Imagine the modern world without the internet, mobile phones, and computers. It would be tough to do some things we take for granted, like ordering food, finding your bearings in a busy city, or even doing your job. Now, try to imagine a website without search functionality. How are you supposed to find the info you need? Even worse, what if the website either has a bad menu system or doesn’t have one at all.
The native #WordPress search system is quite limited in its functionality. You need something better. Something that will make searching for information a lot easier. You need WordPress #Search Plugins. Click To TweetAnd today, we prepared a list of some of the best ones, so you can simply pick a favorite and move on.
1. Ajax Search Lite
Ajax Search Lite replaces that limited, default, WordPress search with a much better, live Ajax search bar that will no doubt improve the user experience. Ajax is highly customizable, and you can tailor it to your needs and desires. It also has numerous features like the ability to search in posts and pages, built-in templates, category and post exclusions, and custom filter boxes.
When you are using Ajax Search Lite, you won’t just have plain text as a result. It also displays images, adding liveliness and interactive elements to your website design. The plugin is also pleasing to the eye, having smooth animations and a design that is responsive, ensuring that it will work great with both desktop and mobile devices.
2. Relevanssi
Another great option for replacing and improving the default WordPress search is Relevanssi. This plugin has a wide variety of filters and extensive search functionality, giving you full access and control over your website search results.
Just like its name suggests, the plugin sorts the results based on their relevance and not on their date, as some other search bars might do. Besides that, it also highlights the search terms. To help your visitors, it also gives search suggestions, making it a lot easier to find the thing you were looking for.
This plugin has another specialty. It is well suited for sites with many images as it allows you to search for images by both title and description.
3. ACF: Better Search
While other search plugins give you an alternative to the WordPress search engine, ACF: Better Search improves its ability to search from a collection of various advanced custom fields. With this plugin, you have several custom fields to choose from, such as Number, Text Area, Text, Email, or File.
As a visitor, you can also search for whole phrases and not just for single words, allowing you to precisely and quickly find what you were looking for. It achieves all of this by modifying your existing SQL database. With that, it allows you to extend the standard search to include selected fields from the Advanced Custom Fields option.
4. Ajax Product Search for WooCommerce
If you are making a WooCommerce site using WordPress and need a capable search tool, this is one of the best options out there. Ajax Product Search for WooCommerce builds upon the default WooCommerce search system with an advanced live search feature, where your customers can see search suggestions as they type. The suggestions can be displayed in a few ways, with only the products’ names, or they can include photos, prices, and descriptions.
5. Jetpack Search
Jetpack Search is probably one of the best WordPress search plugins on the market, and it is very easy to see why. It replaces the WordPress default search functionality with a more competent and much more accurate alternative.
Using Elastisearch, the plugin greatly improves search performance and overall user experience. Another key feature of this plugin is its real-time search index. It updates automatically every time you publish new content on the site, or make edits, so your searches will always be up to date.
6. WP SOLR
Another search plugin commonly found in eCommerce stores is WPSOLR. It is a flexible plugin that integrates three powerful search platforms: Algolia, Elastisearch, and Apache Solr. These platforms can give you optimal performance by speeding up database queries.
This plugin has quite a neat, cross-domain search function that allows users to explore multiple sites. It is very customizable, supporting searches for custom fields, attached files, taxonomies, and all of your custom post types. It also provides the users with the options for filtering results and products quickly.
7. Reactive Search Pro
Do you need a search plugin that offers advanced functions besides the simpler ones? If the answer is yes, then Reactive Search Pro is the WordPress search plugin for you. Reactive Pro makes it is effortless to create custom search forms. All you need to do is choose the desired forms in the form builder.
With more than a dozen different search attributes you can use to make filters, the plugin can be tailored to any website. But that is not all. Reactive Search Pro can be used to find locations as well. The search results, when using location search, will be sorted by distance.
8. Ivory Search
Ivory Search is another great option that can improve your search functionality. It is a freemium search plugin that gives you the ability to create unlimited search forms and configure each of them separately. Additionally, it is equipped with shortcodes, meaning you can embed search forms anywhere on your site, sidebar, header, footer, widget areas, you name it.
It provides you with the flexibility to search for any type of content. Besides that, you are also able to restrict specific content from appearing in the search results.
9. WP Google Search
What is the first thing that comes to mind when thing about the word “search” in the context of the internet? Google search, of course. WP Google Search gives you the ability to integrate a Google Search feature on your WP site. All you need to do is register a new Programmable Search Engine and then add the generated search engine ID to the plugin Settings page.
Not only does it work on a single website, but it can work on a collection of websites too. It will simply retrieve information from the Google search engine and display it on your WordPress site.
There is one slight downside to this plugin; it’s somewhat limited when it comes to customization. The options provided include the ability to place the search from anywhere on your site, using shortcode, or displaying the search widget in any area.
10. WOOF Products Filter for WooCommerce
Finally, another plugin designed to improve the functionality of your WooComerce store and provide the best possible user experience for customers. WOOF Product Filter helps you by providing accurate and quick search results. In addition, it gives visitors an option of filtering products based on their categories, tags, and even colors.
Additionally, you can display the search form on any part of your store with shortcodes and widget options. Besides that, there are options that allow you to show product taxonomy and attributes in various forms, radio buttons, checkboxes, and drop-downs.
Conclusion
There is simply no excuse not to use one with so many great alternatives or improvements over the standard WordPress search function.
There are many great options, whether you are searching for a free plugin with basic functionality or premium plugins that are more in-depth and detailed.