8 Interesting stats about blogging for business
By Candace Huntly
You may have read some of our blogs about blogging for business here, here, and here. If you are somehow still on the fence about starting a blog of your own, why not through some stats into the mix! We have put together a few interesting stats on blogging for business to help you make a final decision on getting started.
77% OF PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET READ BLOGS.
There are over 4.6 billion active internet users. That’s a lot of people reading blogs. Obviously, you can’t target everyone at the same time because of differing interests, cultures, and other factors. However, you can and should pick your niche and write compelling content that will provide value.
ON AVERAGE, A BLOG POST TAKES 3 HOURS, 55 MINUTES TO WRITE.
While this might seem like a lot, there are ways to bring this time down. Also, as I have mentioned before, that work and time you are putting in drafting great blog content will make your life easier across the board for other areas of your marketing strategy.
43% OF READERS SKIM BLOG POSTS.
If we’re being honest… that number is probably low… 43% only accounts for the people that actually admit to skimming blog posts. This number is important because it may dictate HOW you write your blog content. You need to make sure that your blogs are easy to skim while still getting the point across. How can you provide value in the easiest to digest way possible? A great format that is easy to skim is a listicle (kind of like this blog!). In fact, 30% of people prefer headlines that include a number!
59% OF PEOPLE SHARE BLOGS WITHOUT EVER READING THEM…
As a marketer, you should always read things before you share them. But if we’re being real, almost 60% of “readers” just share blogs without reading them. This proves that headlines are often the most important part of your blog. You should write them last after you create the body of the content. While there is no magic formula, headlines that are 6 – 8 words tend to get 21% more click throughs.
ARTICLES WITH VISUALS GET 94% MORE VIEWS.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” right? Well it’s also likely to get you almost 100% more views on your blog than if you didn’t include a visual. There is really no excuse to not have visuals because there are some really great (and free!) stock photo sites out there. Even better if you can feature your own products or people in images, but don’t sweat if your camera skills aren’t there yet.
60% OF CONSUMERS REFER TO BLOGS TO HELP MAKE PURCHASE DECISIONS.
Your customers go through a whole process before they click on that purchase button. Now that we have more information available at our fingertips, the early stages where they research a product – and your competitors – are becoming more important. Relevant blog content gives your customers more opportunity to do that research – 60% of consumers think so. The easier you make it, the better!
WRITING REGULAR BLOG CONTENT FOR YOUR SITE CAN LEAD TO 55% MORE TRAFFIC.
It’s no secret blogging is good for Search Engine Optimization (SEO) purposes. Search engines like it when you keep your website content fresh and updated regularly – including keywords. But in reality… why wouldn’t you want 55% more visitors to your website???
PRIORITIZING BLOGGING MAKES YOU 13X MORE LIKELY TO HAVE A POSITIVE ROI.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that if you put effort into something it’s more likely to turn out better. But I wanted to include this one because it’s a great reminder. But you also need to remember that blogging is a longer term strategy. You are looking to build brand awareness, establish credibility, and showcase your expertise. Those things can go a long way when it comes to the purchase process your customers go through. As I have “mentioned” before in a not so subtle way, blogging can also be a great foundation for your whole marketing strategy.
There are so many statistics out there about blogging for business, but the bottom line is that it is good for your business. You just have to approach it in a strategic way so you can both enjoy it and see positive returns for your business. What’s your biggest challenge when it comes to blogging? Tell us in the comments below!