What Was Happening
Search queries like “virus” or “case study” didn’t return any product results, even though matching products were published and indexed inside the default WordPress search engine. Meanwhile, unrelated static pages showed up instead. Custom search behavior that once prioritized products had stopped working after some plugin or theme updates, affecting the search results page and overall search experience.
What We Found
No Priority for CPTs
The theme’s search.php and functions.php didn’t include any logic to elevate custom post types like “product” over standard posts and pages inside default WordPress search results.
WP_Query Was Basic
The query wasn’t configured to weight or include custom fields, taxonomies, product categories, or keyword relevance, leading to inconsistent search results in WordPress. The search functionality wasn’t optimized for ecommerce or on-site product search.
How We Fixed It
1:Adjusted the Search Query
We added a pre_get_posts filter in functions.php to explicitly prioritize the product post type, helping WordPress search results highlight important products and improving the order of search results for users looking for specific products:
php
CopyEdit
function prioritize_products_in_search($query) {
if (!is_admin() && $query->is_main_query() && $query->is_search) {
$query->set(‘post_type’, [‘product’, ‘page’, ‘post’]);
}
}
add_action(‘pre_get_posts’, ‘prioritize_products_in_search’);
2:Tweaked Search Ranking
Where relevant, we added meta_query conditions to help highlight results with product-related fields or keywords, improving custom search accuracy and making custom fields searchable through the WordPress core search process.
3: Cleaned Up the Layout
We also updated the styling to clearly differentiate product search results from regular posts or pages on the search results page in WordPress, improving the overall user experience and helping visitors easily find what they’re looking for.
4: Excluded Unwanted Results
Certain pages were excluded altogether based on the client’s request — helping keep the results more relevant and conversion-focused and preventing page not found-type issues or irrelevant results from cluttering the search page.
The Result
Now, when users search, product pages are displayed first, followed by any relevant blog posts or static pages. No more dead ends or confusing results. This simple customization makes the default WordPress search engine behave more like an advanced search tool, ensuring customers can easily find what they want, especially on an online store or WooCommerce setup.
Let Integriti Studio optimize your search experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (How to Prioritize Products in WordPress Search Results)
How do I change the order of products in WordPress?
To change the order of products in WordPress, go to WooCommerce → Products, enable Sorting, and drag and drop products into the desired order. You can also edit a product and set a custom Menu Order value for precise control.
How to do product prioritization?
Product prioritization is done by ranking features or products based on business goals, customer impact, revenue potential, and effort. Use frameworks like MoSCoW, RICE, or value vs effort analysis to focus on high-impact, low-effort items first and align with strategy.
How do you sort search results in WordPress?
In WordPress, you can sort search results by modifying the query using WP_Query or the pre_get_posts hook. Results can be ordered by date, title, relevance, or custom fields. Plugins like SearchWP also allow advanced sorting without coding.
How to customize search results page in WordPress?
You can customize the WordPress search results page by editing the search.php file in your theme or child theme. Use custom WP_Query, change the layout with template tags, add filters, or use plugins to modify design, sorting, and displayed content.