How to Add a Reading Progress Bar in WordPress for Higher User Engagement (2023 Guide)

As an experienced WordPress developer, I highly recommend adding a subtle reading progress indicator on blog posts and long-form content. This simple enhancement can increase user engagement.

Let‘s dive into why you should add one and the technical process behind implementing it effectively.

The Value of Reading Progress Bars

Displaying a scrollable progress bar may seem minor. But data shows it encourages visitors to consume more content:

Beyond the numbers, having an indication of length sets user expectations and motivates completion. It improves perceived page load times. Users also find value in seeing reading time estimates.

An excellent example is Wikipedia‘s built-in reading progress bar:

This clean horizontal bar increases engagement on long Wiki articles. Note how they also display total reading time – an optional extra feature.

With the benefits clear, let‘s explore how you can add one.

How To Add Reading Progress Bars in WordPress

When it comes to implementation, you have 3 main options:

1. Easy: Use a dedicated plugin
2. Advanced: Insert custom code snippet
3. Built-In Theme Support: If already available

Here is an overview comparison:

Next, let‘s explore a quick plugin method, advanced custom coding, and leveraging built-in theme functionality.

Method 1: Install a WordPress Reading Progress Plugin (Fastest)

If you want the absolute quickest way to add a progress bar I recommend using a purpose-built plugin. The one I‘ve used most and recommend is:

Worth The Read – a lightweight customizable progress bar plugin with 4+ million installs.

Benefits:

✅ Installs in under 5 minutes
✅ Easy custom styling options
✅ Display % and/or time remaining
✅ Choice of placements (top, bottom, left, right)

To install:

1. Download and activate Worth The Read
2. Navigate to Reading Progress in your WordPress dashboard
3. Check what pages you want it enabled on
4. Customize styles, text, %, colors, etc to match your theme

And you‘re done! For most people this is the fastest way to add an elegant progress indicator in just a few clicks.

Method 2: Hard Code a Progress Bar via JavaScript (Advanced)

Alternatively, developers can hard code a progress bar without needing a plugin. You would need to know JavaScript to implement this way.

I recommend using the open source Progress Bar.js script.

Benefits:

⛓ No plugin required
⚡ Very lightweight code
⏱ Real-time progress tracking
🎛 Deep customization options

To install Progress Bar.js:

1. Grab the latest version
2. Paste this starter code into your theme‘s functions.php:

// Initialize ProgressBar.js 
var bar = new ProgressBar.Line(container, {
  strokeWidth: 4,
  easing: ‘easeInOut‘,
  duration: 1400,
  color: ‘#3498DB‘,
  trailColor: ‘#eee‘,
  trailWidth: 1,
  svgStyle: {width: ‘100%‘, height: ‘100%‘}
});

// Update progress when scrolled
window.onscroll = function() {
  var winScroll = document.body.scrollTop || document.documentElement.scrollTop;
  var height = document.documentElement.scrollHeight - document.documentElement.clientHeight;
  var scrolled = (winScroll / height) * 100;
  bar.animate(scrolled);  
};

This adds a smooth scrolling blue progress bar. Customize colors, size, and location by modifying the parameters.

While advanced, coding your own gives you maximum control.

Method 3: Leverage Built-in Theme Functionality

Certain premium WordPress themes like Astra and GeneratePress have reading progress bars built-in.

So if you already use those themes, enable it through:

Astra:

1. Update to latest version
2. Customizer > Layout > Scroll To Top
3. Toggle on "Reading Progress Bar"

GeneratePress:

1. Update to v3.1.2+
2. Theme Settings > Elements > Scroll Progress
3. Check "Enable" and adjust preferences

It‘s worth checking if your existing theme supports progress bars before installing anything new.

Best Practices For Smooth Progress Bars

Through my consulting experience, I‘ve found these implementation tips useful:

🔏 Add support for clicking document links – This jumps the scroll position, so the bar should update dynamically
📲 Fade out the bar after a few seconds idle to avoid mobile burn-in
⏱ Estimate reading time for improved user experience
🖊️ Allow readers to customize the font, size, and colors
🗺️ Enable sitewide or only on long articles – Avoid short pages with quick 100% completion

Get creative and use the progress bar as a design element to make content more immersive on your site!

Conclusion

Adding a scrollable progress indicator is an impactful yet straightforward enhancement. Data shows it tangibly boosts engagement over long-form content.

The fastest method is installing a dedicated plugin like Worth The Read. Developers can alternatively use Progress.js for custom coding flexibility.

Or if supported, enable your existing theme‘s built-in functionality.

No matter the approach, slightly guiding visitors through post progress leads to big engagement wins. Give it a test and watch as visitors consume more content!

Let me know if you have any other questions.