How to Display Related Posts in WordPress

Displaying related posts on your WordPress website is a great way to engage visitors, keep them on your site longer, and boost SEO by encouraging readers to explore more of your content. Fortunately, WordPress offers several ways to display related posts, including plugins, custom coding, and theme options.

Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to display related posts in WordPress:

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Why Should You Display Related Posts?

Before diving into the “how-to,” let’s take a quick look at why displaying related posts is important:

1. Increases User Engagement: Related posts keep visitors on your site longer, exploring more content.
2. Improves SEO: By linking to other content on your website, you help search engines understand the structure of your site and improve internal linking.
3. Boosts Page Views: When users see relevant content recommendations, they’re more likely to click and explore more pages.
4. Better User Experience: Related posts provide a seamless experience for your visitors, helping them find more of what they’re interested in.

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How to Display Related Posts in WordPress

Method 1: Using a Plugin (Most Recommended for Beginners)

One of the easiest and most effective ways to display related posts in WordPress is by using a plugin. Here are a few popular plugins:

1. Related Posts for WordPress (by Bibblio):
   • This plugin uses machine learning to display highly relevant related content based on your posts’ content, tags, categories, and more.
2. YARPP (Yet Another Related Posts Plugin):
   • YARPP is one of the most popular related posts plugins. It offers a lot of customization options, like choosing between grid or list layouts and deciding what factors (tags, categories, content) should determine related posts.
3. Contextual Related Posts:
   • Contextual Related Posts offers simple integration and provides multiple customization options. It shows related posts based on content relevance, tags, and categories.

Steps to Install a Related Posts Plugin

1. Install the Plugin:
   • From your WordPress dashboard, go to Plugins > Add New.
   • Search for the related posts plugin (e.g., YARPP, Contextual Related Posts, or Related Posts for WordPress).
   • Click Install Now, then activate the plugin once it’s installed.
2. Configure the Plugin Settings:
   • After activation, you’ll see the plugin’s settings under the Settings menu in the WordPress dashboard (or in a dedicated menu item).
   • Go to the plugin’s settings page and customize how you want related posts to be displayed. You may have options to choose how many related posts appear, the layout (list/grid), and where they are displayed (before or after the content).
3. Enable Display:
   • In the plugin settings, enable the option to automatically display related posts on your posts/pages.
   • Customize appearance (font size, image size) and behavior (whether the related posts display based on categories, tags, or content similarity).
4. Save Changes:
   • Once you’re happy with the settings, save the changes. Your related posts should now automatically appear on your posts.

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Method 2: Using WordPress Default Functionality (for Advanced Users)

If you prefer not to use a plugin, you can add related posts manually using code. This method involves editing your theme’s template files, which requires a bit more technical know-how.

Steps to Display Related Posts Using Code:

1. Access Your Theme Files:
   • In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Theme Editor.
   • You’ll need to find and edit the single.php or content-single.php file (depending on your theme).
2. Add Code to Display Related Posts:
   • Add the following code snippet to the file where you want the related posts to appear (usually after the content or before the comments section):
   <?php $args = array(
'post_type' => 'post',
'posts_per_page' => 3, // Number of related posts to show
'post__not_in' => array(get_the_ID()), // Exclude current post
'orderby' => 'rand', // Randomize related posts
'category__in' => wp_get_post_categories(get_the_ID()) // Get posts from the same category );
$related_posts = new WP_Query($args);
if ($related_posts->have_posts()) :
?>
<div class="related-posts">
<h3>Related Posts</h3>
<ul> <?php while ($related_posts->have_posts()) :
$related_posts->the_post(); ?>
<li><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>">
<?php the_title(); ?>
</a></li> <?php endwhile;
?>
</ul> </div>
<?php wp_reset_postdata();
?>
<?php endif;
?>
   • This code snippet displays related posts based on the same category as the current post. You can customize the query by changing the number of posts, ordering, and filtering criteria (by tag, category, or custom taxonomies).
3. Save Changes:
   • Save the file and check your posts to ensure the related posts section appears as expected.

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Method 3: Using a Theme that Supports Related Posts

Some WordPress themes come with built-in features to display related posts, so you may not need a plugin or custom coding. Check if your theme supports related posts by looking through the theme settings or documentation.

Steps to Display Related Posts with Your Theme:

1. Check Theme Settings:
   • Go to Appearance > Customize in your WordPress dashboard.
   • Look for any settings related to Post Layout, Post Options, or Related Posts.
2. Enable Related Posts:
   • If your theme has a built-in feature for related posts, enable it and customize the settings (e.g., how many posts to show, based on tags, categories, etc.).
3. Save and Publish:
   • Once you’ve enabled the related posts feature and made any desired adjustments, click Publish to save your changes.

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Best Practices for Displaying Related Posts

1. Limit the Number of Posts: Displaying too many related posts can clutter the page and overwhelm visitors. A good rule of thumb is to show 3-5 related posts.
2. Use Visuals: If the plugin or code you use supports images, make sure to enable them for a more visually appealing display.
3. Ensure Relevance: Display related posts that are genuinely relevant to the current post’s content. This can help increase user engagement and time on site.
4. Customization: Customize the related posts section to match your website’s design. You can adjust styles, fonts, and layout to ensure it fits seamlessly with your theme.
5. Track Analytics: Monitor your related posts section in Google Analytics or through other tools to see if it’s increasing page views and engagement. Based on results, adjust the layout or display criteria as needed.