Light Views Counter – Fast, Scalable View Counter for High-Traffic Sites

View counting happens asynchronously after page load
Uses sendBeacon API for fire-and-forget requests
Scripts only load on single posts/pages (not on homepage or archives)
Built-in caching reduces database load
Tested on high-traffic sites with millions of views

Your visitors won't notice any difference in page load speed.
Is this plugin GDPR compliant?
Yes, 100% GDPR compliant! Light Views Counter:

No privacy policy update needed.
Does it work with caching plugins?
Yes! Light Views Counter is specifically designed to work with all major caching plugins:

WP Rocket ✓
W3 Total Cache ✓
WP Super Cache ✓
LiteSpeed Cache ✓
Autoptimize ✓
Cloudflare ✓

View counting uses REST API which automatically bypasses page cache.
What happens when I deactivate or delete the plugin?
Deactivation: View data is preserved, tracking stops temporarily
Deletion: All plugin data (including view counts) is permanently removed from database
Counting & Tracking

For long posts:
* Waits until visitor scrolls to threshold (default: 50%)
* Confirms visitor is actually reading content
* Filters out bots and accidental clicks

For short posts:
* Automatically detects content fits in viewport
* Counts after 1 seconds (confirms visitor sees content)
* No need to wait for scroll that won't happen

This ensures only genuine engagement is counted.
Why are my view counts lower than other analytics?
This is actually a good thing! Here's why:

Light Views Counter counts: Real engagement (people who actually read)
Google Analytics counts: Every page load (including bounces, bots, accidental clicks)

Lower, more accurate numbers give you true insights into content performance.
Will it count the same visitor multiple times?
Not within the configured time window (default: 1800 seconds / 30 minutes):

Uses localStorage to remember recently viewed posts
Prevents counting page refreshes and back-button clicks
Configurable time window in settings (in seconds)
Respects user privacy (no cookies)

This gives you accurate unique views per time period.
Does it count bot traffic?
No! Bots are automatically filtered. Your view counts reflect real human readers only.
How do I display view counts?
You have 4 flexible options:

1. Shortcode (easiest):
[lightvc_post_views] - Add anywhere in post content

2. Automatic display:
Enable in Settings > Light Views Counter

3. PHP function:

4. Widgets:
Use Popular Posts widget in sidebars
How do I add a Popular Posts widget?
For WordPress:
1. Go to Appearance > Widgets
2. Drag "Popular Posts (Light Views Counter)" to widget area
3. Configure options and save

For Elementor:
1. Edit page with Elementor
2. Search for "Popular Posts (Light Views Counter)"
3. Drag widget to desired location
4. Customize styling
Can I show popular posts from specific time periods?
Yes! Both widgets support:

All time
Last 7 days
Last 15 days
Last 30 days

Perfect for showing "Trending Now" vs "All-Time Popular" sections.
Is there an API for developers?
Yes! Comprehensive developer tools:

PHP Functions:
* lightvc_get_post_views( $post_id )
* lightvc_get_popular_posts( $args )

WP_Query Integration:
* 'orderby' => 'lightvc_views'

Hooks & Filters:
* lightvc_post_views_count
* lightvc_views_html
* lightvc_exclude_user
* lightvc_views_counted

REST API:
* GET /wp-json/lightvc/v1/views/{id}
* POST /wp-json/lightvc/v1/count