π Two Big Plugin Updates: Better Search & Contextual Related Posts
Date: 18 September 2025
Hi Reader π,
I realised that the last newsletter I sent was nearly 5 months ago. During these five months, I've been head down working on updates for several of my plugins.
I am pleased to share two important updates that will enhance the search functionality and related content features in WordPress.
Users of both Contextual Related Posts and Better Search plugins will benefit the most from shared database content.
Better Search v4.2
Better Search has enhanced the search experience on your WordPress sites with more relevant results, live search, heatmaps, and additional features.
All users benefit from the new guided setup wizard for easier configuration.
Better Search Pro now uses custom tables for faster, more scalable indexing. It utilises the same tables as Contextual Related Posts Pro, allowing you to search through 'processed' content. This means you can search through the content that is visible on your frontend site, rather than the raw markup stored in your database folder, providing more accurate and relevant search results.
Additionally, this update brings:
- Clearer (and shared) index names and faster reindexing tools.
- Automatic LIKE fallbacks and query timeouts for reliability.
- Enhanced multisite management features.
Contextual Related Posts v4.1
This release improves performance and compatibility across the board.
I've introduced a similar setup wizard in Contextual Related Posts to guide existing and new users through configuring the plugin.
Additionally, users benefit from:
- Closer alignment with Better Search with shared FULLTEXT indexes.
- Seamless integration with Better Search Pro when using custom tables.
- A cleaner UI for indexing, replicating what I've introduced in Better Search Pro.
This release of Contextual Related Posts lays the groundwork for multisite related posts for Pro Multi subscribers
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Update your plugins today to benefit from these improvements!
I have also added and updated several articles in the WebberZone Knowledge Base for both plugins. These articles provide a comprehensive understanding of the features available in the plugins, as well as an overview of the various settings. As always, if you encounter any issues, please feel free to reach out.
Cheers!
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