Your most read articles have already proven themselves. Showing them to new visitors is one of the easiest ways to get more page views.
Count views the right way
With page caching, PHP counters miss most visits. A small request sent after the page loads counts every real reader.
Ignore what is not a reader
Bots, your own visits and reloads inflate the numbers. Filter them out.
Choose the period
All time favorites for evergreen content, the last 7 days for news and trends.
Place the list well
In the sidebar, at the end of articles or on your blog page.
Show thumbnails
Images make the list far more clickable.
Popularly counts views and shows the list. See the demo and how to keep readers longer.
Frequently asked questions
Does a view counter slow WordPress?
Not when views are sent in the background.
Are views from Google Analytics used?
No, views are counted on your site.
Can I show trending posts?
Yes, over the last 7 days.