WordPress Search

**Lyndi** · 07-16-2009, 05:08 AM

I have found quite a few articles where it has been said that the basic WordPress search feature just does not cut it, no-one really provides good reasons for saying this though. Is WordPress search not what it could be?

Is it worth the effort adding a Google CSE to a WordPress theme or is something like this really only of benefit to those sites with a large number of published articles?

**Ryan** · 07-16-2009, 05:37 AM

Search for the word "search" using the built in WP search tool and you will soon discover one of the many wonderful bugs in it :)

It isn't a major problem for sites with low post numbers, but once you burst past 1000 posts or so it can become quite messy. Simple searches can lead to hundreds of irrelvent results and some times ALL of your posts are displayed (ie: like with "search").

**JohnM** · 07-16-2009, 06:23 AM

Theres a GSOC 2009 project to enhance the search.

http://wpsearch.serenelabs.com/

**Otto** · 07-16-2009, 08:54 AM

Originally Posted by Lyndi

Is it worth the effort adding a Google CSE to a WordPress theme or is something like this really only of benefit to those sites with a large number of published articles?

It's not that much effort. Only takes like half an hour to add one to a site. And that's if you don't know how to do it beforehand. ;)

**joetek** · 07-16-2009, 11:58 AM

By default, wp search is really only looking at your post and page content, so it wouldn't include sidebar content, polls or even your comments.

Google CSE indexes your entire domain, so you could search not only your posts, but if you have profiles, forums, or any non-wordpress content, they are all searchable.

**Lyndi** · 07-17-2009, 01:16 AM

I'm convinced. Now to get that CE installed.

**Jeffro** · 07-17-2009, 06:41 PM

The search Joetek describes sounds a heck of a lot better than the one built into WordPress. I think I'm actually going to install Google CSE into WPTavern and give it a shot.

What I would like to see with WordPress search is the ability to click an advanced button where I search categories, tags, or within a given timeframe. Right now, you just type in a term and go and sometimes depending on the amount of content you have, it's like trying different ways to get lucky to find what you want.