Blogging is a lucrative activity that can be rewarding financially and emotionally. However, being successful at blogging requires time, quality content, a great strategy, and effort.
Knowing the most current blogging statistics will help identify more strategic ways to outperform the competition.
It will help analyze your shortcomings, the data that works for other bloggers, and gather insightful ideas to improve your blog's content strategy.
This article provides the blogging stats to give you more insight into blogging and improving your blog content or just motivating you if you are looking to start a new blog.
Key Blogging Statistics
- More than 600 million blogs existed on the internet.
- Websites with blogs will have 434% more indexed pages than those without blogs.
- 77% of internet users read blogs.
- There are around 31.7 million bloggers in the US.
- 59% of people share content without reading it first.
- 64% of B2B marketers use a blog.
- 87% of guest bloggers develop their own article topic ideas.
- Over 409 million people view blogs each month.
General Blogging Statistics
Here are some general blogging statistics to explain how big the blogging industry is.
1. You can find more than 600 million blogs online.
(Hosting Tribunal)
Blogging was once the rave of the moment, attracting many people to the industry. With the industry not as vibrant as it used to be, many believe that blogging is dead, but that is not true. According to blogging statistics from Hosting Tribunal, there are about 600 million blogs on the internet. This shows how competitive blogging is and why there are many bloggers struggling in the industry.
2. There are more than 5 million blog posts published daily.
(Hosting Tribunal)
With an estimated 600 million blogs on the internet, it is expected that millions of blog posts should be published daily. Although many blogs become inactive after some time, statistics show that about 5 million new blog posts are published daily.
3. In the United States alone, there are 31.7 million bloggers.
(Statista)
It may be challenging to calculate the exact number of bloggers globally. However, blogging statistics show that there are at least 31.7 million bloggers in the United States alone.
4. About 77 % of internet users read blogs.
(LinkedIn)
Information is a vital commodity many people will pay top dollars to get. The internet provides the perfect platform to get free information, and blogs remain vital sources of information. They provide up-to-date news and in-depth detail you may not get from social media content and ads. This makes blogs extremely useful and popular with consumers and other internet users. According to statistics from LinkedIn, more than 75% of all internet users read blogs content regularly.
5. Every month, about 77 million comments are left on WordPress blog posts.
(WordPress)
Blog posts sometimes are used for customer interactions and engagement. Blogging statistics from WordPress shows that readers worldwide make about 77 million comments monthly on WordPress blogs posts. These numbers would increase massively if other blogs were considered.
6. WordPress.com gets around 409 million viewers on their blog pages monthly.
(WordPress)
WordPress is one of the most popular blogs on the internet today. According to statistics from their official website, their blog posts engage around 409 million people monthly. Although this number is huge, it only accounts for a small fraction of all blog posts read on the internet.
7. On average, writing a blog post takes around 3 hours 55 minutes.
(Orbit Media)
Blogging is fun and lucrative; however, many content creators and marketers complain that it is time-consuming. Apart from the time taken to create an effective blogging strategy, it takes about 3 hours and 55 minutes to complete a blog post, according to statistics from Orbit Media. This explains why many blogs don't publish their posts daily and why many marketers prefer making quick social media posts instead of investing in blogging.
8. In 2021, the average length of blog posts was 2164 words.
(Hubspot)
When it comes to blogging and SEO content, word count plays a crucial role in ranking power. Therefore, bloggers and content creators are always trying to figure out the ideal length for a post. From word count statistics on posts published in 2021, the average length of blog posts was 2164 words. Many believe that 2000 words plus are the ideal word count and a sweet spot for blog posts.
9. About 54% of all Fortune 500 companies have public-facing blogs.
(Umass Dartmouth)
Public knowledge of what a business offers is a driving force to promoting that business. Today, blogs have become a standard feature of most websites and a crucial tool for sales for most businesses. In fact, many prominent companies confirm that blogs are good marketing spend. Statistics show that more than half of all the Fortune 500 companies have public-facing blogs and agree that it is the way forward.
10. Bloggers and vloggers influence almost half of all internet users’ opinions.
(Blue Orchid Marketing)
If you desire to create a strong community that can guide or influence people’s purchasing decisions, you should try blogging. This is because around 46% of internet users report taking recommendations or advice from bloggers and vloggers.
Blogging Platform Statistics
Here, we will look at some blogging statistics that give us better insights into blogging platforms.
11. Tumblr is the most used blogging platform worldwide.
(Statista2)
Tumblr may not appear as the most popular blogging platform or the most obvious choice for website building, yet it remains one of the most popular blogging platforms in the world. Many consider Tumblr as the OG platform for blogging, and many bloggers choose it over prominent options like Wix and WordPress. This is why Tumblr is home to more than 450 million blogs.
12. There are 60 million blogs powered by WordPress.
(Hosting Tribunal)
WordPress is another prominent blogging platform. It is considered the front runner in the content management space; however, it is behind Tumblr regarding the number of blogs on the platform. WordPress hosts about 60 million blogs yearly, which is about 13.3% of the number of blogs Tumblr hosts.
13. Wix has more than 2 million users worldwide.
(Wix)
Wix is also a popular blogging platform for bloggers, although it may not be as popular as Tumblr or WordPress. Yet, it has managed to raise a huge user base, as more than 2 million users choose to blog on Wix. It is known for its drag-and-drop web design features because it makes it easier for beginner bloggers to build more professional-looking websites.
14. There are more than 60 million monthly readers on Medium.
(Business Insider)
Medium is a relatively new publishing platform for blogging. It is more popular with thought leaders and businesses. There are about 60 million monthly readers on the platform, according to an article published in 2017. In 2017 alone, about 7.5 million posts were published. These figures should have increased over the years, as Medium has continued to grow into one of the most prominent blogging platforms on the internet today.
15. English, Spanish and Indonesian are the most used languages on WordPress.
(WordPress)
WordPress is not restricted to geolocation, as different people from different parts of the world have access to the blogging platform. However, the most common language used on the platform is English. Spanish is the second most used language on WordPress, while Indonesian surprisingly comes third.
Blogging Content Statistics
Here we talk about what makes a great blog post. The statistics listed below should reveal best practices and data-backed tips that can help to improve your blog content quality and attract more readers.
16. When it comes to content marketing, blogs are the second most commonly used form of media.
(Hubspot)
Blogging remains one of the most effective and productive forms of media for marketers. The State of Marketing report by Hubspot shows that blogging is the second most commonly used form of media for content marketing. It is behind video content which is top of the list, thanks to its increased popularity in recent years.
17. In 2020, blogs were used by 89% of marketers in their content strategy.
(Content Marketing Institute)
Blogs are crucial for business success and often make up at least a portion of a business's content marketing strategy. Some marketers will add blogging to other techniques they employ, like email marketing and social media. However, many businesses try to keep it as simple as possible. They ensure they run blogs that will generate traffic from organic search. In 2020, blogs were used by 89% of marketers in their content strategy.
18. The most shared blogs are the ones that are 3000-10,000 words long.
(Moz)
Keeping a blog post concise is key to generating traffic for writing blogs. However, ensure you include all relevant information in your quest to keep your post as concise as possible. This makes the post more informative, engaging, and interesting to keep readers excited to the point of sharing what they have learned. Moz reports that the most shareable blog posts online range from 3000 to 10,000 words.
19. About 30% of blog users prefer reading blog posts with headlines that include a number.
(CXL)
When writing blogs, using the right headline is essential to optimize the number of views and clicks the post gets. Research from CXL on headlines that work best shows that 30% of blog readers prefer posts with numbers in their headlines.
20. Another popular headline feature shows that 21% of readers prefer blog headlines that address them.
(CXL)
CXL studies on headline features show that readers read more blogs that include words that address the readers. If the headline is written in a personal and direct format, it attracts more readers. CXL studies show that 21% of readers prefer such headlines.
21. Blog content with visuals attracts about 94% more views than articles without visuals.
(B2B Marketing)
Visual elements like videos and images can stimulate people's interest in reading, which is often used in blogging. This is because such blog posts make content more readable and shareable. It can also be used to bolster or add valuable information to the content. Statistics from B2B marketing suggest that posts with visual elements attract about 94% more views than articles without visuals.
22. Your Articles will enjoy 2X more traffic if it contains one or more lists.
(SEMrush)
Having lists in your articles can improve the readability of your articles and attract more readers. Based on SEMrush’s studies about the anatomy of blog posts, published posts including one or more lists drive 2X more traffic.
23. Articles that use the H1, H2, or H3 header tag have better performance.
(SEMrush)
Several factors influence the performance of published articles on the internet. One of such factors is the heading format. According to studies from SEMrush on the impact of headings on the performance of articles, articles that use the H1, H2, or H3 header tag enjoy better performance on the internet. This header format improves the overall performance of such articles. It also helps improve the article's layout, making it easier to read and quicker to find valuable information.
24. About 64% of all blogs are viewed on the Chrome browser.
(GS Statcounter)
Previewing your blog post is essential to optimize your blog posts effectively. You should ensure you double-check what your post looks likes for readers on different devices and browsers. For example, statistics show that most blog readers (64%) access the blogs of their choice through the Chrome browser. Therefore, as it blogger, it is essential to preview your posts with your Chrome browser before putting them out on the web.
Blogging Revenue And Effectiveness Statistics
We are looking at another segment of blogging stats is blogging revenue and effectiveness statistics. Knowing the kind of revenue generated from blogging and what your ROI would look like will help you reposition yourself better to improve your blog.
25. About 70% of internet consumers prefer blog posts to ads.
(Ledgeview Partners)
As much as ads are designed to advertise businesses, many internet users would rather engage with blog posts than ads. Over the years, blog posts have proven to be an organic way to advertise or market goods and services to the target audience without perceiving an aggressive market, unlike ads. This is further supported by reports from Ledgeview Partners showing that 70% of consumers would rather engage with blog posts than ads. However, ads can be equally as effective as blog posts for lead generation and driving sales.
26. Blogging can increase your website’s visitors by up to 55%.
(Hubspot)
Many business owners don't know how effective blogging can improve sales and website traffic. Therefore, many don't include blogging in their marketing strategy. Interesting, businesses looking to drive traffic to their website can rely on blogging to deliver great results. Research shows that blogging can boost a website's visitors by 55%.
27. Your ranking potential can increase by 434% by having a blog.
(Hubspot)
When websites publish blog content, it is easier for them to rank for many relevant keywords related to the website owner's services. This creates more organic leads and traffic. Hubspot statistics show that your ranking potential can increase by 434% by having blog content on your website.
28. To improve people’s perception of a business as a worthy investment, about 92% of marketers consider written content like blogs.
(Content Marketing Institute)
Most marketers worldwide love blogging and make it a part of their marketing strategy. This is because of the high potential of blogging to provide a good ROI. Statistics show that about 92% of marketers consider written content like blogs to make businesses look worthy of investment.
29. The average base pay a blogger earns yearly is $52K.
(Glassdoor)
Reports from Glassdoor states that bloggers earn an average yearly pay of $52K. Interestingly, some independent bloggers earn much more yearly, with many of them earning six figures or more.
30. On average, food and personal finance bloggers make around $9K monthly.
(Rankin)
Food and personal finance blogs are ranked as the top two highest-paid blog categories. This is most likely because these niches are popular and easy to monetize. Statistics show that food and personal finance bloggers earn around about $9K monthly on average.
Most food bloggers earn by monetizing their traffic through online courses, ads, and promotions. On the other hand, personal finance bloggers earn through affiliate programs for survey sites, investment apps, and other apps and programs designed to help users earn money.
31. Lifestyle and mommy blogs are the 3rd and 4th highest paying blog niches.
(Rankin)
Lifestyle and ‘mommy' blogs are the next highest paying blog niches after the food and personal finance niche. On average, bloggers in this niche-earn about $5174 monthly. Lifestyle blogs are blogs with content inspired by the blogger's lifestyle. This includes their daily activities and personal interest. On the other hand, mommy blogs mostly focus on topics like childcare, parenting, and other topics that cater to an audience of mothers.
32. Pro bloggers generate about 42% of their income from affiliates and about 33% from ads.
(Rankin)
Food bloggers are arguably the highest earners in the blogging industry, and they generate most of their revenue from ads. However, this is not the same with other niches. Many pro bloggers don't enjoy this privilege, so most rely on affiliates to earn income. Most pro bloggers generate about 42% of their revenue from affiliates.
Typically, these affiliate programs pay valid referrers commissions between 1% and 10% of the order value. This implies that a blogger who earns $5,000 monthly from affiliate sales must sell $50-$500k's worth of products through their referral links.
On the other hand, ads are way easier to earn from. However, most pro bloggers earn only 33% of their income from ads. Google Adsense is an ad network that will pay you for the ad space on your website. Whenever any of your website viewers click or view an ad on your page, you get paid.
Blogging growth and trends statistics.
Finally, we will be looking at some recent blogging trends. Here are a few blogging trends to help know where the industry is heading to.
33. Blog posts keep getting longer.
(Neil Patel)
Over the years, a clear trend observed with blog posts is that the average length of blog posts keeps increasing. The average length of blog posts increased gradually by 53% between 2013 and 2019. Interestingly, this upward trajectory could continue because many marketers and bloggers suggest that articles should be in longer form. They believe that in-depth pieces should be 3,000 words or more.
The Google algorithm is a significant reason why blog post length keeps increasing. The Google algorithm works in specific ways and mostly ties word count or post length to rank published posts. Beating the algorithm will help your posts rank higher on search results. Most times, the longer the post, the better it ranks. Although it is difficult to say that length of a post is a direct ranking factor, longer blog posts tend to satisfy search intent better and command more topical authority.
34. More bloggers are adopting affiliate marketing.
(Awin)
Another trend in the blogging industry is that more bloggers are turning to affiliate programs to source their revenue. According to recent stats, about 40% of all publisher commissions in the US come from blogs. Having your affiliate links within your blog posts is a great monetization strategy. However, the competition in the affiliate marketing space is intense; therefore, it is essential to create a reliable strategy and carefully choose your affiliate partners.
35. Recently, more bloggers have performed original research than ever.
(Orbit Media)
In the past, most published blogs were based on data from other sources or other blogs. Only a few bloggers had the time and resources to gather their information through primary research. However, the trend is gradually changing because many bloggers now prefer gathering their data themselves.
Recently, there has been an increase in the number of bloggers that do their research, create and publish original content, and a decline in bloggers that polish already published work. As of 2018, about 25% of bloggers do their research and publish their original work. By 2020, the numbers have increased, as 42% of bloggers now do their research and publish their original work. Interestingly, bloggers that publish their original research are more likely to provide strong results.
Conclusion
Recently, blogging doesn't look as attractive as it used to be, making many people lose interest in it. However, blogging is still a highly rewarding activity and remains one of the most lucrative endeavors to date. Many online entrepreneurs, marketers, and businesses make the most out of blogging.
But to make your efforts pay off and enjoy the benefits of blogging, you need to do the right thing. Knowing blogging statistics will help you see the secrets of blogging and develop the right strategy to become a successful blogger.
References:
- https://www.semrush.com/blog/anatomy-of-top-performing-articles/
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/187267/number-of-bloggers-in-usa/
- https://wordpress.com/activity/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/youre-blogging-now-good-time-start-jesse-trevi%C3%B1o/
- https://hostingtribunal.com/blog/how-many-blogs/
- https://gs.statcounter.com/browser-market-share
- https://cxl.com/blog/5-characteristics-high-converting-headlines/
- https://contentmarketinginstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2020_B2C_Research_Final.pdf
- https://www.businessinsider.com/inside-the-meltdown-of-evan-williams-startup-medium-2017-2
- https://www.b2bmarketing.net/en/resources/news/research-news-articles-images-get-94-more-views-those-without
- https://www.awin.com/docs.awin.com/marketing/HQ/Awin+Report+2020.pdf
Ludjon, who co-founded Codeless, possesses a deep passion for technology and the web. With over a decade of experience in constructing websites and developing widely-used WordPress themes, Ludjon has established himself as an accomplished expert in the field.
Comments