XenForo related threads: keep readers on your forum after the last post
Most visitors from search read one thread and leave. XenForo related threads, widgets and thumbnails give them a reason to open a second one.
On this page
Showing XenForo related threads under each thread is the simplest way to turn one-page visits into longer ones. A reader who arrives from search gets their answer, reaches the end of the thread, and sees what to read next. You can do it with XenForo's own search add-on, with widgets, or with a free add-on that lists related threads at the bottom of every thread.
Why readers from search leave after one thread
Most visitors from a search engine don't know your forum. They searched a question, landed on a thread and read the answer. When they reach the last post, the page offers a reply box they can't use without an account, and little else.
So they go back to the search results. That is a loss twice over. You lose a reader who might have joined, and search engines see a visit that ended quickly.
Related lists help search engines as well. They follow links to find pages and to judge which ones matter. An old thread that no new page links to slowly drops out of sight. When related lists link it from newer threads, search engines find it again.
The fix is to put good next steps where the thread ends and beside it. Threads on the same topic work best, because they match what the reader came for. Popular and recent threads come second.
XenForo related threads with Enhanced Search
XenForo Enhanced Search is XenForo's own paid add-on. It replaces the built-in search with one powered by Elasticsearch, and it adds a similar threads widget you can show on thread pages.
The catch is the server. Enhanced Search needs Elasticsearch 2.0 or newer running alongside your forum, and most shared hosting doesn't offer it. If you run your own server or a VPS, it is worth a look for the better search alone. After installing it, rebuild the search index so existing threads are included.
Similar threads keep their results in a cache. If a thread's title changes and its list looks stale, clearing that cache in the Enhanced Search options brings it up to date.
Widgets that point to more reading
Widgets are the blocks around your content, and XenForo includes several. The New posts widget lists recent activity. On XenForo 2.3, the Trending content widget ranks content by recent activity. Placed on forum pages, it can list only that forum's trending threads.
For thread pages, use the Thread view: Sidebar position. Our guide to adding and positioning widgets explains positions and display order.
Our free Widgets add-on adds New Threads and Random Threads widgets with finer control:
- Thread sources. Show threads from the current forum, which on a thread page leaves out the thread being read.
- Tags. Show only threads with the tags you choose, which gives you topic lists that stay relevant.
- Layouts. Narrow and wide layouts with thumbnails, or a sliding carousel.
- Promotion. Staff and chosen groups can feature a thread in a widget, now or on a schedule.
The thumbnail layouts take their pictures from the Thumbnail add-on, so set that up first. See how to set up D.C Style Widgets for each option.
Related threads at the end of every thread
A sidebar is easy to miss, especially on phones, where it drops below the thread. The strongest spot for XenForo related threads is directly after the last post, exactly where the reader decides whether to stay.
More Threads adds a list of related threads to the bottom of each thread. It is free, works on XenForo 2.2 and 2.3, and you adjust it in its options in the Admin CP.
Because the list sits inside the thread itself, it shows on every device, including phones where sidebars fall to the bottom of the page.
It builds on our free Thumbnail add-on, so install Thumbnail first. Thumbnail picks an image for each thread from its first post, so the list shows pictures rather than bare titles. The same image is used when the thread is shared on social media.
After installing Thumbnail, choose the forums it works in and run its rebuild, so older threads get images too. Until you pick the forums, no thread gets a thumbnail.
Which option fits your forum
You don't need all of these. Choose by your hosting and by how much time you have:
- Shared hosting. Start with Thumbnail and More Threads, then add a widget to the thread sidebar. None of them needs anything special on the server.
- Your own server or a VPS. Enhanced Search gives you better search and similar threads in one add-on. More Threads can still sit under each thread if you prefer lists with pictures.
- Well-tagged forums. A New Threads widget filtered by tag makes a tidy topic list for your busiest subjects.
Whichever you pick, the lists are only as good as your threads' titles and tags. Clear titles and a few accurate tags help every kind of related list, from XenForo's own to ours.
How to tell it works
Give any change a few weeks before you judge it, because traffic swings from week to week. Then compare the same period before and after.
- Pages per visit. Your analytics tool shows how many pages a visitor opens. This is the number related threads should move.
- Views on older threads. Older threads that start gaining views again are usually being found through related lists.
- New members from search. Readers who stay longer are the ones who sign up, so watch registrations from search visitors too.
Change one thing at a time. If you add widgets, related threads and new tags in the same week, you won't know which one helped.
What to do next
- Install Thumbnail and More Threads, so XenForo related threads appear under every thread.
- Add a New Threads or Trending content widget to the thread sidebar.
- Note your pages per visit today, and check it again in a month.
Related lists work even better when your tags are tidy. Our guide to turning XenForo tag pages into hubs covers that next step.
