How to Add Search Bar in WordPress

By adding a search bar to your WordPress website, you can improve user experience and functionality.

It offers visitors a direct and efficient way to find the content they seek, shortening their time on the website by helping them find the blog they want manually.

Now that we have enough information about what and why, we should jump right into our query to understand how to add a search bar in WordPress.

In this blog, we will examine the advantages of adding a search bar WordPress function and the process of adding your WordPress website seamlessly.

Various Methods to Add Search bar in WordPress

Creating a new search bar on your WordPress website is easy and can be done using several different methods.

Here’s a guide to help you create a search bar for your WordPress website:

• 
  
  Using the Default WordPress Search Widget
  
• 
  
  Using the WordPress Theme Customizer
  
• 
  
  Adding a Search Bar in the Header or Footer Using Code
  
• 
  
  Using a Plugin for Advanced Search Features
  
• 
  
  Using a Page Builder (Elementor)
  

Method 1:

Using the Default WordPress Search Widget

The easiest way to create a search bar in WordPress is by using the built-in WordPress Search Widget.

• Go to the WordPress Dashboard and log in to your WordPress admin panel.
• Now navigate to the Widgets Section – Go to “Appearance”> Widgets.
• Add the Search Widget.
• Find the Search widget in the list of available widgets.
• Drag and drop it into one of the widget areas, like the Sidebar, Header, or Footer (depending on your theme’s widget areas). Optionally, you can rename the widget’s title or leave it as the default Search.
• Save and View. After placing the widget in the desired area, click Save. Visit your site to see the search bar in action.

Method 2:

Using the WordPress Theme Customizer

If your theme supports it, you can create a search bar directly from the Customizer. This method will let you add a search bar in WordPress without a plugin.

• Go to the WordPress Dashboard and log in to your WordPress admin panel. Navigate to the Customizer Go to “Appearance” > Customize.
• Find the Header or Widgets section. Depending on your theme, you may find an option to add a search bar in the “Header” or “Widgets” section.
• Add the Search Bar If your theme allows adding a search bar in the header, enable the option (it could be listed as Search Form or something similar).
• Save and Publish  After selecting your settings, click Publish to save the changes.

Method 3:

Adding a Search Bar in the Header or Footer Using Code

If you’re comfortable with the codes, you can learn in this method how to add search bar in WordPress header or footer with the theme files.

• Edit Theme Files Go to Appearance > Theme Editor.
• Open the file where you want the search bar to appear (e.g., header.php or footer.php). Insert the Search Form Code.

				
					<?php get_search_form(); ?>
				
			

• Add the code where you want the search bar to appear. It will insert the default search form (searchform.php) template in the specified location
• Save Changes after you have added the code, refresh your site to see the search bar after saving.

Method 4:

Using a Plugin for Advanced Search Features

• 
  A plugin can improve your default search bar in WordPress with additional features like search suggestions, filtering, or live search.
• 
  Install a WordPress search bar plugin Go to Plugins > Add New.
  Search for a plugin like
• 
  Relevanssi, SearchWP, or Ajax Search Lite.
• 
  Install and Activate the Plugin. Click Install Now, then Activate.
• 
  Every plugin has a settings page where you can customize the search experience. Follow the instructions to set up features like custom post type search, live search, or filtering.
• 
  Add the Search Bar: Every plugin integrates with your site’s search functionality, but some may also offer additional widgets or settings to place the search bar in a custom location.

Method 5:

Add Search Bar in WordPress Using a Page Builder (Elementor)

If you are using a page builder, for example, you are adding a search bar in elementor.

It is one of the best page builders out there, and you can add a search bar directly through its drag-and-drop interface.

• Edit with Elementor: Open the page where you want to create the search bar and click Edit with Elementor.
• From the Elementor sidebar, search for the Search widget and drag it to the desired section.
• Customize the widget’s style and settings, then save the page.

• 
  Importance of Search bar in WordPress

• 
  Improved User Experience: Easy Navigation & Convenience
• 
  Better Content Discovery: Access to Relevant Content & Increased Interaction
• 
  Boosts SEO and Site Usability: Improved Internal Linking & Lower Bounce Rate
• 
  Enhanced Website Functionality: Customizable Search &  Integration with Plugins
• 
  Improved Conversion Rates: Guiding Users to Desired Products or Services & Call-to-Action (CTA) Opportunities
• 
  Analytics and Insights: Search Data
• 
  Mobile-Friendly: Responsive

Conclusion

Hopefully, this is enough for you to understand the most common methods of adding a search bar in WordPress.

Whether you’re using a widget, theme customizer, code, plugin, or page builder, adding a search bar enhances usability, making it easier for your visitors to find content and engage with your site.