Looking for ways to keep your WordPress blog readers engaged? One effective method is to display the estimated time it takes to read your blog posts. By letting readers know ahead of time how long an article will take to read, you can encourage them to stay on your website and increase engagement. In this article, we will walk you through the process of adding estimated post reading time to your WordPress blog using the Read Meter plugin.
Benefits of Displaying Estimated Reading Time
Attracting visitors to your blog is important, but it’s equally important to keep them on your website for as long as possible. The longer visitors stay, the higher the chances of them remembering your brand, subscribing to your newsletter, making a purchase, and returning in the future.
Many popular websites use a reading progress bar as users scroll through a post, which helps retain their attention. Another effective way to entice visitors to read your posts is by displaying the estimated reading time upfront. By letting them know that an article will only take a few minutes to read, you increase the likelihood of them giving it a try.
Now, let’s go through the simple steps to add estimated reading time to your WordPress blog posts.
Step 1: Install and Activate the Read Meter Plugin
The easiest way to add estimated reading time to your WordPress posts is by using the Read Meter plugin, available for free. Install the plugin by following these steps:
From your WordPress admin panel, go to Plugins > Add New.
Search for the ‘Read Meter’ plugin in the search bar.
Locate the Read Meter plugin and click the ‘Install Now’ button.
Once the installation is complete, click the ‘Activate’ button.
Step 2: Configure the Plugin Settings
After activating the Read Meter plugin, you’ll need to configure its settings. Follow these steps:
Go to Settings > Read Meter from your WordPress admin panel.
In the ‘General Settings’ tab, select the post types on which you want to display the reading time (such as blog posts and pages).
Adjust the reading speed if necessary. The plugin estimates a default reading speed of 275 words per minute.
Optionally, include comments and images in the reading time estimation.
Step 3: Customize the Appearance of Estimated Reading Time
The Read Meter plugin allows you to customize the appearance of the estimated reading time notification. Here’s how:
Go to the ‘Read Time’ tab in the plugin settings.
Choose where you want the reading time to appear, such as on blog posts, home page, or archive pages.
Customize the font size, position, background color, and text color according to your preferences.
Remember to save the changes after customizing the appearance.
Step 4: Enhance User Experience with a Progress Bar (Optional)
The Read Meter plugin also offers a progress bar feature to further enhance the user experience. Enable the progress bar by following these steps:
Go to the ‘Progress Bar’ tab in the plugin settings.
Select the position of the bar (top or bottom of the page) or disable it completely.
Customize the style, background color, primary color, and thickness of the progress bar.
Save the changes once you’re satisfied with the progress bar settings.
Step 5: See Estimated Reading Time in Action
Now that you’ve configured the Read Meter plugin to display estimated reading time and customized its appearance, it’s time to see it in action.
Simply visit your WordPress website and navigate to any blog post. You’ll now see the estimated reading time displayed prominently. This will help your readers gauge the time commitment required to read the post and encourage them to engage with your content.
Conclusion
By adding estimated reading time to your WordPress blog posts, you can effectively boost user engagement and keep visitors on your website for longer. The Read Meter plugin makes it easy to implement this feature with customizable settings for both reading time and progress bar. Give it a try and witness the positive impact it has on your readers’ experience. And for more ways to improve your WordPress website, check out our guides on incorporating keywords and meta descriptions, as well as our recommended essential WordPress plugins. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel for helpful WordPress video tutorials, and stay updated with our latest news on Twitter and Facebook.
