Need help with Search plugins
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I’ve tried installing several Search plugins and am having the same issue with all. They only return links to the first page in which a Search term is located, they don’t return links to secondary pages created by page breaks. I can have as many as 10 or 15 secondary pages (created by inserting page breaks), with a new topic on each. The search term in question might be on page 11, not on the first page. But the result will only provide a link to page 1. How can I fix this?
The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)
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Hi @debstander,
Which search plugins have you already tried? That’ll help me understand what’s been tested and possibly suggest a more targeted direction.
If you’re using third-party plugins, I do want to mention that our support for those is limited. For more detailed help with how those plugins handle pagination and indexing, it’s best to refer to the plugin’s documentation or contact their developers directly—they know their tools best.
We’ve got a helpful overview on what we can and can’t assist with when it comes to third-party plugins here: https://wordpress.com/support/plugins/get-help-with-plugins-and-themes/#what-we-dont-support
That said, have you considered using Jetpack Search? It’s a powerful, customizable search tool that offers more accurate, real-time results across your entire site, especially helpful for sites like yours with in-depth, multi-page content. You can learn how to set it up here: https://wordpress.com/support/jetpack-search/
Also, on your current plan, you’ve got access to 24/7 priority support. Instead of posting in the forums, you can open a direct support ticket with us anytime following the steps here: https://wordpress.com/support/contact/
Let me know which plugins you’ve tried so far, and I’ll be happy to look into other options or help you explore Jetpack Search in more detail!
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Thanks for the response. I’ve tried Jetpack, SearchWP Better Search (which was the best so far) and now, since I installed All in One SEO it looks like AIOSEO has taken over the Search function.
I am very new to website development — this is my first try. I don’t know what half the terms mean and quite frankly it is confusing and overwhelming to try to make head or sense of things. The descriptions provided for plugins promise that they do searches of content but though they may in fact search content, they don’t provide links to the search results (which is as bad as not doing anything at all) but instead only to the main page. I’m doing my best to tailor my Table of Contents (which I manually created and manually update) to include likely search terms because if the Search plugins only provide links for pages, the TOC is at least showing up in the Search results with a link. Maybe that’s the best I can expect? I was hoping maybe anchors or tags or something like that could be created that would identify take users directly to the term being searched when it is typed into the Search form but I can’t figure out how they are used.
Sorry this is so long winded. Just overwhelmed. I also just realized that if I Google my entire website by typing in “Hangar 5 Foundation” nothing comes up — only my FB Group page. Just very difficult to try to figure out how to make these things happen.
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Hi again @debstander,
Feeling a bit overwhelmed when you’re new to all this is completely okay. Website development can be a lot to take in at first, but you’re clearly putting in a lot of care and effort, which truly shows.
It sounds like you’ve been really thorough in testing different plugins. Since Better Search worked best for your needs, it might be worth reaching out to the plugin developers directly—they can help fine-tune the plugin to work exactly the way you’re hoping. You can get in touch with them here: https://wordpress.org/support/plugin/better-search/
One thing to keep in mind is that many search plugins (and even Jetpack Search) aren’t built to link users directly to a specific section within a long, paginated page. Anchors and tags could help, but setting them up manually across multiple pages can get complicated. Since you’re looking for a more precise experience, like linking search results to a specific topic deep within a page, it may be worth considering some custom development.
We actually partner with a great network of vetted WordPress developers through Codeable. If you’re open to it, they can work with you one-on-one to build out exactly what you need: https://www.codeable.io/partners/wordpresscom/?ref=2ycmr
On the visibility side, you mentioned Googling “Hangar 5 Foundation” and only seeing your Facebook group. Have you had a chance to verify your site with Google Search Console? That’s an important step to help your site get indexed properly. You can do that following this guide: https://wordpress.com/support/site-verification-services/
We also have a great guide on SEO that might be helpful as you continue building your site: https://wordpress.com/support/seo/
And if there’s anything else you’re unsure about, big or small, please don’t hesitate to ask. You’ve come a long way already, and I’d love to help point you in the right direction wherever you’re stuck!
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