Understanding Reading Time & Speaking Pace
The Reading Time Calculator is an essential tool for content creators, public speakers, and educators. Whether you are drafting a blog post, preparing a keynote speech, or writing a video script, knowing how long your audience will take to consume your content is vital for engagement.
How We Estimate Time
Our calculator uses standard WPM (Words Per Minute) benchmarks to estimate duration:
- Slow Pace (130 WPM): Typical for impactful speeches, storytelling, or reading aloud to an audience. Use this for presentation scripts.
- Average Pace (200 WPM): The standard silent reading speed for most adults. Ideally used for blog posts, articles, and emails.
- Fast Pace (280 WPM): Represents skimming or speed reading. Useful for estimating the minimum time a user needs to scan your content.
Why Reading Time Matters for SEO
Google and other search engines value "Dwell Time" – the amount of time a user spends on your page. By providing an estimated reading time at the top of your articles (e.g., "5 min read"), you can set correct expectations and reduce bounce rates. Long-form content (1,500+ words) typically ranks better, but only if it respects the reader's time.
Pro Tip: For speech writing, we recommend aiming for 130-150 WPM. This allows for pauses, emphasis, and audience reaction. A 5-minute speech generally requires about 650-750 words.