WordPress comes with a feature that allows you to be able to search your website. However, by default, those search results pages may not be enough. In this article, you’ll learn how to customize the search results page in WordPress.
As a caution, some of this article contains code, so if you’re a beginner or not comfortable handling WordPress themes or code, then you may need to hire a developer to assist you.
What does the typical WordPress search result page in WordPress look like?
A typical WordPress search result page includes several features designed to help users find and navigate through search results effectively. Here are the common elements:
Search Query Display
Search Results Count
Post Titles
Post Excerpts
Post Meta Information
Thumbnails/Featured Images
Pagination
Highlighted Search Terms
Permalinks
No Results Message
Search Bar
Search Query Display
The search term or query that the user entered is often displayed at the top of the page.
Search Results Count
The number of results found for the query is typically shown.
Post Titles
The titles of the posts or pages that match the search query are displayed prominently.
Post Excerpts
A brief excerpt or summary of each post or page, often including a few sentences to give an idea of the content.
Post Meta Information
This includes details such as the publication date, author name, and categories or tags.
Thumbnails/Featured Images
Small images associated with each post or page, if available.
Pagination
Navigation links to move between different pages of search results if there are many.
Highlighted Search Terms
The search term is often highlighted within the excerpts to make it easier to see where the matches occur.
Permalinks
Links to the full post or page so users can click through to read more.
No Results Message
A message that appears if no search results are found, often with suggestions for refining the search.
Search Bar
A search bar at the top or side of the page to allow users to perform a new search without returning to the main search form.
These elements can be customized and styled differently depending on the theme and plugins used in a WordPress site.
Why would you want to customize the search results page in WordPress?
Customizing the search results page in WordPress can significantly enhance the user experience and improve the overall functionality of your website. Here are seven reasons why you might want to customize this page:
Improved User Experience
Enhanced Relevance
Brand Consistency
Additional Information
Increased Engagement
SEO Benefits
Customization for Different Content Types
Improved User Experience
Customizing the search results page allows you to present information in a more user-friendly and intuitive manner, making it easier for users to find what they're looking for.
Enhanced Relevance
By tailoring the search results to display the most relevant content prominently, you can ensure that users find the most pertinent information quickly, reducing frustration and increasing engagement.
Brand Consistency
Customizing the design and layout of the search results page ensures it aligns with your brand’s look and feel, maintaining a cohesive visual experience across your site.
Additional Information
You can add extra information such as categories, tags, or custom metadata to the search results, providing users with more context about the content and helping them make more informed decisions about what to click on.
Increased Engagement
Enhancements such as related posts, popular searches, or recent posts can be added to the search results page, encouraging users to explore more content on your site.
SEO Benefits
By optimizing the search results page, you can improve the overall SEO of your site, making it easier for search engines to index your content and increasing the chances of your site appearing in search engine results.
Customization for Different Content Types
If your site includes multiple content types (example: blog posts, products, portfolio items), customizing the search results page allows you to display these different types in a way that is most appropriate for each, enhancing the relevance and usefulness of the search results.
These customizations can be achieved through theme modifications, plugins, or custom coding, depending on your specific needs and technical capabilities.
How to Customize the Search Results Page in WordPress
Customizing the search results page in WordPress can significantly enhance user experience and align the search functionality with your site's overall design. The easiest way to do this is by using a combination of a child theme and a plugin. Here’s a step-by-step guide to achieve this:
Create a Child Theme (if not already using one)
Customize the Search Results Template
Create a Child Theme (if not already using one)
Creating a child theme ensures that your customizations are not lost when the parent theme is updated. Here are the steps to create a child theme:
Create and name a folder for your child theme
Create a style.css file
Create a functions.php file
Create and name a folder for your child theme
Create a new folder in the wp-content/themes directory. Name it something like your-theme-child.
Create a style.css file
Inside this folder, create a style.css file and add the following header:
/*
Theme Name: Your Theme Child
Template: your-theme
*/
Create a functions.php file
Create a functions.php file to enqueue the parent and child theme styles:
<?php
function your_theme_child_enqueue_styles() {
$parent_style = 'parent-style'; // This is 'your-theme-style' for the Your Theme.
wp_enqueue_style($parent_style, get_template_directory_uri() . '/style.css');
wp_enqueue_style('child-style',
get_stylesheet_directory_uri() . '/style.css',
array($parent_style),
wp_get_theme()->get('Version')
);
}
add_action('wp_enqueue_scripts', 'your_theme_child_enqueue_styles');
Customize the Search Results Template
Copy the search.php file from the parent theme to the child theme and then modify it as needed.
Here are the steps to customize the search results template:
Open the copied search.php file in your code editor.
Customize the HTML and PHP code according to your needs. For example, you might want to change how each search result is displayed, add additional meta information, or modify the layout.
Enhance Search Functionality with Plugins
Plugins can provide additional features and make customization easier without extensive coding. Here are some recommended plugins to help enhance the search results page in WordPress:
Relevanssi
Ajax Search Lite
SearchWP
