Reading Time & Word Count Block for Post

Contributors: saif24565
Donate link: https://devsopu.com/
Tags: reading time, word count, content tools, SEO, readability
Requires at least: 5.0
Tested up to: 6.8
Requires PHP: 7.2
Stable tag: 1.0.0
License: GPLv2 or later
License URI: https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html

Display reading time and word count for posts. Automatically or via shortcode. Simple and SEO-friendly.
Use the shortcode: [reading_time]

---

Description

This plugin adds a dynamic block or shortcode to show estimated reading time and word count for WordPress posts, pages, or custom post types.

Features

• Automatically appends reading time and word count to the top of posts
• Optional display under title
• Shortcode: [reading_time]
• Uses average reading speed of 200 WPM
• Admin settings to enable/disable sections

Great for improving user experience, accessibility, and SEO readability metrics.

---

Installation

1. Upload the plugin folder to the /wp-content/plugins/ directory.
2. Activate the plugin through the 'Plugins' menu in WordPress.
3. Click on Reading Time in the WordPress admin menu (clock icon on the left sidebar).
4. On the Reading Time & Word Count Settings screen, configure the following options:
   • Show Word Count – Toggle display of total word count.
   • Show with Title – Display reading time below the post title.
   • Show with Content – Display reading time above the post content.
5. Optionally insert the shortcode [reading_time] anywhere in your content or theme template.

ℹ️ Note: The plugin uses an average reading speed of 200 words per minute.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change the reading speed calculation?

Not in the current version, but support for custom WPM is planned.

Will it work with custom post types?

Yes, reading time can be shown for any is_singular() post type.

---

Screenshots

1. Upload or download the plugin first
2. Active the plugin
3. Admin Settings page and Output
4. Change settings and Output

Shortcode output

Example output above a blog post

---

Changelog

1.0.0

• Initial stable release
• Settings page with toggle options
• Frontend display + shortcode support

---

Upgrade Notice

1.0.0

First public version with shortcode and admin settings for flexible display.

---

Arbitrary Section

This plugin was built with performance in mind. All logic is based on server-side rendering — no page builders or heavy frontend JavaScript.

---

A brief Markdown Example

Ordered list:

1. Automatic reading time on top of content
2. Optional word count toggle
3. Clean and safe output

Unordered list:

• Easy to use
• Customizable
• Lightweight

Visit devsopu.com for more.