Elementor’s theme builder and powerful widgets make it easy to create custom search results pages tailored to your website’s design and functionality needs. This tutorial will guide you in building a custom search results page in Elementor to enhance user experience and site navigation.
What is a Custom Search Results Page?
A search results page displays the results of a user’s query, such as blog posts, products, or categorized content. A well-designed search results page for websites with extensive content can help users quickly locate the information they need.
Customizing your search results page allows you to integrate additional functionality, such as featured images, custom titles, and filters. These enhancements improve aesthetics and elevate the overall user experience and conversion rates.
Everyday Use Cases for Custom Search Results Pages
Custom search results pages are beneficial for:
- E-commerce websites to display product results.
- Blogs to organize and display articles.
- Knowledge base pages for quick content discovery.
- Service businesses showcasing specific offerings.
- Educational websites with categorized resources.
Steps to Create a Custom Search Results Page in Elementor
Prerequisites
Ensure your site has the following plugins installed:
- Elementor
- Elementor Pro
Once ready, follow these steps:
Step 1: Access the Elementor Theme Builder
- Log in to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to Templates > Theme Builder.
3. In the Theme Builder, select Search Results and click the + Add New button to create a new search results page template.
This will open the Elementor editor, where you can freely drag and drop widgets to design your page.
Step 2: Create the Search Header Section
- Add a New Section
- Click the + icon and choose a suitable column structure (e.g., single or multi-column). For this example, select a single-column layout.
2. Add a Title
- Drag the Heading widget into the section.
- Add a simple title like “Search Results.”
- Customize the title’s style, including color, font, and alignment, to match your website’s design.
3. Add a Description
- Drag the Text Editor widget below the title and include a brief description, such as “Here are the results for your search.”
Step 3: Add a Search Widget
- Drag the Search Widget
- Find the Search Form widget in the Elementor panel and drag it below the title or description.
2. Customize the Search Widget
- Adjust the Advanced tab settings to modify the search box width and margins.
- Use the Style tab to customize the search box’s background color, border, and placeholder text style.
- Add rounded corners to the search box and button by setting appropriate values in the Border Radius field (e.g., 10px).
3. Enable Live Search Results
- In the Content tab under the Results section, enable Live Results and set the number of results to display.
Step 4: Create a Live Search Results Template
A live results template determines the layout of dynamic content displayed as users type in the search box.
- In the Results section, click Create Template to open a new page in the editor.
2. Add Featured Images
- Drag the Post Featured Image widget into the template.
- Customize the image size, alignment, and border-radius in the Style tab.
3. Add Post Titles
- Drag the Post Title widget next to the featured image and customize its font size, color, and alignment.
Save the template and return to the main canvas page, linking it to the live search results option.
Step 5: Add the Archive Posts Widget
To display a complete list of search results below the search box:
- Add a New Section
- Create a section for displaying search results.
2. Insert the Archive Posts Widget
- Drag the Archive Posts widget into the section.
3. Configure the Layout
- Go to the Content tab and set the number of columns (e.g., two columns) and the image position (e.g., top).
- Enable the title, excerpt, and metadata options. Adjust character length and select metadata types (e.g., date or comments).
4. Customize Styles
- Use the Style tab to adjust column gaps, font colors, and background styles.
- Customize pagination styles to ensure seamless navigation across multiple result pages.
Step 6: Save and Preview
Once your design is complete:
- Save the search results page.
- Click Preview to see the design in action.
Enter a search term into the box and verify that live results and archive posts display as expected.
Troubleshooting Search Results Pages
- If Results Do Not Display Properly:
- Design a dedicated archive page template in Elementor Theme Builder and link it to the search results page.
- Verify Widget Settings:
- Ensure all widgets, especially live results and archive posts, are configured correctly.
Summary
Customizing a search results page with Elementor is a great way to enhance user experience and streamline content discovery. Following this guide, you can design a functional and visually appealing search results page tailored to your website’s needs.
With Element’s flexible tools, you can:
- Improve navigation and usability.
- Add dynamic features like live search results.
- Customize layouts to align with your brand’s design.
Start creating your custom search results page today to elevate your site’s user experience!