Is there a way to add Search bar and Category Filter on Blog page of WordPress website created with Blocksy Theme? I need to add blog reading time too

I developed a blogging website on WordPress using the theme Blocksy. I need to add a Search bar and category filter on the Blog Page. As the theme provides only a limited amount of features, I tried using third-party plugin. But I cannot achieve it. I also tried the default WordPress editor, but I still cannot add it to the Blog page. Is there a way to do that? Another requirement is that I need to add reading time for each blog. Is there a way I can do it with the Blocksy theme? The requirements I want on that Blog page are, Heading A Search bar (for blogs) A category filter (for blogs) List of Blog posts in 3 columns. (All the blogs should be on the same page instead of separate accordion pages) The blog template should include a blog title, Thumbnail, Category, Author, Published date, and Reading time. Please let me know if there are any plugins (free/paid) to add the above details or suggest me if there are any better themes that provide these features (free/paid).

Yes, you can add a search bar, category filter, and display blog reading time on a WordPress website created with the Blocksy theme. Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. Adding a Search Bar: Enable Blocksy Header Builder: Go to your WordPress dashboard. Navigate to "Blocksy" > "Header Builder." Create a New Header or Edit Existing: Either create a new header or edit the existing one. Add a "Search" block to your header. Customize the Search Block: Configure the search block settings as per your preference. Save the changes. Update or Publish: Click on the "Update" or "Publish" button to apply the changes. 2. Adding a Category Filter: Enable Blocksy Archive Builder: Go to "Blocksy" > "Archive Builder." Select or Create an Archive: Choose the blog archive you want to edit or create a new one. Add a Category Filter: Use the "Category" block to add a category filter. Configure the settings as needed. Update or Publish: Click on the "Update" or "Publish" button to save the changes. 3. Displaying Blog Reading Time: To display the reading time, you may need to add this functionality through custom code or use a third-party plugin. Here's a simple way using a plugin: Install and Activate the "Reading Time WP" Plugin: Go to "Plugins" > "Add New" in your WordPress dashboard. Search for "Reading Time WP." Install and activate the plugin. Configure Plugin Settings: Once activated, go to "Settings" > "Reading Time WP" to configure settings. Customize the appearance of the reading time as per your preferences. Add Reading Time to Blog Template: Check if your Blocksy theme has an option to display post meta (including reading time) in the blog template. This can often be configured in the theme customization settings. Use Shortcodes (if needed): If the theme doesn't support reading time, you may need to use the plugin's shortcode manually. Add the shortcode [rt_reading_time] to your blog template where you want the reading time to appear. Update or Publish: Save the changes to the blog template. Remember to test your changes to ensure everything is working as expected. If you encounter any issues or need further customization, you might need to consult the theme documentation or consider reaching out to the theme's support forums.

January 10, 2024