Top 10 best related articles plugins for WordPress

WordPress plugins play a crucial role in enhancing the functionality and features of a website, and related articles plugins are no exception. These plugins help website owners and bloggers increase user engagement, reduce bounce rates, and improve SEO by displaying relevant content to visitors based on the post they are currently reading. With a plethora of related articles plugins available for WordPress, it can be challenging to choose the best one for your website. In this guide, we'll explore the top 10 best related articles plugins for WordPress, each offering unique features and customization options to suit your needs.

1. Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP):
YARPP is a popular and feature-rich related articles plugin for WordPress. It uses an advanced algorithm to display related posts based on content, tags, categories, and custom taxonomies. YARPP offers various display options, including thumbnails, excerpts, and custom templates, allowing you to customize the appearance of related articles to match your website's design seamlessly.

How to embed YARPP

It works automatically without the need of embedding or coding but if you ever wish to embed Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) in HTML, you typically need to follow these steps:

1. Install YARPP: First, make sure you have the YARPP plugin installed on your WordPress site.

2. Configure YARPP Settings: Set up YARPP according to your preferences through the WordPress dashboard.

3. Embed YARPP in HTML: Once configured, you can embed YARPP in your HTML pages using WordPress template tags or shortcodes.

   For example, to display related posts in a single post template, you can use the following PHP code:

   <?php related_posts(); ?>
   

   <?php echo do_shortcode('yarpp limit=6'); - put that inside []?>
   

   Or, if you prefer using a shortcode, you can use:

   yarpp - put the yarpp inside [ ]
   

Make sure to place these codes where you want the related posts to appear in your HTML template.

1. Customize CSS: You may need to customize the CSS to ensure that the related posts section looks good with your website's design.
   
   Example:

   .yarpp-related>div {
       width: 100% !important;
   }
   
   .yarpp-related .yarpp-thumbnails-horizontal .yarpp-thumbnail {
       display: inline-block !important;
   }
   

2. Test: Finally, test the implementation to ensure that related posts are displayed correctly on your website.

2. Related Posts for WordPress by Bibblio:
Related Posts for WordPress by Bibblio is a powerful plugin that utilizes artificial intelligence to deliver personalized and relevant content recommendations to website visitors. It offers a sleek and customizable design, intuitive interface, and seamless integration with popular page builders and themes. Bibblio's machine learning algorithms continuously analyze content and user behavior to provide accurate and engaging related articles suggestions.

3. Jetpack by WordPress.com:
Jetpack is a multifunctional plugin that includes a related posts module among its many features. With Jetpack's related posts module activated, WordPress site owners can effortlessly display related articles at the end of each post, encouraging visitors to explore more content on the site. Jetpack's related posts feature is easy to set up and configure, making it an excellent choice for users who already have Jetpack installed on their websites.

4. Contextual Related Posts:
Contextual Related Posts is a versatile plugin that offers customizable related articles displays based on post content, title, and tags. It supports thumbnail and list layouts, as well as shortcode and widget options for easy integration into WordPress websites. Contextual Related Posts also includes features such as caching, custom CSS styling, and support for custom post types and taxonomies.

5. Related Posts Thumbnails Plugin for WordPress:
Related Posts Thumbnails Plugin for WordPress is a lightweight and user-friendly plugin that adds related articles functionality to WordPress websites. It automatically generates related posts based on categories, tags, and post content, displaying them with thumbnail images for a visually appealing presentation. The plugin offers customizable display options, including the number of related posts to show and thumbnail size.

6. Inline Related Posts:
Inline Related Posts is a unique plugin that inserts related articles directly within the content of posts and pages, increasing user engagement and reducing bounce rates. It analyzes the content of each post to identify relevant keywords and automatically inserts related articles links at strategic points throughout the text. Inline Related Posts offers customization options for styling, placement, and the number of related articles displayed.

7. Related Posts by Taxonomy:
Related Posts by Taxonomy is a flexible plugin that allows website owners to display related articles based on custom taxonomies, such as categories, tags, or any other custom taxonomy registered in WordPress. It offers various display options, including thumbnails, excerpts, and custom templates, as well as support for caching and performance optimization.

8. WordPress Related Posts:
WordPress Related Posts is a simple yet effective plugin for displaying related articles on WordPress websites. It uses a customizable algorithm to determine related posts based on categories, tags, and post content, with options to exclude specific categories or posts from the results. WordPress Related Posts offers a widget and shortcode for easy integration into WordPress sites.

9. Inline Related Posts & Related Articles:
Inline Related Posts & Related Articles is a versatile plugin that combines inline related articles insertion with a customizable related articles widget for WordPress websites. It offers various display options, including inline text links, thumbnail images, and customizable templates for the related articles widget. The plugin also includes features such as caching, lazy loading, and compatibility with popular caching plugins for optimal performance.

10. Related Posts Thumbnails:
Related Posts Thumbnails is a lightweight and straightforward plugin for adding related articles functionality to WordPress websites. It analyzes post content, categories, and tags to generate related articles suggestions, which are displayed with thumbnail images for visual appeal. Related Posts Thumbnails offers customizable display options, including thumbnail size, number of related posts, and exclusion of specific categories or tags.

In summary, choosing the right related articles plugin for your WordPress website can significantly enhance user engagement, improve SEO, and increase the overall value of your content. Whether you prefer a feature-rich solution like YARPP or a lightweight option like Related Posts Thumbnails, there are plenty of options available to suit your needs and preferences. Experiment with different plugins, explore their features and customization options, and choose the one that best fits your website's requirements.