In the modern online world, making sure your website is easy to use is very important to keep visitors coming back. For long-form content, such as extensive blog posts or article collections, loading times can impact user engagement.
Enter Ajax Load More, a technique that enables seamless content loading without requiring a full page refresh.
Whether you prefer the convenience of a WordPress plugin or want to delve into custom coding, this article explores both methods to enhance user experience and load lengthy content seamlessly.
Ajax Load More for Long Posts with WordPress Plugin
Using a plugin is the easiest and quickest way to implement Ajax Load More for long posts. One popular plugin that can help you achieve this is “Ajax Load More” by Darren Cooney. Here’s how you can do it:
Install and Activate the Plugin:
- Go to your WordPress dashboard.
- Navigate to “Plugins” > “Add New.”
- Search for “Ajax Load More” by Darren Cooney.
- Click “Install Now” and then “Activate” the plugin.
Configure the Plugin:
After activation, you’ll find a new menu item named “Ajax Load More” in your WordPress dashboard.
Click on “Ajax Load More” > “Shortcode Builder” to configure your load more settings.
Customize the shortcode to fit your requirements, such as setting the “post_type” to “post” and the “posts_per_page” to control the number of posts per load.
Add the Shortcode to Your Long Posts:
Edit the page or post where you want to add the Ajax Load More functionality.
Insert the shortcode you configured earlier into the content where you want the “Load More” button to appear.
Save and Preview:
Save your changes and preview your post to see the Ajax Load More in action.
Ajax Load More for Long Posts Without a Plugin
If you prefer to implement Ajax Load More for long posts without using a plugin, you can do so by custom coding. Here’s a basic outline of the steps involved:
Create an Ajax Load More Button:
Add a button or link to your post template with a custom class or ID. For example: <button id="load-more-button">Load More</button>
Write the JavaScript Function:
- Create a JavaScript function that triggers the Ajax request when the button is clicked.
- In the JavaScript function, use the
jQuery.ajax()method to fetch additional content from your server.
- Append the fetched content to the existing content in the post.
Implement the Ajax Endpoint:
- Create a custom PHP function to handle the Ajax request on the server-side.
- Use the
WP_Queryclass to fetch additional posts and return the HTML markup of the new posts.
Enqueue the JavaScript File:
Create a separate JavaScript file for your custom code and enqueue it in your theme’s functions.php file or via a custom plugin.
Localize JavaScript Data:
Localize your JavaScript file to pass important data like the Ajax endpoint URL to your JavaScript function.
Style the Load More Button:
Add CSS to style the “Load More” button to match your website’s design.
Please note that creating Ajax functionality without a plugin requires more advanced coding skills and a good understanding of how WordPress works.
If you are not comfortable with custom coding, using a plugin may be the more straightforward option.