Estimate Reading Time Accurately for Blog Posts
Give readers honest time expectations using word count and average reading speed.
Jun 5, 2026
Reading time labels set expectations before someone commits to an article. Get them wrong and bounce rates climb.
The standard formula
Divide word count by average words-per-minute (typically 200–250 for English prose). Round up for skimmable technical content.
Adjust for format
Lists, code blocks, and images slow readers down. Add buffer time for tutorials with screenshots or copy-paste steps.
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