How to Set Up Site Search Using Shifter Algolia Search

Table of Contents

  1. About Using Algolia
  2. Enabling Algolia
  3. Starting WordPress and Configuring the Dedicated Plugin
  4. Adding the Shifter Algolia Search Block
  5. Building the Deployment and Generating the Algolia Index
  6. Functionality Testing

About Using Algolia

Shifter recommends using Algolia instead of WordPress’s standard search functionality.

  • Algolia is available on Shifter Tier 1 plans and above.
  • By configuring under “2. Enable Algolia,” so you can use it without needing to install or configure any plugins.
  • For search limit details by plan, please check the Algolia section under the Subscription menu in the Site Management screen of the Shifter dashboard.

About Searchable Content in Shifter’s Standard Algolia Integration

In Shifter’s standard Algolia integration, content listed in the XML sitemap generated by WordPress is indexed by Algolia; therefore, search results include titles, body text, tags, categories, and more.

If you wish to include content other than the above in search results, you can do so by creating your own Algolia account and using the Algolia plugin, rather than using Shifter’s standard Algolia integration. Please refer to the support documentation and tutorial videos below for details.
Integrating Algolia Search with WordPress
Tutorial Video

We also offer paid support for implementing Algolia. Please feel free to contact us via the inquiry form

to discuss your needs.

Enabling Algolia Log in to the Shifter dashboard ( https://go.getshifter.io).

Next, click “Live” for your site.

Click “Search.”

Click the toggle switch to enable it.

Algolia is now enabled.

Launching WordPress and Configuring the Dedicated Plugin

Launch WordPress and log in.

Go to the Plugins page and activate “Shifter Algolia Search.”

Adding the Shifter Algolia Search Block

In the editor, add the “Shifter Algolia Search” block.

Building the Deployment and Generating the Algolia Index

Return to the Shifter dashboard, stop WordPress, and build the deployment.
After the deployment is created, the Algolia site search index will be created automatically.

  • If the index is not created after waiting for a while, click the “Create Index” button to create it again.
  • Note that the index will not be created in a BASIC authentication environment, so please verify that BASIC authentication is disabled.
  • Additionally, if the “Visible to search engines” and “Prevent search engines from indexing this site” options in the WordPress [Settings] menu are checked, crawlers will not crawl your site; please uncheck these options beforehand.

Functionality Test

Access a page on your live site where the Shifter Algolia Search block has been added.

Search results will now appear automatically as you type.
Clicking a search result will take you to that page.


This concludes the guide on how to set up site search using Shifter Algolia Search.