Word Count Plugin

Display accurate word counts on your blog posts

WordPress 5.0+ PHP 7.4+ Version 1.0.0

Quick Start (2 Minutes)

Get up and running fast

  1. Download the plugin ZIP from your dashboard
  2. Upload to WordPress (Plugins → Add New → Upload)
  3. Activate plugin
  4. Configure settings (Settings → Word Count)
  5. View any blog post to see word count badge!

Installation

Step 1

Download Plugin

  • Download from your dashboard
  • Do not extract the ZIP file - WordPress needs it in ZIP format
Step 2

Upload & Activate

  1. Go to Plugins → Add New
  2. Click Upload Plugin
  3. Choose the ZIP file and click Install Now
  4. Click Activate Plugin
Step 3

Configure Settings

Go to Settings → Word Count and configure:

  • Badge Position:
    • After Content (default) - Badge appears below post
    • Before Content - Badge appears above post
  • Display On:
    • Posts (enabled by default)
    • Pages (optional)
  • Badge Colors: Customize text and background colors

Features

Accurate Counting

Strips HTML tags and shortcodes to count only actual text words

Per-Post Disable

Meta box in post editor to disable word count on specific posts

Customizable Position

Display badge before or after post content

Color Customization

Choose badge colors to match your theme

Post Type Filtering

Enable on posts, pages, or custom post types

Theme Compatible

Works with all WordPress themes and page builders

Theme Compatibility

Tested and verified to work with popular themes:

Twenty Twenty-Four
WordPress default theme
Astra
1.7M+ active installs
GeneratePress
Requires WordPress 6.5+
OceanWP
1M+ active installs

The plugin uses WordPress standard hooks and should work with most themes. Contact support if you experience issues.

Troubleshooting

Badge Not Showing

Check #1: Is the plugin activated?

  • Go to Plugins in WordPress admin
  • Verify "BlogUtils Word Count" shows "Active"

Check #2: Are you viewing a post or page?

  • Badge only shows on Posts by default
  • To enable on pages: Settings → Word Count → Check "Pages"

Check #3: Clear cache

  • If using a caching plugin, clear your cache
  • Refresh the post page (Ctrl+F5 or Cmd+Shift+R)
Badge Shows Incorrect Count

The plugin correctly counts only text words:

  • HTML tags are stripped (e.g., <strong>bold</strong> counts as 1 word)
  • Shortcodes are stripped (e.g., [gallery] counts as 0 words)
  • Only plain text is counted
Badge Styling Looks Wrong

Some themes may override badge styles. Try:

  • Changing badge colors in Settings → Word Count
  • Contacting support with your theme name

For advanced users, you can add custom CSS in Appearance → Customize → Additional CSS.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this plugin slow down my website?
No. The word count is calculated efficiently and adds minimal overhead. Tested with posts up to 10,000+ words with no performance impact.
Does the badge appear in RSS feeds?
No. The badge only appears when viewing the actual post page in a browser. It's hidden in RSS feeds, REST API responses, and archive listings.
Does this work with Gutenberg and Classic Editor?
Yes! The plugin works with both the Gutenberg block editor and Classic Editor.
Will this work with page builders (Elementor, Divi, etc.)?
Yes. The plugin uses WordPress's standard the_content filter, which works with all major page builders.
Does the plugin modify my post content?
No. The badge is added dynamically when the page loads. Your actual post content is never modified.

Need Help?

Email: support@blogutils.com

Links: