How to Customize the Search Results Page in WordPress

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.

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.

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.

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:

1. Open the copied search.php file in your code editor.

2. 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.

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

Relevanssi

Relevanssi is a powerful search plugin for WordPress that enhances the default search functionality by providing more relevant and accurate search results. It indexes all content, including custom post types, custom fields, and shortcode outputs, ensuring a comprehensive search experience for users. Relevanssi supports fuzzy matching, allowing it to find results even with partial or misspelled keywords. It also offers detailed search statistics to help site owners understand what users are searching for and how to improve content.

Key Features:

• Fuzzy Matching: Improves search accuracy by finding results with partial or misspelled keywords.

• Custom Post Types and Fields Indexing: Indexes custom post types, custom fields, and shortcode outputs to provide a thorough search experience.

• Search Statistics: Provides detailed analytics on search queries, helping site owners optimize their content based on user behavior.

Ajax Search Lite

Ajax Search Lite is a live search plugin for WordPress designed to enhance the default search functionality with an interactive and user-friendly interface. It provides instant search results with a sleek, responsive design, improving the overall user experience on your site. The plugin supports custom post types, categories, and custom fields, ensuring that users can find the most relevant content quickly. Additionally, Ajax Search Lite is highly customizable, allowing site owners to tailor the search experience to match their website's design and functionality needs.

Key Features:

• Live Search Results
• Custom Post Types and Fields Support
• Highly Customizable

SearchWP

SearchWP is a premium WordPress search plugin that significantly improves the default search functionality by providing more accurate and relevant search results. It indexes content beyond standard posts and pages, including custom post types, custom fields, and even document content such as PDFs. SearchWP allows for fine-tuning search algorithms to prioritize specific content types or attributes, giving site owners complete control over search relevance. Additionally, it integrates seamlessly with popular plugins and themes, ensuring a cohesive search experience across the site.

Key Features:

• Advanced Indexing
• Customizable Search Algorithms
• Seamless Integration

Hopefully this article will be of help when you customize the search results page in WordPress. Try out any of the search related plugins and choose the one that is best suited for your website’s needs. In the end, your website visitors may appreciate the extra attention in giving them a more efficient way to search your site.