This is the ultimate guide to blogging statistics.
You see, blogging is far from “dead.” There are millions of new blog posts published every single day.
And here are the best statistics about the industry, including:
- How many blogs are successful
- Which blogs are the most profitable
- Why they’re so important for your business
Read on!
Overview of the top blogging statistics in 2024
- Blogging has grown 12% since 2015
- The number of bloggers is expected to increase by as much as 40% by 2028
- There are over 600 million blogs online
- Over 6 million new posts are published every day
- WordPress is home to approximately 60 million blogs, and 43% of websites on the Internet are powered by WordPress
- 70% of consumers would rather read a blog post than view an ad
- 30% of readers prefer to read and share blog posts that have numbers in the title
- More than 23% of readers say bad content can ruin the credibility of a blog
- The number of American-based bloggers grew by 10 million between 2014 and 2020
How many blogs are there?
1. There are over 600 million blogs on the internet
(WebTribunal)
The internet is home to a staggering 1.9 billion websites worldwide. Of those, 600 million are blogs.
2. More than two billion blog posts are published each year
(Zippia)
There’s no shortage of blogs on the internet – or posts. As many as 6 million new posts are published across the internet each day, which adds up to more than 2.5 billion each year.
3. There are nearly 32 million bloggers in America.
(Optinmonster)
It’s hard to measure the number of worldwide bloggers, but as of 2020, America was home to 31.7 million bloggers who posted at least once per month.
4. The first blog post was published almost 30 years ago.
(Zippia)
The first-ever blog post was published by Justin Hall, a freelance journalist, in 1994.
Blogging market size
5. The content marketing industry is expected to grow by nearly $600 billion in the next four years
(ReportLinker)
It’s estimated that between 2023 and 2027, the global content marketing will grow by as much as 16.37%. That’s a staggering $584.02 billion.
6. Tumblr is home to over 518 million blogs, which is more than WordPress
(Web Tribunal)
Home to more than 518 million, Tumblr hosts a majority of blogs on the internet. This has made it the most popular blogging platform in the world, ahead of WordPress.
7. About 70 million blog posts are published on WordPress each month
(WordPress)
Despite having fewer blogs than Tumblr (it’s home to about 60 million), WordPress writers publish 70 million new posts each month. Meanwhile, users leave 77 million new comments each month.
8. More than 400 million people view WordPress pages every month
(WordPress)
Over 409 million people visit more than 20 billion pages hosted by WordPress each month.
9. The number of US-based bloggers grew by 10 million in just six years
(Semrush)
Between 2014 and 2020, the American blogging scene grew by 10 million bloggers.
Blogging in Business Statistics
10. More than half of Fortune 500 companies have blogs
(University of Massachusetts Dartmouth)
In a 2019 study, UMass Dartmouth found that over 54% of Fortune 500 companies host and regularly update public-facing blogs on their website.
11. Blogs earn small businesses over 100% more lead growth.
(Zippia)
A small business with a public-facing blog will see 126% more lead growth than a small business without a blog.
12. 70% of consumers prefer blog posts over ads
(Demand Metric)
Unsurprisingly, a majority of consumers say they would rather learn about a company by reading a blog post than watching or reading an advertisement. The good news? They’re both equally effective for sales and leads.
13. 92% of content marketers integrate blog posts into their marketing plans
(Semrush)
A majority of content marketing professionals say that crafting compelling blog posts plays a critical role in helping them reach their marketing goals.
14. 65% of content marketers say blogs are their most-used format
(MarketingBuddy)
Blogs are used more by content marketers than any other format. This includes social media, case studies, white papers, press releases, and even customer testimonials.
15. Blogging increases the likelihood of a positive ROI by 13
(OptinMonster)
Marketers who choose to prioritize blogging are far more likely to see a positive return on their investment as opposed to those who prioritize another marketing format. In fact, 57% say they earn customers with blog posts.
16. Businesses with blogs see 55% more website visitors and earn 67% more leads
(Hubspot)
Businesses that have a blog – and regularly update it – see as many as 55% more visitors to their website than those that don’t. They also earn 67% more leads.
17. More than half of consumers say blog posts impact their buying journey
(Demand Gen Report)
When asked, 60% of consumers said that they consider blog posts to be valuable when they’re in the early stages of the buying journey.
That number goes down as they move further into the journey: Just one-third say blogs are valuable in the middle stages and only 6% say they’re valuable in the late stages.
18. Posting at least 16 blogs each month will triple your traffic
(Hubspot)
Publish at a rate of one post per week won’t cut it – think more like once per day!
A company that publishes 16 posts or more every month will receive 3.5 times more traffic than those that post just 4 times per month.
19. Companies with blogs earn nearly 100% more backlinks than those without
(Hubspot)
Companies that publish blogs earn 97% more backlinks than companies that don’t.
20. Nearly 3 in 4 online marketers say content creation is most important to SEO
(OptinMonster)
A staggering 72% name content creation as the single most effective search engine optimization strategy they have.
21. Updating a blog post can increase traffic by more than 100%
(Semrush)
Taking the time to refresh and breathe new life into an older blog post will pay off – that simple action could increase website traffic by as much as 106%!
22. More than 7 in 10 buyers read content during the buying journey
(Demand Gen Report)
Blogging is now a crucial part of your sales funnel, with 71% reading content at some point during the buying journey. Use blog posts to answer questions and reinforce your credibility and value.
Blogging and SEO statistics
23. Blogs increase the chance of ranking on Google by over 400%
(Tech Client)
There are serious SEO benefits to publishing a blog on your website, including increasing your chance of ranking highly on Google by 434%.
The higher you can rank on Google the better, as most users don’t go past the first page.
24. The highest-ranking content averages less than 1,300 words
(Search Metrics)
Longer posts don’t always mean higher rankings. According to research, content that ranks highest on Google averages between just 1,140 and 1,285 words.
How many people read blogs?
25. Nearly 8 in 10 internet users read blogs
(Impact)
There are over 5 billion people using the internet each day. Of those, an overwhelming 77% say that they read blogs regularly.
26. American readers spend more time reading blogs than their email
(Zippia)
In America, readers spend three times as much time reading blogs than their own emails.
27. Almost one in four say bad content can quickly ruin a blog’s credibility
(Semrush)
Be careful when crafting your next blog post: 23.84% of readers believe that low-quality or bad content has the ability to destroy a blog’s credibility.
28. Users spend less than a minute reading blog posts
(Klipfolio)
On average, readers spend just under a minute – 52 seconds to be exact – looking at a blog post.
To get an impactful message across in that time, create easily skimmable content and consider adding photos or videos to increase engagement.
29. Only 20% of readers will actually read your post
(Moz)
This is what’s called the 80-20 rule: 80% of readers will read your blog headline, but only 20% will read the copy itself.
That means that your headline is the most important element and determines how likely readers are to linger on the page, so craft it carefully.
30. 73% choose to skim blog posts rather than actually read them
(Hubspot)
We know that readers spend less than a minute reading blog posts, but of those who choose to read them, just 27% do so thoroughly.
As for the rest of your readers? They’re likely just skimming.
31. Over half of blog readers use their phones to read a post
(Statista)
Mobile blog traffic is steadily increasing. Today, 54.4% of all website traffic comes from mobile devices, so choose your blog layout and theme carefully to ensure they look good on mobile and desktop.
32. 46% of readers consider a blogger’s opinion
(Semrush)
We know that a majority of readers come in contact with content at some point during their buying journey, but keep in mind that they read content from other people as well.
In fact, almost half take other bloggers’ opinions into consideration while they do their research leading up to a purchase.
What percentage of blogs are successful?
33. One-fourth of bloggers make a full-time salary
(Semrush)
Yes, it is possible to make a living by blogging!
As many as 25% of bloggers on WordPress say they make a full-time living, and many even claim to make more than $100,000.
34. 33% of bloggers don’t make any money from their blog
(TechJury)
Although some bloggers make money through their writing, about one-third don’t report making any money.
35. Less than 1% of bloggers make more than $1 million per year
(TechJury)
Chances are, blogging won’t make you the big bucks: Just 0.6% of bloggers say they make $1 million per year or more.
36. The two most popular ad management companies are Mediavine and Adthrive
(RankIQ)
Of bloggers who make at least $2,000 per month, 72% use either Mediavine or Adthrive as their ad management company.
37. Bloggers who work with editors are 90% more likely to get good results
(Orbit Media)
While most bloggers edit informally, those who invest in working with a professional editor are 90% likely to report strong results.
38. Almost half of all food blogs get 50,000+ visits per month
(RankIQ)
Of blog niches, food blogs see the most monthly sessions: 42.8% have over 50,000.
Lifestyle blogs come in second with 13.3%, followed by travel blogs at 10%.
39. The four niches with the most traffic make up 74% of all high-traffic blogs
(RankIQ)
Just four niches – food, lifestyle, travel, and arts and crafts – account for a majority of all high-traffic blogs on the internet.
40. Food blogs are more profitable than any other blog
(RankIQ)
With a median monthly income of $9,169 ($110,028), food bloggers make more money than bloggers in any other major niche.
41. Personal finance bloggers make nearly $10,000 per month on average
(RankIQ)
Personal finance bloggers have an average monthly income of $9,100, which adds up to $109,200 per year.
42. Lifestyle and mommy blogs make over $5,100 per month
(RankIQ)
Blogs that are centered on lifestyle, as well as motherhood or family, make an average of $5,174 per month. That’s $62,088 per year.
43. Travel bloggers earn $5,000 per month
(RankIQ)
Travel bloggers have a median monthly income of $5,000 or $60,000 per year – enough to book a few trips!
44. Lifestyle blogs account for 25% of all new blogs
(RankIQ)
Of all new blogs started between 2021 and 2022, one in four were in the lifestyle/mommy blog niche.
45. Travel blogs make up nearly one in five new blogs
(RankIQ)
Of all new blogs started between 2021 and 2022, 18% fell into the travel niche.
46. Food blogs account for more than one in ten new blogs
(RankIQ)
Of all new blogs started between 2021 and 2022, 13% were focused on food.
47. High-earning bloggers are 4 times more likely to use keyword research
(Semrush)
The key to earning money through a blog might be taking time to conduct keyword research. Bloggers with high incomes are 4.3 times more likely to use it to plan their content.
48. Blogs can make up to $100 per page view
(Semrush)
The most-established bloggers are able to charge as much as $100 per page view. This type of payment is typically applied only to sponsored posts.
49. The average blogger makes $8,000 per month
(Semrush)
According to Semrush research, bloggers made an average of $8,000 per month in 2021. That’s an average of $96,000 per year, far more than the average US full-time salary!
50. Bloggers can make up to $2,500 per month during their first year
(Fit Small Business)
While established bloggers with strong monetization strategies can earn between $3,500 and $15,000 per month, most make just $200-$2,500 per month in their first year.
51. Affiliate marketing is worth almost $20 billion
(DemandSage)
Affiliate marketing – where a retailer pays a commission for sales made based on blogger recommendations – has a market value of $17 billion.
Retailers are expected to spend $13 billion on affiliate marketing in 2023, up from $8.2 billion in 2022.
52. High-earning bloggers make almost half of their money through affiliate marketing
(Semrush)
Bloggers who earn between $7,500-$25,000 per month make 42.2% of their revenue through affiliate marketing and guest posts.
53. 60% of bloggers write 1-5 guest posts per month
(Referral Rock)
Three in five bloggers create up to five guest posts every month.
Statistics about writing blog posts
54. Nearly 2 in 5 bloggers struggle to stay consistent
(Semrush)
38% of bloggers say they struggle in some way with staying consistent when it comes to producing their content. If this sounds like you, consider creating a content calendar to help!
55. Over half of bloggers are between the ages of 21 and 35
(Zippia)
53.3% of bloggers are 21-35 years old; 20.2% are younger than 21; 19.4% are between the ages of 36 and 50; and just 7.1% are 50 or older.
56. Men and women are almost equally likely to be bloggers
(Zippia)
49.1% of bloggers are male, and 50.9% are female.
57. Finding time to create content is the biggest struggle for bloggers
(Orbit Media)
52% of bloggers say that finding time to create and promote their content is the biggest challenge they face. This is followed by getting traffic (46%), staying consistent (38%), and creating enough content consistently (36%).
58. Webinars are one of the least popular types of content for bloggers
(Orbit Media)
Just 25% of bloggers have created a webinar in the last year, followed by infographics (24%), and roundups (22%).
59. 90% of bloggers use social media to guide readers to their content
(Orbit Media)
That’s higher than SEO (66%), email marketing (66%), paid services (12%), and influencer outreach (8%).
60. 48% of bloggers choose to outsource their guest post writing
(Referral Rock)
While 87% of bloggers do come up with their own content ideas for guest blogs, only 52% write the content themselves.
61. It takes just over 4 hours to write a blog
(Orbit Media)
On average, bloggers take 4 hours and 10 minutes to write each blog post – 74% longer than it did in 2015!
This number has changed over time. In 2021, the average time to write a blog post was 4 hours and 1 minute. In 2022, that number was 3 hours and 55 minutes.
62. The most effective blog posts clock in at 1,700 words or more
(Hook Agency)
Experts recommend that each blog post should be between 1,760 and 2,400 words.
That’s because longer blog posts tend to attract higher-quality traffic, have better SEO, and get better results. Simply put, the longer the post the better.
63. Readers prefer articles under 1,000 words
(Semrush)
As we know, longer blog posts perform better, but that doesn’t mean that readers want to spend the time reading them. In fact, 75% of readers prefer to engage with blogs that are 1,000 words or less.
64. Blog posts that feature photos see as much as 94% more traffic
(OptinMonster)
Bloggers who are looking to boost traffic should consider incorporating photos into their posts. Blog posts with photos in them get 94% more views than those without.
65. Articles with 7 photos get over 100% more attention than those without
(WPBeginner)
Featuring at least 7 images will earn you 116% more attention than those with zero.
If that seems like a lot, don’t worry – almost half of blog posts (47%) have just 2-3 images and still get results.
66. Nearly half of consumers would like to see more video content
(Optinmonster)
More than two in five readers (43%) want content marketers to create more video content.
67. Shorter headlines are more effective and increase click-through rate by 21%
(Optinmonster)
Shortening your headlines to just six to eight words will increase your click-through rate by as much as 21%.
68. Three in five readers will share blog content on social media without reading it first
(Optinmonster)
When crafting your headlines, try to appeal to as many people as possible. Studies show that 59% of readers will share blog posts across their social media channels without reading the copy first.
69. Blog posts get shared almost 10 times more than B2B posts
(Backlinko)
On average, a blog post gets shared 9.7 times more than a post published on a B2B site.
70. 30% of readers prefer posts with numbers in the title
(CXL)
Almost one-third of readers are more likely to visit or read a blog post that has a number in the title.
Listicles tend to lend themselves to this style most easily. I do this when creating my blog content with titles such as “26 Top Benefits of Blogging for Business in 2023” or “35 Best Blogging Courses to Master Blogging in 2023.”
71. Titles with question marks in them get almost 25% more social shares
(Backlinko)
Titles that include a question mark see 23.3% more social shares than those without. This is because asking a question piques the readers’ curiosity and drives them to learn the answer.
72. 32% of readers value accuracy
(Semrush)
When it comes to writing a successful, high-quality blog, research carefully. Nearly one-third of readers say that accuracy is one of the most important factors in the blogs they choose to read.
73. 63% of readers prefer to read a blog written by multiple authors
(Optinmonster)
More than two in five readers say that blogs that are written by multiple authors are more credible than those written by just one. Thus, they would rather read them.
74. Bloggers who publish 16 times per month get almost five times more leads than those who don’t
(Hubspot)
Publishing four blogs per week is a lot of work, but trust me, the payoff makes it worth it.
Those who do so earn 4.5 times more leads than bloggers or companies who post just once per week, or four times per month.
75. Long-form blog posts get almost 80% more backlinks than short-form blog posts
(Backlinko)
Writing long-form content (between 1,000 and 2,000 words) is one of the most effective ways to earn backlinks for your website. In fact, this type of content earns 77.2% more than short-form blog posts (between 300 and 600 words).
76. How-to blogs are the most popular type to write among bloggers
(Semrush)
A vast majority of bloggers prefer to write how-to blogs (77%). This is followed by listicles (57%) and news- and trends-related posts (47%).
How many blogs fail?
77. 80% of blogs will likely fail within 18 months
(Blogging Guide)
Many blogs fail because bloggers don’t know how to grow a blog for the long term or sustain that growth.
There are several things bloggers can do to set themselves up for success, including setting clear targets, producing high-quality content, staying consistent, and using an SEO strategy.
78. That said, 75% of bloggers feel successful
(Orbit Media)
An Orbit Media study found that 75% of bloggers say they’ve found success, meaning that their blog has delivered marketing results or monetary gain.
Over to you!
You’re now armed with over 75 of the best blogging statistics for 2024 and have invaluable insights into what it takes to be successful.
If you’re thinking about launching your own blog – or if you already have one – let me know in the comments which of these statistics you find most valuable or relatable!
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