How do you calculate reading time for a blog?
Reading time is calculated by dividing the total word count of a post by the average adult reading speed, which is approximately 225 words per minute (WPM). For example, a 1,000-word article would have an estimated reading time of about 4.5 minutes.
Dwell Time and the Psychology of Progress
When I added a reading time indicator to my personal blog, my average time-on-page increased by 12%. I believe it’s because people are more likely to start a task (reading) when they know exactly how long it will take. In the age of AEO, keeping users on your page is a massive signal of quality to search engines.
Adjusting for Technical Content
If you’re writing about complex topics like "JWT decoding" or "Cron expressions," your readers will move slower. For technical guides, I usually lower the math to 180 WPM to give a more realistic estimate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is reading time a ranking factor?
Not directly, but the resulting increase in user engagement and decrease in bounce rate are both positive signals that Google uses to evaluate your site.
