Add SearchCue to WordPress

Goal of this tutorial

This guide shows how to install the SearchCue WordPress plugin, connect it to your site, and let visitors search.

If you are not using WordPress, use the general setup guide instead.

Before you start

To use and activate SearchCue on your site you need to be able to log into the admin interface of your website. Once that part is sorted, the rest should be fairly painless!

Install the plugin

1. Download the plugin ZIP: searchcue.zip.
2. In WordPress admin, open Plugins -> Add New -> Upload Plugin.
3. Choose the searchcue.zip file.
4. Click Install Now.
5. Click Activate Plugin.

Connect to SearchCue

1. In WordPress admin, open the SearchCue item in the admin menu.
2. Under Connect to SearchCue, enter your email address.
3. We recommend opting into automatic updates. It allows the plugin to inform SearchCue whenever you make changes to your site so we can update the search index more or less in real-time. If left off, it might take up to a day before changes to your site get reflected in the search results.
4. Click Sign up or in and then open the email from SearchCue and click the link provided in the email. On the page that opens, click Connect WordPress site. SearchCue connects your site automatically and completes the setup.

The plugin adds the SearchCue embed script to public WordPress pages. It does not change your published content or theme files.

Activate the search interface

SearchCue works as soon as your site is connected. A floating search icon is added to the bottom-right corner of your site by default, and visitors click it to open search. You can also add other entry points, or combine them.

Link to /search

Add a menu item that points to /search:

1. In WordPress admin, open Appearance -> Editor or Appearance -> Menus, depending on your theme.
2. Add a custom link.
3. Set the URL to /search.
4. Use a label such as Search.
5. Save the menu or template.

Add a search input

If your theme already has a search field, SearchCue takes it over as soon as a visitor focuses it. You can also add one yourself:

<input type="search" placeholder="Search..." />

Test the setup

Open your site in a fresh private browser window and click the floating search icon, a /search link, or a search field. The SearchCue interface should open.

Next steps

SearchCue crawls your site after it is connected. From the SearchCue settings page you can open the Design, Analytics, and Documentation sections in the SearchCue dashboard.

You can update colors, typography, spacing, and result layout from the Design section without changing the WordPress plugin.

Troubleshooting

If search does not open on your site:

• confirm the plugin is active under Plugins -> Installed Plugins
• clear any page cache and CDN cache on your site, then reload
• check that your active theme calls wp_head() (most themes do)

Manually set the SearchCue site ID

The connection step fills in your site ID automatically. If that step did not complete (for example, you closed the window before the redirect finished), you can enter the site ID yourself:

1. In the SearchCue dashboard, open your site and copy its site ID. It starts with site_.
2. In WordPress admin, open the SearchCue settings and expand Advanced settings.
3. Paste the site ID into the SearchCue Site ID field.
4. Save.