Introduction
Have you ever visited an online store or a blog and felt lost scrolling through endless items? That’s where filtering comes in.
Filtering helps users narrow down a large set of items like blog posts, products, or tutorials based on what they really want. For example, a clothing store lets you filter by size, color, or price. A blog can allow filtering by category, author, or publishing date.
In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to add filtering on your website whether you’re using WordPress, coding with HTML/CSS/JavaScript, or building with server-side tools.
By the end, you’ll be able to:
- Understand what filtering is and why it matters.
- Choose the right type of filtering for your site.
- Add filters step by step (with code and plugin examples).
- Make sure your filters don’t hurt SEO or performance.
👉 This tutorial works for blogs, ecommerce stores, portfolios, or directories.
What is Filtering on a Website?
Filtering is a way to let users sort and refine content. Instead of browsing hundreds of items, filters allow people to choose options like “only red shirts under $20” or “show me tutorials about WordPress.”
For example:
- On Amazon, you filter products by price, rating, brand, or delivery option.
- On a recipe site, you filter by cooking time or dietary preference.
- On a blog, you filter articles by category or tags.
Why Filtering Matters
Filtering improves both user experience and website performance:
- Makes navigation easier → users find what they want faster.
- Increases conversions → shoppers buy quicker when they can filter.
- Reduces bounce rate → readers stay longer when they see relevant content.
💡 Example: A shoe store with 500 products could frustrate visitors. But with filters like size, color, and price, users can get results in seconds.
Types of Website Filtering
There are different ways to filter content:
- Attribute Filters
- Example: Filter clothes by “size: M” or “color: black.”
- Range Filters
- Example: Filter products by price between $20–$50.
- Faceted Filtering
- Example: Combine multiple attributes, like “women’s shoes, size 7, under $40.”
- Keyword/Tag Filters
- Example: Filter blog posts by tags like “SEO tips” or “tutorial.”
- Hierarchical Filters
- Example: Electronics → Laptops → Gaming Laptops.
- Boolean Filters (Yes/No)
- Example: “In stock only” or “Free shipping.”
👉 If your site is a blog , simple category or tag filters may be enough. But for an online shop, you’ll likely need advanced faceted filters.
Planning Your Filtering System
Before you jump into coding or plugins, answer these:
- What do my users search for most?
- Do I have lots of content or products?
- Should filters be simple (like categories) or advanced (multiple attributes)?
💡 Example:
- A portfolio website → simple filters (like “web design” or “illustration”).
- A large ecommerce site → advanced faceted filters with price, brand, reviews.
👉 If you’re unsure, check your Google Analytics or Search Console to see what visitors are looking for most.
If you’re designing a blog or portfolio, you might want to explore some ready-made website design templates for listing pages that already include clean layouts where filters can easily be added.
How to Add Filtering in WordPress (No-Code)
If you’re using WordPress, good news you don’t need to code everything. You can use plugins.
Popular WordPress Filtering Plugins:
- FacetWP – great for advanced filters.(Popular plugins such as FacetWP are trusted by developers because they support AJAX filtering and SEO-friendly URLs.)
- Filter Everything – easy to use for WooCommerce & blog posts.
- Search & Filter Pro – highly customizable.
Step-by-Step (WordPress Example)
- Install and activate your chosen plugin.
- Create filter options (like categories, price ranges, or tags).
- Add the filter widget to your sidebar, header, or product page.
- Test filters on mobile and desktop.
- (Optional) Add AJAX for smooth filtering without page reloads.
👉 Example: If you run a blog on website development, you can let users filter posts by category (like “SEO tutorials” or “WordPress tips”).
📌 Internal link tip: For more on WordPress customization, check out my guide in the Website Development category.
How to Add Filtering with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (Code Example)
If you’re not using WordPress, you can create a simple filter manually.
Here’s a basic JavaScript filtering example for a portfolio site:
<input type="text" id="searchInput" placeholder="Search items...">
<ul id="itemList">
<li>Web Design</li>
<li>SEO Tips</li>
<li>WordPress Guide</li>
<li>Graphic Design</li>
</ul>
<script>
const searchInput = document.getElementById('searchInput');
const items = document.querySelectorAll('#itemList li');
searchInput.addEventListener('keyup', function() {
let filter = searchInput.value.toLowerCase();
items.forEach(item => {
item.style.display = item.textContent.toLowerCase().includes(filter) ? '' : 'none';
});
});
</script>
💡 This filter hides list items that don’t match the typed text.
👉 Useful for small websites or portfolios.
For creators who want full control and don’t want to depend on hosted tools, you can even learn how to build your own website without restrictions, and then implement custom filters on top.
If you’re learning coding basics, the official MDN JavaScript guide is a great place to understand how filters work in practice.
AJAX Filtering (Dynamic Websites)
For larger websites, you’ll want AJAX filtering. This allows filters to update results without reloading the page.
Why AJAX?
- Faster user experience.
- Better for ecommerce and large blogs.
- Works well with pagination and sorting.
👉 Example: Filtering 1,000+ real estate listings by “price” and “location” without refreshing.
📌 For developers: use fetch() in JavaScript or tools like React/Vue to update results dynamically.
SEO Best Practices for Filtering
One mistake many site owners make: letting Google index every filter combination.
This can cause duplicate content and crawl issues.
SEO Tips:
- Use canonical tags → point filtered URLs back to the main category.
- Use robots.txt or noindex for certain filter URLs.
- Keep URLs clean:
- Good:
example.com/shoes?color=red - Bad:
example.com/?id=123&filter=shoes&size=7&price=low
- Good:
- Add structured data (schema) to product or article pages.
Performance & Mobile-Friendly Filtering
Filters must work well on mobile. Many users shop or read blogs on phones.
Best practices:
- Use collapsible filters on small screens.
- Keep filter buttons big enough to tap.
- Don’t overload with too many options.
💡 Example: A sticky “Filter” button that opens options in a side panel.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Adding too many filters (confuses users).
- Not testing on mobile.
- Forgetting SEO best practices.
- Slow database queries (use caching for big sites).
FAQs (People Also Ask)
1. What is filtering on a website?
Filtering allows users to narrow down results (like products or articles) by categories, tags, or attributes.
2. What is web content filtering?
This usually means blocking certain websites or types of content—different from UI filtering.
3. How do I add a filter in a WordPress website?
Install a plugin like FacetWP or Filter Everything, create filter options, and add them to your site.
4. How do I use search filters?
Simply select or type the options you want (like price or category). The site then shows only matching results.
Conclusion
Adding filtering to your website is one of the best ways to improve user experience and conversions.
Whether you’re using WordPress plugins for a blog, JavaScript filters for a portfolio, or AJAX for an ecommerce store, the key is to keep filters simple, useful, and SEO-friendly.
👉 Start with what your users need most. Don’t add filters just for the sake of it.
👉 Always test on mobile.
👉 Monitor performance and analytics to see which filters people use the most.
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