Is your bounce rate high? Are users leaving your site after reading just one post? In this article, we will look at how you can display related and promoted posts in WordPress, so when a user has finished reading one article they will be encouraged to read another… and hopefully another and another.
YARPP
Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) displays pages, posts, and custom post types related to the current entry, introducing your readers to other relevant content on your site.
With over 300,000 users, Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) is the most popular choice for displaying a related content section on your site.
It’s popular because it accurately and automatically chooses relevant posts better than most other plugins which translates into higher click-through rates.
It has many customization options to be able to perfectly style the displayed posts with your current design. Display thumbnails with your links to boost your posts’ curb appeal to get more clicks or simply display links. You also have the option to show the articles at the bottom of the page or in the sidebar or to dispaly videos.
It’s easy to install and use. If you would also like to display post ads with this plugin, it’s an option in the Pro version.
Contextual Related Posts
This plugin automatically scans not only the title of the post you’re working on to pull related posts to display like most other plugins, but it also scans your content as you type to provide a truly accurate selection of similar posts to show.
It also includes caching to help reduce the load on your server and it’s highly customizable, too, with custom CSS options. It’s also compatible with shortcodes, widgets and custom post types that you may already have in use on your site.
Just install and activate and you’re ready to start displaying related posts on your site.
Jetpack — Related Posts Module
Once you install and activate Jetpack, go to Jetpack > Jetpack in the admin dashboard to access the related posts feature. Simply find it in the list of available modules and click the Activate button.
Then, click the Configure button to be directed to the settings where you can choose a large and visually striking layout or a simple one along with the option to separate the related content from the rest of your page.
It’s a quick way to add a related posts section to your site and it’s incredibly convenient if you already have Jetpack installed.
Content.ad
Content.ad has many features making this another popular choice among WordPress users. Its plugin is fully customizable with content that’s displayed well, even on mobile devices. It also provides ad revenue sharing.
The plugin is as easy to install as most others, but you do need to sign up for an account to use it. Luckily, the account is free and also easy to set up. Free support is also available if you run into issues using their plugin and service which is a bonus.
Shareaholic
Shareaholic is a one-stop-shop for helping boost traffic to your site. Not only does it let you have a cut of the advertising revenue for using their promoted content feature, but it also includes social sharing and follow buttons, and affiliate linking.
It’s an easy plugin to install and it’s 100% customizable. It also creates content that’s as good looking on a desktop browser as it is on mobile screens.
It’s a clean coded plugin that shouldn’t drag your site speed down.
Editorial Assistant
The Editorial Assistant plugin by Zemanta doesn’t include the revenue sharing feature, but it does let you display your own related posts. It also lets you share related content from other bloggers in their network.
The idea behind this feature is that as you share posts written by other bloggers, they in turn are sharing your posts as well helping you to boost your traffic while you help them boost theirs.
It’s an easy plugin to install and you’re able to choose the posts you share giving you more control over the overall user experience on your site.
WordPress Related Posts
WordPress Related Posts plugin was developed by the same company that made the Editorial Assistant and it has the same related posts feature, but with a few key differences. It also includes build-in caching.
This plugin inserts the related posts feature in your footer and you can choose from your past posts to display or posts a part of their network of other bloggers using this plugin.
Just upload, activate and you’re all set to go. It’s highly customizable and looks great on Android devices and iPhones.
Yuzo
Yuzo is a highly customizable and lightweight plugin that offers you the ability to post your related articles onto new posts. It has a minimalist design so you can be sure it will look great on your site no matter what your layout and styling looks like.
It’s as easy to install as most other plugins and while it doesn’t offer revenue sharing from advertisements it does accurately choose your previously written articles that are related to the current one you’re working on.
You also have the ability to choose your posts that will be displayed as related content manually so there’s a greater chance your visitors will be interested in staying on your site. There is also free dedicated support for the Yuzo plugin on their website.
Conclusion
These plugins above will help you boost your traffic without having to increase your writing schedule.
You can promote other posts on the web to create additional income or keep your visitors’ interest intact by displaying more of your own posts for them to read.