine="default" var="searchvar" button_text="Find Results"] [searchwp_search_results engine="default" var="searchvar" posts_per_page=4] [searchwp_search_result_link direct="true"] [searchwp_search_result_excerpt] [/searchwp_search_results] [searchwp_search_results_none] No results found, please search again. [/searchwp_search_results_none] [searchwp_search_results_pagination direction="prev" link_text="Previous" var="searchvar" engine="default"] [searchwp_search_results_pagination direction="next" link_text="Next" var="searchvar" engine="default"] ``` The above code displays the search box on the page where you added the Custom HTML box. It also displays the “No search results found” message if there are no search results. Plus, it can also show pagination links if there are more than 4 search results. Once you’ve added the code, simply click the **Publish** button at the top right to publish your page. ![publish the page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-the-page-1.jpg "publish the page - SearchWP")Now, let’s go to our new page and test the search bar we just added. #### Step 4: Test Your New Search Bar To go over to the newly created page, click the **View Page** button. ![view the page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-the-page.jpg "view the page - SearchWP")As you can see, the search bar that you added with the shortcode is now successfully displayed on the page. You can try searching for different blog posts and pages to test the search bar. ![the search box appears](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-search-box-appears.jpg "the search box appears - SearchWP")### Bonus: Change Default WordPress Search Settings With SearchWP, you can change the default WordPress search settings and improve the overall search experience for your visitors. The default search has many limitations and isn’t ideal for sites that have a lot of content or products. For instance, it doesn’t include custom fields, product details, categories, tags, and other additional information when performing a search. This is where you can use SearchWP and change the search settings. With the plugin, you can include [comments](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"), reviews, taxonomies, custom fields, and more in the search results. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")SearchWP also lets you create unlimited custom search engines, which you can link to multiple search forms on your site. To learn more, please see our guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to add a WordPress search bar with shortcode. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a search bar to your WordPress website](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") and [how to make a search bar that searches your WordPress Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/ "How To Make A Search Bar That Searches Your WordPress Site"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode, how to add a WordPress search bar through shortcode, how to add a WordPress search bar using a shortcode, how to add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode, how to add a WordPress search bar with shortcode, SearchWP, WordPress search --- ### [How to Include WordPress Form Submission in Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-wordpress-form-submissions-in-search-results/) **Published:** April 8, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you collect feedback, reviews, and other information through forms, then you can make this data searchable on your WordPress site. Unfortunately, WordPress’s default search function doesn’t include form data. This means that valuable information is essentially hidden from users. But with SearchWP, you can easily include form submissions in the search process. Whether you’re managing surveys, reviews, or any other type of form, SearchWP will help make this content discoverable. In this article, we’ll show you how to include WordPress form submission in search results. **Note:** Before we proceed with the tutorial, please note that showing form entries as search results requires editing code. You need to have an extensive grasp of coding knowledge or need to hire a developer for this to work. If you require any assistance at any point, then please reach out to our support team. We’d be happy to help! ### Why Include Form Submissions in WordPress Search? Making form submissions searchable in WordPress can significantly enhance the functionality and user experience of your website. Users often submit information through forms and may need to access or recall what they submitted later. By including form submissions in search, you allow users to quickly find their own submissions without needing to contact site administrators. For example, if a user submitted a support request or an application, they can easily search and find their submission to check its status or review the details. Form submissions also contain valuable content that might not be readily available elsewhere on your site. This could include user-generated content from surveys, feedback forms, or [comment forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"). It also helps avoid duplication, as users can search for a particular form submission instead of creating a new one. That said, let’s take a look at how you can easily include form submissions in WordPress search. ### Make Form Submissions Searchable in WordPress The easiest way to search different forms in WordPress is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and offers powerful extensions for some of the most popular contact form plugins. Currently, SearchWP supports WPForms and Gravity Forms. It makes it easy to add forms from these plugins as a search engine source, so users can easily search and discover form content. Besides that, SearchWP is designed to overcome the limitations of default search and index everything that matters on your website. This includes [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), categories, tags, product details, media files, and more. First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and create a new account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Once you’ve signed up, the next step is to is download the SearchWP plugin. To do that, simply go to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")From here, you can install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. If you need help with this, then please see this guide on [how to install the WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After you’ve activated the plugin, you’ll see the SearchWP onboarding wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you will need to install an extension to make form submissions searchable in WordPress. For this tutorial, we’ll use the [WPForms extension](https://searchwp.com/features/source-wpforms/ "SearchWP WPForms Extension") and make our event submission form entries searchable. You can simply head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress admin panel and navigate to **Source – WPForms** extension. From here, go ahead and click the ‘Install’ button. ![Install WPForms extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-wpforms-extension.png "Install WPForms extension - SearchWP")You should see that the extension will now automatically install and activate, with the Status changing from Not Installed to **Active**. ### Customize Search Engine to Include Form Submissions Now that you’ve set up SearchWP on your site and added the WPForms extension, the next step is to customize the search engine settings to make form submissions searchable. First, you’ll need to head to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and add a new engine. Simply click the ‘Add New’ button to continue. ![Add new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-1030x485.png "Add new engine - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open with your Supplemental engine. Here, you can select the sources for your new search engine. By default, SearchWP will include [Posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"), Pages, Users, and Media along with all the forms you have created in WPForms as sources. ![Add new engine and select your forms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-and-select-your-forms-1-1030x542.png "Add new engine and select your forms - SearchWP")To limit the search to only WPForms, you can uncheck all other sources except the forms. If you need to make only a specific form searchable, then you can simply select that particular form. For example, we’ll only select the Event Submission Form as a source for this tutorial. This way, users can easily search for different events that are submitted through the form. ![Only select WPForms forms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/only-select-wpforms-forms-1-1030x534.png "Only select WPForms forms - SearchWP")You can also change the name of the new engine from Supplemental to anything you like under the ‘Engine Label’ field. For example, we’ll name our new engine as ‘WPForms Engine.’ When you’re finished, click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you’ll see each form as a source in the engine. You can then select which form fields you’d want to use as attributes. Attributes are fields you want to search for a given source. To edit them, simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Edit attributes for WPForms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-attributes-for-wpforms-1030x546.png "Edit attributes for WPForms - SearchWP")Next, a small window will open where you can select which attributes to use. Simply uncheck the form fields you don’t want the source to search. ![Select which attributes to use](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-which-attributes-to-use-1030x374.png "Select which attributes to use - SearchWP")After choosing the attributes, simply click the ‘Done’ button. You can also move the slider to adjust the [relevance weights](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "SearchWP Engine Configuration"). The further to the right the slider is set for an attribute, the more influence that attribute has on the position in the search results. ![Move slider for WPForms engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-for-wpforms-engine-1030x558.png "Move slider for WPForms engine - SearchWP")Next, you will need to scroll to the top and click the **Save** button to store your changes. You’ve now successfully created a new search engine that search form submissions. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")### Displaying Form Entries as Search Results Now that you’ve created a search engine that looks for form submissions, the next step is to display the WPForms entries in the search results. **Note:** An important thing to remember is that you’ll need development skills or need to hire a developer to implement the code on your site. This way, your form entries will appear as search results using SearchWP. First, you’ll need to set up a search form for the Supplemental Engine you created earlier. Start by creating an **** with a different name than **s**, as that name will trigger a native WordPress search. You can start with the following code: ``` **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** forms, gravity forms, include form submissions in search results, SearchWP, wordpress forms, WordPress search, wordpress search settings, wpforms, wpforms extension --- ### [How to Limit Search to Only Posts in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-only-posts-in-wordpress/) **Published:** April 2, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you’ve been running a WordPress blog for a long time, then your site’s search results can be cluttered with everything from media files to pages, making it hard for readers to find the blog posts they were looking for. Sadly, WordPress doesn’t come with a built-in option to filter site searches. You’d have to edit code or hire a developer to customize the default search. That said, there is an easier way. With SearchWP, you can make your site’s search function exactly how you want it to. In this article, we’ll show you how to limit search to only posts in WordPress. ### Why Limit Search to Only Posts on Your Site? By default, WordPress displays all published pages, posts, and custom post types in search results. That’s why sometimes it might be challenging to find the right piece of content, especially on sites with a bunch of pages. Have you ever used a search form on a site and come across pages like Sitemap, About Us, Checkout, and other similar page among the regular results? Then you know this feeling. If you’re a blogger, then limiting search results to posts only will make it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for. It ensures a better user experience and increases engagement. Besides, satisfied users who found the right content on your site are more likely to return again and become the loyal audience. If you are an online store owner, then technical pages in search results can distract your customers from [searching for products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)"). Removing these pages can improve conversion and make your store look more professional. That said, let’s see how you can limit the search on your WordPress site to only posts. ### Limiting Website Search to Only Posts in WordPress The easiest way to limit search to only posts in WordPress is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Used by over 50,000 sites, SearchWP is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"). Using it, you can limit search on your site to only posts, pages, or custom posts types in a few clicks, without writing any code. You also get pre-built form templates that are easily customizable. The best part, you can create unlimited search engines and link them to individual search forms to filter the results on your site. Some of its other features also include: - **Keyword Stemming:** Do you want to make your WordPress site recognize that search terms like “search” and “searching” are relevant to the same content? SearchWP allows you to enable search for matches related to the keywords you enter, just like in Google. - **Custom Fields Indexing:** The native WordPress search engine doesn’t consider any data stored within the custom fields. It makes it impossible to search on sites that actively use custom post types properly. SearchWP allows you to tackle this issue and [make custom fields searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") in a few clicks. - **Search Activity Tracking:** Wonder what your visitors are searching for on your site? SearchWP gives you a full report on your [visitors’ search behavior](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") so you can better know your audience and meet their content needs. - **Seamless Integration:** SearchWP offers powerful extensions that allow you to integrate it with popular eCommerce platforms like WooCommerce, form plugins like WPForms, and custom fields plugins like Advanced Custom Fields (ACF). Now, let’s proceed to the step-by-step tutorial on limiting search to only posts using the SearchWP plugin. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP in WordPress The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by visiting the website and signing up for a new account. After that, you can navigate to the **Downloads** tab in your SearchWP account. Once there, simply press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After you’ve downloaded the plugin, also copy your license key, as you’ll need it soon to activate your license. Then, go to your WordPress site dashboard and upload the SearchWP plugin ZIP file. Need help with that? Please check out this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After installing and activating the plugin, you’ll see the SearchWP setup wizard. You can click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully added SearchWP to your site. Now, you can fully use it to improve search on your site. ### Step 2: Customize the WordPress Search Engine Next, you can start customizing your WordPress search engine and limit the search to posts only. Think of a search engine as a set of rules that you can edit to control how search works on your site. To get started, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can customize your default search engine and add new ones. From here, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup will open where you can see the sources for the default search engine. These include Posts, Pages, and Media. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Now, to limit search to only posts, let’s just remove any other sources from the default search engine source list. This way, your search engine will consider only posts when performing a search. Simply uncheck the sources you’d like to remove. In our case, let’s uncheck Pages and Media, to leave **Posts** as the only active source. ![Select posts as only source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-posts-as-only-source-1030x438.png "Select posts as only source - SearchWP")After you’ve finished, click **Done**. Next, you can add or remove content attributes for the Posts source from your WordPress search engine. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, like title, content, excerpt, slug, custom fields, taxonomy terms, and more. This decides which content details to consider when your site is looking for results. Go ahead and click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")A new window will now open with attributes like title, content, slug, and excerpt already selected. Next, you can include any custom fields, categories, and tags as attributes as well. Simply click the respective dropdown menus and select additional attributes. For example, if you have a food blog and have created an ACF custom field for ingredients, then you can include that in the search process. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Next, you can click the **Save** button in the top right corner to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve now successfully limited search on your site to posts only. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search Now, let’s test our customized search engine. For the purposes of this tutorial, we’ve created a post and page, both entitled ‘WordPress.’ In the parentheses next to their titles, we indicated what type of content they belong to. It allows us to find out whether the search restriction works or not. ![the wordpress post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-wordpress-post.jpg "the wordpress post - SearchWP")Now, let’s go over to our demo website and check what search results we’ll get after searching for WordPress. As you can see, there is no “WordPress (Page)” among the search results. Do note that we’re using the [SearchWP Live Search feature](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress"), which displays search results as you type in the search form. ![the search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-search-results.jpg "the search results - SearchWP")It means that we’ve successfully excluded all types of content from search results, except for posts. ### What’s Next… You can now create multiple search engines and configure them to search for only pages or products. The best part is that SearchWP lets you link each engine with a specific search form. This way, you can set up custom searches for different parts of your website. For example, the search in the blog section will only look for posts, while the search in the online store section will only search for products. ![Select new engine for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-new-engine-for-form-1030x484.png "Select new engine for form - SearchWP")To learn more, please see our guide on [how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to easily limit search to only posts in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add a search bar in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)") and [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit search to only posts in WordPress, how to limit search to only posts on a WordPress site, how to limit search to only posts on a wordpress website, how to limit search to posts in wordpress, limit search to only posts in WordPress --- ### [How to Search in Category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/) **Published:** March 27, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Helping customers find what they’re actually looking for can skyrocket your sales and improve customer retention. However, that’s easier said than done if you have thousands of products and categories on your WooCommerce store. So, what’s the solution? Allow your visitors to search in categories. By restricting the search to a specific category, you can help users find relevant products faster. As a result, you’ll deliver a better shopping experience and boost conversions. In this article, we’ll show you how to search in category in WooCommerce. ### Why Search by Category in WooCommerce By default, WooCommerce search results display products from all the existing categories. That’s not a problem if you have an online store with a few products. But when it comes to a huge store with thousands of products and tons of categories, it could become a hassle to search. Have you ever [searched for a specific product](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-woocommerce-product-search/ "How to Customize Your WooCommerce Product Search") and gotten a massive number of search results that didn’t even contain what you were looking for? Then you know how frustrating this can be. If your online store visitors couldn’t find the product they came for, they most likely would leave immediately. As a result, it can impact your sales and revenue. Plus, people won’t spend more time on your online store and engage with different products. That’s why [searching by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)") in WooCommerce can significantly improve the search experience. Let’s look at how you can include categories in the search process on your WooCommerce site. ### Including Categories in WooCommerce Search The easiest way to create a search bar that searches in a specific WooCommerce category is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)It’s the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), trusted by over 50,000 websites around the world. Apart from searching by WooCommerce categories, SearchWP allows you to make product details, tags, documents, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), reviews and other information searchable. It will make it much easier for your visitors to find the products they want, increasing sales and providing a better user experience. SearchWP can also boost your WordPress search by: - **PDF and Office Document Indexing**: By default, WordPress doesn’t index any text within the documents you have on your site. SearchWP allows you to [include PDF](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and office documents into search results in just a few clicks. - **Keyword Stemming**: The native WordPress search engine doesn’t understand that different keyword variations, such as “hat” and “hats,” essentially refer to the same product. Using SearchWP, you can enable [keyword stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/ "Keyword Stemming") and solve this issue. - **Search Tracking**: Have you ever been curious about what visitors are searching for on your website? SearchWP allows you to [collect all the on-site search activity](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") data. Using this valuable information, you can better understand your customers’ needs. Now let’s look at how to add a search bar bound to a specific WooCommerce category using SearchWP. The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP ](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP") and sign up for a new account. After that, you can go to your SearchWP account and open the ‘Downloads’ tab. Once there, press the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")The next step is to upload the SearchWP plugin ZIP file to your WordPress site. If you require help with this, then please see this step-by-step tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once you’ve installed SearchWP, you’ll see the SearchWP setup wizard. Go ahead and click the **Start Onboarding Wizard** button and follow the onscreen instructions to configure the plugin. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")The next step is to install the [WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce SearchWP Extension") in SearchWP. You can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to WooCommerce Integration. Once you get there, simply click the **Install** button and the extension will automatically install and activate. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")The next step is to edit the default engine to include your WooCommerce products or create a new one. You can think of a search engine as a set of rules that SearchWP follows when performing searches. By editing them, you can completely customize the way search works on your site. For example, you can [exclude specific posts](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)") or pages from search results, add any custom post types as search sources, and more. First, you’ll need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. As we want to create a custom search form that searches only WooCommerce products, we’ll add a new search engine for it. Go ahead and click the **Add New** button. ![Add new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-1030x485.png "Add new engine - SearchWP")After that, a new window will open with the **Supplemental** search engine. As you can see, it has 5 search sources: posts, pages, media, products, and users. ![View new search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-new-search-engine-1030x528.png "View new search engine - SearchWP")The number of sources may also depend on the number of plugins installed on your site. Since we want this search engine to search solely among [WooCommerce products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), we’ll uncheck all other sources except **Products**. ![Select product as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-as-sources-1030x514.png "Select product as sources - SearchWP")Besides that, you can also change the name of your new search engine. SearchWP will automatically call it Supplemental, but you can edit that under the **Engine Label** field. When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll down to the ‘Products’ source in the new Supplemental engine. From here, click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button to include WooCommerce product categories in the search process. A new window will now open where you can select different attributes. These are fields you want to search for a given source. By default, SearchWP will use [title](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-to-post-titles-only/ "How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only"), content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes. But you can also include custom fields and taxonomies. Since we want to include WooCommerce product categories in the search process, go ahead and click the **Taxonomies** dropdown menu and select the ‘Product categories (product\_cat)’ option. ![Select product category as attribute](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-product-category-as-attribute-1030x482.png "Select product category as attribute - SearchWP")After that, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Now, do you want to limit your search results to a specific WooCommerce product category? You can specify which product category you want the new search engine to search by setting up rules. Go ahead and click the **Edit Rules** button. ![Edit product attributes rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-product-attributes-rule-1030x426.png "Edit product attributes rule - SearchWP")Next, a new window will open. Then, you can click the **Add Rule** option. ![Add a new rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-rule--1030x403.png "Add a new rule - SearchWP")After that, select the **Product categories** taxonomy from the dropdown list. From here, you can choose a specific category you want the search engine to stick to. ![Select your category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-category-1030x500.png "Select your category - SearchWP")In our case, we’ll pick the Shoes category. But you can select more categories on your WooCommerce store. When you’re finished, press the **Done** button. Next, you’ll need to store your changes by scrolling to the top and clicking the **Save** button. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it. You’ve successfully created a new search engine that searches only a specific WooCommerce product category. ### Create a Custom Search Form for WooCommerce Category Next, you can create a [custom search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") for your WooCommerce store. Simply head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")After that, you can change the name of your search form at the top by clicking the pencil icon. SearchWP also comes with pre-built search form templates. You can simply select one and customize it. ![Select search form template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-template-1030x489.png "Select search form template - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. From here, click the **Engine** dropdown menu and select the ‘Supplemental’ search engine that you created earlier. ![Select search engine for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-engine-for-search-form-1030x586.png "Select search engine for search form - SearchWP")If you scroll down, then you’ll see more options to customize your form. For instance, you can specify the type of search, select category, change field label, and enable the search button. After you’re done editing your form, simply click the ‘Save’ button at the top. You can then click the ‘Embed’ button and add the search form anywhere on your WooCommerce store. ![Save and embed category form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-embed-category-form-1030x489.png "Save and embed category form - SearchWP")SearchWP offers 3 ways to add the search form in WordPress. You can select the Gutenberg block, [shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"), or PHP code. Next, you will also need to choose whether you’d like to display the form on a new page or an existing page. ![Embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-new-search-form-1030x550.png "Embed new search form - SearchWP")For this tutorial, we’ll select the ‘Create New Page’ option. On the next screen, you can enter a name for the new page and click **Let’s Go**. ![Enter name for new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-page-1030x520.png "Enter name for new page - SearchWP")After that, you should see the search form in the WordPress content editor. Go ahead and **Publish** your page. ![Preview and publish search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-and-publish-search-form-1030x393.png "Preview and publish search form - SearchWP")Next, you can visit your website to see the search form in action. From here, simply test the new search form and see if it looks for products in the specified category. For instance, we’ll search for ‘shoes’ on our demo WooCommerce store, since we limited the search engine to only look for WooCommerce products in the Shoe category. As you can see, the results show the correct product. ![View WooCommerce category search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-woocommerce-category-search-results-1030x540.png "View WooCommerce category search results - SearchWP")On the other hand, you can also test by looking up other products that are not part of the specified category. For example, if we search for another product on our WooCommerce store, the search didn’t display any results since it’s limited to a particular category. ![Test WooCommerce category search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/test-woocommerce-category-search-results-1030x475.png "Test WooCommerce category search results - SearchWP")We hope this article helped you learn how to search in category in WooCommerce. You may also want to see our guides on [how to hide WooCommerce product from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)") and [how to fix WooCommerce product search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working"). If you’re ready to create category-specific forms, then you can [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how make WordPress to search by WooCommerce category, how to make WordPress search in category in WooCommerce, how to search by category in WooCommerce, how to search in category in WooCommerce, search in category in WooCommerce, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Add Meta Box Fields to WordPress Search (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-meta-box-fields-to-wordpress-search/) **Published:** March 25, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WordPress search is fine for finding basic stuff on your website, but what if you’re using the Meta Box plugin and want to make extra information searchable? Meta Box is popular for creating custom fields, post types, and taxonomies, where you can store extra information for your posts and pages. They are super useful for organizing your website content in exactly the way you need. However, there is a catch: WordPress’s default search ignores all that extra information you’ve carefully put into Meta Box fields. If someone searches for a specific detail you’ve added in Meta Box, they won’t find it with the default search. Luckily, there’s a way to fix this! You can make WordPress search smarter so it includes your Meta Box fields. While there are some complicated code-based ways to do this, the easiest is to use a plugin like SearchWP. In this article, we’ll show you how to add Meta Box fields to WordPress search without editing code. ### Why Make Meta Box Fields Searchable in WordPress? Making your Meta Box fields searchable can seriously improve your website. First off, it makes your search results way more relevant. Users are much more likely to find exactly what they’re looking for when the search looks everywhere, including those [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") you’ve set up with Meta Box. This better search experience makes your visitors happier. Instead of getting frustrated and leaving your site, they can find the information they need and stick around longer. For sites that rely heavily on custom post types and lots of extra data managed by Meta Box, this is especially important. Imagine someone searching for a ‘blue shirt’ on your [online store](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads"). If you’ve used Meta Box to create a ‘color’ custom field for your products, and your search includes those fields, then visitors will actually find what they are looking for. Similarly, think about real estate websites where you might store address, price, and number of bedrooms in Meta Box fields. Or imagine a recipe site with ingredients and cooking time as custom fields. Being able to search within these fields is super powerful. That said, let’s look at how you can easily include Meta Box fields in your WordPress search process. ### Add Meta Box Fields to WordPress Search There are different ways to include Meta Box fields in WordPress search. One way involves using code and getting into the technical side of WordPress. But if you’re not a developer, then it’s probably not the best path. The easier method is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and designed to make WordPress search much better. SearchWP comes with powerful features and offers a Meta Box extension. Plus, it’s user-friendly to use, and you don’t need to write any code to include Meta Box fields. To start, you can visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Next, you’ll need to do is download the SearchWP plugin. To do that, head to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After that, you can install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. For more details, please see this guide on [how to install the WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, SearchWP will show a setup wizard in your WordPress dashboard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard to install the Meta Box extension. Go ahead and click the ‘Install’ button under Meta Box Integration. ![Install meta box extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-meta-box-extension-1030x514.png "Install meta box extension - SearchWP")The extension will now automatically install and activate. You’ll see the Status change from Not Installed to **Active**. Now, you can customize the search engine settings and include your Meta Box fields and tables in the search process. ### Change Search Settings to Include Meta Box Fields Next, you can edit the [WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results") using SearchWP and include information from Meta Box. SearchWP also lets you set up multiple search engines and link them to different search forms. This way, you can help customers find exactly what they are looking for by narrowing down the search process. To start, you’ll need to head to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard. After that, you can edit the default WordPress search or add a new engine. For this tutorial, we created a custom post type called Recipes and added custom fields using Meta Box. To include them in the search process, we’ll add a new engine in SearchWP. Simply click the **Add New** button to get started. ![Add new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-1030x485.png "Add new engine - SearchWP")A new popup window will now open. Here, you can select the ‘Sources’ for your search engine, such as posts, pages, and media files that the plugin will use to find content on your site. Go ahead and select your Meta Box custom post type or taxonomy as a source. For example, we’ll select the Meta Box post type called ‘Recipes’ as a source for our engine. ![Enter new engine details](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-new-engine-details-1-1-1030x556.png "Enter new engine details - SearchWP")You can also change the name of the search engine under the ‘Engine Label’ field. When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. After that, you can choose the attributes you want to search for each source in the engine. These are fields you want to search for a given source, such as title, content, slug, [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (5 Steps)"), custom fields, tags, or categories. Go ahead and click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Add meta box attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-meta-box-attributes-1030x478.png "Add meta box attributes - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a new popup window open. From here, you can click the Custom Fields dropdown menu and select your Meta Box custom fields to include in the search process. For example, we picked the ‘ingredients’ custom fields as attributes for our Recipes source. ![Add meta box custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-meta-box-custom-fields-1030x502.png "Add Meta Box custom fields - SearchWP")You can also include [categories and tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") created in Meta Box by selecting them under the ‘Taxonomies’ section. After adding attributes, go ahead and click the ‘Done’ button. ![Move slider for meta box attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-for-meta-box-attributes-1030x484.png "Move slider for meta box attributes - SearchWP")Once you’ve added custom fields and taxonomies as attributes, SearchWP also gives you the option to move the slider and adjust the [relevance weights](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "SearchWP Engine Configuration"). The further to the right the slider is set for an attribute, the more influence that attribute has on the position in the search results. When you’re done, simply scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")That’s it, you’ve successfully included Meta Box fields in WordPress search. ### Create a Custom Meta Box Search Form Next, you can link your new search engine to a custom search form in SearchWP and display it anywhere on your site. To do that, simply head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard. Here, you can select an existing form or add a new one. ![Add a new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-search-form-1030x533.png "Add a new search form - SearchWP")After that, you can change the name of your search form at the top. Next, you’ll need to select a Layout Theme for your form. SearchWP offers multiple pre-built templates, which makes it very easy to pick a layout and customize it. ![Select search form layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-form-layout-1030x544.png "Select search form layout - SearchWP")You can now scroll down to the ‘Custom Styling’ section. From here, simply click the ‘Engine’ dropdown menu and select the new search engine you created earlier. ![Select new engine for form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-new-engine-for-form-1030x484.png "Select new engine for form - SearchWP")You’ll see more customization options if you scroll down, such as changing the form style, button style, and more. Once that’s done, simply scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. ![Save meta box search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-meta-box-search-form-1030x544.png "Save meta box search form - SearchWP")After that, you can click the ‘Embed’ button and choose how you’d like to add the new search form to your site. SearchWP lets you use a Gutenberg block, shortcode, or PHP code to embed the form. ![Embed new search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-new-search-form-1030x550.png "Embed new search form - SearchWP")Next, you’ll need to select whether you’d want to embed the form on a new page or an existing page. For this tutorial, we’ll pick the ‘Create New Page’ option. On the next screen, you can enter a name for your new page and click the ‘Let’s Go!’ button. ![Enter name for new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-name-for-new-page-1030x520.png "Enter name for new page - SearchWP")After that, you’ll see a preview of your search form in the WordPress content editor. When you’re done, simply click the ‘Publish’ button. ![Publish your meta box search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-your-meta-box-search-form-1030x389.png "Publish your meta box search form - SearchWP")You’ve successfully added a custom search form for Meta Box fields. Go ahead and visit your website to see it in action. You can try searching for Meta Box custom fields and other information to see if it’s working. ![View meta box search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-meta-box-search-engine--1030x529.png "View meta box search engine - SearchWP")If you want to learn more, then please see our guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to add Meta Box Fields to WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to include ACF fields in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") and [how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/ "How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)"). Ready to make Meta Box fields searchable on your site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search, make meta box fields searchable, Meta Box, meta box extension, SearchWP, wordpress custom fields search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/) **Published:** March 20, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Over the years, we’ve learned that the default WordPress search barely scratches the surface of what users need. When visitors couldn’t find specific details in custom fields, it would leave them frustrated and they would eventually abandon our website. Custom fields are a useful WordPress feature for adding extra information to your site content. If your site users can search your custom fields, they’ll get to see more relevant results. This can help you boost sales and customer satisfaction on your site. Sadly, WordPress doesn’t include custom fields in the search process by default. But you can easily include them by using a plugin like SearchWP. In this article, we’ll show you how to add custom fields search in WordPress the easy way and without writing a single line of code. ### What Are WordPress Custom Fields? A custom field is a content attribute that WordPress uses to store information about a particular post, page, or any content type. Each time you add content to your site, WordPress automatically saves it in two different areas. The first area is the body of the content and the second area is the extra information related to the main content. Typically, this is where you save information like the title, description, tags, and categories. This area is also called the metadata. WordPress offers specific metadata fields by default. But you can add even more information to your content by adding custom fields to WordPress. To add new custom fields to your site, you can use dedicated plugins like [Advanced Custom Fields](https://searchwp.com/advanced-custom-fields-acf/ "Search Advanced Custom Fields Data in WordPress"). This way, you get to separate your content details into more areas than WordPress offers by default. For example, you may have a WordPress movie review website. By default, WordPress allows you to add metadata fields like titles, tags, and categories to your posts. But with custom fields, you can add more details like rating, genre, and producer. ![custom fields for WordPress movie review website](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/custom-fields-for-WordPress-movie-review-website.png "custom fields for WordPress movie review website - SearchWP")So, WordPress will include these information fields each time you’re adding a movie review to your site. This makes it easy to maintain the same styling and formatting across all your movie review posts. [Custom fields](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/wordpress-custom-fields-101-tips-tricks-and-hacks/#cfadvancedcustomfields "WordPress Custom Fields 101: Tips, Tricks, and Hacks") can also come in handy for many other purposes, like user account management and WooCommerce inventory management. Now, let’s talk about why custom fields search is important. ### Why Add Custom Fields Search to WordPress? WordPress custom fields help you to add more information to your site content. With WordPress custom fields search, your site can search these extra information fields. This means your WordPress site users can now look for search results in more ways than before. This automatically improves your site search and makes it more flexible. For example, you can have a movie review site with custom fields like ‘Genre’ and ‘Producer’. With custom fields search, a site visitor can easily type a producer’s name in the search bar. Your site will then display all the movie reviews from that producer. ![WordPress custom field search results for producer](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WordPress-custom-field-search-results-for-producer.jpg "WordPress custom field search results for producer - SearchWP")This makes it super easy for your readers to navigate your movie review site. Similarly, you may have a WooCommerce store with custom fields like ‘Brand’ and ‘Manufacturing Year’. Your site users can easily [use a custom search form to find products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)") from a specific brand or manufacturing year. ![WordPress Custom fields search results for car brand](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WordPress-Custom-fields-search-results-for-car-brand-1030x492.jpg "WordPress Custom fields search results for car brand - SearchWP")That said, let’s look at how you can easily make custom fields searchable in WordPress without editing code. ### How to Add WordPress Custom Fields Search The easiest way to add custom fields to WordPress search is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)As the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), SearchWP allows your site visitors to search every custom field on your WordPress site. This can be super useful for finding the site content they need. The tool integrates well with other plugins, like Advanced Custom Fields. So, even if you added custom fields with a third-party plugin, you can still search them in WordPress. Here are other features SearchWP offers: - **Search Everything on Your Site –** SearchWP is not limited to custom fields only. Unlike the default WordPress search, your site can include categories, tags, product details, media files, PDFs, [documents](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-woocommerce-product-documents-searchable/ "How to Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable"), SKUs, and more in the search process. - **Seamless WooCommerce Integration –** The plugin allows you to combine the power of [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/ "How to Hide WooCommerce Product from Search Results (No Coding)") and custom fields. This helps keep your online store as organized as possible. Even if you have thousands of products in your store, your visitors should be able to find products fast. - **Site Statistics and Insights –** SearchWP logs all your site [visitors’ searches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"). This way, you can monitor what they’re looking for on your site. You can even use these statistics to decide whether your site needs custom fields search or not. Now, let’s use SearchWP to add custom fields search to your WordPress site in 3 easy steps. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To set your custom fields search, you can get started by visiting the SearchWP website and [signing up for a new account](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Sign Up for a SearchWP account"). Next, you’ll need to sign in to your SearchWP account and download the plugin. Simply navigate to the ‘Downloads’ tab within the dashboard. Then, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin files on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, it’s time to upload the plugin to your WordPress site. If you need help with this, then you can use this detailed step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now that you’ve set up the plugin, let’s use it to set up custom fields search. You can do this by setting up your WordPress search engine. ### Step 2: Add Custom Fields as Attributes in Your Search Engine SearchWP uses search engines to help you customize your site search behavior. You can decide how your site looks for search results by simply making changes to the search engine. A WordPress search engine works like a small Google search algorithm. It determines where to look for matches during site search and which content attributes to check first. The best part about using SearchWP is that you can edit the default WordPress search and also add your own custom engines. For this tutorial, we’ll simply edit the default engine. To get started, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and then click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")On the next screen, you’ll see the default sources that the engine will use to search content on your site. These include posts, pages, and media files. Simply select which sources the search engine should consider when finding content or products on your site. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the ‘Done’ button when you’re done. Next, you can add or remove content attributes for each source from your WordPress search engine. This decides which content details to consider when your site is looking for results. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, like title, content, excerpt, slug, custom fields, taxonomy terms, and more. To add custom fields as attributes for any source in your search engine, click **Add/Remove Attributes**. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will appear, where you can select all the custom fields you want to add to your WordPress search. SearchWP will show you all the available custom fields, no matter the plugin you used to add them. For example, on our demo site, it automatically detected the [Advanced Custom Fields (ACF)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") we’ve set up. ![Add custom fields to search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-custom-fields-to-search-1030x542.png "Add custom fields to search - SearchWP")You can also select taxonomies like categories and tags to include as a source attribute. When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. You can also rank each custom field value according to how relevant you want it to be by moving the slider. The further right the slider, the more importance or [relevance](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/ "Engine Configuration") that particular Attribute will be given in the search algorithm. ![Move slider for custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-for-custom-fields-1030x595.png "Move slider for custom fields - SearchWP")The last step is to scroll back to the top and click the ‘Save’ button to store your settings. Once that’s done, you may also need to click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")SearchWP will now start applying your new changes by building a new search index. Now, let’s test if everything works fine on the user’s end. ### Step 3: Test Your New Custom Fields Search To see how effective your WordPress custom fields search is, simply visit your website. Next, type a custom field value in the search bar and click **Search**. For example, ‘Sci-fi’ is one of the values we added to the ‘Genre’ custom field in this tutorial. Your site should then show you relevant search results like this. ![Wordpress custom fields search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Wordpress-custom-fields-search-results.jpg "Wordpress custom fields search results - SearchWP")Congratulations! You’ve successfully added custom fields search to your WordPress site. We hope this article helped you learn how to add custom fields search in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to make WordPress search PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") and [ how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)"). Are you ready to add custom fields search to your WordPress site? [Get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** acf better search demo, acf filter by custom field, acf search by custom field, acf: better search, acf: better search not working, advanced custom fields search, advanced custom fields search & filter, search post by custom field wordpress, search wordpress by custom fields without a plugin, wordpress custom fields search, wordpress filter posts by custom field, wordpress search form with custom fields --- ### [How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/) **Published:** March 18, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Imagine knowing exactly what your audience is looking for when they land on your page. This is where tracking what visitors search for on your WordPress site comes in handy. Tracking data removes guesswork and provides actionable information that can transform your website from good to great. Why is this so important? Because your site search bar is a goldmine of information revealing user intent. Understanding these search queries allows you to fine-tune your content strategy, improve site navigation, and ultimately give your visitors exactly what they want. In this article, we’ll show how to track your WordPress site search activity. ## Why Track Searches on Your Site? If you want to ensure the best user experience for your site visitors, then it’s crucial to examine their needs. One of the best ways to do this is by start collecting data about searches users make on your site. Analyzing the visitors’ search behavior lets you know the way they search and what they’re looking for. That’s precious information that you can use in different cases: - **Get New Content Ideas:** Gathered search data is a great source of fresh content ideas. Analyze it to get in touch with your audience and provide them with the content they want. - **Figure Out What’s Missing From Your Site:** See a lot of search queries related to a certain topic but don’t have content dedicated to it? It’s a missed opportunity to get more traffic. - **Restructure and Update Your Content:** Search data tracking allows you to take a look at your site content from a different angle and restructure it if needed. - **Get to Know Your Audience Better:** There are not so many opportunities for website owners to get in touch with their audience. Tracking on-site searches is one of the best ways to better understand your audience’s needs. Now let’s see how you can start collecting data about search activity on your WordPress site. We’ll cover 2 methods in this guide, which includes using SearchWP and MonsterInsights. You can click the links below to jump ahead to your preferred method. - [Method 1: Track Site Searches Using SearchWP](#aioseo-method-1-using-the-searchwp-plugin) - [Method 2: Track WordPress Searches Using MonsterInsights](#aioseo-method-2-using-the-monsterinsights-plugin) ### Method 1: Track Site Searches Using SearchWP The easiest way to track searches on your WordPress site is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). As the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), it drastically expands the capabilities of the native WordPress search engine and helps users find what they’re looking for. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Here are just some of the useful things you can do with SearchWP: - **Searchable Custom Fields:** The default WordPress search engine doesn’t consider data inside the custom fields, but with SearchWP, you can make custom fields searchable. - **PDF and Document Indexing:** The native WordPress search engine completely ignores the text inside PDFs and other uploaded documents. With SearchWP, you can include documents into the search results in just a few clicks. - **Live Search Results:** SearchWP comes with plenty of useful extensions, including Live Search. It eases your website navigation and ensures a better user experience for your visitors. - **Automatic Theme Integration:** You don’t have to take any additional steps after installing SearchWP, as it integrates with your current site search form and search results template. You can start by visiting the SearchWP website and [signing up for a new account](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!"). When you’re done, simply go to the ‘Downloads’ tab in your SearchWP account and click **Download SearchWP** to save the plugin to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to log into your WordPress admin area and upload SearchWP to your site. Need help with that? Kindly check out this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After that, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Even though SearchWP gathers search data by default, using the [Metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/features/metrics/ "Search Analytics Plugin for WordPress") lets you get advanced information about your users’ search behavior. Simply head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the ‘Metrics’ extension. From here, you can click the **Install** button. ![Install metrics addon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-metrics-addon-1030x491.png "Install metrics addon - SearchWP")Once the extension is active, you can head to **SearchWP » Metrics** from your WordPress dashboard. On this tab, you can find all the data about searches made by your visitors. There will be no data initially because you just installed the plugin. But starting today, all searches made on your site will appear here. ![the list of your site's searches](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-list-of-your-sites-searches.jpg "the list of your site's searches - SearchWP")SearchWP’s Metrics extension collects comprehensive data for on-site search, and provides you with actionable advice about changes you can make to your content as time goes on. Once you start collecting search data, you will see different statistics like total searches, clicks per search, and [popular searches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-the-most-popular-search-keywords-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track the Most Popular Search Keywords on Your WordPress Site"). The best part is that SearchWP also shows actionable insights, which can help you grow your business. For example, it will highlight queries with high conversion rate, so you can optimize them across your site. ![SearchWP Metrics preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-metrics-browser-trim-1-1030x619.png "SearchWP Metrics preview - SearchWP")### Method 2: Track WordPress Searches Using MonsterInsights You can also track searches on your WordPress site in Google Analytics using [MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights"). It is the [best analytics plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-analytics-plugins/ "Best WordPress Analytics Plugins [Compared]") and helps you set up tracking in Google Analytics without editing code. [![MonsterInsights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-website-1030x600.png "MonsterInsights - SearchWP")](https://www.monsterinsights.com/)Normally, you can track searches by connecting Google Analytics to your site. But it’s tricky to do for beginners since it requires making changes to the theme code. MonsteInsights allows you to connect your site with Google Analytics in just a couple of clicks. Besides, you also get reports inside the WordPress dashboard, real-time analytics, eCommerce tracking, site speed report, and much more. The best part is that you can get started with the [MonsterInsights Lite version](https://wordpress.org/plugins/google-analytics-for-wordpress/ "MonsterInsights – Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress") for free. It will help you set up Google Analytics in just a few clicks. First, you will need to go to **Plugins » Add new** from your WordPress dashboard and search for MonsterInsights. ![Add MonsterInsights plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-monsterinsights-plugin-1030x451.png "Add MonsterInsights plugin - SearchWP")From here, you will need to install and activate the MonsterInsights plugin. If you need help with this, then please see the guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you’ll see the MonsterInsights setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Launch the Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions to connect your site with Google Analytics. ![MonsterInsights setup wizard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/monsterinsights-setup-wizard-1030x623.png "MonsterInsights setup wizard - SearchWP")You may want to see this guide on [how to install Google Analytics in WordPress](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-install-google-analytics-in-wordpress/ "How to Install Google Analytics in WordPress for Beginners") for complete step-by-step instructions. After successfully integrating Google Analytics with your WordPress site, the next step is to activate site search tracking. Simply begin by logging into your Google Analytics account and selecting the relevant site for search tracking activation. ![Select your site in GA](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-site-in-GA-1030x562.png "Select your site in GA - SearchWP")After that, you will need to click **Admin** cog icon in the bottom left corner. Next, you can click the ‘Data streams’ option under Data collection and modification. ![Go to data streams options](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-data-streams-options-1030x484.png "Go to data streams options - SearchWP")Here, you will see all your data streams in Google Analytics. Go ahead and select the active stream. ![Select your data stream site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-your-data-stream-site-1030x441.png "Select your data stream site - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to ensure that the ‘Enhanced measurement’ option is enabled. If it is not, then simply click the toggle to enable it. From here, you can click the settings cog icon to configure Enhanced measurement options. ![Enable enhanced measurement](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-enhanced-measurement-1030x518.png "Enable enhanced measurement - SearchWP")Next, you will need to check if **Site search** tracking is enabled or not. You can simply click the toggle to enable it in Google Analytics. ![Enable site search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-site-search-1030x459.png "Enable site search - SearchWP")Google Analytics will now start tracking site searches on your website. The next step is to view the report in Google Analytics. To start, open the **Explore tab** and create a **Blank** report. ![Create a blank report](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-a-blank-report-1030x607.png "Create a blank report - SearchWP")After that, you will need to select variables for your report. First, click the + sign in the **Dimensions** section. ![Select dimensions](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-dimensions-1030x628.png "Select dimensions - SearchWP")Next, you will need to select **Search term** and **Event name** as the Dimensions. You can use the search bar at the top to find these Dimensions. ![Select search term](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-term-1-1030x389.png "Select search term - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the **Confirm** button. After that, you will need to choose Metrics for your report. Simply click the + icon to select metrics for your report. ![Choose a metric](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-metric-1-1030x524.png "Choose a metric - SearchWP")On the next screen, search for the **Event count** metric. After that, you’ll need to click the ‘Confirm’ button at the top. ![Select event count metric](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-event-count-metric-1030x396.png "Select event count metric - SearchWP")Next, you will need to drag the ‘Search term’ Dimension under the **Rows** box. Once that’s done, drag the ‘Event count’ Metric down to the **Values** box. ![Drag dimension and metrics](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/drag-dimension-and-metrics--1030x643.png "Drag dimension and metrics - SearchWP")Lastly, you’ll need to drag the ‘Event name’ Dimension to the **Filter** box. After that, you can set the conditions to **exactly matches** and **view\_search\_results**. ![Drag event name to filter](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/drag-event-name-to-filter-1030x641.png "Drag event name to filter - SearchWP")When that’s done, go ahead and click the ‘Apply’ button. Your custom report for site searches in Google Analytics is now ready. When your visitors search anything on your site, it will be recorded in this report. For example, here’s a report we created for our demo site. In the report, you’ll see the search terms and how many times each one was searched. ![Site search report in GA4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/site-search-report-1030x500.png "Site search report in GA4 - SearchWP")### What’s Next… That’s it, we’ve covered 2 simple methods for tracking searches in your WordPress site. [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the best search plugin for WordPress and helps you view top searches in the admin panel. Plus, it offers a powerful Metrics extension that offers additional insights. On the other hand, if you’re using Google Analytics and want to see what people are searching in your site, then [MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/ "MonsterInsights") is the best solution. We hope this article helped you learn how to track searches in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to restrict WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only") and [how to add WordPress search by category](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"). If you’re ready to start tracking search queries on your site and prefer the first method, then [grab your copy of SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!"). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to track searches in WordPress, how to track searches in WordPress site, how to track searches on a WordPress site, how to track searches on your WordPress site, tracking searches on a WordPress site --- ### [How to Make Easy Digital Downloads Products Searchable in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-easy-digital-downloads-products-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** March 13, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you have ever tried to find a specific product in an online store, but the website’s search just wasn’t helpful, then it can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. That’s exactly how your visitors will feel when they visit your Easy Digital Downloads (EDD) store and can’t find what they’re looking for. If people can’t search your store easily, then it’s like having a shop with all the lights turned off. They might get frustrated and leave without buying anything. But with the right plugin, you can easily make your digital products searchable. In this article, we will show you how to make Easy Digital Downloads products searchable in WordPress. ### Why Default WordPress Search Doesn’t Work for EDD? The standard WordPress search is okay for basic eCommerce stores that have few products. It can find some things, but it misses a lot. That’s why it is far from perfect if you have an [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/features/easy-digital-downloads-edd-integration/ "Easy Digital Downloads Integration with SearchWP") store with lots of products. One big problem is how the default search looks at product details. It may not pay attention to things like product categories made just for your digital items or special tags you’ve added to describe them. Beyond that, think about all the words you use in your [product descriptions](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/ "How To Find The Most Searched Product On Your Website"). You might describe file types, software versions, or other specific details that help customers find the right thing. The default search can sometimes miss words within these descriptions, making it harder for people to find exactly what they need. This can be really annoying for your customers. They might type in exactly what they’re looking for and get nothing useful. This bad search experience can lead to fewer sales and losing potential customers. That said, let’s look at a simple way of helping visitors find digital products on your Easy Digital Downloads store. ### Make EDD Products Searchable in WordPress The best way to include your Easy Digital Downloads product in the search process is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that’s trusted by over 50,000 website owners. SearchWP easily integrates with Easy Digital Downloads along with other popular eCommerce plugins like WooCommerce and BigCommerce. What’s great about using SearchWP is that it lets you include [product details](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/ "How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress"), order history, custom fields, comments, SKUs, taxonomies, and much more in the search process. First, you can visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)After that, you’ll need to do is download the SearchWP plugin. To do that, head to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. For more details, please see this guide on [how to install the WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, SearchWP will show a welcome screen and setup wizard in your WordPress dashboard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After that, you can head to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard. Simply navigate to the ‘EDD Integration’ and then click the ‘Install’ button. ![Add EDD integration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-edd-integration-1030x355.png "Add EDD integration - SearchWP")The extension will now automatically install and activate. You should see the Status change from Not Installed to Active. The next step is to customize the search engine settings and include your digital products in the search process. ### Customize Search Engine Settings to Include Digital Products With SearchWP, you can edit the default WordPress search or create an entirely new engine. The best part is that you can set up multiple search engines and link them to different search forms. This way, you can help customers find exactly what they are looking for by narrowing down the search process. For this tutorial, we will edit the default WordPress search settings. But if you want to set up additional engines, then please see our guide on [how to add multiple search forms in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)"). To edit the search settings, you will need to go to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")You’ll now see a new window with the default sources for the search engine, which includes posts, pages, and media by default. To include your EDD products, make sure to select the **Downloads** option as a source and then click the ‘Done’ button. ![Include downloads in the search engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/include-downloads-in-the-search-engine-1030x501.png "Include downloads in the search engine - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the ‘Downloads’ section in the search engine settings and select the attributes you want to search. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, like title, content, excerpt, slug, custom fields, taxonomy terms and more. To include more details, simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Change downloads attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-downloads-attributes-1030x423.png "Change downloads attributes - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new popup open where you can manage the search attributes. SearchWP will use [title](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-wordpress-search-to-post-titles-only/ "How to Limit WordPress Search to Post Titles Only"), content, slug, excerpt, and author as attributes by default. But you can also include custom fields, categories, and tags when searching for products. For instance, if you have organized your digital products based on categories like e-books, music and videos, then you can include them under Taxonomies. Simply click the dropdown menu and select the ‘Download Categories’ option. Similarly, you can also include custom fields, such as file format and size, software version number, duration for videos and audio files, and more. ![Add download categories and custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-download-categories-and-custom-fields-1030x550.png "Add download categories and custom fields - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. SearchWP will now include download details you selected as attributes during the search process. You can also use the slider to adjust the relevance weight. The further right the slider, the higher in search results that particular Attribute will appear. ![Move slider to change download weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-to-change-download-weights-1030x455.png "Move slider to change download weights - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll back to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. Once that’s done, you will also need to click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")That’s it! You have now successfully made your digital products searchable on your Easy Digital Downloads store. Next, you can visit your website and search for different products to see if the search is working properly. For instance, we added an e-book about cooking to our demo EDD site. When searching for the digital product using the [live search features](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites") in SearchWP, it showed the e-book. ![Preview of EDD search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/preview-of-edd-search-1030x579.png "Preview of EDD search - SearchWP")### What’s Next… Now that you know how to include Easy Digital Downloads product in WordPress search, here are some additional resources that will help you improve the search experience on your eCommerce site: - [How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site") - [How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)") - [How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") - [How To Show Related Content In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Show Related Content In WordPress") - [How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)") We hope this article helped you learn how to make Easy Digital Downloads products searchable in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to set up synonym rules for WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/ "How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search") and [how to add a search bar to your WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience for your Easy Digital Download customers? [Get started with SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get Started with SearchWP Today!")! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, digital products searchable, easy digital downloads, ecommerce, EDD, EDD products searchable, SearchWP, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your WordPress Site (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-wordpress-site/) **Published:** March 6, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Over the years, we’ve noticed that a single search form for your website might not be enough, especially if you have many blog posts or products. Imagine being able to offer your visitors specialized search options. For instance, you can create a form to search specifically within your blog posts, another for product listings if you run an online store, or a dedicated search just for your knowledge base. By using multiple search forms on your site, you can narrow your search results to help your visitors find what they’re looking for faster. In this article, we’ll show you how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site in a few minutes, with no coding required. ### Why Use Multiple Search Forms on Your Site There are several reasons why using multiple search forms on your site can be helpful. First, if your site has more than one search form, then the chance that visitors will notice and use one of them increases. ![how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-add-multiple-search-forms-to-your-WordPress-site.png "how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site - SearchWP")It will improve your content’s discoverability and encourage visitors to spend more time on your site. The longer they stay, the more likely they will sign up for your newsletter, purchase a product, or click on an [affiliate link](https://searchwp.com/best-affiliate-marketing-plugins-for-wordpress/ "5 Best Affiliate Marketing Plugins for WordPress (Compared)"). Secondly, you can customize search forms to meet your needs and place them in different areas of your website. For example, if you’re an online store owner, you can create a search form limited to a specific product category and put it into a showcase blog post. ![search form for products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-form-for-products.png "search form for products - SearchWP")This way, you can motivate your customers to search for your products and boost your sales. On the other hand, if you’re a blogger, you can create and add separate search forms for pages and blog posts to your site. It’ll help you clean up search results on your site and make it easier for your audience to find the right content for them. Ready to add multiple search forms to your site? Let’s talk about how to do this below. ### How to Add Multiple Search Forms to Your Site The easiest way to add multiple search forms to your site is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the best WordPress plugin on the market that allows you to fully customize your site’s search. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Over 50,000 site owners already use it to improve their search and deliver more relevant search results to their visitors. Using this plugin, you can add and use multiple different search forms even if you’re not a tech-savvy person. Plus, with SearchWP, you can make custom fields, tags, categories, and many other valuable posts attributes searchable on your site. Now, let’s see how you can use it to add different search forms to your site. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to [get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP today") by visiting the website and signing up for an account. Next, you’ll need to sign in to your SearchWP account and download the plugin. To do that, simply navigate to the ‘Downloads’ tab within the dashboard. Then, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin files on your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After downloading, copy your plugin license key in the bottom left corner on the same tab. The next step is to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. If you need help with that, you can check out the [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Next, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Now, you’re ready to move on to the next step and create additional search engines. ### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engines To get started, you can navigate to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. You can manage your search engines, customize them, and add new ones on this page. From here, simply click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a new window with the default sources for the search engine, which include posts, pages, and [media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). Go ahead and select which sources the search engine should consider when finding content or products on your site. For example, you can limit search to posts or pages. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Don’t forget to click the ‘Done’ button when you’re finished. Next, you can add different attributes to each source in the search engine. Attributes are the fields you want to search for any source, such as title, content, excerpt, slug, [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), taxonomy, and author. Simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button to continue. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new window open where you can manage the search attributes and add custom fields and taxonomies as attributes. For example, let’s say you have an [ACF custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") for ‘Ingredients’ on a food blog, which you’d like to include when searching blog posts. Similarly, if you have multiple categories and tags on your site, then you can also make them searchable by selecting them from the ‘Taxonomies’ dropdown menu. ![ACF field in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/acf-field-in-searchwp-1030x516.png "ACF field in SearchWP - SearchWP")When you’ve added attributes, click the ‘Done’ button. Besides that, you can also change the relevance weights assigned to each attribute for different post types by moving the slider. The further right the slider, the more weight that particular Attribute will be given in the search algorithm. SearchWP will automatically assign weights for the default attributes like title and content. This will work for most websites in general, but you can always change the weights according to your requirements. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")When you’ve finished adjusting the relevance weights, simply scroll to the top. After that, click the **Save** button to store your changes. ![Save engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-engine-settings-1030x523.png "Save engine settings - SearchWP")You’ve just changed the settings of the **Default** search engine, which is associated with every existing search form on your site. Next, let’s see how to add more search engines to your WordPress site. ### Step 3: Create an Additional Search Engine If you want to add multiple search forms with different sets of search settings, then you’ll need to create additional search engines. To do that, simply head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and click the **Add New** button. ![Add new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-engine-1030x485.png "Add new engine - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see the Sources window for the new engine. It will be called ‘Supplemental engine’ by default, but you can change the name under the Engine Label field. After that, you can select which sources the new engine will use for the searching process. For example, we’ll just select ‘Categories’ as a source for this search engine. ![Change new engine settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-new-engine-settings-1-1030x598.png "Change new engine settings - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. From here, you can adjust the weights of the attributes by moving the slider and also edit the attributes for your source. Simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button to continue. ![Edit attributes for new engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-attributes-for-new-engine-1030x469.png "Edit attributes for new engine - SearchWP")A new popup window will now open. Here you can choose attributes for your source and add any custom field to the search process. After selecting the attributes, simply click the ‘Done’ button. ![Change attribute settings for categories](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-attribute-settings-for-categories-1030x418.png "Change attribute settings for categories - SearchWP")Once the new engine is added, you will need to scroll to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. After that, you’ll also need to click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")Now, you have 2 search engines which are configured separately. You can repeat this process for create as many engines as you want in SearchWP. The best part is that it allows you to link the search engines to specific search forms on your site. This way, you can create individual search forms with a unique set of settings and place them anywhere on your site. Let’s take a look at how to create a search form using SearchWP. ### How to Create Multiple Search Forms in WordPress Using SearchWP, you can create various custom search forms to meet your needs. First, you’ll need to head to **SearchWP » Search Forms** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Add New’ button. ![How to make WordPress search media files: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step1-1-1030x376.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Next, you can choose a theme for your search form and also edit the name of the search form at the top. SearchWP shows a live preview of how the layout will look like, so you can select the best option. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step2-2-1030x574.jpg "- SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the Custom Styling section. From here, click the **Engine** dropdown menu and select the search engine that you’d like to link with the search form. ![Select search engine for search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-search-engine-for-search-form-1030x586.png "Select search engine for search form - SearchWP")If you scroll down, then you will see more options to customize the appearance of your search form. When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save’ button at the top. ![Save the search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step5-1030x574.jpg "Save the search form - SearchWP")For more information, check out our step-by-step tutorial on [how to create a WordPress search form for custom post types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-search-form-for-custom-post-types/ "How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types"). Now, you can repeat this process to create multiple search forms for your website. Next, you’ll need to embed the search form on your site. Let’s look at some common places where you can show search forms. **1. Add a Search Form to Your Navigational Menu** The navigation menu is one of the best places to put a search form on your site. Since this is the most visible part of your site, visitors are less likely to miss it. By placing the form in the header, you can be sure that they won’t encounter any problems with searching for content on your site. ![View search in FSE](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-search-in-FSE-1030x565.png "View search in FSE - SearchWP")For more details, check out our step-by-step guide on [how to add a search bar to the WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-search-bar-in-wordpress/#how-to-add-a-search-bar-to-wordpress-menu "How to Add a Search Bar in WordPress (3 Ways)"). **2. Add a Search Form to Your Sidebar** The sidebar is another excellent place to put a search form on your site. That’s a specific area where you can display information other than your main content. By placing a search form in your site’s sidebar, you help visitors notice it and encourage them to perform a search. ![put a search form to the sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/put-a-search-form-to-the-sidebar.png "put a search form to the sidebar - SearchWP")**3. Add a Search Form Inside Posts and Pages** Adding a search bar to your posts or pages is a great way to help visitors explore your site. For example, if you’re an online store owner, then you can add it to the showcase article. This way, your customers can immediately search for products without being distracted from browsing the showcase. If you are a blogger, then by adding a search form to your post, you can suggest your readers see more information related to the article’s topic. ![put a search form inside the post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/put-a-search-form-inside-the-post.png "put a search form inside the post - SearchWP")For more details, see our guide on [how to add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/ "How to Add a WordPress Search Bar with Shortcode (Step-by-Step)") in a few simple steps. ### Bonus: What Type of Custom Search Forms Can You Create? After you’ve created search engines and multiple search forms, let’s take a look at different use cases for creating search forms in WordPress. **1. Create a Custom Post Type Search Form** Custom post types are super popular among WordPress users. You can use them to publish content beyond regular posts or pages. For example, it might be reviews, recipes, special deals, real estate listings, or something else. The best way to help your visitors find custom posts is to add a separate search form limited to them. Here’s an example of such a form on the WPBeginner site that allows you to search for coupons: ![custom search form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/custom-search-form.png "custom search form - SearchWP")**2. Create a Category Search Form** Adding a category search form to your site will allow your visitors to choose by which category they want to search. This way, they can get more relevant search results and find what they’re looking for faster. ![search by category form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-by-category-form.gif "search by category form - SearchWP")For more details, see our guide on [how to search by category in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce"). **3. Create a Custom Page and Post Search Form** By default, WordPress performs a search among all the posts and pages that match the search query you have on your site. But what if you don’t want some of them to appear in the search results? For example, you may have posts with confidential information, paid content, or pages that shouldn’t appear in search results (like the checkout page, sitemap, contacts, and others). The best way to solve this problem is to add a custom page and post search form. This way, you can exclude specific content from search results so that it doesn’t get in the way of your visitors. For more details, check out our detailed tutorial on [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"). We hope this article helped you learn about how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site. You may also want to see our guide on [how to add authors in WordPress search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results") and [how to change the search results order in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/ "How to Change the Search Results Order in WordPress (No Coding)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** add multiple search forms in WordPress, add multiple search forms to your WordPress site, how to add multiple search forms in WordPress, how to add multiple search forms to a WordPress site, how to add multiple search forms to your WordPress site --- ### [How to Set Up Synonym Rules for WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-synonym-rules-for-wordpress-search/) **Published:** March 4, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Imagine your visitors are searching for something on your website. They type in a word, but the website uses a different word for the same thing, and users get no results. It can be annoying, right? This happens with WordPress search. The default search is okay, but it is not very smart about words that mean the same thing. For example, if someone searches for ‘automobile’ on your site, but you use ‘cars,’ then they might miss some of your great content. That’s why using synonyms in WordPress search provides a great user experience. Users can find what they need, even if they use slightly different words. And the easiest way to do that is by using a plugin like SearchWP. In this article, we’ll show you how to set up synonym rules for WordPress search. ### Why Include Synonyms in WordPress Search? Synonyms are simply words that mean the same or almost the same thing. For instance, ‘big’ and ‘large’ are synonyms of each other, just like ‘fast’ and ‘quick’ can be used interchangeably. When WordPress search understands synonyms, it’s like it understands different names for the same content on your website. Why is this important for your WordPress site? Well, people search using different words. If someone searches for ‘pictures’ but you only use the word ‘images’ on your site, then they might not find what they are looking for. But if your search knows that pictures and images are synonyms, then it will show them the right results. This is a good thing for several reasons. When people find what they need more easily, it makes them happy and encourages them to stay on your site longer. They might even become long-term customers or regular readers. Plus, it also makes your website content easier to discover. That said, let’s look at how you can allow WordPress search to include synonyms. ### Setting Up Synonyms Rule in WordPress Search The default WordPress search doesn’t understand synonyms and won’t know if two words mean the same thing. It is also not that great at finding content on your site because it doesn’t include other key elements like categories, tags, custom fields, product details, documents, and more in the search process. This is where [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") comes in handy. It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") and you can easily include different synonyms for search terms. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)Plus, it lets you customize WordPress search by creating your own search engine and including different sources. You can also include custom fields, taxonomies, product details like SKUs, and much more to enhance the search experience on your site. You can start by visiting the SearchWP website and signing up for an account. After you’ve subscribed to a pricing plan and created a new account, the next step is to download the plugin files. You can find the plugin by logging into your SearchWP account area. Simply go over to the ‘Downloads’ tab and click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to log into your WordPress admin area and upload SearchWP to your site. If you need help, then you can follow this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). From here, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")You’ve now fully set up the SearchWP plugin on your WordPress site. The next step is to customize your site’s search engine and synonyms for your search terms. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and then switch to the ‘Global Rules’ tab. ![Global rules SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/global-rules-searchwp-1-1030x474.png "Global rules SearchWP - SearchWP")You can then click the ‘Add New’ button under the Synonyms section. From here, simply enter the Search Terms and their respective Synonyms. ![Add new synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-synonyms-1030x421.png "Add new synonyms - SearchWP")When entering synonyms, think about the words people use to search for things on your site. For example, if you sell clothes, then you might use words like shirt, tee, or T-shirt. Or if you write about cooking on a food blog, then you could use synonyms like ‘recipe’ for cooking instructions or food preparation. **Note:** The SearchWP synonym feature currently works with only single words, such as ‘shirt’ or ‘investigation’. It doesn’t work with multiple words or phrases right now. So when you’re setting up a synonym rule, please ensure that you only enter a specific term. ![Enter search terms and synonyms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-search-terms-and-synonyms-1030x490.png "Enter search terms and synonyms - SearchWP")### Change the Default WordPress Search Settings The default WordPress search works fine for some websites, but it’s far from perfect. If your website has a ton of content or your online store has loads of products, then you might need to [change the default search settings](http://search settingshttps://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results"). With SearchWP, you can easily customize your WordPress search without editing code. The best part about using SearchWP is that it supports multiple search engines on 1 site. This way, you can create different search engines, allowing your users to search for things in different ways in different site locations. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard. After that, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a new window with the default sources for the search engine, which include posts, pages, and [media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). You can simply select which sources SearchWP should consider when finding content or products on your site. For example, if you want to limit search to specific post types, then you can only choose ‘Posts’ as the source. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. After that, you can choose attributes for each source in the search engine. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, such as title, content, excerpt, slug, [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), categories, tags, and author. Simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button to continue. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")From here, you will see a new popup open where you can manage the search attributes. You can now add custom fields and taxonomies as attributes. For example, let’s say you have an [ACF custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") for ingredients for a food blog or number of bedrooms for a real-estate listing, which you’d like to include when searching blog posts. Similarly, if you have different categories and tags on your site, then you can also make them searchable by selecting them from the ‘Taxonomies’ dropdown menu. ![ACF field in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/acf-field-in-searchwp-1-1030x516.png "ACF field in SearchWP - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the ‘Done’ button when you’re finished. Next, you can change the weights assigned to each attribute for different post types by moving the slider. The plugin will initially set weights for the main attributes like the title, content, slug, excerpt, and [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (5 Steps)") to the best values for most websites. But you can move the slider to adjust the weights according to your requirements. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")When you’re done, you can scroll to the top and click the Save button. After that, you’ll also need to click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")SearchWP will automatically start building a new search index for your site. If you want to learn more, then please see our guide on [how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/ "How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)"). Next, you can test if your synonym rules are working. Simply use the search bar to search for something using one of your synonyms. If your synonym rules are set up correctly, then you should see the same search results for all the words you set up earlier. For example, we entered ‘investigation’ as the synonym for the search term ‘keyword’ and got the correct result on our demo site. ![Synonyms preview search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/synonyms-preview-search--1030x509.png "Synonyms preview search - SearchWP")### Bonus: Add Partial Matches (Fuzzy Search) to WordPress Want to provide an even better search experience to your visitors in WordPress? With partial matches or fuzzy search, you can help users find the right content on your site even if they make a spelling mistake or typo when entering the search term. Sadly, WordPress does not support fuzzy search by default. If your visitors type a word or a product name incorrectly, then they won’t get any results and will leave your site unsatisfied. But with SearchWP, it’s very easy to set up partial matches. You can simply enable the ‘Partial Matches’ option with 1-click in the SearchWP settings. ![Enable partial matches and closest match](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-partial-matches-and-closest-match-1030x573.png "Enable partial matches and closest match - SearchWP")For more details, please see our guide on [how to enable fuzzy search on your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/ "How To Add Fuzzy Search To WordPress Sites"). We hope this article helped you learn how to set up synonym rules for WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize your WordPress site’s search widget ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/ "How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)")and [how to add a modal search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-modal-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How to Add a Modal Search Form in WordPress (No Coding)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? [Get started with SearchWP today!](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today") **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** default wordpress search settings, partial matches, same words search, SearchWP, synonym rule, synonyms, wordpress fuzzy search, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Customize the Search Widget in WordPress (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/) **Published:** February 18, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Let’s be honest, the default WordPress search widget isn’t exactly a powerhouse and not that great at finding content. If you want to help your customers find what they need faster, then you need to customize your site’s search widget. This provides a better user experience and encourages your visitors to spend more time on your site. Now, there are different ways to make changes to the search widget, but they involve tweaking code or hiring a developer. But you can easily modify the widget with the right WordPress plugin, like SearchWP. It gives you complete control over how search works on your site. In this article, we’ll show you how to customize your WordPress site’s search widget using a plugin. ### Why Customize Your WordPress Search Widget? Site search is an important feature people use to navigate websites. In WordPress, you can add a search widget to different locations of your site, like in the sidebar, navigation menu, or within the content. Your site visitors can then type into these search forms to find what they need quickly. However, the default WordPress search widget is not very good at finding site content. It is slow and only searches certain content types like posts, pages, and media content. Your users can’t find a match using other attributes like tags, [categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), or custom fields. ![WordPress not giving relevant search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WordPress-not-giving-relevant-search-results.png "WordPress not giving relevant search results - SearchWP")This means your site search may exclude relevant results sometimes. Once your site visitors can’t find what they’re looking for, they’ll have to check elsewhere. Customizing your WordPress search widget will help you avoid losing potential site traffic and sales. Your site visitors can now search everything on your site. As a result, they will get a more accurate and faster search experience. A custom WordPress search widget allows you to control how your site looks for search results. You can choose additional sources to include in the search process, and also rank attributes higher than the other when searching your site. For example, you can rank a [PDF file’s](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") excerpt higher than the document content. So, when the user searches for a keyword, WordPress will prioritize matches in the excerpts over the document content. If you have a WooCommerce store, then customizing your search widget allows shoppers to find accurate matches using product attributes like categories, tags, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), product details, documents, and shipping classes. That said, let’s see how to customize the WordPress search widget without writing any code. ### Customize WordPress Search Widget on Your Site Are you a WordPress newbie? Do you want to fully customize your WordPress search widget without hiring a developer? The easiest way to do this is to use a WordPress plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)As the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), it offers features that make it easy to customize your WordPress search widget. You can choose which sources to include in the search process and which content attributes to check first. For example, you can use the plugin to[ add search by category to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"). So, site visitors can now find results faster by searching a specific section of your site. Here are some other interesting features you get: - **PDF and Office Document Indexing:** SearchWP lets your site users search the content of your PDF files and other text-based documents. This can come in handy if you own a bookstore or any site with lots of documents, making it easy for your visitors to find PDF files. - **WooCommerce Integration:** The [SearchWP WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "SearchWP WooCommerce Integration") addon can index product attributes like categories, tags, product type, color, size, product details, and shipping classes. This way, your site visitors can find the products they need even faster. - **Custom Fields Support:** Custom fields help you store extra data about your site content. Unlike the default WordPress search, SearchWP can search custom fields. Ready to create your first WordPress custom search widget? To get started, simply follow these steps: Let’s show you how to do it! ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for an account. After you’ve subscribed to a pricing plan and created a new account, the next step is to download the plugin files. You’ll find the plugin by logging into your SearchWP account area by going over to the ‘Downloads’ tab and clicking the **Download SearchWP** button. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to log into your WordPress admin area and install SearchWP to your site. If you need help, then you can follow this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Once you’ve now fully set up the SearchWP plugin, the next step is to adjust your search engine settings. ### Step 2: Set Up Your Search Engine SearchWP allows you to control how your site looks for content by customizing the search engine on your site. You can change the default WordPress search or create new search engines. You can then choose from different content sources like posts, pages, products, and the [media library](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). Not only that, but you can also decide how relevant you want each source attribute like title and slug to be. Another benefit of using SearchWP is that you can set up more than 1 search engine for a site. This means you can display different search bars in different locations on your site. For example, you can add a search engine that looks for products only on your shop page and add another search engine that searches your entire site. First, you will need to head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, you’ll see a pop-up with a list of sources and additional options. You can choose from sources like posts, products, comments, and media files. The available options may vary from site to site, based on the plugins on your site. After selecting your settings, you can also select some additional options. For example, you can enable keyword stemming. Keyword stemming helps your site to search for words similar to what the user is looking for. If it’s enabled, your site will also search for words like ‘running’ when the user types ‘run’. After choosing the options you want, simply click **Done**. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")Next, it’s time to decide which content attributes you want your site to consider when searching for content. You can adjust these settings for each source you’ve added to the search engine. Simply scroll to the source you want to edit and click **Add/Remove Attributes**. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")You’ll now see a pop-up with a list of attributes for each source. By default, SearchWP will look for results in the title, content, slug, excerpt, and [author](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (5 Steps)"). You can remove any of these attributes by unchecking the box next to it. Or you can add other advanced attributes like custom fields and taxonomies. These attributes can be categories, tags, or even product variations like color and model. ![Add or remove attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-or-remove-attributes-1030x493.png "Add or remove attributes - SearchWP")If you select these attributes, your site visitors can now find products easily by simply typing any attribute into the search bar. When you’re finished, click the **Done** button. The next thing is to add other specific rules to your search engine settings. For example, you can decide to only search for pages published after a particular date. To do this, simply click the **Edit Rules** button. ![Edit rules for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-for-search-results-1030x512.png "Edit rules for search results - SearchWP")On the next page, you can adjust the rule’s settings based on your needs. Go ahead and click the **Add Rule** button. ![Add new search rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-search-rule-1030x385.png "Add new search rule - SearchWP")After that, you can enter the conditions for your new rule. Let’s say you want to select whether to show or exclude entries for posts published before a certain date, display results from specific categories, or enter post IDs to filter content. ![Create new rule for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-new-rule-for-search-results-1030x491.png "Create new rule for search results - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. Finally, it’s time to adjust how your search engine ranks each of the content attributes you added earlier. For example, you can choose to rank a page’s slug higher than the excerpt. When SearchWP is looking for search results, it’ll first check the slug before checking the excerpt. Each attribute has its own slider. You can adjust each of them to determine the attribute’s relevance. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")You’ve successfully chosen your content sources, added attributes, and adjusted their relevance. You can now click **Save** to apply your new settings and then click the Rebuild Index button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")After customizing your WordPress search settings, the last step is to add a widget to your site. ### Step 3: Add a Search Widget to Your Site You can add your new custom search widget to different locations of your WordPress site. Some WordPress themes have a search widget in some locations by default. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to add one to your sidebar. It’s easy for site visitors to find the widget in this location. You can add a new widget to your site by going to **Appearance » Widgets** in your WordPress dashboard. ![Go to widgets tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-widgets-tab.jpg "Go to widgets tab - SearchWP")Next, you can choose where to add the widget and click the **+** icon. We’ll select the **Sidebar** option for this tutorial. ![Add WordPress sidebar widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Add-WordPress-sidebar-widget-1-e1630949949509.png "Add WordPress sidebar widget - SearchWP")Next, you will need to a ‘Search’ widget block to your sidebar. Simply click the ‘+’ button and choose the **Search** block. ![add custom search widget to WordPress sidebar](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-bar-to-WordPress-sidebar.png "add customized search widget to WordPress sidebar - SearchWP")You should now see the search block in your sidebar widget area. Now, click **Update** in the top right corner to save all your changes. Now, when visitors go to your pages or posts, they’ll see your new custom search widget. This widget will search your site based on your new custom settings. ![View WordPress search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Customized-WordPress-search-widget-in-sidebar.png "View WordPress search widget - SearchWP")### What’s Next… Do you want to create custom search forms for your website? With SearchWP, you can create multiple search forms for your website. It offers different layouts to choose from and customize its appearance to match your website theme and brand. ![WordPress search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming-search-form-1030x644.jpg "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress: Create Custom Search Form: Choosing Layout Theme - SearchWP")You can also define which engine your custom search form will use, as SearchWP lets you set up multiple Engines to find content. To learn more, please see our guide step-by-step guide on [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). We hope this article helped you learn how to customize the search widget in WordPress. You may also want to see our guides on [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)") and[ how to add autocomplete search to your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/ "How To Add Live Autocomplete Search To WordPress Sites"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? [Get started with SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get started with SearchWP today!")! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** custom search in wordpress plugin, style wordpress search widget, wordpress add search to menu plugin, wordpress custom search widget, wordpress search bar shortcode, wordpress search form html code, wordpress search form without submit button, wordpress search widget text, wordpress search within page --- ### [How to Perform a Multisite Search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-perform-a-multisite-search-in-wordpress/) **Published:** February 6, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Have you ever found yourself browsing through a bunch of websites and wished you could just perform a multisite search across all of them at once? It’s a common challenge, especially if you’re using WordPress Multisite network. The regular WordPress search only works for individual sites, which makes it a real pain for your website visitors to find that specific piece in your network. However, with the right plugin like SearchWP, you can easily set up a search functionality across multiple sites in the network. Plus, you also get to create custom search engines and replace the default WordPress search for better user experience. In this article, we’ll show you how to perform multisite search in WordPress. ### What is WordPress Multisite? A WordPress multisite is a fantastic feature that allows you to create and manage a network of websites from a single WordPress installation. Think of it like having a central control panel where you can manage many websites, all sharing the same core WordPress files, plugins, and [themes](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"). This can save you a lot of time and server resources. Plus, it lets you manage users across multiple sites from the admin network, which is a great way to scale a network. For example, let’s say you run a university website with different departments or campuses. Or your business has several products, services, or branches. You can set up a WordPress multisite network for each department, product, or campus instead of creating separate sites. If you want to learn more about multisite, then please see this guide on [how to install and setup WordPress multisite network](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-install-and-setup-wordpress-multisite-network/ "How to Install and Setup WordPress Multisite Network"). ### Why Set Up a Multisite Search in WordPress? Imagine you have a network of 20+ sites. If someone wants to find something across the entire network, they’d have to search each site individually. Frustrating, right? That’s where a multisite search comes to the rescue. - **Improved User Experience:** Visitors get instant access to information across your entire network. No more clicking through multiple sites. It’s all in one place, making it fast and efficient. - **Enhanced Content Discovery:** Users often stumble upon relevant content they never knew existed. A multisite search increases the chance that they’ll discover new content and engage with your network more. - **Efficiency for Network Managers:** As a network manager, [finding your content](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-blogs-searchable/ "How To Make WordPress Blogs Searchable (For Beginners)"), pages, and articles across the network should be easy. A unified search allows you to find things quickly and easily, allowing for better site management. - **Consistency and Branding:** A shared search will give a consistent branding experience to your users as they move across your network. That said, let’s look at how you can easily add a multisite search to your network without editing code. ### Setting Up a WordPress Multisite Search The easiest way to add a multisite search feature to WordPress is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that indexes content, custom fields, and taxonomies across your entire network or individual sub-sites. With SearchWP, you can also create a custom search engine, live search, exclude pages and posts, get search analytics, create custom search forms, and much more. To get started, you’ll need to visit the SearchWP website and sign up for an account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)After creating an account, the next thing you’ll need to do is download the SearchWP plugin. Simply head to your account area and switch to the **Downloads** tab. From here, you can click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you will need to install and activate the plugin on the [multisite network](https://searchwp.com/features/wordpress-multisite-search-plugin/ "Smart WordPress Multisite Search"). To do that, simply open the Network Admin dashboard and then head to **Plugins » Add New Plugin**. From here, you can click the ‘Upload Plugin’ button at the top. ![Upload plugin in wordpress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/upload-plugin-in-wordpress-1030x576.png "Upload plugin in wordpress - SearchWP")After that, you will see an option to upload your new plugin. Go ahead and click the ‘Choose File’ button and then select the plugin files on your computer. ![Click choose file option](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-choose-file-option-1030x351.png "Click choose file option - SearchWP")Once that’s done, you can click the ‘Install Now’ button. On the next screen, you will need to click the ‘Network Activate’ button. This will activate the SearchWP plugin on your multisite network. ![Activate plugin for network](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/activate-plugin-for-network-1030x395.png "Activate plugin for network - SearchWP")After that, you will need to activate the SearchWP license on all the sites in the multisite network. To do that, simply go to the **SearchWP » Settings** from the WordPress dashboard and enter the license key. You can find the license key in your SearchWP account area. Go ahead and click the ‘Verify Key’ button to continue. ![Pasting License Key in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2-1030x722.jpg "license-add-before-pasting-key-2 - SearchWP")Now, SearchWP will be active on your sub-sites in your WordPress multisite network. ### Enable Cross-Site Searching in Multisite Network Next, you will need to enable multisite search by customizing the behavior of SearchWP. By default, SearchWP will only search for posts, pages, and [media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") on a specific sub-site instead of the multisite network. In order to make it search cross-sites, you will need to modify its behavior. To do that, you can [create a custom plugin](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/creating-searchwp-customizations-plugin/ "Creating Your SearchWP Customizations Plugin") called SearchWP Customizations plugin and add hooks. [Hooks](https://searchwp.com/documentation/hooks/) are functions that integrate with SearchWP and allow unique customizations without the need to edit the core plugin files. Plus, your new features will remain in place when you update SearchWP or your website theme. First, you’ll need to create your own plugin by simply open a Notepad or TextEdit file on your computer and enter the following code: ``` **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** advanced custom fields search & filter, customizations plugin, multisite search, perform multisite search in wordpress, WordPress search, wordpress search settings --- ### [How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings (3 Steps)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-wordpress-search-settings/) **Published:** February 4, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you manage a blog website that has a lot of content or an online store with many products, then it’s very important to provide a great search experience to your visitors. When users can find valuable information and products on your site with ease, they are likely to spend more time reading articles and purchasing items. As a result, you’ll boost engagement and conversions. Sadly, the default WordPress search is quite limited. It is slow and doesn’t always give relevant results. But you can improve your site’s search experience by changing the default search settings. In this post, we’ll show you how to change your WordPress site’s default search settings. You can do this by following 3 simple steps. ### Why Change Default WordPress Search? The default WordPress search may be enough for some websites, even though it’s limited. But if you have a large site with lots of content or an eCommerce site with thousands of products, then you may need to customize your search settings. For example, you may want to allow users to [search by category on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/ "How To Add Search By Category In WordPress (For Beginners)"), like this: ![How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embed-search-form-step5-1030x436.jpg "How To Add Search by Category To WordPress: Embed Search Form - SearchWP")Customizing the search feature in WordPress helps you: - **Make Your Site Search Faster:** As your site content increases, the default search starts to slow down. This can negatively impact your user experience. - **Control How Your Site Looks for Results:** You can control how your site looks for search results. For example, you may want to[ restrict your WooCommerce product search to title only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-restrict-woocommerce-product-search-to-title-only/ "How To Restrict WooCommerce Product Search To Title Only") or even add search by tags to your site. - **Add Extra Features to Your Site Search:** You can boost the search experience by including custom fields, comments, and PDF document content. - **Make Site Search More Efficient:** Changes to your default search can help you[ fix common WordPress search errors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/ "How To Fix WordPress Search Not Working (4 Issues Solved)") like the search box not appearing and make the overall search more efficient. - **Get Search Statistics:** The default search in WordPress doesn’t provide any data on what people are searching for. But with the right plugin, you can get search statistics and get insights about your users’ behavior. You can change your default search settings by either adding code to your site or using a WordPress plugin. Using a plugin is very easy and will save you a lot of time. That said, let’s show you how to change your default search settings in WordPress. ### How to Change the Default WordPress Search Settings The easiest and fastest way to change your default WordPress search settings is to use a WordPress plugin called [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). The plugin helps you to customize your WordPress search without writing any code. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)As the[ best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), SearchWP gives you a lot of control over your site search. With the tool, you can add so many search features to your site. It makes your site search faster and also gives more relevant search results. Here are some of the most important features you’ll get to enjoy: - **Search Everything On Your Site:** Is your site not returning the search results you expect? SearchWP improves your site search. With the plugin, your site will now look for search results in [comments](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"), reviews, taxonomies, and even custom fields. - **Advanced eCommerce Product Search:** The tool also integrates seamlessly with WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and BigCommerce. So, if you own an eCommerce store, then your site visitors can now find your products faster. SearchWP includes your products using attributes like tags, categories, SKUs, shipping classes, and other details in the search process. - **Site Search Insights:** One way you can improve your business is by making data-backed decisions. SearchWP tracks your site searches and shows you what your users are looking for. You can use these insights to satisfy their needs better. SearchWP still packs lots more features. The good thing is once you install the plugin, you can make a lot of changes to your search settings. And you don’t need any prior experience to do this. Let’s show you the 3 easy steps to follow to do this. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP You can start by visiting the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) website and signing up for an account. After you’ve subscribed to a pricing plan and created a new account, the next step is to download the plugin files. You can find the plugin by logging into your SearchWP account area. Simply go over to the ‘Downloads’ tab and click the ‘Download SearchWP’ button. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Now, it’s time to log into your WordPress admin area and upload SearchWP to your site. Need help doing this? You can follow this guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Next, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")You’ve now fully set up the SearchWP plugin, the next step is to customize your site’s search engine. ### **Step 2: Set Up Your Search Engine** Want to change your default search settings? You can set up a new search engine or edit the default engine in WordPress. The cool thing with SearchWP is that it supports multiple search engines on 1 site. This way, your users can search for things in different ways in different site locations. First, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard After that, you can click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")You’ll now see a new window with the default sources for the search engine, which include posts, pages, and [media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files"). You can simply select which sources SearchWP should consider when finding content or products on your site. For example, if you want to limit search to specific post types, then you can only choose ‘Posts’ as the source. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")When you’re finished, simply click the ‘Done’ button. After that, you can add different attributes to each source in the search engine. Attributes are the fields you want to search for a given source, such as title, content, excerpt, slug, [custom fields](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"), taxonomy, and author. Simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button to continue. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new popup open where you can manage the search attributes. Here, you can add custom fields and taxonomies as attributes. For example, let’s say you have an [ACF custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/ "How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)") for ‘Reading Time’ which you’d like to include when searching blog posts. Similarly, if you have different categories and tags on your site, then you can also make them searchable by selecting them from the ‘Taxonomies’ dropdown menu. ![Choose ACF custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-acf-custom-field-1-1030x507.png "Choose ACF custom field - SearchWP")Go ahead and click the ‘Done’ button when you’re finished. Next, you can change the weights assigned to each attribute for different post types by moving the slider. ![Move the slider to assign weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-the-slider-to-assign-weights-1030x512.png "Move the slider to assign weights - SearchWP")Finally, you can also add extra rules to your custom WordPress search. For instance, let’s say you don’t want users to find content that’s old and outdated. You can simply set up a condition to show entries after a specific date. To do this, simply click the Edit Rules button. ![Edit rules for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-rules-for-search-results-1030x512.png "Edit rules for search results - SearchWP")Next, a new popup window will open where you can edit the rules. Go ahead and click the ‘Add Rule’ button. ![Add new search rule](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-search-rule-1030x385.png "Add new search rule - SearchWP")After that, you can enter the conditions for your new rule. For instance, you’ll need to select whether to show or exclude entries for posts published before a certain date, display results from specific categories, or enter post IDs to filter content. ![Create new rule for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-new-rule-for-search-results-1-1030x491.png "Create new rule for search results - SearchWP")Simply click the ‘Done’ button after entering the rules. Your visitors will now see search results based on the conditional logic rules you’ve set. Next, you will need to click the **Save** button to store the changes to the default search engine, and then click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")SearchWP will automatically start building a new search index for your site. Congratulations! You’ve successfully changed your default WordPress search settings. There are some additional options offered by SearchWP to fine tune your search engine. For instance, if you switch to the ‘Global Rules’ tab in the Algorithm page, then you can add synonyms and stopwords. Adding synonyms will help users find relevant content when they enter search terms related to topics on your site. Simply click the ‘Add New’ button and then enter the search terms and their synonyms. When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save Synonyms’ button. ![Enter synonyms for search terms](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-synonyms-for-search-terms-1030x421.png "Enter synonyms for search terms - SearchWP")If you scroll down to the ‘Stopwords’ section, then you can add common words that are not helpful when searching and do not carry significant meaning in identifying the content. These include words like is, the, an, a, in, at, and if. Now, SearchWP will already have a library of different stopwords which it will ignore when performing a search. However, you can add more stopwords to improve your search experience. ![Enter stopwords for search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enter-stopwords-for-search-results-1030x590.png "Enter stopwords for search results - SearchWP")When you’re done, simply click the ‘Save Stopwords’ button. The final step is to make sure your site search works as you want on the front-end. ### Step 3: Test Your New Settings o test your new changes, you can visit your website and type a search term into the search bar and click **Search**. From here, you can confirm if the search results reflect your new changes to the default WordPress search settings. For example, WordPress may still be showing posts published before the specific date we set. In this case, go back to the search engine settings to make sure you saved all your settings properly. ![Confirm changes to default WordPress search settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Confirm-changes-to-default-WordPress-search-settings.png "Confirm changes to default WordPress search settings - SearchWP")### What’s Next… Now that you know how to easily change the default search settings in WordPress, you can go an extra step and enhance the search experience for your visitors. Here are some helpful guides that will help you improve the WordPress search: - [How To Add Filters To WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-filters-to-wordpress-search/ "How To Add Filters To WordPress Search") - [How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") - [How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") - [How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-live-search-to-wordpress-for-free/ "How To Add Live Search To WordPress For Free") - [How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/ "How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)") We hope this article helped you learn how to change your default WordPress search settings. You may also want to see our guide on [how to see search metrics in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/ "How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)") and [how to make WooCommerce product documents searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-woocommerce-product-documents-searchable/ "How to Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!")! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** change default wordpress search settings, customize wordpress search, default wordpress search settings, wordpress custom search query, WordPress search, wordpress search page, wordpress search page url, wordpress search plugin, wordpress search results page, wordpress search results page plugin, wordpress search results page template, wordpress search settings, wordpress search shortcode --- ### [How to Search eCommerce Product Details in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-ecommerce-product-details-in-wordpress/) **Published:** January 30, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** It can be frustrating for customers when they try to search for a product on your online store but can’t find what they’re looking for. Sadly, the default WordPress search feature is quite limited, frequently missing crucial product details that customers are searching for. But with the right plugin, like SearchWP, you can enhance the search experience for your visitors and boost conversions and engagement on your online store. In this article, we’ll show you how to search eCommerce product details in WordPress. ### Why Include eCommerce Product Details in WordPress Search? When you start an online store, you’d want to boost sales and help users to easily find your products. By including product details like reviews, tags, [comments](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/ "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress"), and attributes in the search process, you’ll improve the overall user experience. Users can quickly find the exact product they want, which reduces frustration and increases satisfaction. A good search function also facilitates a seamless buying process. This improves conversion rates and increases revenue. Besides that, a poor search experience is a common reason why users abandon a website. When searches fail, visitors are likely to leave. Adding product detail to search keeps visitors on your site for longer, reducing bounce rates. Having a powerful search feature on your eCommerce store can also help with [product discoverability](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Improve Product Search in WooCommerce (5 Easy Ways)"), even if a customer doesn’t have an exact product in mind. Users might not be aware of all the products that you offer, and a detailed search experience helps them uncover these products. That said, let’s look at how you can easily search eCommerce product details in WordPress. ### Adding eCommerce Product Details to WordPress Search The best way to include eCommerce product details in the search function is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that’s trusted by over 50,000 website owners. SearchWP easily integrates with WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and BigCommerce. It lets you include product reviews, order history, product custom fields, comments, [SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/ "How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)"), taxonomies, and more to improve search on your online store. To get started, you can visit the SearchWP website and sign up for a new account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)After that, you’ll need to do is download the SearchWP plugin. Simply head to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Next, you can install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. If you need help, then please this guide on [how to install the WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Once the plugin is active, SearchWP will show a welcome screen and setup wizard in your WordPress dashboard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")Next, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and install the eCommerce integration. For example, let’s say you want to include product details on your [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce Integration ") or [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/features/easy-digital-downloads-edd-integration/ "WooCommerce Integration ") store. Simply navigate to the respective extension or use the search bar at the top to look for the eCommerce extension and then click the ‘Install’ button. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")### Edit Search Engine Settings to Include Product Details Now that you’ve enabled the eCommerce extension in SearchWP, the next step is to configure the search engine settings. You can simply go to the **SearchWP » Algorithm** page from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup will open with the default sources that SearchWP will use. Go ahead and select **Product** as a source and click the ‘Done’ button. ![Select products as sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-products-as-sources-1030x497.png "Select products as sources - SearchWP")After that, you’ll need to scroll down to the Product section in the search engine settings and select the attributes you want to search. SearchWP will use title, content, slug, and excerpt of your products by default. To include more product details, simply click the ‘Add/Remove Attributes’ button. ![Add and remove attributes of products](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-and-remove-attributes-of-products-1030x427.png "Add and remove attributes of products - SearchWP")Next, you can enter and any custom field that you want to include in the search process, like product SKUs, documents, versions, and more. You’ll also need to do the same for Taxonomies. Simply click the dropdown menu and choose whether you’d like to include product types, categories, tags, and more. ![Manage product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/manage-product-attributes--1030x518.png "Manage product attributes - SearchWP")After selecting product attributes, don’t forget to click the ‘Done’ button. SearchWP will now include product details you selected as attributes during the search process. You can also use the slider to adjust the relevance weight. The further right the slider, the more weight that particular Attribute will be given in the search algorithm. ![Move slider to adjust weights](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-slider-to-adjust-weights--1030x514.png "Move slider to adjust weights - SearchWP")Next, you can scroll back to the top and click the ‘Save’ button. Once that’s done, you will also need to click the ‘Rebuild Index’ button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")You can now visit your site and try searching different product details. For example, we tried searching for a product category to see if the right products appear. As you can see, the results found the right products. ![View product details in search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/view-product-details-in-search-1030x502.png "View product details in search - SearchWP")## What’s Next… Now that you know how to include product details in WordPress search, here are some additional resources that will help you improve the search experience even more: - [How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-product-search-to-the-header/ "How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header") - [How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") - [How to Search in Category in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/ "How to Search in Category in WooCommerce") - [How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/ "How To Add Custom WooCommerce Search Widgets (Step By Step)") - [How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/ "How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results") We hope this article helped you learn how to search eCommerce product details in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to include shortcode results in WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search") and [how to show related content in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/ "How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** product details, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search plugin free, woocommerce product search results page, woocommerce search, woocommerce search form, WordPress search --- ### [How to Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search (Easy Way)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-acf-fields-in-wordpress-search/) **Published:** January 28, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** If you use Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) on your site to create custom fields, then you should know that the default WordPress search won’t include them in the searching process. This can be a major roadblock when it comes to providing a smooth user experience. By making data in custom fields searchable on your site, you give your visitors a new way to search for content and help them to get more relevant search results. In this article, we will show you how to include ACF fields into search results on your WordPress site with no coding needed. ### Why Include ACF Fields in WordPress Search [ACF, or Advanced Custom Fields](https://searchwp.com/advanced-custom-fields-acf/ "Advanced Custom Fields and SearchWP"), is one of the most popular WordPress plugins for managing custom fields on your site. With it, you can easily create and set up custom fields for your posts, users, taxonomy terms, and media. For example, you can create a [custom field](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)") to include calories and serving sizes on your food blog, show reading time for guides, display number of bedrooms for real estate listings, and more. Making these fields searchable on your site will make it easier for visitors to find the desired content, since they usually contain a lot of valuable data. Now, the [default WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-default-search-url-in-wordpress/ "How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress (Safely)") will not include the custom fields in the search process. With that, let’s see how you can make ACF fields searchable on your site in a few clicks, even if you’re a complete WordPress beginner. ### How to Make ACF Fields Searchable on Your Site The easiest way to include Advanced Custom Fields in search results on your site is to use the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/). It is the [best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") that allows you to drastically enhance search on your site and make ACF fields searchable. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)In addition to ACF, you can also use SearchWP to make any post custom fields, attributes, or taxonomies searchable. And this is just one of the many SearchWP features that will help you grow your business. For example, you can use this plugin to [track your visitors’ searches](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"), limit search to specific post types and categories, change the order of search results, and much more. Over 50,000 WordPress website owners use SearchWP to deliver their visitors the most relevant search results. Here are some other amazing things you can do with this plugin: - **Turn on fuzzy search**: Make WordPress search for partial matches in case there are no exact ones, to keep your visitors from leaving your site unsatisfied. - **Exclude specific pages from search results**: Get rid of redundant pages in your search results to make it easier for visitors to find the right content. - **Enable search for PDF files**: Make [PDFs and office document files searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search PDF Files (In 2 Easy Steps)") on your site, so visitors can quickly find them using a search bar. - **Add search by categories:** Allow your visitors to choose in which category they want to search for content to give the most relevant search results. Now, let’s take a step-by-step look at how you can do it. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP on Your Site The first thing you need to do is visit the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com "SearchWP") website and sign up for a new account. Once you’ve created a new account, you’ll need to download the plugin files from the account area. Simply head to the ‘Downloads’ tab and click the **Download SearchWP** button to save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once the download is finished, copy your SearchWP license key on the same tab as well. You’ll need it when installing the plugin on your website. The next step is to install and activate SearchWP on your site. You can follow the step-by-step instructions on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners") if you require assistance. Upon activation, a SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard will appear in your WordPress dashboard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After you activate SearchWP on your site, you’re ready to enable search by ACF fields on your site. ### Step 2: Start Customizing Your Search Engine To get started, you will need to go to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from your WordPress dashboard and click the ‘Sources & Settings’ button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Next, a popup window will open with the default sources. These include posts, pages, and media. ![Choose search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-search-sources--1030x441.png "Choose search sources - SearchWP")However, SearchWP allows you to add an unlimited number of search engines and link them to individual [search forms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"). This way, you can create fully customized search forms and place them anywhere across your site. Since you want to make custom ACF fields searchable, you will need to configure the Default search engine. ### Step 3: Make ACF Fields Searchable To get started, select the type of content you want to make searchable by ACF fields among the **Default** search engine search sources. It can be the Posts, Pages, or [Media](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-media-files/ "How To Make WordPress Search Media Files") sources. For example, let’s make an ACF field searchable for posts. Simply head to the Posts section and then click the **Add/Remove Attributes** button. ![Add attribute for post](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-attribute-for-post-1030x429.png "Add attribute for post - SearchWP")Next, you will see a new popup open where you can manage the **Posts** search attributes. To include ACF fields in your site search, first click the **Custom Fields** field and then choose the ACF field you want to make searchable from the drop-down menu. ![Choose ACF custom field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-acf-custom-field-1-1030x507.png "Choose ACF custom field - SearchWP")When you’re finished managing the Posts search source attributes, press **Done** to save your changes. The last step is to save the changes you made to the Default search engine. You can do that by pressing the **Save** button in the top right corner of your SearchWP dashboard. Next, you will need to click the **Rebuild Index** button next. It’ll make WordPress to reindex all your posts and check if they have any custom fields. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")After you’ve enabled ACF field search on your site, let’s test your new search. ### Step 4: Test Your New Search To do that, go to your site and search for any content placed within the ACF field you made searchable on your site in the previous step. For example, on our test site, we included a custom field called **Reading Time** in the search. Let’s try to find a post named ‘The 10 Best WordPress Analytics Plugin’ that takes 15 minutes to read. As you can see, WordPress will look for the phrase ’15 minutes’ in the custom field created with the ACF fields plugin and display relevant posts. ![we found a post by an ACF field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-a-post-by-an-ACF-field.png "we found a post by an ACF field - SearchWP")### What’s Next… We hope that this guide helped you learned how to include ACF fields in WordPress search. You may also want to see our guide on [how to search posts by tags in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-posts-by-tags-in-wordpress/ "How to Search Posts by Tags in WordPress (No Coding Needed)") and [how to add a WordPress search bar with a shortcode](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/ "How to Add a WordPress Search Bar with Shortcode (Step-by-Step)"). Ready to make ACF fields searchable on your site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today"). It’ll help your visitors faster find the right content and improve their user experience. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** acf search by custom field, add ACF fields to search on your WordPress site, advanced custom fields search & filter, how to include ACF fields in WordPress search, make ACF fields searchable on your site, search wordpress by custom fields without a plugin, WordPress search post by custom field --- ### [How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress (No Code)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-to-specific-post-types-in-wordpress/) **Published:** January 24, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** When it comes to limiting search to specific post types, you might run into a bit of trouble. That’s because it usually requires extensive coding experience, since there is no such feature in WordPress by default. However, with the right plugin, you can easily filter post types from your website search feature without touching a single line of code or hiring a developer. In this article, we’ll show you the easiest way to limit search on your site to specific post types with no coding needed. ### Why Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress Limiting searches to certain types of posts on your site brings many advantages. One of them is it allows you to deliver more relevant [search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/ "How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)") to your visitors, making their user experience better. For example, if you run a cooking blog, you can limit the search on your site to only recipes to make it easier to browse your site. ![an example of a custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/an-example-of-a-custom-post-type-1.png "an example of a custom post type - SearchWP")In addition, limiting search on your site to a certain post type will help you boost your content discoverability. If visitors quickly find what they were looking for on your site, then it encourages them to explore more of your content. Similarly, it also increases engagement and encourages users to stay longer on your site. As a result, you might see an improvement in [WordPress SEO](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wordpress-seo/ "Ultimate WordPress SEO Guide for Beginners (Step by Step)"). Besides that, limiting search results can increase your conversion rate. If you’re an eCommerce site owner, then you can restrict each [search on your site to products](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/ "How to Create Product Search in WooCommerce (Step by Step)") only to make it easier to browse your store and increase the revenue. Now that you know why to limit the search on your site to specific types of posts, let’s see how you can do that. ### How to Limit Search to Specific Post Types in WordPress The easiest way to limit search to specific post types in WordPress is to use a plugin like [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP"). [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)SearchWP is the[ best WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") on the market, with over 50,000 active installations. Using it, you can limit search on your site to specific post types in just a few clicks, no coding needed. But this is not the only thing you can do with this plugin. In fact, SearchWP allows you to get complete control over how search works on your site. For example, you can[ prioritize specific search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress"), display search results in live mode, and more. Here are some other SearchWP features that will help you to make search on your site better: - [**Make custom fields searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/ "How to Add Custom Fields Search in WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"): Use custom post types to publish your content? There is a lot of useful data within their custom fields, which you can make searchable with SearchWP. - [](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)")**[**Add custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How To Create A Custom Search Form In WordPress (3 Easy Steps)"):** Looking for a way to put a search form inside the post or page? Using SearchWP, you can add a customized search form using the Gutenberg block or shortcode and place it anywhere in your article. - [**Exclude specific pages from search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"): Want to hide some posts or pages from search results on your site? With SearchWP, you can do that with just a few clicks. - [**Track searches on your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/ "How to Track Searches on Your WordPress Site"): Would you like to track your visitors’ searches? SearchWP collects data on all search activity on your site so that you can learn more about your audience. Now that you know why using SearchWP is the easiest way to limit search on your site to specific post types, let’s see how you can do that below. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first step is to head to the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") and signup for a new account. Once you’ve subscribed to a pricing plan and create a new account, the next step is to download the plugin files. You can find the plugin by logging into your SearchWP account area and go over to the **Downloads** tab. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")Once there, you can press the **Download SearchWP** button to begin downloading the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. When you’re finished downloading, copy your license key on the same tab. You’ll need it to activate your SearchWP license a bit further. The next step is to upload the downloaded file to your site and install the plugin. Not sure how to do that? You can follow this step-by-step guide on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). After the plugin installation, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")### Step 2: Customize Your Search Engine Next, you will need to edit the search engine to limit posts on your website. By default, there is already one search engine called **Default**. You can customize how search works across your site by editing its setting. For example, you can [exclude from search specific pages](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress") or categories, adjust the post attributes’ relevance weight, and more. Plus, SearchWP allows you to add an unlimited number of search engines and link them to separate search fields. This lets you create customized search forms with a unique set of settings and place them anywhere on your site. Since we want to limit search to specific post types on our entire site, we’ll customize the ‘Default’ search engine. Simply head to **SearchWP » Algorithm** from the WordPress dashboard and click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![Edit or add new search engines in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-or-add-new-search-engines-in-wordpress-1-1030x545.png "Edit or add new search engines in WordPress - SearchWP")Here, you can select which search sources you want WordPress to consider. By default, all post types are selected as active sources in SearchWP. ![Default search sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/default-search-sources-1030x488.png "Default search sources - SearchWP")To limit search on your site to a specific post type, you’ll need to uncheck all other sources except it. For example, we have a custom post type on our test site called **tutorials**. Let’s say that we want to limit search to it. To do that, we’ll check this source and leave it as the only active one. Here is how it looks on our test site: ![Select specific post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/select-specific-post-type-1030x488.png "Select specific post type - SearchWP")When you’ve finished setting up your search sources, simply click **Done**. That’s it. Now, search on your site is limited to the selected post type. The last step is to click the **Save** button to store the changes you’ve made to the search engine, and then click the **Rebuild Index** button. ![Save and rebuild index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-and-rebuild-index-1030x587.png "Save and rebuild index - SearchWP")Now let’s try your new search. ### Step 3: Test Your New Search Limited to Specific Post Types To do that, simply visit your website and head to the [search form](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-custom-search-in-wordpress-without-a-plugin/ "How to Create Custom Search in WordPress Without a Plugin"). For the purposes of this guide, we’ve added a tutorial post type called How to install a WordPress theme in the search bar. ![search for a custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-a-custom-post-type.png "search for a custom post type - SearchWP")As you can see, there are no results except our custom post type, to which we’ve limited search on our site. The search feature should not show any other post type on the website. ![we found our custom post type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-custom-post-type.png "we found our custom post type - SearchWP")To make sure that our search is truly limited to the tutorials, we also tried to search for other post types. For example, we have a regular post on our site called ‘Why WordPress is the most powerful CMS’. As you can see, we haven’t found any results. ![there are no regular posts in the search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/there-are-no-regular-posts-in-the-search-results.png "there are no regular posts in the search results - SearchWP")It means that we successfully limited search on our site to a certain post type. ### What’s Next… In this tutorial, you learned how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress. It’ll help you to give your visitors more relevant search results and improve their user experience. We hope this article helped you learn how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress. You may also want to see our guide on [how to customize your WordPress search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page") and [how to create a custom search form in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/ "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page"). In this article, you learned how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress. It’ll help you to give your visitors more relevant search results and improve their user experience. Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "Get SearchWP Today!") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** how to limit search to specific post types in WordPress, how to limit WordPress search to a specific post type, limit search on a WordPress site to a specific post type, limit search to specific post types in WordPress, limit WordPress search to a specific post type, WordPress search --- ### [How to Make Divi Search WooCommerce Products (No Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-divi-search-woocommerce-products/) **Published:** January 10, 2022 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** Want to know how to make Divi search WooCommerce products? It’s a problem that every WooCommerce store owner who uses Divi as their primary page builder needs to fix if they want to succeed online. In this tutorial, we’ll show you how to enable search by WooCommerce products on your Divi site in a few simple steps. Let’s dive into it! ## Why Make Divi Search for WooCommerce Products The default WordPress search engine is rather weak and isn’t the best choice if you’re looking to give your customers the positive user experience. For example, it doesn’t: - consider product attributes when performing a search - allow your customers to search by product tags - pay attention to the product category - look for partial matches if there are no exact ones - collect any data on your visitors’ search activity - and many more… The same goes for Divi search modules, as Divi is a pagebuilder plugin that uses the same default WordPress search engine. Thankfully, there is a way to make search on your WooCommerce site way smarter and help your visitors find the product they’re looking for faster. Let’s look at how you can do that in just a few clicks, with no need for coding or technical skills. ## How to Make Divi Search for WooCommerce Products The easiest and fastest way to make Divi search for WooCommerce products is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/). ![SearchWP logo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-twitter-poster-1.png "SearchWP logo - SearchWP") SearchWP is a beginner-friendly and powerful plugin with many features to help you [improve your WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-wordpress-search/). It allows you not only to make WooCommerce products searchable but fully customize your search for your business needs. For example, you can limit your search, [enable search by product tags](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/), prioritize specific products in search results, and many more. More than 30,000 WordPress website owners use SearchWP to deliver their visitors the most relevant search results. Here are some other features of this plugin that make it so popular: - [**Live search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-ajax-search-to-woocommerce/). Give your customers search results in live mode to help them find what they’re looking for faster and boost your sales. - **Search activity analytics**. Get detailed reports on your visitors’ search behavior to see what search terms they enter, which search results are most popular, and more. - [**Custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/). Add multiple custom search engines and connect them to individual search forms across your site. - **Control over search results**. Change the order of search results on your site the way you want to promote specific pages and get more pageviews. With that, let’s talk about how you can use SearchWP to make Divi search for WooCommerce products. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP The first thing you need to do is to [grab your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Once you’ve got your copy of the plugin, go to your SearchWP account and head to the **Downloads** tab. ![go to the Downloads tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Downloads-tab-28.png "go to the Downloads tab - SearchWP") Then, press the **Download SearchWP** button and download the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![press Download SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Download-SearchWP-23.png "press Download SearchWP - SearchWP") After downloading, copy the plugin license key on the same tab. ![copy your license key](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-your-license-key-34.png "copy your license key - SearchWP") Next, you’ll need to upload the SearchWP ZIP file to your site and install the plugin. Check out this detailed tutorial on [how to install a WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/) if you need help with that. After you install the plugin, you’ll need to activate your copy with your license key. To do that, navigate your WordPress dashboard and click **Activate License** under the **SearchWP** button at the top panel. ![click Activate License](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Activate-License-23.png "click Activate License - SearchWP") Next, paste your SearchWP license key into the **License** field and click **Activate**. ![press the Activate button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-Activate-button-2.png "press the Activate button - SearchWP") After you activate your license, the next step is to install the WooCommerce Integration extension. ### Step 2: Install WooCommerce Integration Extension Using this extension, you can seamlessly integrate SearchWP with WooCommerce and get complete control over your product search. To install it, go to **SearchWP » Extensions** in the left panel of your WordPress dashboard. ![go to SearchWP Extensions](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-SearchWP-Extensions-1.png "go to SearchWP Extensions - SearchWP") Then, find the **WooCommerce Integration** extension and click **Install**. ![install the WooCommerce Integrations Extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-the-WooCommerce-Integrations-Extension.png "install the WooCommerce Integrations Extension - SearchWP") After you install and activate the extension, you’re ready to start making Divi search WooCommerce products. ### Step 3: Customize Your Search Engine Search Sources To do that, first, click the **SearchWP** button in the left panel of your dashboard. ![go to SearchWP settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-SearchWP-settings-1.png "go to SearchWP settings - SearchWP") After that, you’ll get to the **Engines** tab in the **SearchWP** settings, where you can manage and customize your search engines. ![your search engines](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/your-search-engines-8.png "your search engines - SearchWP") A search engine is a set of settings and rules that WordPress follows when performing searches on your site. With SearchWP, you can fully customize it to meet your business needs, including making Divi search for WooCommerce products. Plus, you can also [hide specific products from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-hide-woocommerce-product-from-search-results/), [enable search by product SKUs](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/), make WordPress search for particular matches, and many more. To make WooCommerce products searchable on your Divi site, you’ll need to make them an active search source. To do that, click the **Sources & Settings** button. ![press Sources and Settings](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Sources-and-Settings-2.png "press Sources and Settings - SearchWP") Then, tick a checkbox next to the **Products** source to make it active and press **Done** to save your changes. ![make Products as an active search source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/make-Prodcuts-as-an-active-search-source.png "make Products as an active search source - SearchWP") Now your Divi site will search for WooCommerce products. Let’s also make WooCommerce product attributes such as tags, categories, and custom fields searchable to increase their discoverability on your site. To get started, press the **Add/Remove Attributes** button under the **Products** search source section. ![click Add Remove attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Add-Remove-attributes-11.png "click Add Remove attributes - SearchWP") Then, click on the **Custom Fields** field. ![click on the Custom Fields field](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-the-Custom-Fields-field-5.png "click on the Custom Fields field - SearchWP") Next, choose the **Any Meta Key** option from the drop-down menu. ![add the Any Meta Key shortcut](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-Any-Meta-Key-shortcut-1.png "add the Any Meta Key shortcut - SearchWP") This is a SearchWP shortcut that allows you to automatically make the content of any custom field you have on your site searchable. The next step is to enable search by product tags and categories. To do that, click on the **Taxonomies** field and choose two options: **Product Tags** and **Product Categories**. ![add product categories and tags](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-product-categories-and-tags.png "add product categories and tags - SearchWP") When you’re finished managing searchable product attributes, press **Done** to save the changes you’ve made to the **Products** search source. ![save your attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/save-your-attributes.png "save your attributes - SearchWP") The final step is to save your customized search engine. You can do that by pressing the **Save Engines** button at the top right corner. ![press Save Engines](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Save-Engines-15.png "press Save Engines - SearchWP") Then, click the **Rebuild Index** button to make WordPress reindex your WooCommerce products and check what attributes they have. ![click Rebuild Index](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Rebuild-Index-12.png "click Rebuild Index - SearchWP") That’s it. Your Divi WooCommerce search has become much smarter, and now your customers can find the right products more easily. Let’s create a new Divi search page and add your enhanced search bar to it. ### Step 4: Add Search Widget to Divi Page To get started, navigate to **Pages » Add New** in your WordPress dashboard. ![add a new page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-new-page-1.png "add a new page - SearchWP") Add a title to your page and press the **Use The Divi Builder** button to open it in the Divi editor. ![click Edit with Divi Editor](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Edit-with-Divi-Editor.png "click Edit with Divi Editor - SearchWP") Next, click **Start Building** under the **Build From Scratch** section. ![press Start Building](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Start-Building-1.png "press Start Building - SearchWP") Once you’re in the Divi editor, select the layout of the first row on your page. For example, we’ll choose the first layout. ![choose the first row layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-first-row-layout.png "choose the first row layout - SearchWP") After that, you can choose the module you want to add to your page. Search for the **Search** module and click on it. ![add the search module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-search-module-1.png "add the search module - SearchWP") Then, press the **green checkmark** button to save your new module. ![click the green checkmark icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-green-checkmar-icon.png "click the green checkmark icon - SearchWP") Once you’re happy with how your search page looks, click the **three dot** icon at the bottom of your Divi editor. ![click three dots icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-three-dots-icon.png "click three dots icon - SearchWP") Then, press the **Save** button at the lower right corner of the Divi editor to save your page. ![press Save](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Save-1.png "press Save - SearchWP") After saving the page, the last step is to test your new Divi search. ### Step 5: Test Out Your New Divi Search To get started, click the **Exit Visual Builder** button at the top of the Divi Editor to go to your page. ![click Exit Visual Builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Exit-Visual-Builder.png "click Exit Visual Builder - SearchWP") Next, search for some WooCommerce products that you have in your store. For example, we’ll search for **Fancy Coat**. ![press Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Search-1.png "press Search - SearchWP") As you can see, we found the product using our new Divi search form, as it now searches for WooCommerce products. ![we found our product](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-our-product-1.png "we found our product - SearchWP") Let’s also try to find a product by category since our Divi search, enhanced with SearchWP, has become much smarter. For example, we’ll search for products placed in the **Hats** category. ![search for product by category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-product-by-category.png "search for product by category - SearchWP") You can see there are only products from the **Hats** category, which means that we’ve successfully made WooCommerce product attributes searchable. ![we found products by category](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-found-products-by-category.png "we found products by category - SearchWP") From this guide, you learned how to make Divi search WooCommerce products. It’ll allow you to create beautiful pages and themes for your WooCommerce store using Divi without losing customers. Ready to empower search on your Divi site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Has your Divi search stopped working? Check out our detailed tutorial on [how to fix Divi search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-divi-search-not-working/) in a few simple steps. Looking for a way to create a beautiful search page using Divi? Follow our guide on [how to create a Divi search results page template](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Divi search not working, Divi search plugin, Divi WooCommerce product search results page, how to make Divi search WooCommerce products, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, WordPress search --- ### [How to Create a Divi Search Results Page Template (For Newbies)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-divi-search-results-page-template/) **Published:** January 10, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** By creating a custom search results page, you can deliver more relevant search results to your visitors and encourage them to explore more of your content. One of the easiest ways to do that is to use Divi. This powerful WordPress page builder plugin that allows you to create a custom search results page without being tech-savvy. However, the default WordPress search has limited features. To improve the search performance, you can combine Divi with SearchWP. In this article, we’ll show you how you can create a Divi search results page template. ## Why Create a Divi Custom Search Results Page Template? When visitors use the search bar on your site, they expect to see relevant results. If they see a blank page after entering a search query, there’s a good chance they’ll leave your site right away. Thankfully, you can easily avoid such situations by customizing your [search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-search-page-in-wordpress/ "How to Create a Search Page in WordPress (2 Simple Ways)"). You can change the appearance of your search results page to make it user-friendly and more aligned with your website’s needs. For instance, you can manage the number of results on the page, [specify information about the posts’ authors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/ "How to Add Authors in WordPress Search Results (5 Steps)"), add a newsletter signup form, and much more. ![custom search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/custm-search-results-page.png "custom search results page - SearchWP")Beyond that, creating a custom search results page will also help you to: - Boost your content discoverability - Increase the number of views per visit - Reduce your site’s bounce rate Now that you know why you need to create a custom search results page on your site, let’s talk about how you can do that next. ## How to Create a Search Results Page with Divi and SearchWP The easiest way to create your own unique search results page is to use a WordPress page builder plugin like Divi. And if you also want to make search on your site smarter, you can use Divi together with SearchWP. ### What is SearchWP and Why Use It? [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") is the most powerful and easy-to-use [WordPress search plugin](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "7 Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search") on the market. It allows you to fully customize how search works on your site, even if you’re not a tech-savvy person. For example, with SearchWP, you can [exclude any pages from search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/ "How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress"), make post tags searchable, include SKUs for WooCommerce store, and many more. This way, you can give your visitors more relevant search results and boost your content discoverability. The best thing is that **SearchWP is fully compatible with Divi** and automatically integrates with your [WordPress theme](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-wordpress-theme/ "How to Create a Custom WordPress Theme (6 Easy Steps)"). After installing the plugin, you can immediately start customizing your search to make it better. Let’s see how you can use it with Divi to create a search results page. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP To get started, you’ll need to visit the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") website and signup for an account. Simply click the ‘Get SearchWP Now’ button to continue. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)After creating an account, the next thing to do is download the SearchWP plugin. Simply head to your account area and switch to the Downloads tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")The next step is to install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. If you need help with that, you can check out the [how to install the WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, you will see the SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard. Simply click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")After the plugin activation, SearchWP automatically integrates with any search field on your site. This way, you can immediately start delivering more relevant search results to your visitors. You can also check out our guide on [how to customize your WordPress search results page with SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-your-wordpress-search-results-page "How to Customize Your WordPress Search Results Page"). Now let’s move on and see how you can create a search results page using the Divi page builder. ### Step 2: Create Your Custom Search Results Page Template To get started, navigate to **Divi » Theme Builder** in your WordPress dashboard. ![go to the theme builder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-theme-builder.png "go to the theme builder - SearchWP")Once you get to the theme builder page, you will see options to edit default website template or add a new one. Go ahead and click the **Add New Template** option. ![click Add New Template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Add-New-Template.png "click Add New Template - SearchWP")After that, you will see different template settings. Simply tick the box next to the **Search Results** option at the bottom of the drop-down menu and click the ‘Create Template’ button. ![create a search results template](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-a-search-results-template.png "create a search results template - SearchWP")As you can see, our new Search Results page template has now appeared among other templates. To start customizing it, go ahead and click **Add Custom Body**. ![click Add Custom Body](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Add-Custom-Body.png "click Add Custom Body - SearchWP")Next, Divi will ask you to build a custom body or select from a library. You can choose the **Build Custom Body** option. ![click Build Custom Body](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Build-Custom-Body.png "click Build Custom Body - SearchWP")It’ll take you to the page where you can select whether you want to build a page from scratch or use one of the pre-made templates. In this tutorial, we’ll build a search results page from scratch, so click the **Start Building** button. ![press Start Building](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Start-Building.png "press Start Building - SearchWP")After that, you can select a row for your future page. For example, we’ll select the first one for this tutorial. ![insert a row](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/insert-a-row.png "insert a row - SearchWP")Then, you can add the first module to our new page. There will be several options to pick from, such as bar counters, blog, button, comments, and more. ![insert module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/insert-module.png "insert module - SearchWP")To display search results on this page, you’ll need to add the Blog module. To get started, you can click on the **Blog** module. ![choose the Blog module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-the-Blog-module.png "choose the Blog module - SearchWP")Then, toggle the **Posts for Current Page** switch to Yes. It ensures that this module will only display search results. ![switch the toggle](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/switch-the-toggle.png "switch the toggle - SearchWP")### Step 3: Customize the Search Results Layout Now you can customize your search results page like any other Divi page. For example, let’s change the search results layout to Grid. ![go over to the Design tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-over-to-the-Design-tab.png "go over to the Design tab - SearchWP")To do that, go over to the **Design** tab in the Blog module settings From here, you can click on the ‘Layout’ item to expand its settings. ![click Layout](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Layout.png "click Layout - SearchWP")After that, change the module layout from **Fullwidth** to **Grid**. When you’re finished, click the button with the checkmark to save the changes you made to the Blog module. ![click the checkmark icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-checkmark-icon.png "click the checkmark icon - SearchWP")Now, let’s also add a heading to our search results page. To do that, click **Plus** at the bottom of the Blog module section to add a new module. ![click Plus](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Plus-1.png "click Plus - SearchWP")This will show different modules that you can add to the search page. Simply search for the **Text** module and click on it to add it to the page. ![click on the text module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-on-the-text-module.png "click on the text module - SearchWP")To change the text within the module, click on it and type whatever you want in the appeared setting window. For example, we’ll change it to ‘Search results’ for this tutorial. ![edit your text](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/edit-your-text.png "edit your text - SearchWP")You also get options to change the format of the text. To transform the text to the heading, click **Paragraph** and choose the **Heading 1** item from the drop-down menu. ![change the text type](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/change-the-text-type.gif "change the text type - SearchWP")Let’s also align the heading to the center. To do that, click on the **Center** button. ![align text to the center](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/align-text-to-the-center.png "align text to the center - SearchWP")Don’t forget to save the changes when you’re finished editing the heading. The last step is to change the heading’s position to be above the search results, not below them. To do that, hover your cursor over the heading until the gray toolbar appears and drag it to the top of the page. ![move your module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/move-your-module.png "move your module - SearchWP")Let’s also add a search bar to our page so that visitors can search again if there are no results for their query. To get started, click on the **Plus** button that appears when you hover your cursor over your heading. ![click Plus to add a new module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Plus-to-add-a-new-module.png "click Plus to add a new module - SearchWP")Then, look up the **Search** module in the search bar. After that, you can click on it to add it to the page. ![add the Search module](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-the-Search-module.png "add the Search module - SearchWP")Next, you can add text to the search form by entering it in the **Input Placeholder** field. For example, we’ll enter ‘Try another search’ text. ![we set the custom placeholder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-set-the-custom-placeholder.png "we set the custom placeholder - SearchWP")When you’re happy with how your search form looks, click the green checkmark button to save the changes you made to it. Here’s the final result of what the Divi WP search results page looks like on our test site: ![that's how our search page looks](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/thats-how-our-search-page-looks.png "that's how our search page looks - SearchWP")When you’re done customizing the search results page, you’ll need to save it. To get started, click the purple three-dot button at the bottom of the Divi page editor. ![click the three dots icon](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-three-dots-icon-1.png "click the three dots icon - SearchWP")You will now see more options appear in the bottom corner of the page. Go ahead and press the **Save** button to store your new search results page changes. ![press Save to save your changes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-Save-to-save-your-changes.png "press Save to save your changes - SearchWP")The next step is to close the page editor and go back to the **Theme Builder** page. To do that, simply click the cross in the upper right corner. ![click the cross icon at the top right](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-the-cross-icon-at-the-top-right.png "click the cross icon at the top right - SearchWP")Next, the page builder will ask you to store your new template. Once there, you can click **Save Changes** in the top left corner. ![press the Save Changes button](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-the-Save-Changes-button.png "press the Save Changes button - SearchWP")The final step is to check out how your search results page looks on your site. ### Step 4: Check Out Your New Search Results Page The fastest way to do that is to press the **Visit site** button under your site’s name in the top left corner of your WordPress dashboard. ![click Visit Site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Visit-Site-8.png "click Visit Site - SearchWP")Once you get to your site, enter a search query in the search field to see the search results for it. For example, we’ll search for the ‘WooCommerce’ search term. ![click Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Search-1.png "click Search - SearchWP")After entering what you’re looking for, simply click the ‘Search’ button. As you can see, the search page on our site looks like the way we customized it with Divi. ![the final results of our search page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/the-final-results-of-our-search-page.png "the final results of our search page - SearchWP")That’s it! Customizing the appearance of your search results page will help you encourage visitors to view more of your content and grow your business. We hope this article helped you learn how to create a Divi search results page template. You may also want to see our guide on [how to fix WordPress tags not searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-tags-not-searchable/ "How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)") and [how to exclude category from WordPress search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-category-from-wordpress-search/ "How to Fix WordPress Tags Not Searchable (Easy Steps)"). Ready to create a better and more personalized WordPress search experience? Get started with [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/ "SearchWP Pricing") today! **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** create a Divi search results page, create a Divi search results page template, how to create a Divi search results page, how to create a Divi search results page template, how to create a search page using Divi, how to create a search page with Divi --- ### [How to Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-woocommerce-product-documents-searchable/) **Published:** January 15, 2025 **Author:** Aazim Akhtar **Content:** WooCommerce gives you the flexibility to sell almost anything online, be it physical or digital products. However, if you’re offering downloadable content or products that have documentation, such as manuals, guides, or specifications, then it can be challenging for your customers to find them if they’re not made searchable. This is where SearchWP comes into play. By making these documents searchable in WooCommerce, you can enhance the user experience and potentially increase conversions. In this article, we’ll show you how to use make WooCommerce product documents searchable. ### Why Make WooCommerce Product Documents Searchable? Offering product documentation in WooCommerce provides a lot of benefits. You can help customers learn about the products, how it functions, what features it offers, and resolves their queries. However, if users can’t find these documents on your online store, then they’ll be left frustrated and might exit your website. That’s why making [WooCommerce product](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-woocommerce-product-search-not-working/ "How to Fix WooCommerce Product Search Not Working") document searchable improves overall user experience. Customers can quickly find product-related documents without navigating through numerous pages. It also helps increase engagement, as easier access to relevant documents can lead to more time spent on your site. This in turn boost conversions on your WooCommerce store. Providing valuable information at the right time can facilitate purchase decisions and encourage customers to buy your products. Similarly, it also reduces support requests as customers can find answers to their questions directly from the documents. That said, let’s look at how to make WooCommerce product documents searchable in WooCommerce. ### Enable WooCommerce Product Document Search The default search feature in WooCommerce is quite limited and doesn’t allow you to search product documents. However, you can change that with SearchWP. It is the [best search plugin for WordPress](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-search-plugins-to-boost-your-site-search/ "Best WordPress Search Plugins to Boost Your Site Search"), and it easily integrates with WooCommerce. With SearchWP, it’s possible to index the content of those documents and make them searchable for your customers. Besides that, you also get features like customizable algorithm, search analytics, live search, and more. To start, simply visit the [SearchWP website](https://searchwp.com/ "SearchWP") and click the ‘Get SearchWP Now’ button to create a new account. [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-6-1030x578.png "SearchWP - Best WordPress Search Plugin - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/)The next thing you’ll need to do is download the SearchWP plugin. Head to your account area and switch to the ‘Downloads’ tab. From here, you can click the **Download SearchWP** button and save the plugin file to your computer. ![Download SearchWP plugin from account area](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1-1030x603.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")After that, you will need to install and activate the SearchWP plugin on your site. If you need help, then please this guide on [how to install the WordPress plugin step-by-step guide](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/ "How to Install a WordPress Plugin – Step by Step for Beginners"). Upon activation, a SearchWP welcome screen and setup wizard will appear in your WordPress dashboard. Go ahead and click the ‘Start Onboarding Wizard’ button and follow the onscreen instructions. ![Onboarding wizard SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/onboarding-wizard-searchwp-1030x591.png "Onboarding wizard SearchWP - SearchWP")In order to make WooCommerce product documents searchable, you’ll need to install the [WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/features/woocommerce-integration/ "WooCommerce Integration"). Simply go to **SearchWP » Extensions** from the WordPress dashboard and navigate to the WooCommerce Integration. ![Install WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration-1030x542.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP")From here, you can click the ‘Install’ button. Wait a few moments, and you’ll see it successfully installed. SearchWP will now have access to all WooCommerce products on your site. ### Creating Custom SearchWP Customization Plugin Next, you will need to make product documents searchable in [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/best-wordpress-ecommerce-plugins-for-digital-downloads/ "5 Best WordPress eCommerce Plugins for Digital Downloads") by customizing the behavior of SearchWP. To do that, you can [create a custom plugin](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/creating-searchwp-customizations-plugin/ "Creating Your SearchWP Customizations Plugin") called SearchWP Customizations plugin and add hooks. [Hooks](https://searchwp.com/documentation/hooks/ "Hooks") are functions that integrate with SearchWP and allow unique customizations without the need to edit the core plugin files. Plus, your new features will remain in place when you update SearchWP or your website theme. The benefit to this approach is that it will index content of WooCommerce Downloads without exposing the entire asset. **Note:** For this approach to work, please ensure that the product documents are uploaded to the WordPress Media Library of your site. To start, you will need to create your own plugin. Simply open a Notepad or TextEdit file on your computer and enter the following code: ``` **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** custom plugin, hooks, searchable documents, woocommerce product documents, woocommerce product search, woocommerce product search by tags, woocommerce product search results page, WordPress search --- ### [How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress (Without Coding)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/) **Published:** November 12, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to highlight search terms in WordPress search results? This will make it easier for your visitors to find exactly what they’re looking for on your site. Highlighting search terms in your site’s search results can be a game changer. By doing this, you’re guiding your visitors to their desired content faster, which can lead to more page views and longer session durations. Ultimately, this small but powerful tweak can boost user satisfaction and keep them coming back for more. In this guide, you’ll learn how to highlight search terms in WordPress search results without any coding! **Key Takeaways**: - Highlighting search terms in your WordPress search results helps visitors locate relevant content quickly. - Enhancing the search experience can also lead to increased page views and longer session durations. - Using SearchWP, anyone can easily enable search term highlighting without any technical skills. ## Why Highlight Search Terms In WordPress Search Results Highlighting search terms in search results on your site can be beneficial for several reasons. Firstly, an average website visitor reads only [20% of the information](https://www.nngroup.com/articles/how-little-do-users-read/) on a page. Instead of studying it carefully, they prefer to quickly scan the page until their eye catches the information they’re looking for. The search results page is no exception. By highlighting search terms on it, you can help your visitors understand faster if they’ve found the right content. ![we highlight search terms on our site](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-highlight-search-terms-on-our-site.png "we highlight search terms on our site - SearchWP")Secondly, once your visitors realize that your site has a powerful search, it’ll encourage them to explore it further. This way, beyond helping your visitors, you can also [boost the number of pageviews you get](https://optinmonster.com/how-to-increase-pageviews-on-your-website/) and increase your site’s average session duration. Since the average session duration is one of the major ranking factors in Google, you can also expect to improve your site’s ranking. Now that you have learned why you should highlight search terms in your site’s search results, let’s see how you can do that. ## How To Highlight Search Terms In Your Site Search Results The easiest way to highlight search terms in WordPress sites without coding is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/). It’s the best WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 60,000 active installations. It enables you to deliver more relevant search results to your visitors by customizing how search works on your site. For example, this plugin allows you to [manage the order of search results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress), limit search to specific post types, and more. Here are a few amazing things that you can do with SearchWP: - **Make additional data searchable:** WordPress ignores a lot of valuable data when performing a search. With SearchWP, you can make it consider custom fields, tags, categories, and many other post attributes. - [**Track searches of your visitors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/)**:** SearchWP collects data on any on-site search activity of your visitors. By analyzing it, you can get new content ideas and find out what’s missing from your site. - [**Create custom search forms**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-custom-search-form-in-wordpress/)**:** With this plugin, you can create search forms with unique rules and settings in just a few clicks. This way, you can narrow search results and give your visitors more relevant search results. - [**Add a live autocomplete search to your site**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/)**:** By default, WordPress shows search results on a new page. Using SearchWP, you can make it show live search results with no coding needed. - [**Show Related Content**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/)**:** SearchWP lets you add related content suggestions to any post, page, or custom post type. Using this, you can highlight related products, documents, or blog posts, guiding users to explore your site further. Now, let’s see how to highlight search terms in WordPress search without writing a single line of code! ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP Before you can highlight search terms in WordPress search results, you need to configure SearchWP. To do that, pick the [SearchWP package that best suits your needs](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Once you have made the purchase, you can download the plugin file by visiting the “Downloads” section on your [SearchWP account page](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/). ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 1](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1.jpg)Copy your license key on the same page as you’ll need later to activate SearchWP. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 2](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step2.jpg)Now [install & activate the SearchWP plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/) like any other WordPress plugin. Once SearchWP is activated properly, you’ll see the following screen. This welcome wizard will guide you through the setup process. Click on the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button to start. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 3](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)Alternatively, you can manually activate the plugin by visiting SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg)Then, paste the license key you copied earlier and click “Verify Key” to confirm your activation. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 5](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg)When verified, your license details will be displayed below. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 6](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-after-pasting-key-2.jpg)Congratulations! You have configured SearchWP on your website. ### Step 2: Turn On Search Terms Highlighting Now, in order to highlight search terms on your site, please navigate to SearchWP > Settings. Then, find “Highlight Terms” in the General Settings section. Please enable this feature by turning on the button. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: Configuring the settings.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/turn-on-search-highlight.jpg "turn-on-search-highlight - SearchWP")That’s it, you have successfully turned on the search term highlighting feature on your website! From now on, whenever a visitor performs a search, WordPress will automatically start highlighting search terms in search results. ### Step 3: Try Out Your New Search It’s time to test whether the configuration is working properly. To do that, visit the frontend of your website and perform a search to see if the search result highlights the search term. For example, we will search for plugins on our test site. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: see search highlights in action step 1.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Find-Results-8.png "click Find Results - SearchWP")As you can see, our site highlights search terms on the search results page. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: see search highlights in action step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-terms-are-highligthted-1.png "search terms are highligthted - SearchWP")Here is another example. Let’s assume we’re looking for a specific recipe with “mashed potatoes” as a side dish for Christmas dinner. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: see search highlights in action step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-for-the-recipe.png "search for the recipe - SearchWP")Because search terms are highlighted in the search results on our site, we can immediately tell if the article contains the recipe we’re looking for. ![How To Highlight Search Terms In WordPress: see search highlights in action step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/we-quickly-found-the-recipe.png "we quickly found the recipe - SearchWP")## Next Up In this article, you learned how to highlight search terms in WordPress search results. It’ll help your visitors find what they came to your site for faster and make their user experience better. If you like this post, we believe you’ll benefit from learning [how to change the default search URL in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-default-search-url-in-wordpress/). [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to elevate your search experience and outgrow your competition! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To See Search Metrics In WordPress (Easily)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-see-search-metrics-in-wordpress/) **Published:** October 29, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to see search metrics in WordPress? Understanding what your visitors are searching for on your website is invaluable. These insights reveal what users are looking for and how well your content meets their needs. You can make data-driven decisions that increase engagement, improve content relevance, and maximize conversions by accessing the search metrics. However, the default WordPress search doesn’t have the ability to provide search metrics. Therefore, we’ll show you how to see search metrics in WordPress. So that you can make informed decisions to grow your business. **Key Takeaways:** - WordPress doesn’t provide search insights by default. - SearchWP provides insightful search metrics to help you make informed decisions. - It’s very easy for anyone to set up SearchWP and see search metrics in WordPress. ## Why You Need Search Metrics For Your WordPress Site Understanding search behavior is like gaining a behind-the-scenes look into your visitors’ minds. Here’s why tracking search metrics is beneficial for your business: - **Understanding User Intent**: Search metrics help reveal user interests, preferred topics, and pain points. If users repeatedly search for “how-to guides,” “tutorials,” or “beginner content,” this points to a need for educational resources. - **Identifying Content Gaps**: Search data exposes what’s missing on your site. For example, if users frequently search for “event calendars” and you don’t offer one, this signals an opportunity to expand content or integrate a new feature. - **Improving Site Navigation**: Common search terms can highlight areas where site navigation might need adjustment. If users consistently search for content already accessible from the menu bar, you may want to make these links more prominent. - **Driving Conversions**: In eCommerce, tracking product-specific searches helps you optimize popular items, improve product visibility, and create promotions around highly sought-after products. - **Enhancing User Engagement**: If you know what content visitors are most interested in, you can prioritize these topics, ensuring that your content resonates and keeps users on your site longer. ## How To See Search Metrics In WordPress Now that you have a solid understanding of why search metrics are crucial for your online business. Let’s show you how to set up search metrics in WordPress. To do that, you need to install SearchWP on your website. [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) is the most powerful search engine for WordPress. It’s trusted by over 60,000 businesses worldwide. With SearchWP, you gain full visibility into your site’s search behavior, allowing you to track the search terms and patterns that drive user engagement. Here are a few other notable features that SearchWP brings to your website: - [**Fine-Tuned Ranking Factors**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/): SearchWP provides customization over search algorithms, allowing you to control search relevance based on different content types. This includes title, slug, excerpt, keywords, etc. You can set rules as well to control what to show and what not. - [**Suggest Related Content**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/): SearchWP also supports related content suggestions, which you can add to any post, page, or custom post type. This feature is ideal for highlighting related products, documents, or blog posts, guiding users to explore your site further. - [**Arrange Search Results By Priority**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/)**:** SearchWP enables you to adjust the order of search results so you can feature products or pages that align with your business objectives. This feature allows you to highlight popular products, new arrivals, or featured items, ensuring they appear first for relevant searches and capture users’ attention right away. - [**Make PDFs and Documents Searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/)**:** With SearchWP, you can ensure that document files, like PDFs and other Office documents, are included in search results. If your WooCommerce store offers digital assets such as product manuals, specifications, or guides, customers can find what they need quickly within the search itself—no downloads required. - [**Live Search Suggestions**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/)**:** The live search feature in SearchWP shows search results instantly as users type, allowing them to see results in real time. This streamlined experience reduces search time, leading customers straight to the content or products they want, ultimately encouraging more clicks and engagement. ## How To Setup SearchWP On Your WordPress Site Before you can see metrics in WordPress, you first need to configure SearchWP to your site. To do that, visit the official SearchWP website and [choose the package that best suits your needs](https://searchwp.com/buy/). The Metrics extension is available from the Pro plan and higher. So make sure to choose responsibly. Once you have made the purchase, you can download the plugin file by visiting the “Downloads” section on your [SearchWP account page](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/). ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1.jpg)While on this page, make sure to copy your license key—you’ll need it later for activation. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step2.jpg)You can install and activate SearchWP as [you would any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Once activated, follow the on-screen steps to complete the setup by selecting “Start Onboarding Wizard.” ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg)Alternatively, you can activate the plugin manually by navigating to SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg)Then, paste the license key you copied earlier and click “Verify Key” to confirm your activation. ![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg)When verified, your license details will be displayed below. ![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-after-pasting-key-2.jpg)Congratulations! You have successfully installed SearchWP on your site. ## How To See Search Metrics In WordPress: Final Configuration Before you can start seeing search metrics in WordPress, you’ll need to install the Metrics extension of SearchWP. To do that, navigate to SearchWP > Extensions. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Metrics Extension: Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Metrics-extension-step1-2.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")On this page, you’ll find all the extensions offered by SearchWP. Each extension is designed to serve a specific purpose. Look for Metrics in this list. Click “Install” when you find it. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Metrics Extension: Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Metrics-extension-step1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Now, wait a few seconds, and it’ll activate automatically. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: Install SearchWP Metrics Extension: Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Metrics-extension-step2.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Once the Metrics extension is installed, refresh (reload) your website by pressing CTRL + R on Windows or CMD + R on MacOS. You have successfully activated the Metrics extension. You can access it by visiting SearchWP > Metrics. ![How to See Search Metrics in WordPress: See search metrics in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/final-searchwp-metics.jpg "final-searchwp-metics - SearchWP")Here’s a brief description of what you can expect from the SearchWP Metrics: 1. **Metrics Dashboard**: The Metrics landing page displays a list of search terms, the frequency of each term, timestamps, search trends, and search results from different engines for comparison. 2. **Filter By Date Range**: The date filter helps you analyze search trends over specific periods. By adjusting this range, you can identify seasonal interests, emerging trends, or changing patterns in user behavior. 3. **Identify Popular Search Terms**: The Popular Search card on the dashboard orders search terms by popularity, for each engine, giving you a quick insight into trending topics; click “View More” to see the complete list. Make a note of any high-frequency terms, as these represent your most sought-after content or products. 4. **Address Zero Result Searches**: The zero result searches are also logged in SearchWP. These are queries for which your site has no relevant content. It’s a great opportunity to investigate if you lack content on these topics or if users are misspelling. In the latter case, you can leverage the [Spell Correction](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/) feature. 5. **Get Actionable Insights:** The dashboard comes with an “Insights” section for each engine. It’s where SearchWP gives you practical suggestions that you can implement to improve your site’s search and overall user experience. ## Practical Tips On Growing Your Business Using Search Metrics SearchWP Metrics provides valuable insights by revealing exactly what your audience wants. Using these insights, you can create a more dynamic and user-friendly website. Here are a few proven ways to use search metrics to craft an effective business strategy that drives growth: - **Refine Site Navigation Based On Search Data:** If certain topics that are already available on your site, such as “pricing plans,” appear frequently in searches, it may indicate that users find these resources hard to locate. Assess the visibility of these links within your navigation menu and make them more accessible to create a smoother, user-friendly experience. - **Highlight Products That Draw Attention:** For eCommerce stores, search metrics help pinpoint popular product searches. For instance, if you notice frequent searches for “eco-friendly mugs,” consider adding more options for that product or promoting it on your homepage to capture interested buyers. Adjusting product visibility based on search interest can significantly enhance conversions. - **Discover SEO Opportunities With Popular Keywords:** Search metrics also reveal keywords users are interested in but may not be addressed in your content. For example, if “remote work tips” is a frequent search term, make sure this term appears in your content titles or descriptions. Adjusting your SEO strategy to include these keywords helps attract organic traffic from users seeking these specific topics. - **Spot Seasonal & Trending Content Needs:** Search metrics provide insight into seasonal and trending topics, helping you prepare content in advance. For example, if winter searches for “holiday recipes” peak each year, create and promote holiday recipe content ahead of the season. Likewise, if “AI tools” is increasingly popular, a guide on this emerging topic can position you as a resource for cutting-edge information. - **Offer Related Content Recommendations**: Use search data to create custom recommendations for high-interest topics. For instance, if “healthy meal prep” is popular, link related articles on meal planning or nutrition within relevant posts using [SearchWP’s related content feature](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/) to keep users engaged. ## Next Up You will gain a clear view of your audience’s search behaviors with SearchWP’s search metrics. This is invaluable for tailoring your site to better meet their needs. By periodically identifying popular searches, addressing content gaps, and making strategic decisions, you can build a sustainable business that grows over time. [**Get SearchWP today**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to add advanced features essential for your online business! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress (Safely)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-default-search-url-in-wordpress/) **Published:** October 18, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to change the default search URL in WordPress? When users perform a search, WordPress generates a URL that looks something like this: *`http://example.com/?s=search-term`*. Many website owners prefer to change the format as it is hard to read. You can improve the readability of your website’s search URL by changing the default slug to something cleaner, like `http://example.com/search/search-term`. Therefore, in this article, we’ll show you how to change the default search URL in WordPress safely. **Key Takeaways:** - The default WordPress search URL is difficult to read and not user friendly. - Having a cleaner URL helps search engines better understand your site and rank your content appropriately. - You can safely change the default search URL slug without editing core files using WPCode. ## Why Change The Default Search URL In WordPress? By default, WordPress uses a user-friendly URL structure for most pages and posts. For example, pages may look like this: - *`http://example.com/post-url/`* - *`http://example.com/2018/03/post-url/`* - *`http://example.com/category/post-url/`* These URLs are clean, easy to understand, and provide useful information to both your site visitors and search engines. However, when a user performs a search on your website, WordPress provides the result on a page with a complex URL format: - *`http://example.com/?s=search-term.`* As you can see, the *“?s=”* in the URL may confuse both users and search engines. Here are a few reasons why changing this default search URL slug can be beneficial: 1. **SEO Benefits:** According to some experts, search engines like Google prefer clean URLs because they provide better context for a page. For example, a URL like *`http://example.com/search/shoes`* is more SEO-friendly than *`http://example.com/?s=shoes`*. A clean search slug helps search engines index and rank your pages more effectively. 2. **Improved User Experience:** Clear, readable URLs are easier for users to remember and navigate. A URL like `http://example.com/search/best-laptops` is more professional and user-friendly than the default ?s=best-laptops. 3. **Brand Consistency:** Clean URLs keep your brand image polished. Untidy URLs can diminish the professionalism of your site, while a clean search slug reinforces your brand’s quality and trustworthiness. For instance, imagine a customer is searching for “smartphones” on an online store, if the search results page URL is *`http://example.com/search/smartphones`,* it becomes easy for them to remember and share the URL with friends and family. ## How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress To change the default search URL in WordPress, we need to add custom code to your website’s codebase. There are different ways to do that. You can add code to your website by using a separate plugin or FTP. While one is safer than the other, we’ll show you both in this tutorial. However, please follow one of the following methods. ### Method 1: How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress Using WPCode (Recommended) The easiest and safest way to add code to your site is by using custom code snippets. Code snippets are short, reusable pieces of code that you can add to your website to customize its functionality or introduce new features, all without modifying your theme, plugins, or core WordPress files. Now, the best way to add code snippets to your website is to use [WPCode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-headers-and-footers/). It’s the most popular code management plugin for WordPress. It inserts code into your website without modifying the actual codebase. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: WPCode Plugin in WordPress plugin repository](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/WPCode-WP-Org-Repository-Thumbnail.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Using WPCode, anyone, from beginners to experts, can easily add, edit, and manage code snippets to WordPress with its user-friendly interface. Not to mention, it’s completely free! Here are a few key benefits of using WPCode: - [**Curated Snippet Library**](https://library.wpcode.com/): WPCode provides a vast library of pre-approved snippets, carefully vetted by the WPCode team, so you can easily enhance your site’s functionality without needing additional plugins. - [**Custom Insertion Options**](https://wpcode.com/introducing-wpcode-218/#:~:text=2%20New%20Auto%20Insert%20Methods%20For%20Better%20Content%20Insertion): WPCode gives you full control over snippet placement. You can choose exactly where the code appears, whether after a certain number of words in a post or on a specific page. - [**Advanced Conditional Logic**](https://wpcode.com/introducing-wpcode-218/): WPCode’s smart conditional logic allows you to set precise rules for when and where snippets should be applied based on factors like user roles, post types, or taxonomy terms. - [**Supports Multiple Code Types**](https://wpcode.com/docs/what-type-of-snippet-do-i-need/): Whether you need to add HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, or even text snippets, WPCode has you covered. Snippets can be inserted via shortcodes or automatically. - [**Built-in Error Handling**](https://wpcode.com/docs/php-error-handling-safe-mode/): If an issue arises, WPCode’s safe mode lets you access your site for quick fixes. Error logs are available to help you diagnose and resolve any problems. To add code snippets to your site that’ll change the default search URL in WordPress, please install [WPCode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-headers-and-footers/). [You can set it up like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). If your installation is successful, you’ll see a new menu item called Code Snippets appear in the left sidebar. Now, please navigate to Code Snippets > Add New. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code snippet step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-snippet-WPCode.jpg "adding-snippet-WPCode - SearchWP")On this page, you’ll see various code snippets. Each of these can be used to add a particular feature to your website. Since we’ll be adding custom code, please hover over the “Add Your Custom Code” card and click on the “Add Custom Snippet” button. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code snippet step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-code-to-wpcode-step1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Now, give your snippet a proper name, and choose the Code Type as “PHP Snippet”. Then, paste the following code. You can change the keyword from “/search/” to anything else you prefer. ``` function custom_search_url_rewrite() { if ( is_search() && ! empty( $_GET['s'] ) ) { wp_redirect( home_url( "/search/" ) . urlencode( get_query_var( 's' ) ) ); exit(); } } add_action( 'template_redirect', 'custom_search_url_rewrite' ); ``` Since we’ll only change the visitor-facing URL, let’s load this snippet to only frontend. To do that, from the Insertion section, choose “Auto Insert” as the Insert Method and “Frontend” as the Location. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code snippet step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-code-to-wpcode-step2.jpg "add-code-to-wpcode-step2 - SearchWP")We’re almost set. Please activate the snippet by turning on the following toggle and clicking “Save Snippet” to put it into action. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code snippet step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-code-to-wpcode-step3-1030x696.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")That’s it. You have successfully added the code snippets to change the default search URL in WordPress. ### Method 2: How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress Using FTP Another way to change the default search URL in WordPress is to edit your site’s *.htaccess* file and add the code responsible for changing the URL. However, this approach is more complicated and not advised for beginners. We recommend only advanced users who have worked with FTP before follow this route. This method gives you greater control and does not require additional plugins. To add code to your *.htaccess* file via FTP, you’ll need an FTP client like [FileZilla](https://filezilla-project.org/download.php) to connect to your website’s server. Alternatively, you can use other clients like [WinSCP](https://winscp.net/eng/index.php), [Cyberduck](https://cyberduck.io/), or [Transmit](https://panic.com/transmit/), depending on your preference. Use the credentials provided by your hosting provider to access your server. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code using FTP step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/connet-filezilla-step1.jpg "connet-filezilla-step1 - SearchWP")Once connected to your server, locate and open the *public\_html* folder, where you’ll find the *.htaccess* file. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code using FTP step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/connet-filezilla-step2.jpg "connet-filezilla-step2 - SearchWP")Now, download the *.htaccess* file to your computer. Before making any changes, it’s a good idea to keep a backup of the original file in case anything goes wrong; you can use it to undo mistakes. Next, open the *.htaccess* file in a text editor such as Notepad++ or Sublime Text, and insert the following code at the bottom of the file: ``` # Change the default WordPress search results page URL RewriteCond %{QUERY_STRING} \\?s=([^&]+) [NC] RewriteRule ^$ /search/%1/? [NC,R,L] ``` Here’s what it looks like: ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code using FTP step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/connet-filezilla-step3.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")After adding your code, save the file and upload it back to the public\_html folder via FTP, replacing the current *.htaccess* file. In FileZilla, you can do this by simply dragging and dropping the updated file into the window. ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Adding code using FTP step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/connet-filezilla-step4.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")That’s it! You’ve successfully modified your *.htaccess* file to change the default WordPress search URL. ## See The Changed URL In Action Now that you have successfully added the code to change the default search URL for your WordPress site, it’s time to see if everything’s working as expected. To do that, please visit the frontend of your site and perform a search. You should see the following: ![How To Change The Default Search URL In WordPress: Changed URL in action.](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/changed-url-in-action.png "changed-url-in-action - SearchWP")### What’s Next? Now that you have a cleaner search URL slug, it’s time to think about enhancing your search functionality even further. The default WordPress search is functional, but it’s fairly limited. You can significantly improve your website search by using SearchWP. It’s the most powerful WordPress search plugin that allows you to customize your site’s search engine, helping users find the most relevant content faster. Some standout features of SearchWP include: - [**Custom Search Algorithms**](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/): You can create tailored search rules to promote specific types of content (like posts, pages, or products) that matter most to your audience. - [**Keyword Stemming**](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/keyword-stemming/): Improve search results by including results for related terms. For example, searching for “run” can show results for “running” or “runner” as well. - [**Search by Category or Tag**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/): This feature allows users to narrow their search results by category or tag, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for. - [**Boost Product Search for WooCommerce**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-product-search-in-woocommerce/): If you run an eCommerce site, SearchWP can dramatically improve your product search, helping customers find exactly what they need with fewer clicks. ## Conclusion We hope you were able to change the default search URL in WordPress following this tutorial. This simple but powerful tweak improves your site’s user-friendliness and significantly boosts SEO. And, if you want to improve your site’s search functionality, [get SearchWP for your website](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to significantly enhance user experience and boost your business! **Categories:** General --- ### [How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-woocommerce-product-search-to-the-header/) **Published:** October 7, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to add WooCommerce product search to the header in WordPress? If you run a WooCommerce store, making it easier for your customers to find products is key to improving conversions. The search bar is one of the most important tools on any eCommerce site because it helps users quickly locate the products they’re looking for. But having your WooCommerce product search buried at the bottom of your page or lost in the sidebars can make this process harder than it needs to be. That’s why it is a great idea to add WooCommerce product search to the header. By making it accessible at all times, you’re streamlining your customers’ shopping experience. In this article, we’ll show you how to add WooCommerce product search to the header in WordPress. **Key Takeaways:** - Why adding a product search to the header is important. - How to improve WooCommerce product search to index all content. - How to add a WooCommerce product search to the header in WordPress. ## Why Add Product Search To the Header Of Your WordPress Site? Your website’s header is one of the first places visitors look for navigation tools. No matter which page the visitor is on, the header is always visible, so placing the search bar on the header makes it more accessible. Imagine you run an online electronics store. When a potential customer comes to your homepage after searching for a specific gadget, they see a search bar right at the top of the page. They can type in the item they want and see relevant products right away. This quick and easy process reduces the chances of the customer leaving for another website. Having a search bar in the header saves time and makes it more likely for the customer to buy, as they are taken directly to the product page they wanted. Here’s why adding a WooCommerce product search to the header is necessary: - **Increased visibility:** Customers expect to see the search functionality always. By placing it on your website header, you can ensure it’s visible on every page of your site. - **Better user experience:** If customers can’t find what they’re looking for easily, they’re likely to leave your store. Adding a search bar in the header ensures users have quick access to product searches. - **Improved conversions:** Search bars can reduce friction in the purchasing process. Customers who can search and find what they need without effort are more likely to convert. ## How To Improve The WooCommerce Product Search Having powerful search functionality can significantly increase the chance of having a successful online business. The search bar acts like a salesperson for your online store, helping customers quickly find exactly what they need without having to browse through endless product pages. While the default WooCommerce search feature does an adequate job, it doesn’t always index the crucial product data that customers rely on—such as product tags, attributes, variations, or even customer reviews. Without these, users may struggle to locate specific items, which can result in missed sales opportunities. This is where SearchWP comes in handy. It’s the most advanced search plugin for WordPress, and it expands WooCommerce’s search functionality by allowing it to index important product data, such as categories, tags, descriptions, and attributes. Here are other key features of SearchWP that make it integral for your online business: - [**On-site search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): SearchWP enables you to track every search performed on your WooCommerce store, offering invaluable insights into customer behavior. By analyzing this data, you can better understand what products your visitors are looking for and identify opportunities to refine your product offerings or promotions. - [**PDF and documents searchable**](https://searchwp.com/wordpress-search-pdf-office-text-documents/): SearchWP makes document files, such as PDFs and other Office documents, fully searchable. If your WooCommerce store includes items like manuals, guides, or product specifications, this ensures customers can easily find the information they need without having to download and open each document manually. - [**Custom search results order**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/): SearchWP allows you to set a custom order for search results, prioritizing specific products or pages based on their relevance to your business goals. Whether you want to highlight best-selling items, featured content, or new arrivals, this flexibility ensures that visitors see your most important products first. - [**Live search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/): SearchWP’s live search feature enhances the user experience by displaying search results in real-time as customers type. This instant feedback reduces the time users spend searching, helping them quickly find the products or content they’re looking for, ultimately boosting engagement and sales. - [**Custom search results page**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/): With SearchWP, you can fully customize your WooCommerce search results page to better suit your customers’ needs. Whether you want to improve the layout, add filters, or display additional product information, you can do so easily with SearchWP So, let’s follow the following steps to configure SearchWP for your site. ### Step 1: Installing SearchWP First, visit the [SearchWP website to grab your copy](https://searchwp.com/buy/) of the plugin. Then, log in to your account and download the plugin zip file from the [Downloads tab of your profile](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/). ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Installing SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step1.jpg "Download SearchWP plugin from account area - SearchWP")On the same page, copy your license key, which you’ll need later. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Installing SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-install-step2.jpg "searchwp-install-step2 - SearchWP")Now [install & activate the SearchWP plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/) like any other WordPress plugin. In your WordPress dashboard, you’ll see a new menu item called “SearchWP.” Click on it and then “Add License Key.” ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Installing SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg )Paste your copied key in the “License Key” field and click “Verify Key.” ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Installing SearchWP Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg)If everything worked smoothly, you’ll see the verification confirmed and your package information displayed. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Installing SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-after-pasting-key-2.jpg )Congratulations, you have successfully installed SearchWP on your website. ### Step 2: Configuring WooCommerce Integration Now that SearchWP has been installed and activated successfully, we need to install the [SearchWP WooCommerce extension](https://searchwp.com/extensions/woocommerce-integration/) to make sure all WooCommerce content can be indexed properly. You can do that by visiting SearchWP > Extensions, finding the WooCommerce Integration in the list, and clicking “Install.” ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Configuring WooCommerce Integration](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/installing-woocommerce-extension.jpg)You’ll see it is successfully installed and activated within a few moments. Doing this will ensure all WooCommerce products are accessible to SearchWP. Next, we’ll show you how to add WooCommerce product search to the header, but before that, you need to configure the search engine. ### Step 3: Customize The Search Engine Once installed, SearchWP automatically replaces the default WordPress search. Also, it gives you full control over how you want the search engine to find content on your site. You can select different sources, adjust the relevance of each product or content attribute, and even have [multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/). To customize your SearchWP engine, click SearchWP > Algorithm from the left sidebar of your WordPress dashboard. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Configuring SearchWP engine step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchWP-engine-customization-1.jpg)To set up a WooCommerce product search, click “Sources & Settings.” ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Configuring SearchWP engine step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg)A modal will pop up with a list of sources to choose from. Select “Products” from the list box. Click “Done” after choosing sources that interest you. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Configuring SearchWP engine step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customizing-engine-setp2.jpg)Then click “Save” so that SearchWP can start rebuilding your search index based on the new settings. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Configuring SearchWP engine step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-saving.jpg)Finally, it’s time to display your custom WooCommerce search widget on your website. Let’s talk about how you can do this in the next step below. ## How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header In WordPress In order to add WooCommerce product search to the header on your site, visit your WordPress admin dashboard. From there, navigate to Appearance > Editor. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP")Now, select “Navigation” from the left side menu. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step2.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step2 - SearchWP")Then, click on the three vertical dot icons next to Navigation and select “Edit” to enable customization. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step3.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step3 - SearchWP")You’ll see that all menu items are displayed here on this page. To add a new item, click on the “+ Add block” icon. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step4.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step4 - SearchWP")From this dropdown, click on “+ Add block.” ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step5.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step5 - SearchWP")You should see the “Product Search” block listed here. Click on it to select. If you don’t see any search block, click on “Browse all” to find your desired block. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step6.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step6 - SearchWP")This will add WooCommerce product search to the header of your WordPress site. You can customize the search form if needed. Then, click “Save” to apply the changes. ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step7.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step7 - SearchWP")Finally, visit the frontend of your website to see the newly added WooCommerce product search in action! ![How To Add WooCommerce Product Search To The Header: Adding search bar to the header - final preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-wocommerce-search-header-step8.jpg "add-wocommerce-search-header-step8 - SearchWP")## Conclusion We hope you are able to successfully add WooCommerce product search to the header of your WordPress site. Having a search that is always accessible improves both user experience and your conversion rate for your store. And having the advanced features of SearchWP, you can ensure that your customers always find the right products quickly and easily. [**Get SearchWP today**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to stay ahead of your competitors! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types](https://searchwp.com/how-to-create-a-wordpress-search-form-for-custom-post-types/) **Published:** September 6, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Are you wondering how to create a WordPress search form for custom post types? If your site contains custom post types other than the default post types: pages or posts, WordPress can’t search them properly. Because, the default engine only indexes title and content, ignoring crucial information such as meta, taxonomies, etc. Therefore, a separate search form for custom post types is necessary to properly index important data points. Otherwise, your visitors will not find what they’re looking for. So, in this step-by-step tutorial, we’ll show you how to create a WordPress search form for custom post types. **Key Takeaways:** - Custom post types are what make WordPress so popular. - WordPress does not index custom post types by default. - SearchWP makes custom post types, fields, and taxonomies searchable. ## Why Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types? By default, WordPress comes with two main content types—posts and pages. However, you’re free to create your own [custom post types](https://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-create-custom-post-types-in-wordpress/) and add any custom fields. This is why WordPress has gained immense popularity and now powers more than [40% of all websites](https://w3techs.com/technologies/details/cm-wordpress) on the internet. Custom post types are very useful if you’re creating content that doesn’t fit within the boundaries of standard posts or pages. They open up endless possibilities for organizing your content in ways that make the most sense for your website’s goals. Simply put, custom post types allow you to turn WordPress from a simple blogging platform into a full-fledged content management system. For example, if you have a recipe blog, you might want to create a custom post type called “Recipe.” You can even add custom fields like ingredients, cooking methods, and preparation time to make the content more specific and tailored to your audience. Here is an example of a custom post type at [WPBeginner](https://www.wpbeginner.com/) in their Deals section, where they showcase featured deals to their visitors. ![How to Create a WordPress Search Form for Custom Post Types: Custom Post Type Example](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/deals-custom-posts-type-1.jpg) Now, why should you create a search form that searches exclusively among certain custom post types? Because you can make it much easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for. For example, if you add a search form that searches only for the “Recipe” custom post type. It ensures that visitors who type “chicken” as a search query will find chicken recipes only—not an article, news, or just a page about chicken. Also, the native WordPress search completely ignores custom fields. This means that even though your visitors can find a chicken recipe, they still can’t search for specific meal ingredients. That’s why creating a search form that searches custom post types, including custom fields, is necessary. So, let’s show you how to create a WordPress search form for custom post types that also considers custom fields when searching. ## How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types The most efficient way to build a custom search form for WordPress is by using SearchWP. It’s the most powerful search plugin used by more than 60,000 websites to enhance the default WordPress search functionality. SearchWP gives you the freedom to control how your site’s search engine works. It allows you to include or exclude specific post types, taxonomies, and even custom fields in your search results. Here’s what you can do with SearchWP: - [**On-site search activity tracking**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): SearchWP tracks all search queries and provides you with a comprehensive report on your site’s visitors’ search behavior. - [**Seamless WooCommerce integration**](https://searchwp.com/search-ecommerce-product-details-sku/)**:** SearchWP allows you to not only make WooCommerce products searchable but also attributes, tags, reviews, and product media. - [**Searchable PDFs and documents**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/)**:** SearchWP can make PDFs and other types of office documents searchable, ensuring users get more accurate and comprehensive search results. Creating a search form for all custom post types is similar, so today, we will create a search form that searches exclusively among the custom post type: Products. Even if you have other custom post types on your website, the process is exactly the same. So, let’s get started! ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP [Get your copy of SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/buy/) by choosing the package that fits your needs as different packages come with different features. When the purchase is complete, log in to your [Accounts](https://searchwp.com/account/) page and download the plugin file from the [Downloads](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/) tab. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip-1030x457.jpg) Also, be sure to copy the license key from the same screen as you’ll require it for activating the plugin later. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license-1030x457.jpg)Once you have the plugin zip file, you can [install and activate SearchWP like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). When you activate the plugin, you’ll be greeted with a welcome screen to start the onboarding process. Click the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button, this will guide you through the initial setup. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg) Alternatively, you can activate SearchWP directly by visiting SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) On this page, paste the license key (which you copied earlier in the previous step) into the appropriate field and press “Verify Key” to complete the activation process. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) Your licensing information will appear below once the key is successfully verified. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Install & Activate SearchWP Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-info.png) That’s it. SearchWP has been configured successfully. Now, we are ready to configure the custom post type search engine. ### Step 2: Set Up a New Search Engine for Your Custom Post Type The next step is to add a new search engine to your site. Think of the search engine as a set of rules that determine how WordPress performs a search. The good news is that once activated, SearchWP will start indexing the content on your site and replace the default WordPress search automatically. The default configuration indexes only posts, Pages, and Media files. However, you can [modify the engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/engines/) to customize the priority of specific posts or page attributes, add/remove search sources, exclude results, and more. Using [SearchWP’s Supplemental Engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/) we can create multiple search engines. Therefore, let’s leave the default settings as is and create a separate engine for custom post types. So to create a dedicated search form only for the desired custom post type, visit SearchWP > Algorithm and click the “Add New” button. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Configure Search Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-engine-1.jpg "- SearchWP") From here, we need to select the sources we want this search engine to consider when performing the search. For the purpose of this tutorial, we will create a search form that searches exclusively among the custom post type: Products. So, let’s uncheck all the boxes except “Products.” Name the Engine appropriately, then click “Done”. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Configure Search Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-engine-2-1.jpg "- SearchWP") **Please note:** Any post type that is set to be public will be available as a source, so you just need to select the custom post type of your choice from here. That’s it. Whether your eCommerce store is built with WooCommerce or EDD, you can [make the products searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/). And if you have any other custom post types on your website, you can make them searchable as well by following the steps below. Now, click “Save” to apply the changes. Our Engine setup is complete! ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Configure Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-search-engine-3-1.jpg "- SearchWP") ### Step 4: Create a Custom Post Type Search Form Next, we need to create a search form for the custom post type. SearchWP also makes this super easy! You just need to visit SearchWP > Search Forms and click “Add New.” ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg) Now, pick a meaningful name for your search form, which will help you recognize it easily, and select a theme layout. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step2-2.jpg "- SearchWP") Then, configure the search form according to your needs. All fields are pretty self-explanatory; however, [if you need any help, follow this tutorial](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/). ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step3-2.jpg "create-search-form-step3 - SearchWP") The most important step here is to configure which engine this search form will use. So, let’s pick “Products,” as we have created this engine to search exclusively for our desired custom post type. Also, you can use the SearchWP search results page to show the search results, as [it comes with advanced features](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/). ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step4-2.jpg "create-search-form-step4 - SearchWP") Finally, click “Save” to finish creating the Search Form. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step5.jpg "Save the search form - SearchWP") There are multiple ways to add this search form to a page. Click the “Embed” button next to “Save” to see available methods. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Create Custom Post Type Search Form Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) Let’s show you how to add the custom post type search form using the Gutenberg block. To do that, open the page where you want to place the search form in Edit mode. Then, click “Add block” in the designated location. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Show Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-search-form-step1.jpg "show-search-form-step1 - SearchWP") Next, find the “Search Form” block and select it. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Show Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-search-form-step2.jpg "show-search-form-step2 - SearchWP") Now, pick the search form you created earlier from the dropdown. ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Show Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-search-form-step3.jpg "show-search-form-step3 - SearchWP")Finally, click “Save/Publish” depending on your scenario. ### ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: Show Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-search-form-step4.jpg "Update your page to show search form - SearchWP") ### Step 5: Test Your Custom Post Type Search Form Your new custom post type search form is now live! Let’s test it to make sure everything is working correctly. To do that, visit the page where you placed the search form and perform a search query. If your search results are pulling only the custom post types you configured, then you’ve successfully set up your custom search form! ![How To Create A WordPress Search Form For Custom Post Types: See Search Form in Action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-form.jpg "- SearchWP") ## Wrapping Up The standard WordPress search ignores custom post types. However, you have learned how to create a WordPress search form for custom post types to address this issue. We hope you’ll be able to apply this knowledge and give your visitors a smooth search experience. **[Grab your copy of SearchWP now](https://searchwp.com/buy/)** if you’re ready to create your own search form for custom post types. Also, if you own an eCommerce WordPress site, it might be helpful for you to learn [how to add a custom WooCommerce search widget](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-custom-woocommerce-search-widget/). **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-disable-the-search-feature-in-wordpress/) **Published:** September 24, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you need to disable the search feature in WordPress? WordPress comes with a built-in search function that many site owners find useful. However, not every website needs a search feature. For example, if your site is a portfolio, a small business landing page, or even a simple blog with a limited number of posts, the search bar can seem unnecessary. Or, perhaps the search form provided by your theme might interfere with your site’s design or functionality. In some cases, removing the search option can declutter your website and improve the overall user experience. So, let’s see how to easily disable the search feature in WordPress in this article. **Key Takeaways:** - Disabling the search feature can improve your website’s user experience, especially for sites with limited content. - You can easily disable the search function using a plugin or by adding custom code, depending on your preference. - Even when you disable the search on the front end, you can still search for posts and pages within your WordPress admin area. ## Why Should You Disable The Search Feature In WordPress? By default, WordPress comes with a search feature that helps visitors find content on your website. However, not all websites need this feature. For instance, if your website is a small business site with just a few pages or a single-page site, a search bar may be overkill. When users see a search bar, they might assume there’s more content than what is visible, leading to confusion. Here are a few more reasons why you might want to disable the search feature in WordPress: - **Simplifying the User Experience:** On sites with minimal content, the search bar can be misleading. Removing it helps users focus on the content you want them to see. - **Improving Aesthetics:** If you’re using a minimalistic design, the search form may not fit the layout, and removing it will keep your site clean and organized. - **Optimizing for Performance:** The search functionality can sometimes slow down your site. Disabling it can marginally improve your site’s load speed. ## How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress There are mainly two simple ways to disable the search feature in WordPress. You can either remove the search using a plugin or write custom code to disable it. ### Method 1: Disable The Search Feature Using A Plugin The easiest and most straightforward way to disable the search feature is to use a plugin. This method requires no coding knowledge and only takes a few clicks. We’ll use the [Disable Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/disable-search/) plugin to achieve this task. You can install this plugin [like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Disable Search Plugin As Shown In WordPress Plugin Directory](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/disable-search-plugin.jpg "disable-search-plugin - SearchWP") Just log in to your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Plugins > Add New. Then, type “Disable Search” in the search bar. When you find the plugin, click “Install Now” and then “Activate” to bring this plugin into action. ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Install Disable Search Plugin](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-disable-search.jpg "install-disable-search - SearchWP") Once the plugin is successfully activated, it automatically disables the search functionality on your entire website. There’s no need to configure any settings. The plugin removes all search forms from your theme and deactivates the search widget. If a user tries to perform a search directly via a search URL, they will see a 404 error page instead of search results. ### Method 2: Disable Search In WordPress With Custom Code If you’re tech-savvy and want more control over your site, you can disable the search feature by adding custom code. However, editing WordPress theme files directly can sometimes break your site and is not recommended. Therefore, we’ll use [WPCode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-headers-and-footers/) – the best code management plugin for WordPress. It allows you to add custom features to your website while distancing yourself from touching the codebase. ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: WPCode Plugin As Shown In WordPress Plugin Directory](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/wpcode-plugin.jpg "- SearchWP") It’s also beginner-friendly and doesn’t require you to learn any programming language to add advanced features to your website. You can generate custom code using AI and configure smart conditional logic to any code snippet. So, let’s install [WPCode](https://wordpress.org/plugins/insert-headers-and-footers/) to disable the search functionality on your site. You can install the free version by visiting Plugins > Add New Plugin and searching for WPCode. Click “Install” once you find it. Then, Activate. ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Add New Snippet Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-wpcode-1.jpg "- SearchWP") Once WPCode is activated, you’ll see a new menu item named “Code Snippets” appear in the left sidebar menu. Navigate to Code Snippets > Add Snippet. ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Add New Snippet Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-new-snippet.jpg "add-new-snippet - SearchWP") You’ll see a page full of code snippets. Each of these code snippets represents a custom feature. You can easily add these features to your site by using these snippets. Even if you can’t find a feature you want, you can simply [use the AI code generator](https://wpcode.com/introducing-wpcode-2114/) to create your custom snippet. Now, to disable the search feature in WordPress, find the “Disable Search” snippet and click “Use Snippet.” ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Add New Snippet Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/find-disable-search-snippet.jpg "- SearchWP") Just activate this snippet by switching on the Activate button and click “Update”, that’s it! ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Add New Snippet Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/activate-disable-search-snippet.jpg "activate-disable-search-snippet - SearchWP") This code snippet completely disables the search functionality and removes all search bars from the front end of your website. Now, if a user tries to perform a search directly via a search URL, they will receive a 404 error. The following image shows what happens when you apply either one of these methods. All search bars are completely removed from the front end. Here is a before-and-after comparison. ![How To Disable The Search Feature In WordPress: Disabled Search Shown As Final Output](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-comparison.png "search-comparison - SearchWP") ### Does It Disable The Admin Search? No. The admin search remains active. No matter which method you follow, both the “Disable Search” plugin and the custom code only remove the search feature from the front end. You’ll still be able to search through posts, pages, and media within your WordPress admin dashboard. If you’d like to get the search back, simply disable the plugin if you followed method 1 or disable the code snippet if you followed method 2. ## Conclusion If you disable the search feature in WordPress, it can make your site look cleaner and improve the overall user experience, especially on sites with limited content. Whether you choose the plugin method for a quick solution or add custom code for more flexibility, disabling search is a simple process. In the future, if you need to add search functionality to your website, here’s a guide for beginners on [how to create an advanced search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/). **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-display-clickable-keywords-below-the-search-bar-in-wordpress/) **Published:** September 13, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Are your users struggling to find helpful content quickly on your site? Many visitors to your site may need help finding the content they are looking for, even with a search bar. This can happen for one of two reasons: users may not always know what to search for or which terms will yield the best results. This can lead to frustration, lost opportunities, and users leaving the site prematurely. However, if you display clickable keywords below the search bar in WordPress, you can easily solve this problem. **Key Takeaways:** - Many users are unaware of what they want or need from your website. - Displaying popular keywords right below the search bar will solve this problem. - SearchWP lets you add this feature to your site without needing to write any line of code! ## Why Display Clickable Keywords Below Search Bar In Your Site When you display clickable keywords below your WordPress search bar, you are nudging your users to explore key content without them needing to type in a query. These pre-selected keyword prompts allow you to guide visitors toward specific products, services, or blog posts that align with your business goals. It eliminates the guesswork for your visitors, making it easier for them to access valuable content. It also allows you to promote specific topics or products and boost your business. For instance, if you run an online store, you could display keywords like “Summer Sale,” “New Arrivals,” or “Best Sellers” under the search bar. This draws attention to high-priority categories or promotions without the user having to search for them manually. Similarly, for a blog, you might promote keywords such as “Top Tips,” “How-To Guides,” or “Beginner’s Guide,” directing visitors to cornerstone content that’s proven to drive traffic and engagement. Now that we have a good idea of when to display clickable keywords below the search bar in WordPress. Let’s see how to do it easily! ## How To Display Clickable Keywords Below Search Bar In WordPress SearchWP is one of the most powerful search plugins available for WordPress. It allows you to easily display clickable keywords below the search bar in WordPress. While the default WordPress search is functional, it covers only the basics. On the other hand, SearchWP allows you to control how your search algorithm works, making it possible to promote specific content, keywords, and post types. Here are a few key features of SearchWP: - [Customizable Search Algorithms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-search-bar-that-searches-your-wordpress-site/): With SearchWP, you can adjust how search results are ranked, giving you the power to boost the visibility of content with specific keywords. - [Keyword Stemming](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-fuzzy-search-to-wordpress/): SearchWP understands the relationship between words, so if a user searches for “run,” they’ll also see results for “running” and “ran.” - [Detailed Analytics](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): It gives you insights into what your users are searching for and which results are being clicked on, allowing you to refine your strategy continuously. - [Custom Search Results Page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/): SearchWP provides a fully customizable search results page, enabling you to modify its appearance and blend it with your site. - [Related Content Suggestion](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/): With SearchWP, you can add a related section to every page, post, or custom post type, such as eCommerce products or documentation. Now, let’s show you how to display clickable keywords below the search bar in WordPress using SearchWP. ### Step 1: Configure SearchWP For Your Site First, please select a [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that meets your needs. Then, download the plugin file from the “Downloads” tab of your [Account page](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/). ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip-1030x457.jpg) From the same page, please copy the license key as we’ll need it later to activate the plugin. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license-1030x457.jpg) You can easily install and activate SearchWP just [like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Once activated, you can follow the step-by-step setup guide by clicking the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg) Alternatively, you can manually activate the plugin by going to SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) Then, paste the license key you copied earlier and click “Verify Key” to finalize the activation. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) When the verification is successful, your licensing details will appear below. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Install SearchWP Plugin Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-info-2048x592.png) Now, we are ready to display clickable keywords below the search bar in WordPress. ### Step 2: Configure The SearchWP Engine When you activate SearchWP, it immediately begins indexing your site’s content. However, you can have full control over the search engine settings. To manually adjust the search algorithm, go to SearchWP > Algorithm. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg) By default, SearchWP indexes Posts, Pages, and Media files. You can customize the content sources by clicking on the “Source & Settings” button. ***Pro tip**: You can create specific search engines for different content types or conditions using [Supplemental Engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/).* ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg) After selecting the content sources you want to include in the search, click “Done” to confirm the changes. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step4.jpg) You can refine how search results are displayed by adjusting the Application Attribute Relevance. Use the sliders next to each attribute to control how much weight it holds in the search results. Moving the slider to the right gives that attribute more importance while sliding it to the left reduces its impact. This lets you fine-tune the relevance of search results on your site. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step5.jpg) If you want to exclude any attributes from influencing the search, click the “Add/Remove Attributes” button. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step6.jpg) Simply uncheck the attributes you wish to exclude, then click “Done” to save your choices. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step7.jpg) When you’re happy with your settings, click “Save” to finalize your search engine configuration. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step8.jpg) SearchWP automatically syncs index to keep it up to date with your sites changes. However, if you ever see a message prompting you to rebuild the index, click Rebuild Index to trigger a manual re-indexing. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Configure search engine Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step9.jpg) ### Step 3: Create A Search Bar That’ll Display Clickable Keywords Below Now that the stage is set. Let’s create a search form to display clickable keywords below the search bar. To do that, navigate to SearchWP > Search Forms and click the “Add New” button. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Create the search form step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg) Give your search bar an appropriate name that will help you easily recognize it later, and select “Quick Search” as the layout theme. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Create the search form step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promote-keywords-step1.jpg "- SearchWP") Now, in the following section, you need to add the keywords that you want to display below the search bar. Write these keywords in the “Quick Search Items” field. After you write each keyword, press “Enter” to save these keywords. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Create the search form step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promote-keywords-step2.jpg "promote-keywords-step2 - SearchWP") You can configure the rest of the settings according to your needs. When you’re done, click “Save” to apply your changes. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Create the search form step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/promote-keywords-step4.jpg "- SearchWP") ### Step 4: Add The Search Bar To Your Desired Location You can insert this search bar anywhere on your website. There are multiple ways to do that; click the “Embed” button next to “Save” on the search form settings page, and you’ll see the instructions. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Display the search form step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) For the purpose of this tutorial, let’s add a search bar using a Gutenberg Block. To do that, open the page/post where you want to place the search bar in Edit mode and click the “+ Add block” icon. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Display the search form step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step3.png) Find and select “Search Form” from the list. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Display the search form step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step4.jpg) Then, select your newly created search bar from the dropdown to display on this location. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Display the search form step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step5.jpg) Click “Publish/Save” depending on your case, and that’s it! You’ve successfully added the search bar to your WordPress site. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: Display the search form step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-search-form-5.jpg "show-search-form-5 - SearchWP") Now, open the page on the front end and you’ll see the following search bar with the keywords that you added a few moments ago. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: See the search form in action](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-form-1.jpg "Display clickable keywords - SearchWP") When a visitor clicks on any of these keywords, the search results will appear instantly. ![How To Display Clickable Keywords Below The Search Bar In WordPress: See the search form in action part 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-form-2.jpg "live-search-form-2 - SearchWP") ## Conclusion Displaying clickable keywords below your WordPress search bar is a powerful way to improve user experience, drive more traffic to essential content, and ultimately increase conversions. SearchWP gives you full control over the search algorithm, allowing you to prioritize the keywords that matter most to your business. [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to enhance your WordPress search dramatically and stay ahead of your competitors! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/) **Published:** August 6, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to prioritize specific search results in WordPress? Just like a grocery store puts new or featured products on display at the entrance to attract customers, you may want to prioritize content such as a new product page to ensure it gets the most visibility even in search results. However, the default WordPress search engine doesn’t support search results ordering. Therefore, we’ll show you how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress in just a few clicks. **Key Takeaways:** - The default WordPress search doesn’t let you customize search result order. - Being able to prioritize specific search results can help grow your business. - Anyone can do it without writing a single line of code using SearchWP. ## Why Prioritize Specific Posts Or Pages In Search? By default, WordPress doesn’t allow you to control the order of search results. However, it can be really helpful in certain situations. For instance, if you operate an online store, you can increase sales by making your best-selling product appear first in the search results. Or, if you’re launching a new product, positioning it at the top of the search results is an excellent strategy to maximize exposure and collect customer feedback. Similarly, for bloggers with extensive content, adjusting search priorities can enhance the visibility of lesser-viewed articles, driving additional traffic. Conversely, you might choose to feature your most popular articles prominently to align with the search preferences of your audience. It guarantees a better user experience for your audience and allows you to reduce the [bounce rate](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/how-to-increase-pageviews-and-reduce-bounce-rate-in-wordpress/), which is one of the most contributing factors for search engine ranking. Besides, satisfied visitors are more likely to return to your site once again, which means even more traffic for your business. So, let’s see how you can prioritize specific search results in WordPress. ## How To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress The best and easiest way to prioritize specific search results in WordPress is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/). It not only lets you prioritize search results but also allows you to add and remove content sources, collect on-site search activities, and exclude content when necessary. Join the team of over 60,000 website owners who use SearchWP because of its rich features. Here’s what you can do with SearchWP: - [Display Live Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/): Instantly shows search outcomes as users type, enhancing user interaction by providing immediate feedback. - [Track Search Behaviors](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): Monitors search activity on your site, offering insights into customer preferences and behaviors. - [Expand Keyword Flexibility](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/): Utilizes keyword stemming to enhance search results by including related terms, thus broadening the search scope. - [Integrate with WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/extensions/woocommerce-integration/): Seamlessly connects with WooCommerce, enhancing the search functionality for product media files and more. - [Index PDFs and Office Documents](https://searchwp.com/wordpress-search-pdf-office-text-documents/): Enables searchability of content within PDFs, Office documents, and both plain and rich text files, improving access to document information Now, please follow the step-by-step guide on how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install and Activate SearchWP First you need to select a [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that suits your needs as each offers distinct features. Download the plugin by accessing the “Downloads” section on your [Account](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/) page. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip-1030x457.jpg) Copy your license key from the same page; this is essential for the activation process. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license-1030x457.jpg) Install and activate SearchWP just [like any other standard WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Once activated, click “Start Onboarding Wizard**‘** for a step-by-step guided setup once the plugin is active. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg) Alternatively, you can activate SearchWP manually by going to SearchWP > Add License. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) Paste your previously copied license key into the “License Key” field and click ‘Verify Key’ to finalize the activation. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) Your licensing information will be displayed below if the key verification is successful. When SearchWP is installed, it starts to replace your website’s default search automatically. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Activate SearchWP Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-info.png) ### Step 2: Configure SearchWP To Prioritize Specific Search Results In WordPress Now that SearchWP has been installed and activated successfully, we can move on to prioritizing specific search results. To do that, we need to install the [Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/extensions/custom-results-order/) extension. You can do that by visiting SearchWP > Extensions, finding the Custom Results Order in the list, and clicking Install. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Installing Custom Results Order extension ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-custom-search-order.jpg "- SearchWP") You’ll notice it’s installed and activated shortly after. Now we’re ready to customize the search results order. To do that, visit Search WP > Algorithm and navigate to the Custom Search Order tab. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step1.jpg "- SearchWP") You should now be presented with the search order configuration page. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step2.jpg "config-custom-search-order-step2 - SearchWP") Here, you can add the search queries you’d like to prioritize in search results. A query is a phrase or a keyword that your visitors type into the search box. For example, we have a lot of WordPress-related posts on our website. Let’s set the highest priority for one of them so that it appears in the very first place for the query “WordPress”. Enter “WordPress” to the query field, then click “Add Search Query” and wait a few moments. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step3.jpg "- SearchWP") You should now see a list of posts and pages that match the query. Click the “Promote to Top” button next to the post or page you’d like to promote. For example, we’ll prioritize the “How To Create Advanced Search Forms In WordPress (Easily)” post. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step4.jpg "Configure Custom Results order - SearchWP") If someday you decide to remove the post promotion, just click the “Remove Promotion” button at the top right. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: Configure Custom Results Order: Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-custom-search-order-step5.jpg "- SearchWP") Congratulations! You have successfully prioritized specific search results in WordPress. Simply repeat this process to configure custom search orders for different posts or pages. Now, let’s see if prioritization works properly. ### Step 3: Verify If Custom Search Order Is Showing Properly Go over to your website by clicking the Visit Site button under your site’s name. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: See Custom Results Order In Action: Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-custom-search-order-step1.jpg "- SearchWP") In the search bar, type the promoted query you added in the previous step, which is “WordPress” in our case. ![How to Prioritize Specific Search Results in WordPress: See Custom Results Order In Action: Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/show-custom-search-order-step2.jpg "show-custom-search-order-step2 - SearchWP") As you can see, the prioritized result appears at the top, which means everything works fine. The above example is displaying a Live Search in action. You can create a [similar search form by following ](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/)this tutorial. ## Conclusion In this article, you learned how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress. We hope you’ll be able to leverage this feature to boost your sales. SearchWP is packed with awesome search features to help grow your business. **[Get SearchWP now](https://searchwp.com/buy/)** to provide the best search experience to your visitors! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Exclude Pages or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/) **Published:** August 15, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Are you wondering how to exclude pages or posts from site search results in WordPress? By default, WordPress includes all published content in search results, which might not always be ideal. You may have technical pages like login, checkout, or even documentation posts that you don’t want to see in the search results. Therefore, in this guide, we’ll show you how to exclude pages or posts from site search results in WordPress in just a few clicks. So, let’s get started! **Quick Access:** - [How to Exclude All Pages or Posts from WordPress Search Results](#exclude-all-pages) - [How to Exclude Specific Pages, Posts, or Products From Search Results](#how-to-exclude-specific) - [How to Exclude Specific Page from Search Results](#exclude-specific-page) - [How to Exclude Specific Post from Search Results](#exclude-specific-post) - [How to Exclude Specific Product from Search Results](#exclude-specific-product) - [Verify if the Excluded Content Is Showing Up](#verify-exclude-content) ## Why Exclude Pages Or Posts from WordPress Search Results? Excluding certain pages or posts from WordPress search results can be beneficial for various reasons. For example, technical pages like [sitemap](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/what-is-a-wordpress-sitemap-how-to-create-a-sitemap-in-wordpress/), category, or login pages might not serve your visitors when they are included in search results. The same goes for online stores. WordPress doesn’t see any difference between regular and technical pages such as checkout and the thank you page. Another good example is membership websites. If you’re selling online courses or other digital products, you don’t want paid content to appear in the search results. Even for a regular website, you may want to hide certain pages or posts from search results to provide a more relevant search experience for your users. ## How To Exclude Pages or Posts from WordPress Website Search Results The fastest and easiest way to exclude pages or posts from site search results in WordPress is by using the [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) plugin. It’s the best WordPress search plugin that is currently trusted by more than 60,000 website owners. With SearchWP, you can hide any posts, pages, or media files from the search results in a few clicks – no coding knowledge is needed. It also comes with tons of features that widely expand the WordPress search capabilities. Here are a few noteworthy features of SearchWP: - [Live Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/): Instantly display relevant search results as users type, enhancing user experience by providing immediate feedback and making navigation smoother. - [Search Insights & Analytics](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): Track and analyze search patterns on your site to gain a deep understanding of what your visitors are searching for. This data helps you tailor your content strategy and boost user engagement by aligning with their preferences. - [Customizable Search Rankings](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/): Easily modify the ranking of search results to highlight specific posts or products, ensuring key items receive the attention they deserve. - [Seamless WooCommerce Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/woocommerce-integration/): SearchWP integrates effortlessly with WooCommerce, enhancing the search functionality for product images, descriptions, and more. - [Searchable PDFs and Documents](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/): If your site hosts PDFs or other office documents, SearchWP can make them searchable, ensuring users get more accurate and comprehensive search results. Now, to exclude posts or pages from WordPress search results, we first need to set up SearchWP. ### How To Setup The SearchWP Plugin You can start by selecting the [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that best suits your needs, as different packages come with different features. Once you’ve made the purchase, navigate to the [Downloads](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/) tab on your [Accounts](https://searchwp.com/account/) page and download the plugin file. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 1 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip-1030x457.jpg) While you’re there, be sure to copy your license key from the same location. This key will be essential for activating the plugin later. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 2 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license-1030x457.jpg) After the download is complete, you can [install and activate SearchWP in the same way as any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Once activated, you’ll be greeted by a welcome screen. Here, you’ll have the option to start the onboarding process by clicking “Start Onboarding Wizard,” this will guide you through the initial setup. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 3 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg) Alternatively, you can directly activate your copy of SearchWP. To do so, visit SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 4 ](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) On this page, paste the license key you copied earlier (from your accounts page) into the appropriate field, and then press “Verify Key” to complete the activation process. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 5 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) Once the key is verified, your licensing information will be displayed below, confirming that the activation was successful. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Installing SearchWP Step 6 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-info.png) That’s it. SearchWP has been configured successfully. Now, we can proceed to the next step! ## How To Exclude All Pages Or Posts From Site Search Results In WordPress SearchWP replaces the default WordPress search the moment it’s activated. Now, you can exclude a particular type of content by removing its source from the SearchWP Search Engine. To do so, visit SearchWP > Algorithm. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 1 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg) The Default Engine has three pre-selected search sources: posts, pages, and media files. To completely exclude either posts or pages from appearing in search results, remove the corresponding source from the Engine. To do that, press the “Sources & Settings” button. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 2 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg) If you want to hide all pages from search results, then uncheck the “Pages” checkbox and click Done. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Exclude-all-pages.jpg "Exclude all pages - SearchWP") On the other hand, if you want to hide all posts from search results, then uncheck the “Posts” checkbox and click “Done”. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Exclude-all-posts.jpg "Exclude all posts - SearchWP") Finally, press the “Save” button to apply changes. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude All Pages/Posts Step 5 ](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step6.jpg) Now, when you perform a search, only results from the selected sources will appear, and all other content will be hidden from the search results page. ## How To Exclude Specific Pages, Posts, Or Products from Site Search Results We can exclude a particular post, page, or product type from your WordPress site’s search results. To achieve this, we need to utilize the Exclude UI extension of SearchWP. Once the Exclude UI is activated, we can proceed to hide a specific page, post, or product from site search results in WordPress. Therefore, to install this extension, visit SearchWP > Extensions. Then, find the “Exclude UI” extension from the list and click the “Install” button. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Content Step 0](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-exclude-ui-extension.jpg "Install Exclude UI extension - SearchWP") The extension will activate successfully in a few seconds. Now that the foundation is complete let’s see how to exclude specific posts, pages, or products from WordPress sites. ### How To Exclude A Specific Page From WordPress Search Results To exclude a specific page from the search results, you need to open it in Edit mode. To do that, click “Pages” from the left sidebar. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Page Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-pages.jpg "go to pages - SearchWP") Create a new page or find the page you’d like to hide from search results and click on it. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Page Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/open-a-page-you-want-to-exclude.jpg "open a page you want to exclude - SearchWP") Once you open the page, click on the “Page” tab on the right sidebar and check the “Exclude from SearchWP” checkbox. Finally, click the Publish/Update/Save button at the top right, depending on your scenario. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Page Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-page.jpg "- SearchWP") That’s it. From now on, this page won’t be displayed among your website’s search results! ### How To Exclude A Specific Post From WordPress Search Results To exclude a specific post from the search results, you need to open it in Edit mode. To do that, click Posts from the left sidebar. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Post Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/access-all-posts.jpg "- SearchWP") Then, create a post or find the post you’d like to hide from search results and click on it. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Post Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-post-to-exclude.jpg "choose a post to exclude - SearchWP") Once you open the post in Edit mode, click on the Post tab on the right sidebar. Now, check the “Exclude from SearchWP” checkbox and click the Publish/Update/Save button at the top right, depending on your scenario. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Post Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-post.jpg "Check exclude from search checkbox - SearchWP") That’s it. From now on, this post won’t show up in the search results of your WordPress website. ### How To Exclude Specific Products from WordPress Search Results If your eCommerce website has been created using WooCommerce or Easy Digital Download, you can exclude specific products from the WordPress search results page. Let’s use WooCommerce for the purpose of this tutorial. First, you need to activate the WooCommerce Integration extension. Visit SearchWP > Extensions and find WooCommerce Integration from the list. Then, click the “Install” button. Please wait a few moments for the extension to be activated. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Install WooCommerce Integration](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-woocommerce-integration.jpg "Install WooCommerce extension - SearchWP") Now, to exclude specific products from WordPress search results, click the menu item “Products” from the left sidebar in your WordPress dashboard. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Product Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-products.jpg "go to products - SearchWP") Then, create or find the product you want to hide from search results and click on it. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Product Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/choose-a-produts-you-want-to-exclude.jpg "choose a product you want to exclude - SearchWP") Once you open the post, check the “Exclude from SearchWP” box at the right. Finally, click the Update/Publish/Save button, depending on your case. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Exclude Specific Product Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-specific-product.jpg "exclude specific product - SearchWP") That’s it. From now on, this product won’t show up in the search results of your WordPress website. ## Verify If The Excluded Content Is Showing Up It’s time to test your new WordPress search to see if it’s excluding what you want it to exclude. Press the “Visit Site” button under your site’s name. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Verify Excluded Search Results: Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/visit-you-site.jpg "visit your site - SearchWP") For the purposes of this tutorial, we created a post titled ” How to add live search to a WordPress website.” Let’s see if the new search finds it. ![How to Exclude Pages from Site Search Results in WordPress: Verify Excluded Search Results: Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/final-output.jpg "final-output - SearchWP") As you can see, no matches were found. This means that our changes have taken effect, and WordPress no longer includes pages or posts that match the search term in the search results. The search form shown above has also been created using SearchWP; here’s [how to create a custom search form](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/) with just a few clicks. ## Conclusion In this article, you learned how to exclude pages, posts, and products from site search results in WordPress. Additionally, we believe you’ll also benefit from learning [how to redirect search results to specific posts or pages](https://searchwp.com/redirect-search-results-in-wordpress/). **[Get SearchWP now](https://searchwp.com/buy/)** to give your visitors a modern search experience! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Show Related Content In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-show-related-content-in-wordpress/) **Published:** August 30, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Have you ever wondered how to keep visitors engaged on your site? It would be easier if you could show related content in WordPress. By displaying related content such as posts, pages, or products, you can guide your visitors to other areas they might find interesting. Imagine someone reading one of your blog posts and loving it but leaving your site because there’s nothing more to catch their attention. Instead, presenting related content would keep them on your site longer and help you upsell your products or services without much effort. Therefore, in this article, we’ll guide you on how to show related content in WordPress easily. Everyone, from beginners to experts, can do it with only a few steps. **Key takeaways:** - Discover how related content can increase engagement and boost sales. - Learn how to show related content in WordPress without writing any code. - Determine which content to display as related content for a specific page/post. ## Why Show Related Content In WordPress Showing related content is a great way to keep your audience interested. When visitors find something they like, they’re more likely to explore other similar topics on your site. This keeps them on your site longer and makes them more likely to come back in the future. For example, if you have a cooking blog and someone visits to learn how to bake a cake, you could suggest related recipes like frosting techniques or other cake varieties. The reader will likely click on these suggestions, staying engaged with your content. Or, if you run an online store, showing related products can encourage more purchases. For instance, someone looking at a phone might also be interested in accessories like cases or screen protectors. Displaying these related items increases the chances of additional sales. So, let’s see step by step how you can leverage this strategy to boost your sales. ## How To Show Related Content In WordPress The fastest and easiest way to show related content in WordPress is by using SearchWP. It’s the most powerful search plugin for WordPress that even comes with extra functionalities to improve your website, one of which is showing related content. Over 60,000 website owners rely on SearchWP to improve their websites and increase sales. Apart from displaying relevant content in WordPress, here’s what SearchWP enables you to do: - [**Exclude Content From Search Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/): Improve search quality by filtering out irrelevant content or categories, allowing users to find exactly what they’re looking for more efficiently. - [**Prioritize Content in Search Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/)**:** You can adjust which content appears first in search results. This allows you to highlight specific pages or items, making it easy to draw attention to what matters most. - [**Support Keyword Stemming**](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/): SearchWP automatically includes different forms of your search terms, such as ‘running’ and ‘runner’, when searching for ‘run.’ You can customize this feature to suit your site’s needs. - [**Analyze Search Trends**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/)**:** Track and analyze what visitors are searching for on your site, gaining valuable insights into user behavior. This data can help you fine-tune your content strategy and improve overall user engagement. Now, let’s dive into the step-by-step guide on how to display related content in WordPress. ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP First, choose the SearchWP package that best serves your needs, as each package provides different features. After making the purchase, download the plugin file from the [Downloads](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/) tab on your [Accounts](https://searchwp.com/account/) page. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip.jpg) After downloading the zip file, remember to copy your license key from the same page; you’ll need it to activate your SearchWP plugin later. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license.jpg) Once the download is complete, install and activate SearchWP [like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). After activation, a welcome wizard will appear. Click “Start Onboarding Wizard” to follow the initial setup configuration. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard.jpg) Alternatively, if you prefer to set up everything manually, go to SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) Now, paste the copied license key into the License Key field and click “Verify Key” to activate SearchWP. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) Once your license key is verified, your licensing details will appear, confirming your successful activation. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/successful-activation-with-license-information.jpg) ### Step 2: Configure Search Engine Once activated, SearchWP immediately begins indexing your website content. To check the progress, navigate to SearchWP > Algorithm. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg) The default Engine indexes Posts, Pages, and Media files. However, you can choose which sources to index. To do that, click the “Source & Settings” button. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg) Check all the sources you want to index from the “Sources” list, and finally click “Done” when you’re satisfied. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step4.jpg) The best thing about SearchWP is that it lets us [create multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/) to use different search settings for various needs. Therefore, let’s create a search engine dedicated to showing related content. To do that, click “Add New” next to Engines. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-2.jpg) Now, choose which sources you want to use to show related content. Let’s make Posts and Pages appear as related content. If you’re running an online store with WooCommerce/EDD, you can show related products as well. Select Posts and Pages, then name the engine “Related” so that it’s easily recognizable. Finally, click “Done” when you’re satisfied. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step1-related-engine.jpg "step1-related-engine - SearchWP") Please click “Save” to apply the changes we have made so far. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step1-save-engine.jpg "- SearchWP") SearchWP periodically indexes your website content. However, you can initiate the process manually by clicking the “Rebuild Index” button. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step3-rebuild-engine.jpg "Screenshot 2024-08-25 at 80130 PM - SearchWP") Although this is not common, you might see the following popup during this process, depending on your website’s current configuration. When SearchWP indexes an image or document file, it gathers and saves all indexable data in its database. If you prefer replacing the existing index data with the new one, check the option “Remove stored Document Content, PDF…” Otherwise, leave it as is and click “Continue Index Rebuild.” That’s it! You’re all set. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Configure SearchWP Engine Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step3-document-content.jpg "step3-document-content - SearchWP") ### Step 3: Install & Activate Related Content Extension Next, we’ll need to install the Related Extension of SearchWP, which will show related content in WordPress. To do that, visit SearchWP > Settings > Related. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install Related Content Extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step2-install-realted-extention-step1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Click on the “Activate Extension” button to take you to the Extensions page. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install Related Content Extension Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step2-install-realted-step2.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Now, find the “Related” extension from the list and click the “Install” button. After a few moments the extension will be successfully installed. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install Related Content Extension Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step2-install-realted-step3.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") SearchWP has many more extensions for specific tasks. You can browse and use the ones that you need. ### Step 4: Customize Related Content Block It’s time to configure how you’d like your website to show related content. To do that, visit SearchWP > Settings > Related, then choose the layout theme that blends with your website design. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Customize Related Content Block Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step4-customize-related-1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Using the following settings, you can give the Related Content block a custom name. You can also define whether to show descriptions and how many results to display. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Install Related Content Extension Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step4-customize-related-2.jpg "step4-customize-related-2 - SearchWP") Most importantly, you need to define which Engine you’ll use to show related content. Since we have already created a new engine called Related, let’s pick that from this dropdown. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Customize Related Content Block Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step4-customize-related-3.jpg "step4-customize-related-3 - SearchWP") Finally, click “Save” to apply the changes. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Customize Related Content Block Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step61-show-related-3.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") ### Step 5: Define Related Content Logic Since every piece of content is unique, the content we would show as suggestions must be unique as well. However, setting them up one by one is a tedious process and will not address our goal. Therefore, we need a way to set related content dynamically. SearchWP takes care of this problem brilliantly. Open a post, page, or product in Edit mode and scroll to the bottom. You’ll see a new section titled “SearchWP Related Content.” From here, you can customize which content you want to display as related content for this particular post, page, or product. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Define Related Content Logic Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step5-define-logic-1.jpg "step5-define-logic-1 - SearchWP") Now, put the keyword using which SearchWP will find related content in the designated field. Once you do, you’ll see related content appear below based on the Engine settings. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Define Related Content Logic Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step5-define-logic-2.jpg "step5-define-logic-2 - SearchWP") Since we’ve selected the Related engine to show related content in Step 4, only this content will be displayed. Now, if you want to make a particular content to be shown as related content for this specific item, you can do so by clicking the “Settings” button. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Define Related Content Logic Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step5-define-logic-4.jpg "Screenshot 2024-08-25 at 81449 PM - SearchWP") Now, find the content you’re looking for using the designed search. When you find it, click on it to make it selected. Once you do, you’ll see that this item will always be displayed first when showing related content. ### Step 6: Show Related Content In WordPress You can show related content on your website’s front end automatically or manually. Let’s show you how to do both so you can go with the one that fits your needs. #### Step 6.1 Show Related Content In WordPress Automatically: Use Auto Append To automatically show related content in WordPress, you need to visit SearchWP > Settings > Related, then scroll down to find “Auto-append.” ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step61-show-related-1.jpg "step61-show-related-1 - SearchWP") Now, define the type of content for which you want the Related Content block to appear automatically. You can also determine the position of the block. You can either display it at the bottom or after a few paragraphs. Let’s select “Bottom.” ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step61-show-related-2.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Finally, click “Save” when you’re satisfied with your settings. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step61-show-related-3.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") #### Step 6.2 Show Related Content In WordPress Manually: Use Gutenberg Block SearchWP provides a Gutenberg block to show related content. You can use it like any other Gutenberg block. Just open the designed location in Edit mode and click the Add Block button. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Using Block Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-1.jpg "step62-show-related-1 - SearchWP") Next, find the “Related” block from the list and select it. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Using Block Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-2.jpg "step62-show-related-2 - SearchWP") You should now see the Related block appear. As you’re on the backend, you will not see any content now. They will appear once you visit the frontend. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Using Block Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-3.png "step62-show-related-3 - SearchWP") Just as in Step 5, you can use the “SearchWP Related Content” section at the bottom to determine which content should be shown as related content. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Using Block Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-4.jpg "step62-show-related-4 - SearchWP") That’s it. When you’re satisfied with your configuration, press “Save/Publish,” depending on your scenario. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: Show Related Content On Frontend Using Block Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-5.jpg "step62-show-related-5 - SearchWP") #### Step 6.3 See Related Content In Action Now, when you visit your website’s front end, a “Related Content” section will appear in the designated space. ![How To Show Related Content In WordPress: See Related Content - Final Result](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/step62-show-related-6-1.jpg "step62-show-related-6-1 - SearchWP") ## Conclusion You can easily show related content in WordPress using SearchWP. Whether you’re running a blog, an e-commerce store, or a news website, showing related content effectively keeps visitors engaged, increases sales, and reduces bounce rates. [**Get SearchWP today**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to add awesome new features such as this to your website. **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Add Filters To WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-filters-to-wordpress-search/) **Published:** August 23, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Are you trying to add filters to WordPress search? Search filters are incredibly useful, especially for websites with extensive content. This feature allows users to refine their search by categories like Media, Pages, Posts, Authors, and Tags, helping them find exactly what they need more efficiently. In this article, we’ll show you how to add filters to WordPress search, enabling you to improve user experience and make your website content more accessible. **Key Takeaways:** - Understand how search filters can improve your website’s user experience. - Learn how to add filters to WordPress search using SearchWP. - Explore advanced ways to enhance your site’s search functionality. ## Why Add Filters To Your WordPress Search? If your website is content-rich, allowing users to filter their searches can significantly enhance their experience. By adding search filters for Post Types (such as Media, Pages, and Posts), Authors, and Tags, you enable visitors to narrow their search and find exactly what they’re looking for. For instance, if you have a blog with various articles authored by different contributors, users can filter their searches by author to find all posts written by a specific person. Or, they might filter by tags to locate posts that fall under a particular topic. Adding search filters to your website not only simplifies navigation for your visitors but also helps them discover additional content that might interest them, leading to greater engagement and higher conversion rates. You can add search filters to various websites, including online stores, blogs, eLearning platforms, and membership sites. So, let’s show you how to add filters to WordPress search. ## How To Add Filters To WordPress Search (For Beginners) The default WordPress search comes with basic functionality and doesn’t allow users to filter search results based on specific criteria. This is where [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) comes in. SearchWP is the most powerful WordPress search plugin, used by over 60,000 businesses worldwide to add advanced search features to their websites. You can easily add filters to your WordPress search without needing any coding skills using SearchWP. It lets you create a filterable search form, allowing users to filter searches based on post types, authors, or tags. Here are a few additional features of SearchWP: - [**Keyword Stemming**](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/)**:** Configure SearchWP to include variations of search terms. For example, you can set searching for “run” to bring up results for “running” and “runner.” - [**Search Behavior Analysis**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/)**:** Analyze search trends to track what visitors are searching for on your site. This data can offer valuable insights into user preferences, helping you refine your content strategy and boost engagement. - [**Filter Out Irrelevant Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/)**:** Improve the accuracy of search results by excluding non-relevant content such as pages or posts. This ensures that users find exactly what they need quickly and efficiently. Now, let’s walk you through the steps to add filters to WordPress search. ### Step 1: Install & Activate SearchWP Start by selecting the [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that best suits your needs, as each package offers different benefits. Once you’ve made your purchase, log in to your [Account](https://searchwp.com/account/) and download the plugin file from the Downloads tab. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip.jpg) Next, copy the license key from the same section. You’ll need it to activate your SearchWP plugin. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license.jpg) Proceed to install and activate the plugin just [like any other WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). After activation, you’ll see a welcome wizard. Click the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button to get assistance with the initial setup. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard.jpg) If you prefer to set up manually, head over to SearchWP > Add License Key. Enter the license key you copied earlier in the designated field, then click “Verify Key” to activate the plugin. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) Once your license key is confirmed, you’ll see your licensing details, indicating the successful activation of the plugin. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Install SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/successful-activation-with-license-information.jpg) ### Step 2: Customize Your WordPress Search Algorithm SearchWP will start indexing your site’s content automatically after activation. However, you can customize the search algorithm to better fit your needs. To do this, go to SearchWP > Algorithm. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Create-new-engine-in-SearchWP.jpg) The default settings index Posts, Pages, and Media files. You can adjust these by clicking on the “Source & Settings” button. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Config-engine-source-setttings.jpg) Select the content sources you want to include in your search, then click “Done” to save your changes. **Please note:** Users can filter their search based on these sources using the Post Type filter shown in the next section. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step4.jpg) When you’re satisfied with the configuration, click “Save” to apply the changes. Your search engine setup is now complete. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setup-Engine-step8.jpg) The index will update automatically to reflect any changes. However, if you see a notice saying, “The index needs to be rebuilt,” click the “Rebuild Index” button to manually trigger a full reindexing. ### Step 3: Create A Filterable Search Form In WordPress Now that the search engine is configured, let’s create a search form that includes filters. To do that, go to SearchWP > Search Forms and click the “Add New” button. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Create Filterable Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Creating-search-form1.jpg) Give the search form a name that will help you easily identify it later. Select “Advanced Search” from the Layout Theme options to add filters to your WordPress search. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/naming-search-form.jpg) Scroll down to configure the search form settings. Make sure the “Advanced Search” is enabled. This feature is responsible for adding search filters. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/advanced-search-turnedon.jpg "advanced-search-turnedon - SearchWP") Ensure the correct search Engine is selected. If you’ve created [multiple search engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/), you’ll see them listed in the dropdown menu. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp4.jpg) You can choose to use the default WordPress Results page or the SearchWP Results page. The advantage of selecting SearchWP Results is that you can [make advanced customization](https://searchwp.com/how-to-optimize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/). ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-from-satp5.jpg) Now, from the “Advanced Search Filters” option, choose which filters you want to include in the search form. SearchWP currently offers filtering for Post Types (such as Posts/Pages/Media/Products), Authors, and Tags. **Please note:** Only filters currently in use will be shown on the live site. If a filter isn’t shown on the search form, even if it’s listed here, it means there’s no content associated with that filter. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Filter-Types.jpg "Filter Types - SearchWP") Finally, customize the search form design according to your website theme. You’ll have different controls for changing the color and size of both the search form and the button styles. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 7](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/styling-search-form.jpg) Once you’re satisfied with your configuration, click “Save” to create a filterable search form in WordPress. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Customize SearchWP Search Engine Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/saving-search-form.jpg) ### Step 4: Embed The Filterable Search Form In WordPress There are several ways to add a filterable search form to your site. Click the “Embed” button next to the “Save” button to see all options. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/embeding-search-form.jpg) In the popup modal, you’ll find multiple methods for embedding your search form. Choose the method that works best for your site. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) Let’s show you how to add your filterable search form using the Gutenberg Block editor. Open the page where you want to add the search form in Edit mode. Then, find your desired location and click the “+ Add block” button. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step3.png) Then, find and select the “Search Form” block from the Gutenberg Block collection. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step4.jpg) Click “Select a Form” and choose the search form you just created using SearchWP. ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step5.jpg) Finally, click “Save/Publish” depending on your situation. That’s it! ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish-search-form.jpg "publish-search-form - SearchWP") Visit the published page to start using your filterable search form in WordPress! ![How To Add Filters To WordPress Search: Embed Filterable Search Form Step 7](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Search-form-in-action.jpg "Search form in action - SearchWP") ## Expert Tips To Supercharge Your WordPress Search Whether you have an online store, blog, or membership site, you can improve your users’ search experience by adding these features using SearchWP—no coding required. - [**Add Live Search for Instant Results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/)**:** Enhance user experience with Ajax-powered live search, providing immediate feedback as users type. - [**Customize Search Rankings**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/)**:** Highlight featured products by customizing search result orders, driving more visibility and conversions. - [**Set Up Custom Redirects**](https://searchwp.com/extensions/redirects/)**:** Direct users to the most relevant pages based on their search terms, perfect for highlighting special promotions or popular content. - [**Secure Private Content**](https://searchwp.com/extensions/privatecontent-integration/)**:** Restrict access to exclusive content for specific audiences, such as subscribers or members, ensuring that private material remains protected and viewable only by authorized users. ## Conclusion Having a search filter is a fantastic way to help visitors easily find what they’re looking for. We hope you were able to add filters to WordPress search by following this tutorial. We believe you’d love to know how to [add category search to WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-search-by-category/) as well. [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to provide your visitors with a better way to navigate your content! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-comments-searchable-in-wordpress/) **Published:** July 16, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Do you want to make comments searchable in WordPress? By default, WordPress search capabilities are confined to posts and pages. This limitation means valuable discussions and user-generated content found in the comments section are often overlooked. Making comments searchable can significantly enrich the search experience on your site, helping users find relevant conversations and information directly tied to your content. Let’s explore how to make comments searchable in WordPress so that no valuable interaction goes unnoticed. **Key Takeaways:** - WordPress search does not include comments, missing out on valuable user-generated content. - Enabling comment search can significantly increase engagement and help visitors find important discussions. - Using SearchWP, you can easily expand your search capabilities to include comments without writing any code. ## Why Do You Need To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress? Incorporating comments into your WordPress search can transform how visitors engage with your site. For instance, if you run a product review site, a visitor might be looking for specific user feedback on a product before making a purchase. By making comments searchable, you provide a more comprehensive search result, potentially speeding up the user’s decision-making process and improving satisfaction. Additionally, incorporating comments into search results can boost your SEO by keeping your content dynamic and regularly updated, which search engines love. So, let’s learn how to make comments searchable in WordPress without writing a single line of code. ## How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress? The easiest and most effective way to include comments in your WordPress search is by using [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/)—the best search plugin for WordPress. It perfectly bridges the gap in WordPress’s default search functionality. Using SearchWP, you can make almost everything on your site searchable, including comments. It’s packed with features like multiple search engines, customizable search rules, and in-depth search analytics—everything you need to enhance site interaction. Currently, more than 60,000 WordPress site owners globally are using SearchWP to stay ahead of the competition and provide exceptional search experiences to their users. Here are a few key features of SearchWP that will significantly improve your online business: - [Search Behavior Analysis](https://searchwp.com/how-to-find-the-most-searched-product-on-your-website/): Monitor and analyze search trends on your website to get deep insights into user preferences and behaviours. - [Keyword Stemming](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/partial-matches-fuzzy-matches-spelling-corrections/): Expand search flexibility by finding similar keywords and providing search results even if users make spelling mistakes. - [Live Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/): Improve user experience by instantly displaying search results such as posts, pages, and products as users type, offering quick and dynamic feedback. - [Prioritize Search Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/): Adjust the ranking of search results easily to promote specific posts or products, improving the visibility of key items quickly. - [Exclude Results](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/): Configure your search engines to omit specific types of content from search results, including posts, pages, and other content deemed irrelevant for searches. Now, let’s see how to make comments searchable in WordPress step by step. ### Step 1: Setting Up SearchWP On Your Site Start by getting the [SearchWP package](https://searchwp.com/buy/) that fits your needs. Then, log into your [Account](https://searchwp.com/account/downloads/) page to download the plugin zip file, it’s under the Downloads section. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/download-SearchWP-zip-1030x457.jpg) After downloading the plugin, copy the license key as it’s needed later for activation. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-SearchWP-license-1030x457.jpg) Proceed to install and activate SearchWP the way you would [any WordPress plugin](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/). Once activated, you can follow the welcome wizard to complete the setup. Start the process by clicking the “Start Onboarding Wizard” button. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-welcome-wizard-1244x1536.jpg) You also have the ability to configure the setup manually. To do that, navigate to SearchWP > Add License Key. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 4](https://cdn.searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-step-1-1.jpg) Then, paste the license key you copied earlier into the License Key field and click “Verify Key” to complete the activation. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-add-before-pasting-key-2.jpg) You’ll see the licensing information once the activation is successful. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Setting Up SearchWP Step 8](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/license-info-2048x592.png) The stage is set to make comments searchable in WordPress. Now, we need to configure the search engine. ### Step 2: Set Up SearchWP Engine To Make WordPress Search Media Files Once activated, SearchWP automatically replaces the default WordPress search. But in order to make comments searchable, we need to configure the search engine. To do that, visit SearchWP > Algorithm. From here, you’ll be able to customize the “Default” engine or create as many search engines as needed for different use cases. For the purpose of this tutorial, let’s configure the Default search engine to enable support for comments. Hence, click the “Sources & Settings” button. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Now, select “Comments” along with other sources you want to index from the popup window. Click “Done” to apply changes. **Please note**: comments are associated with posts/pages/custom post type; therefore, make sure to select the associated sources so that they appear in the search results. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step2.jpg "How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress - SearchWP") You should now see separate sections for each Source. Let’s find “Comments” from the list and click the “Add/Remove Attributes” button so that we can choose what elements of comments we want to use for searching. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step3.jpg "config-engine-step3 - SearchWP") Let’s now select which attributes of the comments we’ll consider for the search. Choose from “Comments,” “Author Name,” and/or “Author Email” to consider. After checking the desired sources, click “Done” to save your settings. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step4.jpg "config-engine-step4 - SearchWP") You can determine which attribute of comments will get the most priority by setting their relevance. The left end represents the minimum, and the right end represents the maximum weight. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step5.jpg "config-engine-step5 - SearchWP") **Please note:** comments are not stand-alone items, so they cannot be shown independently. Rather, when a comment is matched for a search term, the associated page, post, or product will be shown in the search results. Finally, click “Save” to apply the changes made so far. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Configure Search Engine Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/config-engine-step6.jpg "Configure Search Engine Step 6 - SearchWP") Congratulations! You have successfully made comments searchable in WordPress! ### Step 3: Create A Search Form To Perform Search SearchWP lets you make almost all of your website content searchable and provides a simple, no-code search form builder. Using this builder, you can create a search form and place it anywhere on your website. To create a new search form, navigate to SearchWP > Search Forms, then click “Add New.” ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step1-2.jpg "Create Search Form Step 1 - SearchWP") Next, give your search form an appropriate name and select a Layout theme. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Create Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step2-1.jpg "Screenshot - SearchWP") Now, adjust the search form according to your needs. It’s crucial that you assign the appropriate engine to this form. Scroll down to find “Engine” and select “Default,” as we’ve customized the default engine. However, if you created a new Engine, you must choose that one. Additionally, SearchWP gives you the ability to take control of how search results appear. When you pick “SearchWP” from the Results Page, you can customize the search results page completely. Here’s a detailed guideline on [how to fully customize the search results page](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-the-wordpress-search-results-page/). ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Create Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step3-1.jpg "create-search-form-step3 - SearchWP") Finally, click “Save” to finish creating your first search form. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Create Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step4-1.jpg "Create Search Form Step 4 - SearchWP") You can insert this search form anywhere on your website. There are multiple ways to do that; click the “Embed” button next to “Save,” and you’ll see the instructions. ![How To Make Comments Searchable In WordPress: Create Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/publish_search_form.jpg) You can follow one of these three methods that suits you best. For further help, please [follow this neatly crafted tutorial](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/) to help you create an advanced WordPress search form. ### Closing Notes In this tutorial, you have learned how to make comments searchable in WordPress. Configuring the setup requires no coding skills and takes less than an hour for a layman. We believe that by making comments searchable in WordPress, you can significantly improve the discoverability of content on your site. [**Get SearchWP now**](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to introduce advanced search functionality to your website! **Categories:** Tutorials --- ### [Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Powerful New Features](https://searchwp.com/live-ajax-search-v180/) **Published:** April 24, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Your favorite Live Ajax Search plugin just got a massive update! Quickly guiding users to the products or information they are searching for can significantly enhance the likelihood of conversion. Because users who can easily find what they need are more likely to purchase or take another desired action on the site. That’s what Live Ajax Search helped you achieve all along! Now, this update adds a few powerful new features to help you create search forms and control how the search results are shown! **New Features At A Glance:** - Create unlimited Search Forms without code. - Get 4 pre-designed search results theme layouts. - Customize the search results style. - Personalize the “No results are found” message. ## Introducing Search Forms In Live Ajax Search The search experience for your visitors is as good as the search form you create. But, building a search form from scratch is a time-consuming endeavor for even technical experts. That’s why we are introducing Search Forms in Live Ajax Search! It’s a no-code feature that lets you create a search form with only a few clicks! Showing the search form to your desired location has also become much easier! ### How To Create A Search Form In Live Ajax Search After [updating Live Ajax Search](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-live-ajax-search/) to the latest version, you will see the new Search Forms feature in SearchWP > Search Forms. Click the “Add New” button to create your first search form. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Create Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step1.jpg "create-search-form-step1 - SearchWP") Name the search form and pick a layout theme. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Create Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step2.jpg "create-search-form-step2 - SearchWP") Customize the search form style according to your taste. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Create Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step3.jpg "create-search-form-step3 - SearchWP") Click “Save” to finish creating your search form! ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Create Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/create-search-form-step4.jpg "create-search-form-step4 - SearchWP") ### How To Display The Search Form On Your Desired Location Open the search form in Edit mode and click on the “Embed” button at the top right corner. You can see the list of all search forms by going to SearchWP > Search Forms. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step1.jpg "display-search-form-step1 - SearchWP") Now, you’ll see the 3 ways you can add the search form to your desired location. Let’s go with the Gutenberg block. You can pick any method that suits your preferences. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step2.jpg "display-search-form-step2 - SearchWP") Open the page where you want to show the search form in Edit mode. Then, find your desired location and click the “+ Add block” button. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step3.png "display-search-form-step3 - SearchWP") Look for “Search Form” and select it. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step4.jpg "Select search form block - SearchWP") Choose the form you want to show in this location from the “Select a Form” dropdown. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step5.jpg "Choose your form in the search form block - SearchWP") Click Update/Publish, depending on your scenario, and you’re done! ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Show Search Form Step 6](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/display-search-form-step6.jpg "display-search-form-step6 - SearchWP") You can use different Search Engines (that show different content) in different Search Forms when you get your copy of [SearchWP Pro](https://searchwp.com/buy/). ## How To Customize Search Results Styling Now that you’ve created a search form, you may want to change the styling of how the results are displayed. To do that, visit SearchWP > Settings. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Customize Search Results Step 1](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-search-resutls-step1.jpg "customize-search-resutls-step1 - SearchWP") Select a theme from the 4 pre-defined layouts. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Customize Search Results Step 2](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-search-resutls-step2.jpg "customize-search-resutls-step2 - SearchWP") Change the styles as you see fit. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Customize Search Results Step 3](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-search-resutls-step3.jpg "customize-search-resutls-step3 - SearchWP") Finally, modify how you want the results showcased. You can change the position, limit the number of results shown, and set a personalized message when no results are found for the search term. ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Customize Search Results Step 4](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-search-resutls-step4.png "customize-search-resutls-step4 - SearchWP") Click “Save” to apply your modification! ![Live Ajax Search v1.8.0 Revamped With Exciting New Features: Customize Search Results Step 5](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/customize-search-resutls-step5.jpg "customize-search-resutls-step5 - SearchWP") ## Conclusion Your business growth directly correlates to how easily your customers find what they need. Search forms and search results customization are the latest two additions in our endeavors to help you easily take control of the search experience. [Get SearchWP today](https://searchwp.com/buy/) to unlock all advanced features that make you stand out from the rest! **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Related Extension v1.5.0 Revamped With New Features](https://searchwp.com/related-extension-v1-5-0/) **Published:** January 16, 2024 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** Are you struggling to retain visitor attention on your website? Imagine you walked into a supermarket. Has it ever occurred to you that you went to buy one particular product but ended up buying a lot? That’s the power of upselling. It’s much easier to upsell to customers rather than attract them to the shop. This is where businesses can have the most return by spending the least. Captivating current readers with related content is easier for blog owners than bringing in visitors. You, too, can employ the same tactic on your website with the SearchWP Related extension. And now, you can go one step further as we have introduced a new Gutenberg block and revamped the settings page in Related extension version 1.5.0. Let’s see what you get in this update in more detail. ## Setting Area Revamped To Give You More Control We have completely redesigned the Related extension page in SearchWP Settings. This will help you configure the extension easily from one place. What’s more, we are introducing a few design options so you can present relevant content more beautifully to your visitors. ![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/related-extension-layout-design.jpg "related-extension-layout-design - SearchWP") Here comes the most exciting part: you now have the ability to choose which Engine to use for the Related extension. With the power of the [Supplemental Engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/), you can set the conditions for relevant content yourself! ![Different engines available for Related extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/related-extension-engines.jpg "related-extension-engines - SearchWP") #### What Styling Options You Get In Related Extension - 5 pre-designed theme styles - 2 layout styles - Control over title, description, and image With these, you can customize the looks of the related content block according to your taste. Define whether you’d like to see a block title, content description, or thumbnails, and define the number of results you want to show. ## New Gutenberg Block & Shortcode For Manual Embedding This update makes it easy for you to add Related content anywhere on your website. If you love using the Gutenberg editor, you’ll have a dedicated Related block from now on! ![Relevant Gutenberg block](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-gutenberg-block.jpg "searchwp-gutenberg-block - SearchWP") If you love using shortcodes, we have a solution for you, too! Using the shortcode option, you can add Relevant content anywhere on your website! You can also add this section using a PHP snippet if that’s your preference. ![Relevant extension shortcode section](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/related-extension-embed-shortcode.jpg "related-extension-embed-shortcode - SearchWP") ## How To Use The Related Extension in SearchWP If you have at least SearchWP version 4.2.6 installed on your website, you can get your hands on the updated Related extension. Please visit SearchWP > Extension from the backend of your website. You’ll see a page where all extensions are listed. Find “Related” from the list and click “Install”. That’s it! When you visit SearchWP > Settings, a new tab named “Related” will appear; this is your dedicated area for configuring the extension. ![how related content looks with Related Extension in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/related-extension-results.jpg "related-extension-results - SearchWP") ## Conclusion By showcasing content or products that match your visitors’ interests, you’re not only enhancing their browsing experience but also fulfilling needs they might not even realize they had. The Related extension helps your visitors by providing better-matched content. We hope you’ll be able to leverage the updated extension to drive more sales and increase engagement to your website. [Explore all packages to unlock the full potential of your website with SearchWP.](https://searchwp.com/buy/) **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Introducing Taxonomy Source For Better Content Discovery](https://searchwp.com/introducing-taxonomy-source/) **Published:** December 29, 2023 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** SearchWP makes your website search great with its ability to search all entries in categories and tags. Now, it gets even better with the addition of Taxonomy Source! Imagine a vast library where books are organized not just by titles or authors but also by themes, genres, and subjects. While good categorization helps with a book search, the readers still need to return to the directory every time they want to check out a new book, theme, or subject. But you can remove this friction from your website! Taxonomy Source, coupled with the power of Taxonomy Attributes, makes all books and categories appear together, enabling visitors to dive into both of them right from the search results page. This brings a more intuitive and comprehensive way to explore and navigate content to your WordPress site. ## What Is A Taxonomy Source? First things first: What is taxonomy in WordPress? Well, You can group posts in WordPress using something called taxonomies. Think of them as labels or folders. So you can find related items easily. Tags and categories are examples of the two most popular taxonomies. Now, imagine you are the owner of an online bookstore. You have a category called “Productivity” that has all the books related to productivity. Now, if you only use Taxonomy Attributes, when someone searches for “Productivity,” they will see all the books in that category, even if those books don’t actually mention “productivity” in their titles or descriptions. You already have this extremely powerful feature in SearchWP. But, if you use Taxonomy Source, when users search for “Productivity,” they will see the “Productivity” category itself in the search results, like its name or description. Clicking on it will take them to the category page where all the books assigned in the “Productivity” category are listed. Now, here’s the exciting part. You’ll get the best of both worlds if you use both Taxonomy Attributes and Taxonomy Sources. For example, considering the previous cases, you’ll see the “Productivity” category page in the search results alongside all the books assigned in that category. It’s like getting a complete picture of the content related to “Productivity” on your bookstore website. Please note Taxonomy Source can only be used with [Supplemental Engines](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/). ## Why Does It Matter? The Taxonomy Source feature takes the benefits of [Taxonomy Attributes](https://searchwp.com/wordpress-search-custom-fields-meta-taxonomy-terms/) to the next level. Just as the Taxonomy Attributes made it possible for productivity-related books to surface, the Taxonomy Source adds depth to those results. It’s invaluable for sites with diverse and rich content, making every category, tag, or custom taxonomy an accessible and searchable entity. Let’s look at another example. Imagine you’re running a bustling online store, selling a wide range of products from electronics to fashion. Customers visiting your site have varying preferences, from the latest gadgets to trendy clothing. With Taxonomy Source, you’re no longer limited to generic search results. Customers can directly search for ‘smartphones,’ ‘dresses,’ ‘laptops,’ or any other product category. This means they can easily explore all related products, quickly narrowing down their choices. ## How To Use Taxonomy Source? Firstly, you need to create a supplemental engine. To do so, navigate to the backend of your WordPress Dashboard > SearchWP > Algorithm. You’ll land on the Engines tab. Now click on the “Add New” button. ![How To Add Taxonomy Source, Step 1: Add New](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-taxonomy-source-step-1.jpg "adding-taxonomy-source-step-1 - SearchWP") Notice a supplemental engine has been created instantly. Now click on “Source & Settings”. ![How To Add Taxonomy Source, Step 2 Go to Supplemental Engine](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-taxonomy-source-step-2.jpg "adding-taxonomy-source-step-2 - SearchWP") All the taxonomy sources are listed under “Sources.” Please check the ones that you’d like to index. For the purpose of the article, choose Categories and Tags, then click “Done.” ![How To Add Taxonomy Source, Step 3 Selecting Sources](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/adding-taxonomy-source-step-3.jpg "adding-taxonomy-source-step-3 - SearchWP") Now, you’ll see two sections titled Categories and Tags added in the supplemental engine. Pick the attributes you want to use for these Taxonomy Sources and adjust their relevance accordingly. For example, choose the “Name” attribute for both sources and give them the maximum relevance. ![Setting up attribute relevance for Taxonomy Source](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/setting-up-attribute-relevance.jpg "setting up attribute relevance - SearchWP") This will make the names of all categories and tags searchable and show them as items on the search results page. Clicking those will take the visitors to their respective pages. Click “Save” to complete the process. ![completing the taxonomy source setup](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/finalizing-taxonomy-source-setup.jpg "finalizing-taxonomy-source-setup - SearchWP") You can use this supplemental engine in any Search Form on your website. Please visit [this tutorial if you need help setting up a search form](https://searchwp.com/create-advanced-search-forms-in-wordpress/). ## Unlock The Power Of Taxonomy Source Today Enabling Taxonomy Source in SearchWP is like unlocking a new level in content navigation and discovery. It’s an invitation to explore your WordPress site more deeply and meaningfully. In a world where information overload is common, helping users find what they’re looking for quickly and efficiently is a game-changer. Whether you’re a blogger, an e-commerce site owner, or a small business, Taxonomy Source empowers you to enhance the search experience for your audience. [Explore our packages and discover the full potential of SearchWP. ](https://searchwp.com/buy/) **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Introducing Search Results Page That You Can Customize Without Code](https://searchwp.com/introducing-search-results-page/) **Published:** December 15, 2023 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** The search results page is like the plate that serves dishes in a restaurant. If the presentation is bad, it ruins the mood, and the food tastes only half as good! Similarly, a search results page presents the results returned by a search engine. That’s why a well-structured results page is crucial for your website. Even if your search engine can find the right products or content, a poorly designed search results page might not display them properly. Making your visitors leave without discovering what they’re looking for, even though you have exactly what they need. To help you overcome this, we present to you the Search Results Page in SearchWP! So, you can break the barrier to engagement and take your website to the next level! ## Search Results Page In SearchWP – A New Experience! The all-new search results page in SearchWP lets you provide better search results and take control of the look and feel of the page without writing a single line of code! However, that’s not its only function! The SearchWP Search Results Page strikes a delicate balance between matching your website’s existing design while also giving you significant control over the look and appearance of the main elements of the page. You can find the search results page setting by going to your website’s backend Dashboard > SearchWP > Templates. ![pre-designed theme layouts for search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/theme_layouts_predesigned.jpg "Pre-designed theme layouts for search results page - SearchWP") To customize the search results page easily, you have: - 6 pre-designed themes - 3 pagination styles - 2 layout styles - And countless styling combinations ## Why Need Another Search Results Page In WordPress? You already have a default search results page in WordPress, but it provides limited customization options and cannot showcase non-post content types such as authors, categories, or tags. As such, by using the default search results page, you are preventing your visitors from finding crucial information. You can change that as well as improve the look and feel of your search results page according to your taste. ![customizing options for search results page](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/styling_options_for_search_resutls_page.png "styling_options_for_search_resutls_page - SearchWP") Here are only a few ways how SearchWP’s new Search Results Page will help you, but the real implications are endless. ### Free From WordPress Limitations The SearchWP Search Results Page can show more types of content than the default search page. It can display entries like authors, categories, tags, and other taxonomies when used with the [Supplemental Engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/). ### No Code Building and Customization Your website is unique, so should your search results page be. To help you achieve that without writing code, SearchWP is offering 6 pre-designed layout themes for your search results page. You can also change colors, adjust layouts, and more with just a few clicks. ### Better Shopping Experience SearchWP lets you index [WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/extensions/woocommerce-integration/) and [Easy Digital Downloads](https://searchwp.com/extensions/easy-digital-downloads-edd-integration/) items. Now, with the new search results page, you will be able to show product information such as price and customize their appearances. ### Future-Proof Implementation As SearchWP evolves, so does your search results page. All new SearchWP features are guaranteed to automatically work with the Search Results Page. Ensuring your website stays up to date, so you don’t need to change anything as long as you’re using SearchWP. ## The Bottom Line: Your Growth Awaits Incorporating the SearchWP Search Results Page isn’t just about enhancing search functionality and making it look beautiful; it’s about elevating your entire website. It leads to better user engagement, increased conversions, and a noticeable boost in your website’s performance. [Explore our packages and discover the full potential of SearchWP!](https://searchwp.com/buy/) **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Introducing Search Forms For Effortless Search & Happy Users](https://searchwp.com/introducing-search-forms/) **Published:** November 30, 2023 **Author:** Saif Khan **Content:** The battle for attention on the internet is tough. The average visitor spends 47 seconds per page, and the bounce rate for websites falls somewhere between 39 – 72%, [according to Contentsquare](https://explore.contentsquare.com/2023-benchmark-en/2023-benchmark-en). People not being able to find what they are looking for is the leading cause of this abandonment. Businesses that fail to hook their customers within these tight constraints are losing big on opportunities. We don’t want that to happen to you. We want your visitors to find what they need instantly and for it to be hyper-relevant to their requirements. Because when they do, they’ll buy more from you, and your business will grow! So you can increase your conversion rate and grow your business. That’s why we are introducing our newest feature: **Search Forms!** ## Meet Search Forms: Increase Discoverability For Your Visitors You know your business and customers better than anyone, and Search Forms puts you in control. You can provide your visitors with a tailored search experience that suits their unique needs. Whether you’re running an e-commerce store, managing a knowledge base or content-heavy website, or curating a library of PDF documents, Search Forms empowers you to craft multiple search forms without writing a single line of code! ![Different Search Forms layouts introduced in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/different_search_form_layouts.png "different_search_form_layouts - SearchWP") ### What You Get Included In Search Forms - 5 pre-designed theme layouts - 4 pre-designed form styles - 3 pre-designed button styles With these, you can customize your search form according to your taste – play with layout styles, font sizes, and colors. Also, add a placeholder or a button next to the search field to match your site’s aesthetic. ![Different form styles introduced in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/different_form_styles_in_SearchWP.jpg "different_form_styles_in_SearchWP - SearchWP") ## How A Good Search Experience Helps Grow Your Business You can totally rely on the default WordPress search form; that’s okay. However, you should also consider its inability to index various custom content types on your website. This can hurt your business as the users can’t find what they need and leave without engaging with your content or making a purchase, depending on the nature of your site. With Search Forms, you can craft multiple search forms for different areas of your website effortlessly using only a graphical user interface, with no coding involved! By leveraging the [supplemental engine](https://searchwp.com/documentation/search/supplemental-engine/), you can also limit the results returned by the Search Form to a particular section of your website. This enables you to build a search form that solely focuses on products on your shop page, restricts the search to relevant articles on your blog page, and tailors searches relevant to PDF documents if you have any. The application is limitless! All of the perks of having a good search form on your website make your visitors understand that you value and respect their time, which keeps them happy and coming back more often. As a result, your business grows exponentially. ## Summing Up Providing features that are crucial for your business, such as Search Forms, is part of our ongoing endeavor to help small businesses such as yours grow & compete with the big guys. SearchWP lets you break free from WordPress search limitations by providing many useful features. Explore our [different packages to find the one that suits you](https://searchwp.com/buy/) best! **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** announcement, Search Forms, SearchWP --- ### [5+ Best WooCommerce Search Plugins to Boost Your Sales](https://searchwp.com/best-woocommerce-search-plugins-to-boost-your-sales/) **Published:** August 15, 2022 **Author:** Egor Yupatov **Content:** Are you looking for the best WooCommerce search plugin that can help you boost your sales? A good search is one of the major success factors in eCommerce and digital marketing. With it, you can increase the number of sales with the same amount of traffic. In this article, we’ve picked some of the best and most powerful WooCommerce search plugins and compared their features to help you figure out which one suits your needs best. Let’s dive into it! ## What to Look For in a WooCommerce Search Plugin To get started, let’s talk about how to choose a good WooCommerce search plugin. Here are several features you should pay attention to: - **Full WooCommerce compatibility**. The most important thing to check when choosing a plugin is whether it’s fully compatible with WooCommerce to avoid potential problems. - **Beginner-friendly**. A good plugin should have a straightforward setup and an intuitive interface so that you can start using it to improve your WooCommerce search right after installation. - **Reports on search activity**. A plugin should collect data on the search activity of customers on your site so that you can analyze the needs of your audience and boost your sales. - **Control over search results**. You should check if a plugin allows you to narrow your search, exclude pages from search results, prioritize WooCommerce products, and more. - **Live search results**. Using a good WordPress search plugin, you should be able to add a live display of search results on your site without coding. - **Search by category**. Enabling category-specific search is essential for every eCommerce site since it allows customers to find the right products faster. Now that you’ve learned what to look for when choosing a search plugin for your WooCommerce store let’s move on to our list. ## Our Top Picks of WooCommerce Search Plugins Here are the best WooCommerce search plugins to help you enhance your site’s search and boost your sales. You can use this table of contents to faster navigate through this article: - [SearchWP](#SearchWP) - [FiboSearch](#FiboSearch) - [YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search]() - [Premmerce Product Search]() - [Doofinder](#Doofinder) - [Advanced Woo Search]() ### 1. [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) [![SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/SearchWP-3.png "SearchWP - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/) [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) is the most powerful WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 30,000 active installs. Due to its seamless integration with WooCommerce, it allows you to fully customize your store search to fit your business needs. This plugin is super easy to use, regardless of your technical skills or experience with WordPress. ![SearchWP dashboard](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/SearchWP-dashboard.png "SearchWP dashboard - SearchWP") You can easily change any aspect of how search works on your site in minutes without writing a single line of code. For example, you can promote specific products in search results, [limit search to WooCommerce products only](https://searchwp.com/how-to-limit-search-results-to-woocommerce-products-only/), enable search by product attributes (tags, category, size, color, etc.), and many more. ![search by WooCommerce product attributes](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-by-WooCommerce-product-attributes.png "search by WooCommerce product attributes - SearchWP") SearchWP also offers powerful analytics that gives you valuable insight into your customers’ search behavior. Thanks to it, you can [see search terms that customers enter on your site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-track-searches-on-your-wordpress-site/), identify the most popular search results, and get many other useful data. ![search tracking in SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-tracking-in-SearchWP.png "search tracking in SearchWP - SearchWP") Another strong point of SearchWP is its impressive extensions base. For instance, there is the live autocomplete search extension that allows your visitors to [get search results in real time](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/). This plugin also has a responsive support team you can contact via a ticketing system right from your WordPress dashboard if you have any questions. **Features**: - Live autocomplete search that guesses users’ search queries - An intuitive and modern-looking interface that’s easy to navigate - Automatic theme integration with page builders support - Complete control over the order of your search results - [Exclude specific products or categories from search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-product-from-search-in-woocommerce/) in a few clicks - Make any product attributes searchable, including SKU, tags, and more - Fuzzy search that helps your customers find products if they make a typo - [Make WordPress search for PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/) and office documents **Pricing**: Starting from $99/year for 1 site. Ready to empower search on your WooCommerce site? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). ### 2. [FiboSearch](https://fibosearch.com/) [![FiboSearch](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/FiboSearch.png "FiboSearch - SearchWP")](https://fibosearch.com/) [FiboSearch](https://fibosearch.com/) is another popular WooCommerce search plugin that can power your sales. Its key function is to display product search results in real time, with a product image and price. It makes it much easier for customers to figure out if they find something they’re looking for. Plus, FiboSearch allows you to manage where WordPress should search for matches, what product attributes to consider, and more. **Features**: - Customizable live search results with a few templates - Manage your search sources from the WordPress dashboard - Search for products by the attributes, tags, and categories - Fuzzy search that allows to ignore typos in search terms - Product filters that allow you to exclude specific product categories from search **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version starts from $49/year for 1 site. ### 3. [YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://yithemes.com/themes/plugins/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/) [![YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/YITH-WooCommerce-Ajax-Search.png "YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search - SearchWP")](https://yithemes.com/themes/plugins/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/) [YITH WooCommerce Ajax Search](https://yithemes.com/themes/plugins/yith-woocommerce-ajax-search/) is an advanced WooCommerce plugin that adds live search to your site. It also allows you to add product filters, which your visitors can use to find products they’re looking for faster. You can also use this plugin to highlight specific products in search results, making them more visible. **Features**: - Real-time search results with a product preview and short description - Enable [search by specific categories](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-in-category-in-woocommerce/) or tags and add filters for your search results - Highlight products badges and prices in search results to attract your customers’ attention - Make product tags, categories, and SKUs searchable on your site - WPML compatibility allows you to easily translate search elements to any languages **Pricing**: Starting from $49.99/year for 1 site. ### 4. [Premmerce Product Search](https://premmerce.com/premmerce-woocommerce-product-search/) [![Premmerce Product Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Premmerce-Product-Search.png "Premmerce Product Search - SearchWP")](https://premmerce.com/premmerce-woocommerce-product-search/) [Premmerce Product Search](https://premmerce.com/premmerce-woocommerce-product-search/) is another excellent WooCommerce search plugin trusted by over 7,000 website owners. It adds live search to your site, which tries to predict visitors’ search queries and corrects errors if there are any. In addition, with this plugin, you can [make SKUs of WooCommerce products searchable](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/), which can be useful in some cases. **Features**: - Search term spelling correction that helps your customers find the right products - Let your customers add products to cart right from search results - Enable search by WooCommerce product SKUs in a few clicks - Show product price in search results so your visitors can see it right away - Seamless Integration with the most popular WordPress page builders **Pricing**: Starting from $49.99/year for 1 site. ### 5. [Doofinder](https://www.doofinder.com/en/solutions/woocommerce) [![Doorfinder](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Doorfinder.png "Doorfinder - SearchWP")](https://www.doofinder.com/en/solutions/woocommerce) [Doofinder](https://www.doofinder.com/en/solutions/woocommerce) is a powerful WooCommerce plugin that allows you to make search on your site way smarter. It also comes with a live autocomplete search that’s trying to guess what your visitors are searching for as they type a search query. Another distinguishing feature of this plugin is that it allows you to add ad banners to your search results page so that you can get additional pageviews. **Features**: - Allow your customers to apply filters by product attribute when performing a search - Add banners and special offers to your site search results to promote specific products - Collect data on your visitors’ search behavior and get beautiful and detailed reports - Autocomplete feature that suggests relevant recommendations when customers type - Search based on artificial intelligence, delivering personalized search results **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version starts from $59/year for 1 site. ### 6. [Advanced Woo Search](https://advanced-woo-search.com/) [![Advanced Woo Search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Advanced-Woo-Search.png "Advanced Woo Search - SearchWP")](https://advanced-woo-search.com/) As the name says, [Advanced Woo Search](https://advanced-woo-search.com/) allows you to extend the default functionality of WooCommerce search. Using this plugin, you can make product excerpt, SKU, id, tags, and categories searchable with a few clicks. It also has a smart sorting feature that automatically sorts products in the search results according to their relevance to the search query. **Features**: - Choose which product attributes WordPress should consider when performing a search - Customize how products look in your search results the way you want - Deliver more relevant search results to your customers with smart sorting - Show search results in a customer’s language thanks to multilingual support - Exclude products from search results using advanced search filters **Pricing**: The basic version is free. The Pro version starts from $49.99/year for 1 site. ## Our Verdict: What is the Best WooCommerce Search Plugin? After we’ve compared the features and pricing plans of all of the mentioned plugins, it’s time to choose a winner. Given the number of features, ease of use, support for multiple search engines, and responsive customer service, we believe that [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/) is the best WooCommerce search plugin. ![search engine customization](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/search-engine-customization.png "search engine customization - SearchWP") Using it, you can easily customize search in your WooCommerce store to boost your sales even if you’re a complete WordPress newbie. Here is just a short list of things you can do with SearchWP to enhance search on your site: - [**Make product attributes searchable**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-woocommerce-product-attributes/). Let your customers search for products by SKUs, custom fields, tags, categories, and anything else. - **Enable live autocomplete search**. Give instant search results to your visitors so that they can faster navigate your site and purchase what they need. - [**Change the order of search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-change-the-search-results-order-in-wordpress/). This way, you can put your best-selling products at the top of your search results and increase your income. - **Limit search to WooCommerce products**. Exclude any other content types from search results on your site so that nothing will distract customers from shopping. - **Add a search by category**. Give your customers the ability to choose in which product category they want to perform a search to deliver the most relevant results. Ready to boost your search with the most powerful and user-friendly WooCommerce search plugin? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). From this article, you learned what the best WooCommerce search plugins are. We hope it’ll help you to make the right choice and choose a plugin that best fits your business needs. Wonder how to make your WooCommerce search smarter? Check out our detailed tutorial on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/) in a few simple steps. Want to enable search by product tags on your site? Follow this [how to search by product tags in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-product-tags-in-woocommerce/) guide. **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** Ajax search for WooCommerce, best WooCommerce search plugins, WooCommerce category search, woocommerce product search results page, WooCommerce search engine --- ### [How to Improve WordPress Search (7 Effective Ways)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-improve-wordpress-search/) **Published:** July 4, 2022 **Author:** Egor Yupatov **Content:** Do you want to know how to improve WordPress search? It’s crucial to have a robust search on your site if you want to succeed online in the long run and build a loyal audience. In this tutorial, we’ll show you 7 effective ways to improve search on your WordPress site with no coding needed. ## Why Improve WordPress Search WordPress is one of the most popular and powerful content management systems worldwide. It allows you to publish your content, sell your products online, grow your business, and do many other things. But things are a little different when it comes to the search function of this CMS. Namely, the default WordPress search engine does not: - **Search for custom post types**. If you publish content that goes beyond regular posts and pages, your visitors won’t be able to find it using search. - **Show search results in real-time**. WordPress shows search results by opening a new separate page, which is inconvenient and outdated. - **Index PDFs and office documents**. So your visitors can’t search for content within them, making it harder to find what they’re looking for. - **Collect data on search activity**. It takes away an opportunity to better understand the needs of your audience and give them the right content. - **Allow you to change the order of search results**. You have no control over the order in which your posts and pages appear in search results. - **Consider posts custom fields and tags**. It makes it harder for your visitors to find the right content and worsens their user experience. Thankfully, there is a way to solve these problems and enhance search on your site in minutes, even if you’re a WordPress beginner. Let’s talk about it below. Here is a table of contents to help you navigate through this article: - [Add Live Autocomplete Search](#add-live-autocomplete-search) - [Track Searches of Your Visitors](#track-searches-of-your-visitors) - [Make PDF Files Searchable](#make-PDF-files-searchable) - [Customize Your Search Widgets](#customize-your-search-widgets) - [Enable Search by Custom Fields](#enable-search-by-custom-fields) - [Exclude Specific Pages From Search Results](#exclude-specific-pages-from-search-results) - [Prioritize Specific Search Results](#prioritize-specific-search-results) ## How to Improve Search on Your Site The easiest way to create a powerful custom search in WordPress is to use [SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/). ![SearchWP logo](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-twitter-poster-1.png "SearchWP logo - SearchWP") SearchWP is the best WordPress search plugin on the market, with over 30,000 active installs. It allows you to fully customize how search works on your site and help your visitors find what they’re looking for faster. For example, using SearchWP, you can create custom search fields, enable fuzzy search, [highlight search terms](https://searchwp.com/how-to-highlight-search-terms-in-wordpress/), and many more. Here are some other amazing things you can do with this plugin: - **Enable search py post tags**. It gives your visitors an additional way to browse your content and inspires them to view more posts. - [**Add authors in search results**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-authors-in-wordpress-search-results/). This way, you’ll help your visitors find posts of their favorite authors faster and get more page views. - **Customize your search results page**. Change the appearance of your search results page to make it look more professional and promote your posts. - [**Add search bars with a shortcode**](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-a-wordpress-search-bar-with-shortcode/). Place a search bar in your posts and pages with a few clicks to encourage visitors to explore your site. With that, let’s see how you get started with SearchWP and create a custom search in WordPress to help your visitors faster find what they’re looking for. The first step is to [grab your copy of SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). After that, sign in to your SearchWP account and go to the **Downloads** tab. ![go to the Downloads tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Downloads-tab-17.png "go to the Downloads tab - SearchWP") Once there, click the **Download SearchWP** button and download the plugin’s ZIP file to your computer. ![press download SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/press-download-SearchWP-17.png "press download SearchWP - SearchWP") After downloading, copy your SearchWP license key on the same tab. ![copy your license key](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/copy-your-license-key-22.png "copy your license key - SearchWP") The next step is to upload the plugin’s ZIP file to your site. Feel free to follow the [how to install a WordPress plugin step-by-step tutorial](https://www.wpbeginner.com/beginners-guide/step-by-step-guide-to-install-a-wordpress-plugin-for-beginners/) if you need help with that. Upon the plugin installation, you’ll need to activate your copy of SearchWP. First, go to your WordPress dashboard and point your cursor over the **SearchWP** button at the top panel. ![click SearchWP](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-SearchWP-10.png "click SearchWP - SearchWP") Then, click on the **Activate License** item. ![click Activate License](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Activate-License-14.png "click Activate License - SearchWP") Once you get to the **License** tab, paste your license key into the **License** field and press the **Activate** button. ![click Activate](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Activate-12.png "click Activate - SearchWP") After activating the license, you’re ready to start customizing your WordPress search settings to make it better. ### Add Live Autocomplete Search Let’s start by adding the live autocomplete search to your site. SearchWP allows you to do that in just a few clicks without writing a single line of code. After activating this feature, your visitors can get search results immediately, without jumping to a new page. It’s not only convenient but also helps keep visitors focused on your content and make their user experience better. ![live search results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/live-search-results.gif "live search results - SearchWP") For more details, see our step-by-step tutorial on [how to add live autocomplete search to your WordPress site](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-live-autocomplete-search/). ### Track Searches of Your Visitors Another awesome SearchWP feature is search tracking. Once you enable it in your WordPress search settings, the plugin starts collecting a lot of valuable data about what visitors are searching for on your site. This data includes search queries, a click-through rate of search results, average time spent on the page, and a lot of other helpful information. ![SearchWP metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/SearchWP-metrics-extension.png "SearchWP metrics extension - SearchWP") To get started, navigate to **SearchWP » Extensions** in your WordPress dashboard. ![navigate to the Extensions tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/navigate-to-the-Extensions-tab-2.png "navigate to the Extensions tab - SearchWP") Next, find the **Metrics** extension and click **Install** under its section. ![install the Metrics extension](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/install-the-Metrics-extension.png "install the Metrics extension - SearchWP") After installing and activating the extension, you can see your site’s metrics in the **Metrics** tab under **SearchWP** at the top panel of your dashboard. ![go to the Metrics tab](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/go-to-the-Metrics-tab.png "go to the Metrics tab - SearchWP") ### Make PDF Files Searchable If you often upload PDF files to your site, you may want to make them searchable with SearchWP. After that, WordPress will start considering content within PDF files as regular posts and pages and showing them in search results. It’ll greatly increase the discoverability of these files and help your visitors find them quickly. ![enable PDF indexing](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/enable-PDF-indexing-1.png "enable PDF indexing - SearchWP") For more information, check out the [how to make WordPress index and search PDF files](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-wordpress-search-pdf-files/) tutorial. ### Customize Your Search Widgets Do you have search widgets on your site? With a WordPress search plugin like SearchWP, you can easily customize them to your needs with just a few clicks! It allows you to create custom search widgets with an individual set of rules and settings. For example, it could be a search widget dedicated to a specific type of content, category, or something else. ![add a search widget](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/add-a-search-widget.png "add a search widget - SearchWP") If you’d like to learn more about that, see the [how to customize the search widget in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-customize-wordpress-search-widget/) guide. ### Enable Search by Custom Fields With SearchWP, you can make data within custom post fields searchable on your site. It’s beneficial and allows your site users to find the content they want faster and more conveniently. For example, most popular WordPress eCommerce plugins store product information such as color, price, brand, and more, precisely inside custom fields. ![custom fields](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/custom-fields.png "custom fields - SearchWP") To learn more about making custom fields searchable, check out our post on [how to add custom fields search in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-add-wordpress-custom-fields-search/). ### Exclude Specific Pages From Search Results Are there any pages on your site that you want to hide in search results? With SearchWP, it’s as easy as ticking the box. Using this feature, you can clean up your search results from redundant pages and help visitors find what they’re looking for more easily. ![exclude a page from search](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/exclude-a-page-from-search.png "exclude a page from search - SearchWP") For more information, check out the [how to exclude pages from site search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-exclude-pages-from-site-search-results-in-wordpress/) guide. ### Prioritize Specific Search Results Would you like to prioritize some specific pages in your search results? It’s super easy to do with SearchWP. This plugin allows you to fully control the order of search results on your site and choose which pages you want to see at the top. This way, you can promote your content, get more pageviews and leads. ![click Promote to top](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/click-Promote-to-top-1.png "click Promote to top - SearchWP") For more info on how to do that, check out the [how to prioritize specific search results in WordPress](https://searchwp.com/how-to-prioritize-specific-search-results-in-wordpress/) step-by-step tutorial. In this article, you learned 7 effective ways to improve search on your WordPress site. By following them, you can make it easier for your visitors to find the content they’re looking for, increase your content discoverability, and build a loyal audience. Ready to boost your search? You can [get started with SearchWP here](https://searchwp.com/buy/). Faced any problems with search on your WordPress site? Check out the [how to fix WordPress search not working](https://searchwp.com/how-to-fix-wordpress-search-not-working/) comprehensive tutorial. Are you a WooCommerce store owner? You can see this post on [how to make a smart WooCommerce product search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-make-a-smart-woocommerce-product-search/). **Categories:** Tutorials **Tags:** custom search engine in WordPress, custom search in WordPress, how to improve internal search in WordPress, how to improve search in WordPress, how to improve WordPress search, improve search on your site --- ### [SearchWP is Joining the Awesome Motive Family](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-is-joining-the-awesome-motive-family/) **Published:** July 7, 2021 **Author:** Syed Balkhi **Content:** With over 30,000 websites, SearchWP is the leading WordPress search plugin on the market. Today, I’m extremely excited to share that SearchWP is joining the [Awesome Motive](https://awesomemotive.com/) family. ![SearchWP is Joining Awesome Motive](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwpannouncement-1030x515.png "SearchWP is Joining Awesome Motive - SearchWP") Jon Christopher (founder of SearchWP) has done a phenomenal job in building the most advanced WordPress search plugin in the market. Started in 2013, SearchWP is one of the original WordPress search plugins. I have known Jon for years and have a lot of respect for all that he has accomplished. We have always been a huge supporter of SearchWP through our WPBeginner blog. As he wanted to pursue the next chapter of his life, we started discussing the future of the SearchWP plugin. Given our experience running a suite of popular WordPress plugins, SearchWP was a perfect fit for our family of products. ### Who are we? Hi, my name is [Syed Balkhi](https://syedbalkhi.com/). I’m the founder and CEO of [Awesome Motive](https://awesomemotive.com/). We build amazing products that help small businesses grow and compete with the big guys. We’re the team behind some of the most popular plugins and resources in the WordPress ecosystem: - [WPBeginner](https://www.wpbeginner.com/) – the largest free WordPress resource site for beginners. - [OptinMonster](https://optinmonster.com/) – popular conversion optimization software that helps you convert abandoning visitors into subscribers and customers. - [WPForms](https://wpforms.com/) – the most beginner friendly WordPress form builder. - [MonsterInsights](https://www.monsterinsights.com/) – the most popular WordPress Analytics plugin that helps you grow your business with confidence. - [AIOSEO](https://aioseo.com/) – the original WordPress SEO plugin to help you get more traffic. - [WP Mail SMTP](https://wpmailsmtp.com/) – the #1 plugin that helps improve your WordPress email deliverability. - [SeedProd](https://seedprod.com/) – the best drag & drop landing page builder for WordPress. - [RafflePress](https://rafflepress.com/) – powerful WordPress giveaway and contest plugin to grow your website traffic. - [Smash Balloon](https://www.smashballoon.com/) – most popular social media feeds plugin for WordPress. - [PushEngage](https://www.pushengage.com/) – leading web push notification software for small businesses. - … and many more. Collectively our WordPress plugins are used on over 17 million websites. Yes, we know a thing or two about building awesome products that customers love. ### What does this acquisition mean for existing users? Aside from the new ownership change, it’s business as usual. You can continue to use the plugin that you love without any interruptions. With the exception of Jon, the entire SearchWP team will be joining Awesome Motive. This means that you are still being supported by the same talented people. On top of that, we have added more team members from Awesome Motive that will be working on the SearchWP project (including myself). With our experience and a dedicated team, we will be adding several new features and improvements to SearchWP in the near future. ### What’s Coming Next? Our work is just starting. I have been in the WordPress industry since 2006 and have learnt a lot over the years. My websites get over 100 million visitors a year, and we know the importance of good site search. We have built a lot of internal tools to improve our website search that I’m really looking forward to sharing with the WordPress community. We will be combining Jon’s vision with our own experience, so you can literally have the BEST search plugin in the industry without the high costs! This is truly going to be a game changer! Our goal is to build a search plugin that’s fast and results focused. A WordPress search plugin that a beginner, non-techy, small business owner can easily set up in less than 10 minutes to grow their business. I sat down with the team, and we have a crystal-clear 12 month plan. A lot of exciting things are coming your way in the coming months. I want to thank Jon for all the hard work he put into SearchWP over the last 8 years, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors. I also want to thank all users who have supported SearchWP plugin so far, and I hope to earn your support for years to come. Sincerely, Syed Balkhi CEO of Awesome Motive **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Search statistics as a guiding light toward billions of pageviews](https://searchwp.com/search-statistics-as-a-guiding-light-toward-billions-of-pageviews/) **Published:** January 25, 2021 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** A recent episode of the [Indie Hackers podcast](https://www.indiehackers.com/podcasts), [Fame, Focus, and Billions of Pageviews with Evan Britton of Famous Birthdays](https://www.indiehackers.com/podcast/188-evan-britton-of-famous-birthdays) focused on the story behind a website called Famous Birthdays. The overview is in part as follows: > Evan Britton runs a massive website focused on digital celebrities called Famous Birthdays. It gets multiple billions of pageviews a year, has dozens of employees, and he bootstrapped it to profitability without raising a dime from investors. They key to Evan’s approach is his laser focus. What was most striking about this interview was **how many times on-site search was cited as a reason for the site’s success**. Evan mentioned time and time again that the reason he was able to build and grow his website into a massive success was *because he observed on-site search behavior of his visitors*. When a visitor of your site performs a search, they are telling you **exactly what they’re looking for**. There is no amount of targeted advertising that’s going to accomplish that feat. By observing trends in on-site visitor searches, Evan was able to react accordingly and press into the content that his visitors were *actively* looking for. SearchWP fully stands behind observing on-site search behavior and using it as a primary *actionable* data stream for you to observe. It’s taken so seriously in fact that there is a SearchWP Extension fully devoted to [help you analyze your on-site search Metrics](https://searchwp.com/extensions/metrics/)! The podcast interview is great, and if you haven’t been utilizing SearchWP’s [Metrics](https://searchwp.com/extensions/metrics/) or [Statistics](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/statistics/) to analyze the search patterns of your visitors, you can start today! **Categories:** General **Tags:** Indie Hackers, Metrics, on-site, search, statistics --- ### [Success Story: 6x(!) increase in conversion due to on-site search](https://searchwp.com/success-story-6x-increase-in-conversion-due-to-on-site-search/) **Published:** November 23, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** An effective on-site search solution has a **direct impact on conversion rate** in many cases. Check this out! https://twitter.com/alexdurston\_ss/status/1328575981938991106 Alex followed up with a bit more detail: > Hi, just reaching out following our tweets about e-commerce conversion based on user who do a site search vs those who don’t. > > We have a number of e-commerce sites that sell B2B products and work to a target conversion rate of about 3-4% > > What we have found is users who do a site search have a conversion of up to 7%, while users who don’t do a site search convert at around 1%. That’s an *amazing* statistic for anyone keeping track of their metrics! [![Screenshot of conversion rate graph](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2020-11-19-at-14.57.44.png "Screenshot 2020-11-19 at 14.57.44 - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Screenshot-2020-11-19-at-14.57.44.png) [Alex](https://twitter.com/alexdurston_ss) from [Search Station](https://searchstation.co.uk/) followed up again with even more detail: > SearchWP fills a massive gap in that it not only improved the standard search (the biggest downside with WP out the box) but also with the search metrics allows us to see what content is working and also fine tune the results. > > We have a couple of strategies with search, first one being for SEO we build a knowledge base for clients, this is a custom post type so keeps this neat but the search metrics helps them work out what people want to know more about: > > For ecommerce sites we have a slightly different approach we apply a custom order value to products which groups products into best (best revenue, availability etc), then we display products by default in that order (not relevance). This means we push the products we want in front of customers – these are often not the most relevant based on search! This strategy works well with SearchWP. > > Synonyms are great for industry slang i.e. official name for a product is ‘Widget’ but trades people call it a ‘Noggin’. Also good if a company changes their name or is known by a shorter version. > > We also add a custom meta box (could use tags or something) to include competitor part numbers or SKUs, sometimes we don’t want these visible on the site within the content but want the search to trigger when they are typed. Improving your ecommerce conversion rate is one of the many reasons to use SearchWP to fix, refine, and fully utilize your on-site WordPress search. Alex and his team are taking advantage of SearchWP in a fantastic way, using [Metrics](https://searchwp.com/extensions/metrics/) to **observe how their customers interact with the site**, [synonyms](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/settings/#synonyms) to **ensure that results aren’t limited by industry jargon**, and intelligent utilization of [searching Custom Fields](https://searchwp.com/wordpress-search-custom-fields-meta-taxonomy-terms/) to **fine-tune search results**. With the holiday shopping seasons coming up, site owners who take their on-site search solution seriously will likely being seeing increased conversions as well! **Categories:** General **Tags:** conversion, ecommerce, metric, sales --- ### [Shortcodes 1.8.0 Released](https://searchwp.com/shortcodes-1-8-0-released/) **Published:** October 1, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Version 1.8.0 of Shortcodes has been released. There are three new Shortcodes available in this release! Full changelog: - **\[New\]** New Shortcode `searchwp_search_results_paginate_links` for paginated links - **\[New\]** New Shortcode `searchwp_search_result_image` for result Featured Image output - **\[New\]** New Shortcode `searchwp_search_result_permalink` for result permalink output - **\[Update\]** Updated updater **Categories:** Extensions --- ### [Version 4.0.3 of SearchWP Available](https://searchwp.com/version-4-0-3-of-searchwp-available/) **Published:** May 26, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** - **\[Fix\]** Issue where tokens table was not reset during index rebuild **Categories:** General --- ### [Coming in SearchWP 4.0: Custom Content Support! Proper Multisite Global Search!](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-4-custom-content-search-multisite-global-search/) **Published:** March 9, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** In continuing the trend of making information about SearchWP 4 available, there are a couple of major things to outline in this post: 1. Custom content support 2. Proper [Multisite](https://wordpress.org/support/article/glossary/#multisite) global search These two changes have been a very popular feature request leading up to the release of SearchWP 4, it’s very exciting to announce their availability! ## Custom content support SearchWP 3.x integrated only with content powered by WordPress’ `WP_Post` objects. This accounted for Posts, Pages, Media, and all registered Custom Post Types. This limitation was baked into the DNA of SearchWP itself, and the only way to work around it was to implement some sort of code solution to work around it. While satisfying the majority of use cases, there are many circumstances in which site data is stored in a custom database table and made available through other means when editing your WordPress site. Unfortunately this content was inaccessible to SearchWP for a variety of reasons. To circumvent the problem, some customers would mirror content to a ‘hidden’ Custom Post Type which SearchWP could work with. Other customers would dynamically pull in the content by using any number of SearchWP hooks. While these implementations got the job done in most cases, it was definitely a workaround. A major goal of SearchWP 4 was to remove this limitation, and that’s been done! SearchWP 4 can be set up to index *anything* with a local database table. This includes Posts, Pages, Media, and all registered Custom Post Types. It also includes [Users](https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_User)! Not only that, but **anything with a custom database table** can be indexed and made searchable by SearchWP 4 as well. This change has been made possible by the rewriting of the indexing process and search algorithm, and it will allow for integration with countless content setups within your WordPress installation. ### How does it work? SearchWP 4 has a concept of `Source`s, and each `Source` represents a content type that can be indexed/searched. In building out a `Source` a database table relationship is established, along with all attributes for that `Source` e.g. Title, Content, Slug, and anything else facilitated by the `Source`. More information will be made available in the documentation for SearchWP 4, but the overarching rule is that if your content is stored in a database table and it has a column that maintains a unique ID for each entry, SearchWP can work with it and all of its attributes! ## Proper Multisite global search Another often requested feature that was not supported prior to SearchWP 4 is a global [Multisite](https://wordpress.org/support/article/glossary/#multisite) search that can search and return entries from any number of sites within a WordPress network installation. **SearchWP 4 can search across Multisite installations!** When performing searches you will be able to specify which site(s) for which you would like results. SearchWP will handle retrieving those sites and returning them in such a way that minimizes the workload on your part. You’ll be able to mix and match searches across single or multiple sites in any way you’d like. This is a big change that many customers will welcome, and it’s thrilling to have the opportunity to make it available. A change like this was fundamentally related to the decision to make SearchWP 4 a complete rewrite, and one of the reasons that such an undertaking was worth the effort that has been put into it. ### Powerful new features These two new features coming in SearchWP 4 will make it an extremely powerful solution for on-site WordPress search. Additional information and documentation outlining the specifics of these changes will be made available leading up to the release of SearchWP 4. Stay tuned! **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Initial Performance Benchmark Data for SearchWP 4.0](https://searchwp.com/initial-performance-benchmark-data-for-searchwp-4-0/) **Published:** February 28, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Version 4.0 of SearchWP is getting closer and closer! ? In preparation of the release there are some exciting updates to share. In this post we’ll cover the initial performance benchmarks that have been run to date. SearchWP’s primary operations are *indexing* and *searching* so those are the two benchmarks discussed in this post. ### Index build times (in seconds, lower is better) The index, indexer, and indexing process have all been **completely rebuilt** in SearchWP 4.0. Based on the new data models in use the overall indexing speed has been *greatly* improved. **Note:** this data is based on an **initial index build**. SearchWP’s indexer applies very small delta updates to content changes over time. Take for example this benchmark with a site that has about **1,000** Posts and Pages that have content ranging from a few hundred words to a few thousand: For the same site with the same Engine configuration, the indexer in SearchWP 4.0 is running on average in about **36% of the time** it takes to run in SearchWP 3.x (about **2.7 times faster**)! The indexer running via WP CLI is even more impressive, taking only **20% of the time** it takes for SearchWP 3.x to build its version of the index. That’s about **5x faster!** ? Another benchmark to consider is that of a larger site with **10,000 entries** (again time is in seconds): Improving the speed of the indexer was a large focus when working on SearchWP 4.0, with the hope being that a faster index build process the faster your website is displaying the best possible search results. ## Search query times (in seconds, lower is better) Indexing is a significant part of what SearchWP does, but the most important part is returning the best search results quickly. SearchWP 3.x did a good job that, but there was however room for improvement both in query execution time and query complexity itself. Let’s examine some benchmark results when performing various searches on our site with **10,000** entries: *Note: SearchWP’s `AND` logic handling plays a part in decreased query time for increased term count.* Examining this results set we can observe a few things: 1. SearchWP 4.0 **performs search queries faster** than 3.x 2. Search query times are in many cases **at least 2x faster!** 3. Observable speed benefit increases as the number of search terms increases *Please note* that these benchmarks are *completely* dependent on source content and search terms. While the source content and search terms were identical for both test series, actual differences on customer sites will likely vary. ### There’s even more in 4.0! While searching and indexing are arguably the most important features of SearchWP (and both have been improved *significantly* in version 4.0) **there is even more to cover** as we approach the release date! Stay tuned for a few more overview posts outlining the latest and greatest coming to SearchWP 4.0 ? **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [SearchWP 4.0 is coming, and it's the biggest release ever!](https://searchwp.com/searchwp-4-0-is-coming/) **Published:** February 10, 2020 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP was first released in **August of 2013**. It’s come a long way since then! Not only has SearchWP itself as a product matured and grown, I’ve learned *a ton* since writing that first version. Without waxing poetic about things of the past, I’m very excited to be able to share some preliminary information about SearchWP 4.0 and why this release changes a number of things that will require your attention. This is the first post of many that will outline what’s new/changing in SearchWP (it’s a lot!) When first building SearchWP, the scope was limited in such a way that would have it work only with `WP_Post` objects, because it was during a time where the WordPress community at large was (mostly) against custom database tables and heavily in favor of “the WordPress way” being adoption and usage of existing APIs. It also made building the first version much easier. The WordPress world (myself included) has changed direction on that, and we’re all going to be better for it. That said: SearchWP 4.0 will ***NO LONGER*** be limited to `WP_Post`s! ? Note *Users* in this preview screenshot ? [![Screenshot of SearchWP 4.0](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-preview.png "SearchWP 4.0 preview - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-preview.png) With that, though, comes the biggest announcement: ## SearchWP 4.0 is a (full and complete) rewrite! To date, SearchWP has stood alongside the idea that backwards compatibility should never be broken. It’s one of the things WordPress has done really well, as have a number of fantastic WordPress products that the community holds near and dear to its heart. That is changing in SearchWP 4.0. **Please note:** SearchWP 3.x will continue to be supported *well* after SearchWP 4.0 becomes available, allowing ample time to upgrade when customers see fit. In order for SearchWP to support more content types than `WP_Post` (and without having to write/maintain Extensions that would mirror additional content types as `WP_Post` entries) it meant that (quite literally) every existing model would need to change. The database schema would need to be updated, the assumptions made by the code would need to change. Terminology would need to change. The indexer would need to change. Rewriting a code base is often frowned upon for a number of legitimate reasons, but if SearchWP is going to mature and get even better, a line had to be drawn in the sand. Committing to this rewrite means that as of version 4.0 **SearchWP is adopting SemVer.** [SemVer](https://semver.org/) is an intentional versioning approach that better communicates what’s happening with a project. To date it hasn’t been *super* popular in the WordPress world, but that tide is changing as well. If you aren’t familiar with SemVer, it means that major releases of SearchWP will include *breaking* changes. SearchWP 4.0 is the first of these releases. Because so much had to change in order to support what SearchWP 4.0 has to offer, the code has been *completely rewritten, without regard to backwards compatibility*. On purpose. There will be a partial upgrade process (e.g. existing engine configuration) but SearchWP’s index will need to be rebuilt when upgrading from SearchWP 3.x. It will also be possible to upgrade to SearchWP 4.0 without losing your existing settings/index in case you need to switch back for any reason. There will also be the option to clean up (remove) all traces of SearchWP 3.x once you are ready to finalize your upgrade. In subsequent posts more detail will be given regarding the upgrade process and details about SearchWP 3.x support/updates. ### Technical debt be gone With SearchWP being nearly seven years old, it had its fair share of technical debt. Moving to SemVer allowed all of that debt to be removed which has resulted in a much leaner and cleaner (and faster!) code base that can be iterated upon in a much more stable way than was possible with SearchWP 3.x. Further, the WordPress ecosystem has embraced modern PHP which means that **SearchWP 4.0 is going to require PHP7** at a minimum. This is good for everyone all around. ? Technical debt wasn’t limited only to the database schema and models used, it overflowed into front end code and just about everything SearchWP did. Being able to remove all of that and embrace how much both the back and front end has modernized in the past seven years is a big win. It also allows for new (and better!) features to be included. Take for example the updated Rules implementation in the screenshot above. SearchWP 3.x had some exclude/limiter Rules, but they were limited in and of themselves and a bit awkward to work with. SearchWP 4.0 rethinks both the implementation and UI resulting in something much more powerful: [![SearchWP 4.0 Rules Preview](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-rules-preview.gif "SearchWP 4.0 Rules Preview - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-rules-preview.gif) Much about the main interface in SearchWP 4.0 looks similar, but time was given to evaluating the existing workflow and optimizations have been made to ensure that setting up SearchWP is as easy and straightforward as possible. Managing which attributes are considered for each engine source (e.g. Posts, Pages, Users, etc) has also been updated and streamlined: [![SearchWP 4.0 Engine Source Attributes manager](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-attributes-manager.gif "SearchWP 4.0 Engine Source Attributes manager - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-4.0-attributes-manager.gif) There is **so much more** to talk about (including enhancements to the indexer and search algorithm itself ?) but hopefully this brief overview begins to outline how great SearchWP 4.0 is going to be. Stay tuned for additional updates outlining what to expect and when! **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Changes to Synonym handling in SearchWP 3.1](https://searchwp.com/changes-to-synonym-handling-in-searchwp-3-1/) **Published:** September 24, 2019 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Prior to version 3.1 of SearchWP (and also in Term Synonyms when it was a standalone Extension) Synonyms were handled differently than they are in version 3.1 and later. Previously, the implementation of Synonyms was a bit short sighted in that it assumed the source would be a single term. It turns out that there are many cases where the source should be multiple terms and handled accordingly. *SearchWP 3.1 has learned this.* Secondly, term replacement was too aggressive in the initial implementation, and replacements were made as each Synonym was processed. In some cases this resulted in a resulting search string that was far too limited and/or abstract to be useful any longer. *SearchWP 3.1 has learned from this.* Synonym processing in SearchWP 3.1 is much better for the end result. Multiple source terms now work as expected, and replacements are handled in such a way that aims to end up with the search string that will generate the best results for your visitors. You can ‘revert’ to the previous implementation of Synonym handling with the following hook: This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters. [Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters](https://github.co/hiddenchars) [ Show hidden characters ](%7B%7B%20revealButtonHref%20%7D%7D) [SearchWP Modal Search Form](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-modal-search-form/) The goal is to make on-site search for WordPress a great experience both for your site visitors and for developers building those sites. [Find out more about the extension on it’s page](https://searchwp.com/extensions/modal-form/), download it [on the Plugin page](https://wordpress.org/plugins/searchwp-modal-search-form/), or [check out the code on GitHub](https://github.com/jchristopher/searchwp-modal-search-form) ? **Categories:** Extensions --- ### [Metrics version 1.0.9 now available](https://searchwp.com/metrics-version-1-0-9-now-available/) **Published:** May 13, 2019 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP’s Metrics Extension has been updated to version 1.0.9 and is a recommended update for all Metrics users. Here is the full changelog: - **\[New\]** Added additional parameters `hits_min`, `hits_max` when retrieving popular search queries over time - **\[Fix\]** Relocates hooks to make them more accessible to plugins - **\[Fix\]** False positive when preventing duplicate click tracking **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [New Extension: Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/new-extension-custom-results-order/) **Published:** May 6, 2019 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** A new Extension has been released: [Custom Results Order](https://searchwp.com/extensions/custom-results-order/)! This extension was designed and built to help you manually curate results generated by SearchWP. [![SearchWP Custom Results Order in action!](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-cro-ex.gif "searchwp-cro-ex - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-cro-ex.gif) ## Why is it necessary? *If SearchWP was originally built to return the most relevant results, why is this Extension necessary at all?* SearchWP **does** return the most relevant results it can find, but those results are directly tied to SearchWP’s algorithm used to find those results in the first place. As with all algorithms, there are edge cases that go against the norm, and finding search results is no different. You are the most knowledgeable of your site content, and you know what your visitors are looking for. Using SearchWP’s [Metrics](https://searchwp.com/extensions/metrics/) you can gain insight not only into what your visitors are searching for, but **also which results they’re clicking**. There will be times that visitors are clicking results that don’t rank highest in the results set. You *could* manually edit the engine configuration to compensate, or stuff some keywords in your content, or even create a ‘hidden’ Custom Field to stuff keywords to get the overall rank higher. Those solutions can work, but Custom Results Order removes the burden of having to set up and manage some sort of undocumented system. It provides you with a single screen containing all of these customizations you have in place. ### Make your search even better I hope Custom Results Order helps you improve your on-site search to an even higher degree. It’s already in use on this site, making sure that customers can find the documentation they’re looking for! **Categories:** Announcements, Extensions **Tags:** custom, extension, order, results --- ### [Term Highlight 2.1.14 now available](https://searchwp.com/term-highlight-2-1-14-now-available/) **Published:** August 7, 2018 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Version 2.1.14 of Term Highlight has been made available to all active license holders. Full changelog: - **\[Fix\]** Fixes an issue where highlighting was applied when no search term was provided - **\[Fix\]** Restricts global excerpt generation according to applicable meta keys only - **\[Improvement\]** Better highlighting when terms are flanked with punctuation **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Related 1.1 now available](https://searchwp.com/related-1-1-now-available/) **Published:** August 7, 2018 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP’s Related extension has been updated to version 1.1. There is now a Widget available should you choose to take advantage of that, but please know that the Widget is for placement only, the template loader is still in full effect and responsible for display of the related entries. Full changelog: - **\[New\]** Adds Widget - **\[New\]** New hooks to control meta box placement `searchwp_related_meta_box_context` and `searchwp_related_meta_box_priority` **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Term Archive Priority 1.1.4 now available](https://searchwp.com/term-archive-priority-1-1-4-now-available/) **Published:** August 7, 2018 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Version 1.1.4 of Term Archive Priority has been made available to all active license holders. Full changelog: - **\[New\]** New filter `searchwp_term_archive_term_args` - **\[Improvement\]** Better support for Live Ajax Search searches - **\[Update\]** Updated updater **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Redirects 1.1 now available](https://searchwp.com/redirects-1-1-now-available/) **Published:** August 14, 2018 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** [Redirects](https://searchwp.com/extensions/redirects/) has been updated to version 1.1, it now sorts your redirects in alphabetical order after saving. This will make management of the Redirects themselves a bit easier. **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Metrics 1.0.3 Now Available](https://searchwp.com/metrics-1-0-3-now-available/) **Published:** September 4, 2018 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Version 1.0.3 of [Metrics](https://searchwp.com/extensions/metrics/) has been released. It is primarily a performance release and is recommended to all Metrics users. Full changelog: - **\[Improvement\]** Improves performance when generating Insights - **\[New\]** Settings button now has its own capability - **\[New\]** New filter `searchwp_metrics_capability_settings` to modify the Settings button capability Enjoy! **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** Metrics --- ### [Settings and Engine Configuration Updates in SearchWP 2.9](https://searchwp.com/settings-and-engine-configuration-updates-in-searchwp-2-9/) **Published:** December 8, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP 2.9 brings a completely revamped settings UI. The interface updates also afforded the ability to make optimizations in other areas as well. This article aims to outline what’s new! The settings UI continues on the premise that there is a Default search engine used for native WordPress searches. Along with the Default engine any number of supplemental engines can be created. All engines share the same configuration options, the only difference being that supplemental engines have a label so you can differentiate them. ### ? The Panic Button Updating to SearchWP 2.9 did **NOT** alter your settings or your index **Please note** that simply updating to SearchWP 2.9 has not made any changes to your existing settings nor has it altered your index in any way. The biggest change you’ll see is that your Weights look relatively “low” — because they are. There’s a new default weighting scale, and the old default weights were lower across the board than the new weights. You’re welcome to update your weights if you’d like but **you do not have to**! A hook as been implemented that allows you to revert back to the pre-2.9 settings UI. To use the legacy UI simply add this hook to your theme’s `functions.php` and reload the page: `add_filter( 'searchwp_legacy_settings_ui', '__return_true' );` You can also add this hook to prevent the engine rules from being applied to the index, which was also added in 2.9: `add_filter( 'searchwp_indexer_apply_engines_rules', '__return_false' );` **Note:** By nature, the legacy UI will be missing some of the other improvements made to SearchWP 2.9 ## Enabling Post Types There was some understandable confusion about the checkboxes over time, especially when it came to saving engines and subsequently making additional tweaks. When the settings screen reloaded, the top post type was given focus (as opposed to the post type you were working with prior to saving) which caused some headaches for customers. [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-settings-post-types.png "searchwp-settings-post-types - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-settings-post-types.png)Controls to add and remove post types from an engine Gone are checkboxes to enable/disable post types in favor of a new approach entirely: if a post type is listed within an engine configuration it will be included in results. If a post type is not listed within an engine configuration it will not be included in results. ## Sliders for Weights Another point of confusion over the past few years has been the numeric value for assigned Weights. To improve the experience of working with Weight adjustments, you can now simply interact with the available slider instead of having to enter in a numeric value. When sliding, a tooltip is shown to provide a bit more context: [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-settings-slider.png "searchwp-settings-slider - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-settings-slider.png)Using the Weight slider By default the maximum weight is 100, so if you haven’t customized your weights since installing SearchWP your sliders may all sit at the low end of the scale. **This is perfectly fine!** The underlying implementation of the weighting system is still exactly the same, so you can continue using your settings as-is. If you have customized your weights and have used a weight higher than 100, there is a new hook available to set the maximum weight for the sliders: [`searchwp_weight_max`](https://searchwp.com/docs/hooks/searchwp_weight_max/) ### Post type rules Each post type has a set of rules that allow you to refine both what is excluded from the index as well as what the index is limited to. Exclusions were always available in SearchWP but prior to version 2.9 the exclusions applied only to the search algorithm. This made management of engine settings more straightforward, but it also meant that the index *could* have content that did nothing but take up extra space. As of SearchWP 2.9 post type rules directly apply to the indexing process in addition to the search algorithm. This means that if you’re making use of post type rules your search results might have a free optimization waiting should you decide to rebuild your index. As the indexer runs, it checks the rules you have in place for all engines and indexes only the bare minimum so as to keep the index itself as lean as possible. That’s not all! Prior to SearchWP 2.9 you could only exclude content, but now you can also limit to content as well! [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-limit-to-1.gif "searchwp-limit-to - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-limit-to-1.gif)As of SearchWP 2.9 you can also limit to certain taxonomy terms These rules now apply to both the indexing process and the search algorithm. As a result, SearchWP will let you know when your index should be rebuilt so as to inherit the optimizations put in place by your engine(s) [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-rebuild.png "searchwp-rebuild - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-rebuild.png) Rebuilding the index now takes place in real time without leaving the settings screen, so you can keep your eye on it if you’d like! ? ### Other details All of the other underlying concepts of SearchWP remain the same in version 2.9 but the updates to the settings interface will hopefully squash any confusion when it comes to getting things *just right*. While there’s a lot to see in the new UI I hope the low level behind-the-scenes updates are a welcome addition too! **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [WooCommerce Integration 1.1.12 Now Available](https://searchwp.com/woocommerce-integration-1-1-12-now-available/) **Published:** April 21, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** WooCommerce Integration 1.1.12 has just been released and is a recommended update for all active license holders. This is a quick bugfix release that resolves an issue concerning WooCommerce Layered Navigation Widgets in WooCommerce 3.0. Full changelog: - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue that may have prevented proper results from showing when using WooCommerce Layered Navigation Widgets **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [New Pro Extension: Related](https://searchwp.com/new-pro-extension-related/) **Published:** April 28, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** A new Pro Extension has been released: [Related](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/). You can now use SearchWP to power a related content system on your site! SearchWP knows *a lot* about the content on your site. Showing visitors related content can help extend their stay by exposing entries related to the one currently on display. If you’re currently using another related content solution, this extension can also lighten the load on your server by reducing the overhead of maintaining a separate related content index, or running heavy database queries at runtime. Like SearchWP itself and its other extensions, Related was built with developers in mind. It’s as much a customizable system as it is a turnkey solution. By default Related doesn’t do anything, but you can opt in to having Related automatically append related entries (per post type) on its settings screen (accessed via the Extensions dropdown on the SearchWP settings screen): [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-related-settings.png "searchwp-related-settings - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-related-settings.png) Once that’s in place, Related will show up to 3 related entries to the current entry: [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2017-04-14-at-10.10.33-AM.png "Screen Shot 2017-04-14 at 10.10.33 AM - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Screen-Shot-2017-04-14-at-10.10.33-AM.png) [Related](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/) ships with an auto append default template designed to fit in well with your theme, but that’s not enough. There is a full [template loader](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/#template-loader) built in, allowing you to *easily* completely customize the look and feel of your related content. The template loader is great because it allows you to completely specify the markup and style used for your Related content without having to muck with hooks or dequeueing assets or behavior that’s getting in your way. If auto appending isn’t your style, you can [programmatically utilize Related](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/#programmatically) to find related content, and do what you want with it! It’s as easy as: This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters. [Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters](https://github.co/hiddenchars) [ Show hidden characters ](%7B%7B%20revealButtonHref%20%7D%7D) meta\_key, true ); $args = array( 's' => $keywords, // The stored keywords to use 'engine' => 'default', // the SearchWP engine to use 'posts\_per\_page' => 3, // how many entries to find ); // Retrieve Related content for the current post $related\_content = $searchwp\_related->get( $args ); // Returns an array of Post objects for you to loop through print\_r( $related\_content ); [view raw](https://gist.github.com/jchristopher/9ba71c22820361af0b0468e25c4ef527/raw/b57b70b8c24a17e2096fd5f3c231d7164f03727b/functions.php) [ functions.php ](https://gist.github.com/jchristopher/9ba71c22820361af0b0468e25c4ef527#file-functions-php) hosted with ❤ by [GitHub](https://github.com) The last bit of detail that comes to working with related content is specifying ***how*** that related content is found. SearchWP is a powerful, keyword based search index for your WordPress site. A keyword-based system for finding related content makes perfect sense. When editing entries on your site, you can easily define what keywords are used to find Related content: [![](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-related.gif "searchwp-related - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/searchwp-related.gif) By default, Related will build a fallback set of keywords to use based on the title of your entries. This saves you some time when first activating Related, so you don’t have to edit every single entry on your site to determine a keyword set to use. Keywords can be updated at any time. [Related](https://searchwp.com/extensions/related/) is a powerful related content solution, making use of SearchWP’s optimized index to find related content in real time without over-utilizing your server. Enjoy! **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** jetpack, posts, related, similar, yarpp --- ### [WP Job Manager Integration 1.5.8 Now Available](https://searchwp.com/wp-job-manager-integration-1-5-8-now-available/) **Published:** May 16, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP’s integration Extension for WP Job Manager has been updated to version 1.5.8. It brings an important compatibility update which is recommended for all SearchWP license holders. Full changelog: - **\[Fix\]** Compatibility fix for WP Job Manager - **\[Update\]** Updated updater **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [New Extension: Enable Media Replace Integration](https://searchwp.com/new-extension-enable-media-replace-integration/) **Published:** May 25, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** A new Extension has been released and is available to all active license holders: [Enable Media Replace Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/enable-media-replace-integration/) This Extension better integrates SearchWP’s indexing process with [Enable Media Replace](https://wordpress.org/plugins/enable-media-replace/) so as to ensure content in SearchWP’s index is kept up to date when Media is replaced. **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [New Extension: Manage Ignored](https://searchwp.com/new-extension-manage-ignored/) **Published:** May 25, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP allows you to ignore search queries when it comes to running Statistics. Use this tool to un-ignore accidentally ignored queries! Find out more about [SearchWP Manage Ignored](https://searchwp.com/extensions/manage-ignored/) **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [Live Ajax Search version 1.2.0 Now Available](https://searchwp.com/live-ajax-search-version-1-2-0-now-available/) **Published:** March 2, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP Live Ajax Search version 1.2.0 has been made available. This is primarily an organizational release but it also fixes a couple of small bugs. It’s a recommended update for all extension users and is available for everyone: Full changelog: - Reworked build process to be more straightforward - Support script debugging (props mgratch) - Remove form action requirement to better integrate with other code (props mgratch) - Fixed an issue that prevented search from firing when re-entered too fast (props pierrestoffe) **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [WPML Integration Updated to Version 1.4.0](https://searchwp.com/wpml-integration-updated-version-1-4-0/) **Published:** March 10, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP’s [WPML Integration extension](https://searchwp.com/extensions/wpml-integration/) has been updated to version 1.4.0. This update improves handling of translated taxonomies and is recommended for all SearchWP/WPML users. Full changelog: - **\[Improvement\]** Better support for translated taxonomy terms - **\[Update\]** Updated updater **Categories:** Announcements, Extensions --- ### [WooCommerce Integration 1.1.11 Now Available](https://searchwp.com/woocommerce-integration-1-1-11-now-available/) **Published:** March 30, 2017 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** [WooCommerce Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/woocommerce-integration/) has been updated to version 1.1.11 and is a recommended update for all active license holders. It’s a maintenance release that includes fixes for Product visibility settings and other small improvements. Full changelog: - **\[New\]** New filter `searchwp_woocommerce_forced` to force WooCommerce Integration to apply - **\[Improved\]** Better consideration of product visibility - **\[Improved\]** Better handling of redundant filter calls - **\[Update\]** Updated updater **Categories:** Announcements --- ### [New Extension: Co-Authors Plus Integration](https://searchwp.com/new-extension-co-authors-plus-integration/) **Published:** April 7, 2016 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** A new Extension has just been made available to all active license holders: [Co-Authors Plus Integration](https://searchwp.com/extensions/co-authors-plus-integration/) [Co-Authors Plus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/co-authors-plus/) is a plugin built and maintained by Automattic that allows you to define multiple Authors for your content. This extension will index and make searchable all multiple Authors. If you’re a fan of Co-Authors Plus and want to account for multiple Authors in your SearchWP-provided search results, this extension will get you up and running instantly. **Categories:** Extensions **Tags:** authors, co, Co-Authors Plus, display, email, multiple, name, nicename, username --- ### [Updates to purchase terms](https://searchwp.com/updates-to-purchase-terms/) **Published:** March 4, 2016 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** As of March 4, 2016 licenses will automatically renew As of March 4, 2016 there will be a slight change to the purchase terms for SearchWP. ## Automatic renewals for license keys To date, SearchWP licenses expire on an annual basis. Notifications are sent out leading up to the expiration date and customers are given the option to renew their license for another year at a discounted rate. An active license entitles customers to support, automatic updates, and extension downloads. Having to manually renew the license is a burden placed on SearchWP customers. **On March 4, new purchases of a SearchWP license will be enrolled in an auto-renewing subscription.** For customers who *do not wish to automatically renew their license* the subscription can be cancelled from your [Account](https://searchwp.com/account/) page at any time. EXISTING CUSTOMERS PLEASE REVIEW If you have a license that was purchased prior to March 4, 2016 please read the following: **Your existing license will not automatically renew unless you extend your license manually.** If you choose to renew your license, your subscription will begin today and you will be charged the renewal price today and license expiration date will then be pushed out one year from it’s original date. One year from today, you will be charged again based on your active subscription. Your license expiration will again be pushed out another year. This cycle will continue until you cancel your subscription. In other words: when you renew your license, you will be charged on the date dictated by your subscription, and your license date will be further pushed into the future. Even though these dates may not match, your license date will always extend further than your subscription, so if you do cancel your subscription, your license **will remain active** until it’s original expiration date, even though your subscription is inactive. **TL;DR:** Your subscription date will now be the date you are charged for SearchWP, not the license expiration date, but the license will remain active until it’s expiration even if you cancel your subscription. --- ### FAQ **Will existing license keys be made to automatically renew?** No. There will be no changes made to existing customers licenses. **Can I update my license to automatically renew?** Yes! To implement auto-renewal on your license simply visit your [Account](https://searchwp.com/account/) page and renew or extend your license. Once checkout is complete your license will automatically renew at the proper time. **What if I do not want a subscription?** You can cancel your subscription at any time after purchase. Once cancelled, your license key **will not** renew automatically and will expire at the proper date. Once expired you will no longer receive support, updates, or have access to extension downloads. You can manually renew your license at any time to reactivate your subscription. **I have more questions!** By all means please [contact me](https://searchwp.com/contact/). **Categories:** Announcements **Tags:** auto-renew, changes, expire, license, payment, renewal, terms, updates --- ### [Version 2.7.1 now available](https://searchwp.com/version-2-7-1-now-available/) **Published:** March 31, 2016 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** SearchWP version 2.7.1 is now available to all active license holders. This is a maintenance release that includes a number of bug fixes that will benefit all installations of SearchWP. Some underlying work has been done to the way stats are retrieved, it’s part of the groundwork being laid for an Advanced Metrics extension I’ve been thinking about. With this update comes a fix for inaccurate stats counts on the Dashboard Widget. If you have any ideas for features you’d like to see in an Advanced Metrics extension, I’d love to hear! \[gravityform id=”12″ title=”true” description=”false” ajax=”true”\] Another fix has been put in place that resolves an issue with multiple `SWP_Query`‘s on a single page. Full changelog: - **\[Fix\]** Cleaned up PHP Warning in `SWP_Query` - **\[Fix\]** Fixed positioning of Extensions dropdown, other minor style updates - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue with `SWP_Query` not resetting set hooks causing inaccurate results - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue where Alternate Indexer may report posts left to index when no post types are enabled - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue where `AND` logic pass was too restrictive in some circumstances - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue when limiting Media results to Images only throwing a PHP Warning - **\[Fix\]** Fixed an issue that caused some WP Admin notices to not display - **\[Improvement\]** Refactored some stats logic into `SearchWP_Stats` - **\[Update\]** Updated translation source **Categories:** General --- ### [Extensions now auto-update!](https://searchwp.com/extensions-now-auto-update/) **Published:** June 24, 2015 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Long time SearchWP customers are familiar with the limitation that while SearchWP itself offers automatic updates, Extensions don’t. This is unfortunate for a number of reasons as Extensions (like SearchWP core) receive periodic updates that include bug fixes and new features. Extension updates are admittedly sporadic, extensions are designed to be ultra-small modifications to the way SearchWP operates. But unless you’re in the habit of manually checking the extension page on [searchwp.com](https://searchwp.com) you wouldn’t know about the update being available. ## The times have changed! Over the past month or so all [Extensions](https://searchwp.com/extensions/) have been inheriting an improvement that was made to the licensing platform powering SearchWP’s licenses. Long story short: **all of your extensions can now receive automatic updates!** **NOTE:** Extensions simply *utilize your SearchWP license*, there is no need (and nowhere) to enter in an additional license key! With this change comes an improvement to the extensions pages themselves. In addition to the download link, docs, and other information, the current version and changelog are displayed as well. This should help you determine whether you need to update to an auto-updating update of your extension (haha!) So be sure to check out the new [Extensions](https://searchwp.com/extensions/) pages and update any that need updating! **Categories:** Announcements, Extensions, General --- ### [Deprecated support forums fully decommissioned](https://searchwp.com/forums-fully-decommissioned/) **Published:** January 11, 2015 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** As per the notice from a few months ago, the (old) support forums have been **fully decommissioned**. While they served a purpose for a while, the data rot was excessive and often provided more confusion than it did help. It also asked a lot of SearchWP customers such that in order to find an answer for your question you needed to follow the forum thread (which was sometimes a rabbit trail) to find the answer. I don’t feel that was doing customers the best service possible, so the forums have been removed and the support system moved to the in-plugin ticket system you see today. Requests to removed URLs are being recorded and every effort will be made to create [Knowledge Base](https://searchwp.com/docs/kb/ "Knowledge Base") articles for often-requested support threads with comprehensive, up-to-date information. Thank you! **Categories:** Announcements, General --- ### [Pricing Update: Effective October 1, 2014](https://searchwp.com/pricing-update/) **Published:** August 31, 2014 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Existing licenses will be grandfathered SearchWP debuted in August 2013 and since then has grown quite a bit. Customer feedback has been terrific and contributed in a significant way to the refinements put in place and features added over the past year. The plugin itself has matured a ton and I’m quite happy with the progress as well. Now that SearchWP as (more-or-less) proven itself as something that will continue to undergo additional refinement, iteration, and improvement, it’s time to shift gears slightly. SearchWP as a ‘platform’ has grown to a place I’m happy with. I will continue to make adjustments to the indexer and search algorithm but I also have had some feature requests that have piqued my interest but at the same time will require significant effort to make a reality. I want to continue putting effort into the code itself, but do not want that to adversely affect customer support. SearchWP is new enough that recruiting additional help for customer support would be a lengthy process with a steep learning curve. With the code only being available for about a year it’s tough to expect that someone other than me has the necessary knowledge to effectively provide support, so until that time comes I will continue with the existing level of customer support being an extremely high priority. ## Pricing update as of October 1, 2014 Effective October 1, 2014 there will be a pricing update for SearchWP licenses. This update will not affect existing customer licenses, only licenses purchased October 1, 2014 forward. Renewal costs for licenses purchased before October 1, 2014 have been grandfathered to their original cost as outlined during purchase at that time. The new pricing structure is as follows: \[av\_table purpose=’tabular’ caption=’Pricing chart as of October 1, 2014′ responsive\_styling=’avia\_responsive\_table’\] \[av\_row row\_style=’avia-heading-row’\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]Single\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]Business\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]Developer\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=”\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Supported installations\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]5\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]**Unlimited**\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=”\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Renewal discount\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]40%\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]40%\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]40%\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=”\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Support duration\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=”\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Automatic Updates\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]1 year\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=”\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Extensions\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]All\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]All\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]All\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[av\_row row\_style=’avia-pricing-row’\]\[av\_cell col\_style=’avia-desc-col’\]Price\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]$49\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]$129\[/av\_cell\]\[av\_cell col\_style=”\]$249\[/av\_cell\]\[/av\_row\] \[/av\_table\] Things to note: - Existing license costs will be grandfathered (e.g. renewal discounts based on the original price) - The *Single Site* license price will increase from $29 to **$49** - The *Business* license price will increase from $99 to **$129** - The *Developer* license price will remain the same at $249, but the 20 site limit has been lifted - License renewal discounts will increase to 40% off - All licenses will continue to be active for 1 calendar year from the purchase date - All extensions will continue to be available to all active license holders at no additional cost I hope the details of this update have been made clear, but if anyone has any questions please feel free to [contact me](https://searchwp.com/contact/). Thank you all to all of the existing SearchWP customers, I appreciate every bit of feedback I’ve received, and the improvements made to the plugin over the past 12 months are thanks to all of you. I’m really excited to see where SearchWP is after another year! **Categories:** General --- ### [Updates to SearchWP Support](https://searchwp.com/updates-searchwp-support/) **Published:** September 29, 2014 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** For the first year of it’s life SearchWP’s support process was based on a customer-only forum powered by [bbPress](https://bbpress.org/). I really like bbPress as a support platform, and since it fits in with WordPress so well, it wasn’t difficult to ensure that only active SearchWP license holders (powered by [Easy Digital Downloads’ Software Licensing](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/extensions/software-licensing/)) were able to post. However this process will be changing: Support will no longer be forum based and is moving inside SearchWP itself, within your WordPress install As of today with the release of SearchWP version 2.4.5, the support forum is officially deprecated in favor of in-plugin support tickets. The forum will be left online through the end of 2014 after which it will be removed completely. The existing Forums, Topics, and Replies will be left in a read-only state until the new year. This will allow existing customers to retrieve any information from existing threads before removal. ## Why the change? In my opinion one of the best byproducts of using a forum for support is that it creates a living documentation system. As I’ve found over the past year this is also for my laziness; it gave me an excuse to neglect updating my documentation. Documentation is supremely important to me and while forum posts can be helpful they will never beat purpose-written documentation. The other main issue I took with using a forum to power support also correlates to it being public: information rot. SearchWP is over a year old now and the bulk of the forum threads revolve around issues that have long since been closed and/or improved upon. Knowing customers had to sift through this old data was a problem, and I don’t have the bandwidth to curate thousands of posts in perpetuity. These two reasons have been building over the past few months, so starting with version 2.4.5 support will no longer be offered via public forum. There was always another bit that I had on my mind sine day one: some customers simply aren’t comfortable posting their questions in a publicly visible way. Sure you can obscure your identity by changing your display name and only making private posts, but a few customers over the past year have expressed their concern about that. ## How will customers receive support? The support process is now baked right into SearchWP and available in your WordPress administration area. When viewing the SearchWP settings, you’ll see a new *Support* button. ![2014-09-28 at 8.43 PM](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/2014-09-28-at-8.43-PM.png "2014-09-28 at 8.43 PM - SearchWP") Clicking *Support* will invoke the support process. As was established in the forum, receiving support begins by searching SearchWP’s existing documentation. Begin by describing your issue using effective keywords: ![02-new-ticket](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/02-new-ticket.png "02-new-ticket - SearchWP") After searching you will be shown links to relevant documentation: ![03-search-results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/03-search-results.png "03-search-results - SearchWP") If none of the documentation helps you can easily open a new support ticket: ![04-create-ticket](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/04-create-ticket.png "04-create-ticket - SearchWP") Once you have described the issue you’re having, your support ticket will be created and all correspondence will occur via email. ## What powers the new system? If you’re interested in the technical details behind the new support system, I’m right there with you. I love reading about implementations like these and would be happy to share more details. The backbone of the new system is email, and it’s made awesome by [HelpScout](http://www.helpscout.net/). Email has a *super* low barrier to entry which is important to me. A few SearchWP customers were confused by the support process when using a forum, and I feel I had a blind eye toward that simply because I was familiar with bbPress and really like using it. Email gets around ‘another system to use’ for many customers. SearchWP’s site platform is powered by [Easy Digital Downloads](http://easydigitaldownloads.com/) and licenses are powered by [EDD’s Software Licensing](https://easydigitaldownloads.com/extensions/software-licensing/). Integrating this data with HelpScout was made easy thanks to [Danny van Kooten](https://twitter.com/dannyvankooten)‘s [`edd-helpscout`](https://github.com/dannyvankooten/edd-helpscout). This pulls license information in with each HelpScout ticket; awesome. This update to support was to lower the barrier to entry for customers needing support. I based this implementation off the idea of wanting to initiate the support process right within the WordPress administration area. There are a few ways to go about implementing such a feature, but I wanted to make sure I avoided as much of the initial back-and-forth that sometimes comes up when providing support. My goals were: 1. Validate the submission against an active license 2. Make sure customers are able to help themselves by easily searching existing documentation prior to needing a support ticket 3. Pass along helpful information that might help me answer the support question Since the ticket creation process starts in the customer’s WordPress install, I have direct access to the status of the SearchWP license. Primary goal accomplished. The next thing to think about was actually integrating the ticket creation process, which involved forms and data processing. I didn’t want to increase the complexity of SearchWP’s code base for the sake of support tickets, so I decided to facilitate everything via Gravity Forms through an IFRAME. [Brady Vercher](https://twitter.com/bradyvercher)‘s [`gravity-forms-iframe`](https://github.com/bradyvercher/gravity-forms-iframe) made this painless. With that plugin I can simply set up the entire ticket workflow outside the WordPress install, and Gravity Forms can do all of the heavy lifting. It wasn’t as straightforward as that though. Although I give a very high priority to customer support, I want to do as little of it as possible. That’s why I want to continue iterating and improving upon SearchWP’s documentation. Searching the documentation prefaces support ticket creation as it did when support ran through bbPress, but it’s even more straightforward now. Since ticket creation is happening in an IFRAME I have complete control over it and was able to quickly set up a workflow that first guides customers through searching the documentation, and if no existing information proves to be useful a ticket can be created right there. [`gravity-forms-iframe`](https://github.com/bradyvercher/gravity-forms-iframe) works in such a way that I was able to integrate this workflow very easily and make the process quite seamless. The final benefit to baking in support ensures that the support request is originating from a site with an active license. Further it allows me to pass along pertinent information about common support issues such as problematic hosting environments or improperly built themes that interfere with SearchWP’s functionality. When customers need to create tickets in a support forum the only way for me to get this information was to ask which not only takes time it also requires a close look at their server environment, their theme files, or both. That friction is all but removed using this new system. ### Questions or concerns? If you have any questions at all about the new system by all means feel free to [send an email](https://searchwp.com/contact/) or [ping on Twitter](https://twitter.com/searchwp/). I feel that this change in handling support is going to improve things across the board in many ways. Help Scout is a terrific platform, the way they’ve implemented the process of handling support over email is really impressive to me. Compound that usefulness by being able to fall back to my email client both on my computer and my phone and the extra friction of needing to be logged in to a forum is going to be a welcome change. More importantly, I hope that customers appreciate the change. I think they will. **Categories:** Announcements, General --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://searchwp.com/) **Published:** January 3, 2014 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** # The #1 WordPress Search Plugin ## Create a Better and More Personalized WordPress Search Experience WordPress search can’t find much. SearchWP helps fix that. Add a lightning-fast search that finds everything on your site. Trusted by 50,000+ website owners. - ![Customizable Algorithm Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp11-customizable-algorithm.svg)Customizable Algorithm - ![Live Ajax Instant Search Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp12-live-ajax-instant-search.svg)Live Ajax Instant Search - ![Optimized eCommerce Search Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp13-optimized-ecommerce-search.svg)Optimized eCommerce Search - ![Custom Search Rankings Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp14-custom-search-rankings.svg)Custom Search Rankings - ![Custom Fields Support Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp15-custom-fields-support.svg)Custom Fields Support - ![PDF Search Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp16-pdf-search.svg)PDF Search - ![Search Analytics Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp17-search-analytics.svg)Search Analytics [Get SearchWP Now](/buy/) - ![Badge Dollar Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp21-badge-dollar.svg)**14-day**Money Back Guarantee - ![wpbeginner Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp23-wpbeginner.svg)***wpbeginner*** VERIFIED![Verified Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp24-verified.svg) - ![User Shield Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp22-user-shield.svg)**Privacy** Compliant ![SearchWP Admin Page](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp31-hero-img.webp)![SearchWP Admin Page](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp32-search-example.gif) ## **Finally, a WordPress Search Plugin that’s both Easy and Powerful** SearchWP makes creating your own smart WordPress website search quick and easy. Here are the user-friendly features that make SearchWP the best WordPress search plugin on the market. ![Smart Search Algorithm icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp41-feature1.svg)### Smart Search Algorithm Customize your WordPress search algorithm and let it auto-improve based on user behavior. ![Custom Results Order icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp42-feature2.svg)### Custom Results Order Prioritize and order your search results by keyword to ensure your best content stands out for visitors. ![Actionable Search Insights icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp43-feature3.svg)### Actionable Search Insights No guesswork. Use detailed search analytics to make data-driven improvements to your site content. ![Optimized Search Templates icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp44-feature4.svg)### Optimized Search Templates Pre-made WordPress search templates that match your brand and are optimized for conversions. ![Instant AJAX Search icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp45-feature5.svg)### Instant AJAX Search Add your own live search drop-down and instantly show relevant results as visitors type. ![Better E-commerce Search icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp46-feature6.svg)### Better E-commerce Search Never miss a sale by indexing all products and details. Works with WooCommerce, EDD, and more. ![Custom Content Indexing icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp47-feature7.svg)### Custom Content Indexing Optimize search results by adding custom fields, post types, database tables, PDF docs, media, and more. ![WordPress Multisite Search icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp48-feature8.svg)### WordPress Multisite Search Customize your WordPress search to index and display content from Multisite installs and all sub-sites. ![Advanced Search Controls icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp49-feature9.svg)### Advanced Search Controls Level up your search with keyword stemming, Boolean search, smart redirects, exclusions, and more. [Get SearchWP Now](/pricing/) [See all Features](/features/) ### Easy, powerful, all as promised “The plugin works exactly as promised. Any questions or issues I had were quickly responded to and had a fairly complex site up and running in hours.” Craig H. Verified user ### Great Product – Intuitive Usage “I like SearchWP because its intuitive to use. It has simple straight forward settings. Its fast and it works. The results are great, and I also recognize that other value-add plugins are integrating with SearchWP. I have received great support.” Michael G. Verified user ### Great plugin “SearchWP delivers the search experience WordPress should out of the box. The way it combs through Advanced Custom Fields (ACF) is class leading. It’s an excellent product and a terrific value.” John S. Verified user ### SearchWP Adds Power as Well as Control “With SearchWP you can tweak your search results so you can better target the needs of your site visitors. You have the power to expand your search into custom fields, target specific areas of your site such as taxonomies, post types, and on and on.” Steven H. Verified user ### Incredible search features! Fantastic customer care! “We have a fairly complex network of sites. SearchWP is able to give us all the features we need. Works with Multisite, allows for multiple indexes, works with FacetWP, provides us granular control of results. In addition–fantastic customer service!” Dan B. Verified user ### Best Search Plugin “We were having trouble finding documents on our site when using the search feature. So I looked at a lot of search plugins but nothing topped SearchWP. We are now able to find everything on our site through the search feature. Amazing WP plugin!” Brock S. Verified user ### Incredible support and very useful features “I love this plugin and i love the custom and personal support including custom code that I’ve received” Michael O. Verified user ### Search WP Accurately Searches my Shop Products! “My developer recommended this plugin as I quickly found out that WooCommerce was not properly finding products when I would put in a search term! I took him up on his recommendation and haven’t looked back! This is a great plugin! Love it!!” Kathy S. Verified user ### Many opportunities and excellent customer support “Great plugin! I implemented a bulk product search option for my wholesale platform. I was supported very quickly by the SearchWP team, and we met our complex goals. Recommended!” SIA K. Verified user ## Top 7 reasons why 50,000+ users ![Heart icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp51-heart.svg) SearchWP SearchWP is the perfect WordPress search plugin for YOU. Here’s why thousands of website owners, designers, and developers love SearchWP, and you will too! ![WordPress Search Form](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp51-reason01.webp)WordPress Search Form ### Build Custom Search Forms in Minutes SearchWP makes it quick and easy to design beautiful and functional WordPress search forms, without coding. Effortlessly create custom search forms, live Ajax forms, and search modals. You can also easily set up multiple search engines for different areas of your website. - Quick Form Building - Live Ajax Forms - Search Modals ![Optimized WordPress Search Results](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp52-reason2.webp)Optimized WordPress Search Results ### Achieve Better Search Results Instantly SearchWP immediately improves your default WordPress search functionality to deliver superior results with minimal setup. With just a few clicks, you can reorder priority search results to ensure the most relevant content appears first for your visitors. - Custom Search Algorithm - Enhanced Accuracy - Priority Result Reordering ![Advanced Search Algorithms](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp53-reason3.webp)Advanced Search Algorithms ### **Your WordPress Search Algorithm with Drag & Drop** SearchWP algorithm learns from user behavior to automatically prioritize frequently clicked results and popular search terms to improve the search experience. You can further customize content weighting, include or exclude specific items, and more to deliver better search results. - Weight Control - Behavior Learning - Automatic Optimization ![Comprehensive Site Search](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp54-reason4.webp)Comprehensive Site Search ### Search Everything By Relevance, Including Documents Unlike default WordPress search, SearchWP can index custom fields, PDF documents, media files, custom post types, custom database tables, and more. This allows you to deliver a more comprehensive WordPress search experience including the ability to create custom search forms for different use-cases. ![Better E-commerce Search](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp55-reason5.webp)WordPress Ecommerce Search ### **Improve Ecommerce Search Results** While other search plugins ignore important product details, SearchWP makes everything searchable. Including product attributes and taxonomies from plugins like WooCommerce, Easy Digital Downloads, and BigCommerce. Ensure no products are hidden and watch your sales skyrocket. - Product Detail Search - Attribute Inclusion - Seamless Ecommerce Integrations ![Actionable Search Insights](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp56-reason6.webp)WordPress Search Analytics ### **Gain Insights into Visitor Behavior** Get actionable insights into what your visitors are searching for to further refine your content strategy and make data-driven decisions. Identify popular search terms, top search clicks, and interest insights to uncover content gaps and meet your audience’s needs. - Top Search Terms - Popular Clicks - Content Gaps ![](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp57-reason7.webp)**WordPress Search Integrations** ### Enhance Functionality Across Platforms Customize and improve your WordPress search experience by integrating with ACF, Meta Box, WooCommerce, Gravity Forms, and many other WordPress plugins and themes. Index forums, custom plugins, eCommerce products, and even multilingual content to show visitors what they are searching for. ## Tutorials from Our Blog Check out our blog for insider tips & tricks on how to setup search in WordPress. - [![How to search SKU in WooCommerce](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-search-sku-in-woocommerce-1030x515.png "How to search SKU in WooCommerce - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/) [How To Search By SKU In WooCommerce (Easily)](https://searchwp.com/how-to-search-by-sku-in-woocommerce/) - [![How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search - thumbnail](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/Include-Shortcode-Results-in-WordPress-thumbnail-1030x515.png "Include Shortcode Results in WordPress - thumbnail - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/) [How To Include Shortcode Results In WordPress Search](https://searchwp.com/how-to-include-shortcode-results-in-wordpress-search/) - [![How to set up WordPress settings for best results](https://searchwp.com/wp-content/uploads/how-to-setup-wordpress-settings-for-best-results-1-1030x515.png "How to set up WordPress settings for best results - SearchWP")](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/) [How to Set Up WordPress Search Settings for Best Results](https://searchwp.com/how-to-set-up-wordpress-search-settings-for-best-results/) ## **Level Up Your WordPress Website Search** Transform your website search experience today with the leading WordPress search plugin. SearchWP is trusted by 50,000+ websites. [Get SearchWP Now](/buy/) ![SearchWP Dashboard](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp71-cta.webp) ## Frequently Asked Questions Do you have a question about SearchWP? See the list below for our most frequently asked questions. If your question is not listed here, then please contact us. Can I Upgrade my License? Yes, you may upgrade your license at any time. Simply click the link in your Account area to Upgrade and pay the difference in cost. This **does not constitute a renewal**, so your license will expire on the same date. What are the Requirements for SearchWP? SearchWP is a WordPress plugin. You need to be running a version of WordPress that is within one minor release of the current release (e.g. if 5.4 is available, 5.3+ is supported). SearchWP inherits the same [requirements of WordPress](https://wordpress.org/about/requirements/). Does SearchWP work on WordPress.com? No it does not. SearchWP is a plugin for self-hosted WordPress(.org) installs. Are Search Results Highlighted? Yes, SearchWP can highlight search terms in results and generate excerpts surrounding highlights automatically. [More info](https://searchwp.com/documentation/setup/advanced/) Does SearchWP Index Author Details? Not by default, no. You can however teach SearchWP to [index any content you would like](https://searchwp.com/documentation/knowledge-base/adding-extra-data-to-indexed-entries/) (including Author information) ## We’ll help you get started Browse our comprehensive resources and contact our expert support team to find everything you need to succeed with SearchWP. ![Document Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp81-documentation.svg)### Documentation Discover detailed guides and documentation to help you navigate every feature of SearchWP. [All Documentation](/documentation/) ![School Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp82-knowledge-base.svg)### Knowledge Base Access a wealth of tutorials and articles to answer common questions and help you maximize your SearchWP experience. [Go to Tutorials](/documentation/knowledge-base/) ![Support Agent Icon](/wp-content/themes/searchwp/assets/img/hp83-support.svg)### Support Connect with our friendly support team for personalized assistance with any issues or questions. [Talk with an Expert](/support/) --- ### [Black Friday Unsubscribe](https://searchwp.com/no-bf/) **Published:** November 4, 2021 **Author:** Pavlo **Content:** You have been unsubscribed from our Black Friday 2021 emails. \[wpcode id=”487995″\] --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://searchwp.com/privacy-policy/) **Published:** September 10, 2014 **Author:** Jonathan Christopher (main) **Content:** Your privacy is very important to us. At SearchWP we have a few fundamental principles that we follow: - We don’t ask you for personal information unless we truly need it. (We can’t stand services that ask you for things like your gender or income level for no apparent reason.) - We don’t share your personal information with anyone except to comply with the law, develop our products, or protect our rights. - We don’t store personal information on our servers unless required for the on-going operation of our site. SearchWP LLC (“SearchWP”) operates several websites including SearchWP.com. It is SearchWP’s policy to respect your privacy regarding any information we may collect while operating our websites. **Website Visitors** Like most website operators, SearchWP collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. SearchWP’s purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how SearchWP’s visitors use its website. From time to time, SearchWP may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website. SearchWP also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses for logged in users and for users leaving comments on our blogs. SearchWP only discloses logged in user and commenter IP addresses under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information as described below, except that blog commenter IP addresses are visible and disclosed to the administrators of the blog where the comment was left. **Gathering of Personally-Identifying Information** Certain visitors to SearchWP’s websites choose to interact with SearchWP in ways that require SearchWP to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that SearchWP gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who comment on our blog to provide a username and email address. Those who wish to receive SearchWP updates via email, we collect their emails. In each case, SearchWP collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with SearchWP. SearchWP does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities. **Aggregated Statistics** SearchWP may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its websites. For instance, SearchWP may monitor the most popular pages on the SearchWP.com site or use spam screened by the Akismet service to help identify spam. SearchWP may display this information publicly or provide it to others. However, SearchWP does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. **Protection of Certain Personally-Identifying Information** SearchWP discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on SearchWP’s behalf or to provide services available at SearchWP’s websites, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using SearchWP’s websites, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. SearchWP will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors and affiliated organizations, as described above, SearchWP discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only in response to a subpoena, court order or other governmental request, or when SearchWP believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of SearchWP, third parties or the public at large. If you are a registered user of an SearchWP website and have supplied your email address, SearchWP may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what’s going on with SearchWP and our products. We primarily use our various product blogs to communicate this type of information, so we expect to keep this type of email to a minimum. If you send us a request (for example via a support email or via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish it in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users. SearchWP takes all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration or destruction of potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information. **Cookies** A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. SearchWP uses cookies to help SearchWP identify and track visitors, their usage of SearchWP website, and their website access preferences. SearchWP visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using SearchWP’s websites, with the drawback that certain features of SearchWP’s websites may not function properly without the aid of cookies. **Usage Tracking** SearchWP may collect certain information through usage tracking. The purpose of usage tracking helps SearchWP to better understand our users and their website needs by looking at a range of variables in their SearchWP plugin, WordPress, and web host. This information allows us to continuously improve our product as well as our Q&A / testing process. 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Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change. *Last updated: May 8, 2026* --- ### [Custom WP_Query](https://searchwp.com/documentation/wpfilters/custom-wp_query/) **Published:** May 8, 2026 **Author:** Karan Jain **Content:** WPFilters is designed to work with WordPress’s main query on standard archive pages, category pages, and blog home pages. However, when you create a custom page template with your own WP\_Query, the posts you want to filter come from your custom query rather than WordPress’s main query (which represents the page itself). To make WPFilters work with a custom WP\_Query, you need to mark the query with a special flag and use specific HTML markup. This tells WPFilters to apply filtering logic to your custom query and allows the frontend JavaScript to update the correct parts of the page when users interact with filters. ## Required Setup ### Query Flag You must add ‘wpfilters’ => true to your WP\_Query arguments. This marks the query so WPFilters applies its filtering logic, reads filter parameters from the URL, calculates which post IDs match the selected filters, and updates the query accordingly. Without this flag, WPFilters treats your query as a regular unfiltered query and ignores it completely. **Note**: Do not use ‘suppress\_filters’ => true in your query arguments. WPFilters treats suppressed queries the same way WordPress treats get\_posts() calls and skips them entirely. Your query must allow filters to run for WPFilters to work properly. ### Required HTML Markup WPFilters relies on specific CSS classes and HTML structure so the frontend JavaScript can locate and update the correct page elements during AJAX filtering: **Results Wrapper:** Your post loop output must be wrapped in an element with the class wpfilters-results. After a filter AJAX request, WPFilters replaces the content inside this wrapper with the filtered results. **Pagination Wrapper:** Your pagination links should be wrapped in an element with the class wpfilters-pagination. This allows the JavaScript to find and update pagination after filtering. Without these wrapper classes, the AJAX updates may fail or target the wrong page elements, causing the filter interface to malfunction. ## Example Template The following example shows a complete custom page template that works with WPFilters. This template is designed for classic WordPress themes that use get\_header() and get\_footer(), such as Twenty Twenty or custom child themes. This file contains hidden or bidirectional Unicode text that may be interpreted or compiled differently than what appears below. To review, open the file in an editor that reveals hidden Unicode characters. [Learn more about bidirectional Unicode characters](https://github.co/hiddenchars) [ Show hidden characters ](%7B%7B%20revealButtonHref%20%7D%7D)
array( 'post', 'page' ), 'post\_status' => 'publish', 'posts\_per\_page' => 10, 'paged' => $paged, 'orderby' => 'title', 'order' => 'ASC', 'wpfilters' => true, ); $query = new WP\_Query( $args ); ?> have\_posts() ) : ?>
have\_posts() ) : $query->the\_post(); ?>

[view raw](https://gist.github.com/searchwpgists/b1d87b0b47050b0313b9f5de59aced26/raw/ca29ca3087f5b872b84be6fdfc1592d9a07567a1/page-wpfilters.php) [ page-wpfilters.php ](https://gist.github.com/searchwpgists/b1d87b0b47050b0313b9f5de59aced26#file-page-wpfilters-php) hosted with ❤ by [GitHub](https://github.com) ## How the Template Works ### The wpfilters Query Flag The ‘wpfilters’ => true argument in the WP\_Query marks this query for WPFilters processing. When this flag is present, WPFilters applies its filtering logic by reading filter parameters from the URL, calculating which post IDs match the selected filters, and (during AJAX requests) setting post\_\_in to display only the matching posts. ### Results Wrapper The
element wraps the entire post loop output. This wrapper is critical because the frontend JavaScript looks for this class to find where to inject filtered results. After a filter AJAX request completes, WPFilters replaces the content inside this wrapper with the new filtered posts. For consistency, even the “no posts found” message is wrapped in an element with the wpfilters-results class. This ensures a stable target element exists whether posts are found or not. ### Pagination Wrapper The