Using the read more tag in a wordpress blog

Updated on May 16, 2010

You may want to use the “read more tag“  AKA “the more tag” to split content  in a long post.  This is most commonly used when rather than having the whole post appear on the front page of the  blog, the blogger prefers to  break the text so the remainder appears on another page.

Inserting the more tag

In WordPress blogs  the more tag can be inserted in these ways:

1. In the Visual editor click Row 1  icon number #12 where you wish to break the text;
2. In the  HTML editor click the  [more] icon/button where you wish to break the text;
3. In the HTML editor editor where you wish to break the text switch to the “code” tab and type in <!–more–>

Personalized “read more” text

You can change the wording of the read more text that the theme is coded to automatically display as well. This is done by coding in <!–more your text goes here more!–> or whatever replacement text you wish.  You cannot use the ability to personalize the wording of the “read more” text to insert a link to different post or site.

Important Notes

Note 1: If you use the more tag it will cut off posts in RSS feeds and summarize them.

Note 2: When you have inserted the the more tag into your text and then view your unpublished post in Preview mode you will not see a split in the previewed post. However, when you publish the post the split will be there.

Some exceptions:
The Fadtastic theme displays the most recent post in full on the front page. For all other posts only linked titles appear.

The Hemingway theme displays excerpts from two posts side-by-side on the front page.
The Inuit Types theme is coded to display excerpts only on the front page. If you not want control where the split occurs simply copy and paste the “teaser text” from the post that you want to appear on the front page into the Excerpt box found below the editor writing box.

There are other exceptions  and new themes are being continuously added.  This post may be helpful, if you are considering changing themes.