Related posts sections are everywhere on blogs and most are bad. Random posts the algorithm thinks are connected, recommendations that don’t fit, auto-generated thumbnails for posts the visitor already read. A few minutes of thought turns this from filler into one of the biggest engagement wins available.
Why related posts matter
A reader who finishes one post and clicks to read another is gold. They:
- Spent meaningful time on your site (boosts engagement signals).
- Built trust with you.
- Increased the chance they’ll subscribe, share, or return.
- Read 2x your content per visit.
The related posts section is the single biggest tool for converting “read one post” into “read several posts.” Most blogs underuse it.
Why most are bad
Common failure modes:
Auto-generated by category
“Show 6 random posts from the same category.” If the category has 80 posts, the 6 shown are arbitrary. The reader might see posts unrelated to the one they just finished.
Auto-generated by tag
Slightly better than category, but still random within tag. And many bloggers use tags too broadly for them to mean “related.”
“Recent posts” disguised as related
Some themes default to “recent posts” in the related section. That’s not related. That’s “latest.” Useless for a reader who just finished a 2-year-old post on a different topic.
Too many items
Some related sections show 10–12 thumbnails. Choice overload. Reader picks none, scrolls past.
Bad thumbnails
Stock photos with no relevance, generic placeholders, or tiny low-resolution images. Looks cheap. Reduces clicks.
What good related posts look like
1. Genuinely related to what the reader just finished
Not “same category.” Not “same tag.” Actually related. The reader who finished “How to back up your blog” should see posts on related operational topics — security, migration, hosting — not random posts from the WordPress category.
2. Limited to 3–5 items
Three is plenty. Five is the max before choice overload kicks in. Six+ underperforms.
3. Different from what they just read
If the post is on topic X, related posts should be on related-but-not-identical topics. The reader doesn’t need three more posts on the same exact topic. They want the natural next step.
4. Visual consistency
Same thumbnail size, similar style. Featured images that all match the post topic.
The three setups that work
1. Hand-curated per post (best)
At the end of each post, link manually to 3–4 specific related posts. This is what most strong blogs do. It takes 2 minutes per post and produces dramatically better results than any plugin.
The mechanics: at the bottom of each post, add a “You may also like” or “Read next” section with 3 links to specifically chosen posts.
For an existing blog: spend an afternoon adding curated related sections to your top 20 posts. The engagement bump is immediate.
2. Plugin with topic clusters (good)
Use a plugin that lets you define topic clusters or manually assign relations between posts. Examples:
- Yet Another Related Posts Plugin (YARPP) — old but reliable. Algorithm-based.
- Contextual Related Posts — similar approach.
- Inline Related Posts — inserts related links mid-post.
These are better than category-default behavior but still depend on the algorithm getting it right.
3. Theme’s curated featured-post functionality (good if available)
Some themes let you assign “related” posts per-post via custom fields. Works well if your theme supports it.
Where to place them
End of post (standard)
The most common placement. After the conclusion, before comments. Works well.
Inline (mid-post)
Some themes / plugins inject a related link mid-post. Effective for long posts. Less common but performs well.
Sidebar
Some blogs use the sidebar for related posts. Lower-converting than end-of-post but doesn’t fight reading.
Both end and inline (for long posts)
For posts over 2000 words, having one inline contextual link (mid-post) plus a related section at the end captures both the engaged reader and the skimmer.
What to display
Each related post item should include:
- Post title. Most important element.
- Featured image thumbnail. Drives clicks.
- Excerpt (optional, 1–2 lines). Useful for posts where titles alone don’t sell.
- Category or topic indicator (optional).
Skip:
- Publication dates (often makes posts feel stale).
- Author bylines (clutter for single-author blogs).
- View counts.
What about “Read next” patterns
Some blogs use a single “Read next:” link at the end instead of 3–5 thumbnails. Pattern: “If this was useful, read next: [one specific post].”
Pros:
- Single choice = higher click-through.
- Feels curated, personal.
- Cleaner visual.
Cons:
- Less choice can mean fewer total clicks.
- Requires more thought per post.
Both patterns work. The single “Read next” is increasingly popular on personality-driven blogs. The 3–5 grid still works well for content-heavy blogs.
The contextual link inside the post
Often the most-clicked “related post” link isn’t in the related section at all. It’s an inline contextual link inside the body of the post, where a related topic is genuinely relevant.
“If you’re now wondering about X, we covered that in [Post Y].” Mid-post. Contextual. Performs better than any sidebar widget.
Don’t rely only on the formal related section. Embed contextual links throughout.
How to audit your current setup
- Pick your top 10 posts by traffic.
- For each, look at what shows up in your related section.
- Ask: would a reader actually want to read these?
- If no, the auto-generation isn’t working.
- Either replace the related section with hand-curated links, or switch to a smarter plugin.
Total time: 1 hour. Engagement impact: real and immediate.
The honest summary
Related posts work when they’re actually related. Auto-generated by category is random. Curated by hand takes 2 minutes per post and dramatically outperforms. Use 3–5 items. Include thumbnails. Place at end of post, optionally also inline. Add contextual links throughout the body — those often out-click the formal related section. The reader who clicks to a second post is the win. Engineer for it deliberately.
