Your website requires a search function to assist visitors in quickly identifying material that is relevant to their searches. However, the standard is set high for searching, as most of us make internet searches daily and expect a familiar and seamless experience.
A site with a bad search experience will drive people away from your site, reduce traffic, and lower your ranking on Google, the ultimate search engine.
Although WordPress comes with a default WordPress search feature, it is limited in scope. While it may work for just some sites, many WordPress administrators look for solutions to this sluggish and limited native functionality. Fortunately, WordPress plugins are here to assist!
Here’s a list of the top 10 WordPress plugins for improving your site’s search capabilities. Any of these choices will take your search above and beyond the regular WordPress search, eliminating friction and allowing you to reach more people with the correct content in less time.
The Best WordPress Search Plugins for Better Site Search
1. SearchWP – No. 1 Plugin, Easy To Use
The most incredible WordPress search plugin on the market is SearchWP. It’s simple to use and provides accurate search results quickly.
Search phrases in article or site names, text, keywords, topics, tags, taxonomies, extracts, and even comments are readily found. You may also influence the search algorithm by assigning weights to different content kinds ranging from 1 (most minor) to 10 (most).
The plugin automatically scans your material and replaces WordPress’s default search feature when you enable it. It also works with common WordPress themes, custom themes, and WordPress page builders without code.
Features:
- Remove items from search results with simplicity, or assign discoveries to more beneficial results
- Track of visitor searches to figure out what they’re looking for
- Easy Digital Downloads and bbPress are both easily integrated
- Integration with WooCommerce to improve product detail search
Pricing: The price for SearchWP starts from $99 per year.
2. ElasticPress – Speedy, Intelligent Search For WordPress
ElasticPress is hosting a WordPress search solution based on ElasticSearch.It searches on the cloud rather than your website, resulting in lightning-fast search results.
This WordPress searching tool is simple to use and browse. It works with the best WordPress hosting providers and interacts with any WordPress website.
ElasticPress also employs live Ajax search, which displays results as users type. Furthermore, it integrates smoothly with WooCommerce items, allowing consumers to quickly find the things they’re looking for.
Features:
- With the Custom Results editor, you can customize top search phrases to retrieve popular content or goods
- To link your website to ElasticPress without coding, use the accessible WordPress plugin
- To keep people interested, utilize the Related Posts module to provide relevant material
- Users can see auto-suggest results as they type
- Users can use the Facets feature to refine their query results.
Pricing: The price for this plugin is $79 per month for the lowest pack.
3. WP Google Search – Free WordPress Search Plugin
WP Google Search is a WordPress searching plugin that uses Google Custom Search instead of the standard WordPress search function. This is a simple plugin to set up and requires no technical knowledge.
First, you must set up a Google Custom Search for the page. After that, all you have to do is copy and paste the search engine ID into the options menu. There’s also the option of using a shortcode to insert the search form.
In addition, WP Google Search is a WordPress searching plugin that allows you to show your Google Custom Search results in your sidebar or another widget-ready area.
Features:
- Define whether people may search your website or the whole internet
- Add several Google Custom Search forms to your website or a group of websites with ease
- Show query results in a lightbox popup window as an option
- Customize the style and feel of your search type on the Google Custom Search Engine user page
Pricing: WP Google Search is a free WordPress plugin found in the plugin repository.
4. Ivory Search – Replaces The Default Search Feature In WordPress
Ivory Search is a WordPress searching tool which can serve as an alternative to WordPress’s default search feature. This plugin allows you to build several search forms and customize the search options for each one. It means you may include specific search boxes with better-personalized results.
Forms may be displayed in various places, including the headline, bottom, widget sections, and more. However, your existing WordPress theme mainly determines the appearance of your search form.
If you contact the Ivory Search support team, the best part is that they will be happy to style it for you.
Features:
- With the live WordPress customizer, you can personalize your search form
- Use Ajax search to find what you’re looking for
- Support multilingual web search
- Compatible with well-known WordPress plugins such as WooCommerce and bbPress
- Google Analytics may be used to track searches
Pricing: Ivory Search is a free custom search plugin for WordPress.
5. Relevanssi – Improve The Search Functionality
Relevanssi is a standard search plugin that improves the essential search capability in WordPress. It has a function that arranges the search results by relevance rather than date. It looks for PDFs, custom post types, script outputs, WooCommerce goods, and other sorts of website content.
However, operating the plugin successfully on your WordPress website requires more storage. So, Relevanssi is not recommended for small-scale websites.
Features:
- Content in PDF format is indexed
- Compatible with the most recent version of the page editor
- If whole words do not match, the results are based on partial word matching
- Post types, hashtags, and customized taxonomies may all be searched
- Search results were sorted by relevance rather than by date
- Compatibility with multiple sites
Pricing: Relevanssi has both a free and a paid edition. The annual fee for the premium plan is $117.18 per year.
6. Ajax Search Lite – Fully AJAX Powered
Ajax Search Lite is a WordPress search plugin that is available for free. It substitutes the usual search function with an AJAX-powered search form — a live search bar that improves the content navigation experience for your site users.
Ajax Search Lite’s best feature shows findings as users type a query into the search field. Google’s autocompleting and phrase recommendation features are also included.
The plugin’s search capabilities extend beyond posts and pages to include text boxes, excerpts, summaries, categories, and more. Smooth animations are also included in Ajax Search Lite. This tool is also designed for mobile devices.
Features:
- Search for titles, descriptions, excerpts, categories, and tags in posts, pages, and custom post types
- Fully AJAX-enabled
- There are eight pre-installed templates with color customization options
- WPML and QtranslateX are both supported
Pricing: AJAX Search is completely free of charge.
7. FiboSearch – Search Features For WooCommerce Sites
FiboSearch (formerly AJAX Search for WooCommerce) enhances the search capabilities of WooCommerce sites. It enhances consumers’ search experiences by offering live search recommendations lacking WooCommerce’s primary search tool.
FiboSearch’s mighty AJAX live search functionality enhances WooCommerce’s primary search engine by supporting product and SKU searches. It also searches for products based on their names, descriptions, and categories. The plugin is straightforward to incorporate into your WordPress theme.
To include the plugin on WordPress, you may use a shortcode or a search widget.
Features:
- Product titles, SKUs, and descriptions may all be used to find what you’re looking for
- In live search results, show the product picture and price
- Designed explicitly for WooCommerce websites
- Google Analytics and the WooCommerce search results page are both supported
- Multilingual support
Pricing: The annual fee for Fibo Search starts at $49.
8. WP Extended Search – Lightweight WordPress Search Plugin
WP Extended Search is a WordPress search plugin that is lightweight and minimal. As a result, you can quickly improve the functionality of your existing search form.
It’s as simple as choosing which choices to include in the query area to get started. You may add the author’s name, post kinds, information, and more.
Even better, this plugin doesn’t require the use of a shortcode or a WordPress widget. It just expands WordPress’s primary search option, so you’re ready to begin straight away.
Features:
- Searches SKUs, attributes, and custom fields in WooCommerce products
- Exclude outdated stuff from search results with ease
- With custom search forms, you may create an endless number of search settings
- Choose whether to search the title, content, extract or the whole document
- Compatible with WPML
Pricing: This is another free WordPress plugin.
9. SeedProd – Page Builder With A Drag-And-Drop Functionality
SeedProd is the most excellent WordPress drag-and-drop page builder. It allows you to design any landing page form without using any code.
A significant aspect of SeedProd is the variety of content blocks available. These blocks provide your page with more functionality without requiring you to install additional WordPress plugins.
The Search Form block, for example, may be used to add a search field quickly. Consequently, everybody who visits that website may search for anything they’re searching for right away. It also contains a page that you can personalize to display your website’s search results. As a result, your site’s search page will be tailored to your brand.
Features:
- An entirely visual wordpress editor
- With access restrictions, you may limit who can see your website while it’s being built
- Use countdown clocks and progress bars to create a sense of urgency
- Dynamic content may help you personalize your landing pages
- With domain mapping, you can point any homepage to a custom domain
Pricing: SeedProd’s subscription is $79 per year.
10. WOOF – Products Filter For WooCommerce
For WooCommerce retailers, the WOOF Products Filter is the perfect search tool. It enables customers to sort goods based on multiple factors like categories, colors, and size.
In the sidebar panel, a visible code may display the query and sorting options. Ajax may also be used to sort products on the page without leaving it.
It’s simple to set up for beginners, and it comes with a plethora of customization choices for developers who want to include it in their product templates.
Features:
- Show product qualities as checkboxes, drop-downs, multi-drop-downs, and radio buttons in the search form
- Metadata may be used to filter WooCommerce goods
- Infinite scrolling is included for a better user experience
- In the search results, show product counts
Pricing: Another free-of-charge plugin to download.
Why Use a WordPress Search Plugin?
If you want your customers to have a positive experience, you must have a robust search tool. While WordPress has a search tool, it doesn’t do a fantastic job of generating reliable results. You can’t even modify the way it works.
If you want to increase the searchability of your website, there’s a simple solution: use a WordPress search plugin. Your site’s search results will be quicker, more accurate, and more valuable.
Some of the advantages of employing a search plugin on your website include:
- Increase in sales and delighted consumers -Help your customers find the items they desire in your online store.
- Brand Awareness – Your visitors will have a far better image of your brand if they can locate what you’re offering and what they’re looking for.
- Customer retention – if you don’t have an effective search system, you risk losing potential consumers and website visitors.
- Improve the appearance of your website with a well-designed WordPress search plugin.
- Promote specific topics or items – With a WordPress search plugin, you can also control what your visitors may search for; promoting certain topics, as well as understating others.
What to Look for in a WordPress Search Plugin?
When choosing a new search plugin for your website, keep the following characteristics in mind:
- Accuracy- Above all, your search should offer the results that visitors are looking for. Depending on your site, visitors may be looking for content not found in the usual WordPress indexes.
- Speed- Another essential component in a successful search is speed. Users will become irritated if the wait time exceeds a few seconds.
- Design- The search box should be prominent and straightforward on all relevant sites. Some search plugins allow you to adjust one or both of these options.
- Filter and Sort- Filtering and sorting are nice-to-haves on specific sites, but they’re a must-have on others, such as significant eCommerce sites with hundreds of product listings and several versions on each.
- Logs- Search isn’t only valuable for visitors; you can utilize search data to get insight into search activity and make it easier for visitors to find the information they’re looking for. Installing a search plugin that reports this information is a good idea.
- Price- Consider your budget and whether investing in a premium solution is ultimately worth the ongoing expense during your search.
Final Thoughts – Get Your WP Search Plugin Today
After comparing the plugins listed above, it’s evident that one stands out, SearchWP. This feature-rich search plugin comes with a long list of benefits, and the search results are both outstanding and economical for most small enterprises.
You can be rest assured that your site search will be markedly improved no matter which plugin from our list you use. If you haven’t already, try them out now and cut your risks significantly.
