30 Essential Blogging Statistics [The 2023 Edition]

Maria Pengue
By Maria Pengue
author

In recent years, social media and microblogging platforms like Twitter have driven online audiences away from blogs. Whereas most internet influencers were once bloggers, TikTok and Instagram celebrities have largely overshadowed them.

But as these blogging statistics will show you, blogs are by no means a thing of the past.

Millions of people still run successful blogs, which attract dozens of millions of readers. Many bloggers still generate a sizable income from their work. And despite what you might think, people still flock to blogs for social and cultural commentary, business tips, and shopping ideas.

Keep reading for a comprehensive look into the state of blogging in 2021.

Top Blogging Statistics (Editor’s Choice)

  • As of March 2021, there are almost 600 million blogs on the internet.
  • There are 31.7 million bloggers in the US alone.
  • Bloggers worldwide publish 7.5 million posts a day.
  • 60% of internet users say they regularly read blogs.
  • On average, US bloggers make $33,188 a year.
  • Most readers find blogs via search engines.
  • On average, readers spend just 37 seconds reading a blog post.
  • In 2020, 6% of US adults got their COVID-19 news from blogs.

General Blogging Stats

1. As of March 2021, there are almost 600 million blogs on the internet.

(Tumblr, WordCamp, BuiltWith)

Tumblr alone hosts 520.3 million blogs and holds the largest share of the market. WordPress, owned by the same parent company as Tumblr, powers at least 75 million websites. Not all of them are blogs, but most — if not all — contain a blog component.

According to statistics, Blogger currently powers just under 450,000 blogs. While this number is still respectable, it’s worth noting that this Google-owned service has hosted more than 1.2 million blogs over the years, but many of them have shut down or migrated to other platforms.

2. There are 31.7 million bloggers in the US alone.

(Statista)

Since 2014, when there were 27.4 million bloggers in the US, the number has gone up by 15.7%. Experts believe the positive blogging trends will continue in 2021, when the number of bloggers stateside is expected to cross the 32-million mark.

3. Bloggers worldwide publish 7.5 million posts a day.

(Internet Live Stats)

In the first two months of 2021, the average number of blog posts published per day has reached an all-time high of 7.5 million. The number of blogs is much higher, but most of them don’t post new content daily. What’s more, many of them are inactive and don’t publish at all.

4. 93% of blog posts published nowadays are longer than 500 words.

(Orbit Media Studios)

Research reveals that the average blog post length has significantly increased in the last few years. In 2014, blog posts averaged 808 words. However, the number of words per post has since gone up to 1,269 — a 57% increase over seven years.

Looking at recent statistics, bloggers seem to have largely given up on short content. Only 7% of all posts published in 2020 contained fewer than 500 words, a massive drop from 21% in 2014. Instead, most were in the 500–1000-word (38%) and 1000–1500-word (29%) ranges.

5. 60% of internet users say they regularly read blogs.

(HubSpot)

The number of people who regularly read blogs has decreased in the last few years.

According to the blog readership statistics from a small-scale 2020 survey, only 60% of internet users regularly read blogs nowadays — significantly down from nearly 80% in the mid-2010s.

As for how often these people read blogs, 11% do it daily, 39% up to three times a week, while the remaining 10% check for new posts between four and six times each week.

6. Business Insider is the world’s most visited blog.

(SimilarWeb)

With 107.5 million visits in February, Business Insider tops the list of the most popular blogs in 2021. This tech and finance blog has shed 8.5 million readers since September 2020, but it still attracts by far the most visitors. Also ranking among the top three blogs are HuffPost (75 million visits) and the gossip site TMZ (58.2 million visits).

Blogger Statistics

7. The majority of US bloggers are women.

(Zippia)

Ever since the early days of blogging, females have been more represented. Apart from minor oscillations, women have consistently held about three-fifths of the blogging market since 2008. Women currently account for 62.9% of US bloggers, almost twice the number of male bloggers.

As for ethnicity, blogger demographics reveal that 79.9% of US blog writers are white. Latinos make up 7.3% of all US bloggers, Blacks account for 5.1%, and Asians have a 4.3% share.

8. Male bloggers earn more than their female colleagues.

(Zippia)

Although women are more numerous, they don’t earn as much as their fellow male bloggers.

According to blogging income statistics, professional female bloggers make $41,194 per year. Meanwhile, male bloggers earn $43,114 a year — a slight yet notable 4.5% difference.

9. On average, US bloggers make $33,188 a year.

(Glassdoor)

Rather than professional bloggers’ reported earnings, this number is based on how much US employers are willing to pay bloggers looking for work. While the average blogger income is on par with the median salary in the US, not everyone earns the same.

Depending on the employer and requirements, salaries for bloggers vary across the board. As of early 2021, bloggers hired by companies can make anywhere between $16,000 and $84,000.

10. 24% of people began blogging to become self-employed.

(ConvertKit)

Most people start blogging to become their own bosses and generate income while working on a flexible schedule. Other reasons for entering the blogosphere include the need for a creative outlet (17%), an attempt to build an audience (16%), and the desire to share knowledge (13%).

11. 52% of bloggers have less than one year of experience, blogging stats reveal.

(Zippia)

While most currently active bloggers are relatively new to the industry, 37% say they have 1–2 years of experience. Seasoned bloggers are not that numerous — only 8% have been blogging for 3–4 years, 3% have 5–7 years of experience, and just 1% have been doing it for 8–10 years.

12. An average blogger works for almost 4 hours on one post.

(Orbit Media Studios)

With the average blog post word count on the rise, bloggers are now spending more time writing a single post. In 2014, bloggers would work on a post for 144 minutes before publishing it. But since then, the average time spent writing a post has gone up to 235 minutes.

Only 6% of bloggers say it takes them less than an hour to write a post. According to blogging statistics, most bloggers (22%) work for 2–3 hours per post. Another 17% say it takes them 1–2 hours to finish a post, 20% spend 3–4 hours on a single post, and 17% invest 4–5 hours of their time into each piece. Finally, 17% of bloggers say that each post takes 6 hours or more to write.

13. Most bloggers write about business and personal development.

(ConvertKit)

More than 40% of US bloggers write about personal development, making it the most popular blog topic.

Other frequently covered subjects include entrepreneurship (34%), different types of business (25%–35%), marketing (23%), and technology (19%). Contrary to popular belief, only 10% of bloggers write about fashion and 11% about food and travel, blog statistics show.

14. 42% of bloggers do independent research for their blogs.

(Orbit Media Studios)

In 2018, only 25% of US bloggers performed original research, while the rest relied on quoting other sources. The number of those who do in-depth research has risen in the last two years.

However, they don’t painstakingly investigate every piece they publish. Most of them do it a few times a year and aim to produce at least two or three articles based on each set of findings.

15. 32% of bloggers hire professionals to edit their work.

(Orbit Media Studios)

As with any other form of journalism, in blogging, facts are crucial. To improve their credibility and ensure their work’s accuracy, 23% of bloggers hire an editor to fact-check and proofread their work. What’s more, 9% say they have more than one editor look at their posts.

While they don’t hire a professional editor, 28% share their pieces with one or two people before publishing them. Only 40% of US bloggers say they do all the editing themselves.

16. Only a quarter of US bloggers include videos in their posts.

(Orbit Media Studios)

Including videos in posts is a surefire way to improve blog traffic, stats reveal. However, only 25% of US bloggers do it. That’s likely because original videos can be expensive to make. Additionally, many bloggers don’t have the technical skills to produce good-looking videos.

But this doesn’t mean bloggers don’t add other types of visual content to their posts. Namely, 90% say they regularly include images, 54% create graphs and charts, and 37% highlight quotes by experts they interview — all in an effort to make their posts more reader-friendly.

17. Just 4% of bloggers publish new content every day.

(Orbit Media Studios)

Posting daily helps bloggers attract more readers, and experts claim it’s the ideal blog post frequency. Still, most bloggers can’t follow this pace, especially if they tend to write long-form pieces. Only 3% of bloggers say they post daily, while 1% publish two or more posts a day.

In 2020, 22% of bloggers published one piece per week, and another 22% published several articles per month in irregular intervals. Interestingly, 16% say they published just one post per month, with another 7% publishing even less frequently. Finally, 17% say they posted new content anywhere between two and six times a week.

18. Most bloggers promote their content on social media.

(Orbit Media Studios)

According to blogging statistics, 94% of bloggers promote their posts by sharing them on social media platforms like Facebook, making it the most popular way to attract readers. However, because of the competition and the impact of algorithms, social media sharing isn’t the most effective promotional tool.

Hiring an influencer to promote content is the best way to increase blog traffic, statistics show. Yet only 12% of bloggers engage in influencer marketing, likely because they can’t afford it. Paid promotion is another reliable way to drive visits, but just 15% of bloggers opt for it.

19. 70% of bloggers regularly update their old posts.

(Orbit Media Studios)

Rather than posting a new piece whenever there’s further information about a topic they’ve previously covered, most bloggers go back and update their old posts.

This is good for a few reasons. Firstly, the blog’s easier to navigate when there are fewer articles on the same topic. Secondly, if someone who reads blogs clicks on a link posted on social media or elsewhere on the internet, they’ll know the info they’re looking at is up-to-date.

Finally, this could also improve the blog’s ranking on search engines. That’s because the post’s URL might already have a significant number of backlinks. Add to that lots of new readers and even more backlinks, and search algorithms will recognize the post as authoritative on the topic.

20. 26% of bloggers write guest posts for other blogs.

(ConvertKit, Referral Rock)

Of those who promote their content through guest blogging, statistics show that the majority (60%) write 1–5 posts per month. Others are more productive — 27% publish 6–10 guest posts a month, 10% produce 11–25 pieces, and 3% post more than 25 guest pieces each month.

While 7% write for just one site, 56% publish on multiple websites. They mostly opt for a few high-quality blogs that attract many visitors and can help drive traffic to the writer’s own blog.

21. Only 30% of bloggers regularly check their blog’s analytics.

(Orbit Media Studios)

Most platforms give bloggers insight into various aspects of their blog’s performance, including the average blog traffic, most popular articles, and the number of backlinks. Even though this data can help bloggers increase their readership, only 30% check these analytics regularly.

Another 50% say they look at their blog’s performance data irregularly, but 20% never do it. Unsurprisingly, 37% of those who regularly check analytics and use them to optimize their content say it has helped them increase traffic and improve their blog’s performance.

Blog Reader Statistics

22. 55% of blog readers are male.

(Pingdom)

Although women make up the majority of blog writers, they only account for 45% of readers. Gossip, celebrity, and art blogs have a predominantly female readership. On the other hand, male readers are more interested in blogs covering politics, technology, and business.

23. The average age of US blog readers is 41.

(Pingdom)

Blog demographics reveal that news blogs have the oldest audience, most of them over 40. As for younger people, they’re more interested in business, technology, and celebrity news.

For example, 27% of BuzzFeed’s readers are in the 18–24 age group, and another 36% fall into the 25–34 bracket. On the other hand, The New York Times’ Politics blog — previously known as The Caucus — has the oldest audience, with 25% of its readers aged 55 and over.

24. Most readers find blogs via search engines.

(Semrush, BrightEdge)

Despite social media’s ever-growing popularity, all blogs generate the most traffic through searches — regardless of their primary topic. For example, blog statistics show that 57% of people who read health and fitness blogs come to a website from Google or some other search engine. Meanwhile, just under 5% arrive at the site by clicking on a link posted on social media.

To ensure a high ranking on Google, bloggers must optimize their content for search engines. They could also pay to have their blog featured on the top of the results page. However, with this type of investment in blogging, the ROI might not be satisfactory. Only 15% of all blog traffic comes from paid ads, meaning that 85% of people don’t even look at sponsored search results.

25. On average, readers spend just 37 seconds reading a blog post.

(Forbes, HubSpot)

It’s one of the least-discussed facts about blogging — rather than reading an entire blog post, 73% of readers will just skim it. Some will do it because they’re looking for a specific piece of information; others will do so to see what the post is about and determine if it’s worth reading. Readers also tend to leave a page promptly if its title is misleading and doesn’t fit the content.

26. Readers prefer posts that take no longer than 7 minutes to read.

(Medium, HubSpot)

Assuming that a typical person reads between 200 and 250 words per minute, this means the average blog post length should be in the 1400–1750-word range. Interestingly, most people read blogs early in the morning, between 7 am and 10 am. Because of work and their other commitments on weekdays, most readers catch up with their favorite blogs on weekends.

27. 70% of people prefer discovering brands through content rather than ads.

(Content Marketing Institute, Statista)

Most readers consider viewing ads a waste of time. Instead, the vast majority prefers learning about companies through content — be it a video, a social media update, or a blog post.

The biggest advantage of business blogs is that they allow brands to introduce themselves to wider audiences. According to research, 2% of Gen-Xers and 1% each of Gen-Zers and baby boomers have discovered new brands by reading about them on blogs.

28. 13% of Americans learn about interesting new products on blogs.

(Statista, Demand Gen Report)

According to a 2020 survey, 13% of US adults find interesting new products to buy by reading about them on blogs. Furthermore, 50% of them learn about products through Google searches, and many of those searches lead them to posts on blogs they had never read before.

Blogs are a very influential marketing tool, and more and more companies are taking note.

Though the cost of blogging for businesses isn’t low, what with the hosting, promotion, and hiring of freelance writers, it is a particularly useful asset in business-to-business (B2B) marketing. In another recent survey, 66% of experts said that blog posts play a crucial role early in the purchasing process by introducing customers to products they’d be interested in buying.

29. In 2020, 6% of US adults got their COVID-19 news from blogs.

(Statista)

Most readers seek out blogs for commentary and advice rather than news coverage. However, 2020 blogging stats reveal that 6% of Americans cited blogs as one of their preferred sources of COVID-19 information. The situation was similar in other markets — 5% of Brits and 5% of Germans also turned to blogs for well-researched, analytical coverage of the global pandemic.

30. 62.96% of readers find blogs with multiple writers more trustworthy.

(Social Marketing Writing)

The plurality of voices and opinions is essential for blog readers, as only 37.04% of trust blogs written by a single author. For 44.4% of readers, simple articles are the best way for a blog to establish credibility. Interestingly, 68.52% believe that websites with blogs are more trustworthy.

Blogging Statistics and Trends: In Conclusion

While the golden age of blogging is certainly behind us, blogs are still as relevant as ever.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people are starting new blogs and generating plenty of original content. The blogosphere might be oversaturated, but people still read blogs in large numbers. And although most bloggers aren’t making a fortune, blogging industry statistics show many of them are earning a sizable income.

Businesses in particular still focus on blogs as a way to generate leads and promote their products and services with minimal investment. With 60% of Americans still reading blogs and 68.52% saying a blog section makes company websites more trustworthy, there’s no doubt blogging will maintain its relevance in the coming years.

FAQ

How popular are blogs?

Although not as popular as they were a decade ago, blogs still manage to attract millions of readers. Individuals who commit to blogging can make a respectable annual income, while companies can use blogs to introduce their products and attract potential clients and partners. What’s more, almost 20 million Americans turned to blogs for COVID-19 information in 2020.

How many people read blogs?

According to recent research, 60% of Americans regularly read blogs. While this number is down from the mid-2010s, it is by no means insignificant. Out of those 60%, 11% read blogs every day, 39% check in 2–3 times a week, and 10% visit their favorite blogs 4–6 times a week.

How many bloggers are there?

In 2020, the US alone had 31.7 million bloggers. This marked a significant increase from 2014, when 27.4 million Americans ran a blog or wrote for one. Industry experts predict the growing trend will continue in 2021, with the number of bloggers surpassing 32 million for the first time.

How many blog posts are published per day?

As of February 2021, there are close to 600 million blogs on the internet, publishing about 7.5 million posts a day. Only 4% of bloggers post new content every day; most publish periodically, giving them enough time to research and fact-check their posts. According to recent research, 22% of bloggers post weekly, and another 22% do so a few times a month. While 17% post several times a week, 16% only do it once a month, and 7% publish even less frequently.

What is the ideal blog post length?

A comprehensive industry analysis found that an average reader prefers posts that take no longer than 7 minutes to read. If a person reads 200–250 words per minute, this would mean that the recommended blog post length is between 1400 and 1750 words.

How much traffic does the average blog get?

There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Depending on the topics it covers, a blog can get anywhere from a few hundred to several million visits a month. According to one study, blogs may need to publish up to 51 pieces of high-quality content before they start generating regular traffic. It’s also interesting to note that 85% of bloggers who now make a living from their blogs say it took them four years of hard work and promotion to begin earning a sizable income.

What percentage of blogs are successful?

A blog’s success is relative to its author’s goals. In a 2020 industry survey, 24.7% of bloggers said their blog delivers strong marketing results. Only 8.4% expressed disappointment over their blog’s performance, indicating that the vast majority of blogs are successful.

Is blogging worth it in 2021?

Yes, blogging is still worth it — especially for businesses. Content marketing, of which blogging is an essential part, costs companies only 38% of what they pay for traditional ads. However, it helps them generate almost triple the number of leads they get through paid advertising.

Blogging statistics also show there are still more than 196 million Americans who regularly read blogs, so there’s certainly a market for high-quality personal and business blogs.

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