Introduction
WordPress search feature is one of the critical components of any website. It helps site visitors find the content they are looking for easily and quickly. Therefore, implementing a good search feature is vital for every website that needs to provide a premium user experience.
When a user lands on your website, they’ll want to interact with it to search specific terms, products, or service. A solid search option will enable them to navigate pertinent content quickly, saving time and reducing frustration. And ultimately, this leads to increased user engagement, increased time on site, and boosted site traffic.
In this post, we’ll be looking at the importance of a good WordPress search feature, and how you can improve your site’s search capability through the use of plugins and coding.
The Importance of a Good WordPress Search Feature
Unfortunately, the default WordPress search feature often fails to provide the valuable capability that website owners need for enhancing their visitors’ experience. By default, the WordPress search feature isn’t customizable and doesn’t offer many options that visitors can interact with to refine their search. It may also produce irrelevant results that make it difficult for visitors to find what they’re looking for.
When it comes to the importance of a good WordPress search feature, here are some reasons why it’s essential:
1. Improved User Experience
One of the main reasons to have a good WordPress search feature is to improve user experiences. With a convenient and easy-to-use search function, users can quickly find the content they’re looking for, even with the vast amounts of content that your website offers, which can keep users engaged on your website longer. A poor search function will reduce the time users spend on your website and may force them to find the content they’re looking for on other sites, which can impact your bounce rates.
2. Better Search Queries
By improving your WordPress search feature, you can also provide more accurate search results. Poor results can lead to frustrations and the likelihood of visitors abandoning your website. A more precise search feature can deliver better results, and this can help your website visitors find specific content quickly.
3. Boosted Conversion Rates
Providing more relevant and specific search results can also boost your conversion rates by making it easier for customers to find the products or services they’re looking for. This way, they do not need to spend too much time searching for the product or service, which can result in a higher chance of conversions.
Improving Your Site’s Search Capability with WPSOLR
Now that we understand the importance of having a good WordPress search feature, we must learn how to improve it. And that’s where WPSOLR comes in.
WPSOLR is a leading intelligent search plugin for WordPress that allows you to customize WordPress search by adding new search fields, indexes, and custom algorithms. It offers a premium user experience, making it easier to find content within your database efficiently. With WPSOLR, you can tailor your website searches with different features that include:
– Indexing PDF, Word, and other files: With WPSOLR, you can easily index all your files, including PDF or Word format, making it easier for users to find any files they seek.
– Faceted search: WPSOLR gives your users various filters to refine their search, making it easier for them to find what they’re looking for easily.
– Extended plugin compatibility: WPSOLR works well with the majority of the popular WordPress plugins such as WooCommerce, Yoast SEO, and more, giving you an excellent search experience.
Coding a Better WordPress Search Feature
Beyond WPSOLR’s limitless possibilities, you can also code and create your custom WordPress search feature. The following PHP code allows you to search custom fields in WordPress posts:
function custom_search_query( $query ) {
if ( is_search() && $query->is_main_query() ) {
$query->set( 'meta_query', array(
'relation' => 'OR',
array(
'key' => 'custom-field-name',
'value' => $query->query_vars['s'],
'compare' => 'LIKE'
),
array(
'key' => 'another-custom-field-name',
'value' => $query->query_vars['s'],
'compare' => 'LIKE'
)
) );
}
}
add_action( 'pre_get_posts', 'custom_search_query');
This code searches for a backend custom field name and generates a search result based on the parameters set.
Conclusion
A good WordPress search feature is essential for providing the best user experiences possible for your website visitors. By making use of WPSOLR or coding custom PHP, you can enhance your search features to meet the search requirements of your website visitors. Ultimately, these updates will lead to improved user experience, better search queries, and higher conversions, boosting site traffic and engaging visitors for longer on your website.