Essential blogging statistics: trends, tips, and insights 2024

Blogging remains a key component of content marketing and digital strategy as we head into 2024. It’s one of the most effective mediums for expressing ideas, boosting brand visibility, and engaging audiences in the increasingly competitive digital space.

This article will explore 25 of the latest blogging statistics, from the number of blogs and bloggers to readers’ engagement. We’ll also look at the latest facts on blogging for business, along with its challenges and considerations.

Top 10 blogging stats you should know

1. Over 600 million blogs exist worldwide.
2. Over 52.3 million blog posts were published by WordPress.com users.
3. Blogs get 94% more views when they include relevant images.
4. Active blogs boost websites with 434% more indexed pages and 97% more links.
5. Around 70% of consumers prefer blogs over advertisements to learn about companies.
6. The content marketing industry is projected to reach $107.5 billion by 2026.
7. Bloggers collaborating with influencers get better results.
8. Food blogs earn the highest median monthly income among major niches.
9. Engaging readers through content is getting harder.
10. AI tools reshaping content creation.

Blogging statistics and trends

As of April 2024, the world’s internet users reached 5.44 billion, or 67.1% of the total population. Around 5.07 billion, or 62.6% of the total population, are social media users.

Bloggers are among these social media users, utilizing various platforms to create and share their content with millions of people. Blogging not only boosts return on investment (ROI) but also significantly influences consumer purchasing decisions.

Let’s examine blogging statistics and trends more closely to understand how you can use the data to your advantage.

1. Over 600 million blogs exist worldwide

The blogging landscape is vast. Among 1.9 billion websites, over 600 million of them are blogs. The majority of these blogs are hosted on leading platforms like Tumblr and WordPress.

Each year, bloggers publish over 3 billion posts, which is about 8.28 million posts a day, or roughly 5,750 every minute.

Interest in blogging remains high, with the term “how to start a blog” searched about 53,000 times each month globally. This shows that over 1,700 people consider starting a blog daily, highlighting its enduring appeal.

2. Over 52.3 million blog posts published by WordPress users

In January 2024, WordPress.com hosted over 52.3 million blog posts and 4.9 million web pages. It also attracted over 18.41 billion page views by April. This underscores WordPress.com’s significant role in the blogging ecosystem.

Whether you’re starting or expanding an existing blog, using WordPress’ capabilities can significantly enhance your reach and impact.

3. There are over 31.7 million bloggers in the US

The blogging community in the United States has seen substantial growth, with the number of bloggers reaching 31.7 million in 2020. This blogging statistic reflects a steady increase in individuals turning to blogging either as a hobby or a professional pursuit.

4. Majority of internet users report regularly reading blog posts

77% of internet users report that they regularly read blog posts. This statistic confirms that reading blogs remains an important source of information for many people.

5. Blogs get 94% more views when they include relevant images

Blogs with relevant images see a 94% increase in views, with images significantly enhancing articles about news, politics, and sports.

Adding visuals also improves information retention. Normally, people remember only 10% of what they hear after three days. Including an image can boost recall to 65%, making visuals a powerful tool for effective blogging.

6. 1 in 4 bloggers add videos to articles

One in four bloggers enhances their articles with videos, tapping into the effectiveness of video marketing.

Despite being more challenging to make, using multimedia usually results in better outcomes. This trend underlines that putting more effort into content creation can lead to significant rewards, especially in engaging and retaining audiences.

Blogging impact on digital marketing and SEO

Blogs are a powerhouse for enhancing search engine optimization (SEO) and boosting organic traffic. The blogging stats below show how blogs affect content distribution, customer preference, and click-through rates.

7. Most marketers use blog posts to distribute content

76% of marketers rely on blog posts to distribute content, with 10% reporting that blog content delivers the best ROI. This performance surpasses other content forms such as case studies, webinars, infographics, eBooks, and podcasts. This makes blogs critical in content marketing strategies.

8. Consistent and interesting blogs encourage purchases from 55% of users

Consistently interesting blogs influence purchasing decisions for 55% of users. This impact is further supported by the fact that 89% of customers read online reviews before making a purchase.

Most blogging platforms allow you to embed videos, podcasts, and images. Therefore, your company blog serves as a direct channel for sharing valuable content and an effective promotional tool for other marketing assets.

9. Active blogs boost websites with 434% more indexed pages and 97% more inbound links

Indexed pages mean that there are more pages on your website for search engines to crawl, analyze, and store in their database, increasing your online visibility. Inbound links, also known as backlinks, are hyperlinks from other websites that lead to your site.

Having indexed pages and more inbound links contributes significantly to higher search engine rankings, which leads to more website traffic and potential customers. Additionally, active blogs are 13 times more likely to yield a positive ROI compared to inactive ones.

10. Around 70% of consumers prefer blogs over advertisements to learn about companies

Approximately 70% of consumers prefer learning about companies through blogs rather than advertisements. This preference is reinforced by the fact that 70% of readers feel more connected to a brand after engaging with its blog content.

Furthermore, 82% of consumers report feeling more positive about a company that publishes custom content. This highlights the substantial impact of blogs in building brand loyalty and enhancing customer relationships.

11. Companies with blogs generate 67% more leads monthly

An active blog significantly boosts lead generation, with businesses seeing a 67% increase in monthly leads compared to those without blogs. Consistent blogging also plays a crucial role in increasing website traffic, attracting up to 55% more visitors.

12. 8 out of 10 read headlines, but only 2 click through

While 8 out of 10 people may read your headline, only 2 out of those 10 will actually click through to read the full article. This disparity underscores the crucial role of crafting compelling headlines.

To improve click-through rates, focus on creating headlines that not only grab attention but also promise clear value to the reader, enticing them to explore the content further.

Download blog post templates

Business blogging strategies

There are various reasons for a business to use a blog, such as increasing web traffic, improving search engine rankings, and building brand authority. This part will explore statistics related to business blogging strategies.

13. The content marketing industry is projected to reach $107.5 billion by 2026

In 2022, the content marketing industry was valued at $63 billion globally. By 2026, it’s expected to soar to $107.5 billion. This significant growth shows that more businesses are investing in content marketing, seeing its benefits in attracting customers and boosting sales.

14. About 92% of bloggers drive traffic through social media

With a staggering number of 92%, social media is the top channel for increasing blog visibility. Email marketing and SEO closely follow, with both playing critical roles in attracting readers.

As for SEO, bloggers who frequently focus on optimizing their content with relevant keywords tend to report greater success.

15. Frequent bloggers achieve better results, with 57% posting daily

57% of bloggers see better results after posting daily. This is a big jump from the 26% who don’t post as often. Those who blog two to six times a week also do well, but not as much as daily bloggers.

Typically, a blog post is around 1,427 words in length. Consistently posting content of this average length can help enhance a blog’s effectiveness in attracting a larger readership.

16. Companies that refurbish blogs see better results

Around 70% of bloggers refurbish their blog content, and of those, 30% report that their articles perform better after practicing this strategy.

The statistic suggests that revisiting and enhancing old posts can significantly boost their effectiveness and reach. This is especially important for evergreen content or content that remains relevant and valuable over time.

17. Companies using custom visual content see 7x higher conversion rates

Companies that incorporate custom visual content into their blogs experience up to 7 times higher conversion rates. Beyond just boosting conversions, custom visuals also improve the overall customer experience by making the content more engaging and memorable.

18. Bloggers collaborating with influencers get better results

Bloggers who collaborate with influencers and subject matter experts see significantly better results. Including contributor quotes, conducting interviews, and creating content roundups with these experts can increase a blog’s success rate.

19. Food blogs earn the highest median monthly income among major niches

Food blogs stand out as the highest earners among major blogging niches, also garnering over 50,000 monthly sessions. The main draw for these blogs is food recipes, which drive the most blog traffic.

Additionally, the four niches with the most traffic, lifestyle, travel, and arts/crafts, make up 74% of all high-traffic blogs.

Blogging challenges and considerations

While blogging offers numerous opportunities, it also comes with its own set of challenges. Let’s explore blogging statistics related to its challenges and considerations.

20. Marketers face resource challenges in B2B content creation

Marketers in the B2B sector face significant hurdles, with 58% citing a lack of resources as the biggest challenge in creating compelling content. Additionally, aligning content with the buyer’s journey is another major obstacle, affecting 48% of marketers.

The third significant challenge involves coordinating content efforts across sales and marketing teams, with 45% of marketers struggling in this area.

These challenges highlight the need for better resource allocation and strategic planning to enhance B2B content effectiveness.

21. Engaging readers through content is getting harder

Engaging readers has become increasingly difficult for bloggers. From 2019 to 2023, almost half of all bloggers reported struggling to maintain reader engagement.

The key to overcoming this challenge isn’t simply to aim for more engagement but to focus on producing high-quality content. By prioritizing the depth and relevance of the content, bloggers can naturally foster greater engagement and build a more dedicated audience.

22. Around 43% of readers skim blog posts

About 43% of blog readers skim through posts rather than reading them thoroughly. Additionally, the average reader spends just 52 seconds per blog post.

This highlights the importance of creating engaging content that is also structured to capture and retain the reader’s attention quickly.

23. AI tools reshaping content creation

Generative AI is revolutionizing content creation, with 65% of bloggers now using AI tools to enhance their workflow. These tools are commonly used for generating ideas (43%), crafting headlines (29%), and outlining articles (28%).

This integration of AI is streamlining processes and opening up new possibilities for content creators.

24. Marketers report highest ROI from website and content marketing

According to a survey of 1,400 marketers, 15% report that their highest return on investment comes from their websites and content marketing efforts, including blogs. Another 14% specifically cite content marketing as their top source of ROI.

This underscores the effectiveness of content-driven strategies in achieving marketing objectives.

25. Many B2B blogs use related articles as a call to action

Out of 360 B2B companies that have blogs, 39% of them use related articles as a call to action (CTA). This method keeps readers engaged by directing them to more content, boosting site visit duration, and potentially enhancing conversion rates through stronger brand engagement.

Sources

1. Web Tribunal
2. Statista
3. Polly Clover Writes
4. MDG Solutions
5. Orbit Media
6. Vidyard
7. Hostinger
8. BKA Content
9. Demand Metric
10. Neil Patel
11. Tiny
12. RankIQ
13. Blogging Wizard
14. Orbit Media
15. HubSpot

Conclusion

With over 600 million blogs worldwide, blogging remains a dynamic platform for individuals and businesses to express ideas, promote products and services, as well as engage with audiences.

From generating 67% more monthly leads for businesses to enhancing results through active blogging, the power of consistent, quality content cannot be overstated.

These latest blogging trends and statistics not only highlight the effectiveness of blogging but also serve as a roadmap to guide your blogging efforts. Whether you want more leads, better engagement, or a stronger brand, using these insights can bring big benefits.

We encourage you to leverage these insights to create a blog, refine its approach, and achieve your marketing objectives. Good luck!

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