Blogs remain a potent online force into 2023.
Over 600 million active blogs and counting now populate the web – informing millions daily.
But the blogosphere today scarcely resembles the humble beginnings blogging enjoyed back in the 1990s.
Succeeding with a blog in 2024 requires far greater vision, effort and persistence than decades past.
Amateur hobby blogs still thrive, but converting blogging passion into professional success demands mastery of key strategic, creative and technical competencies.
To help set your 2023 blogging efforts up for success, I‘ve compiled this exhaustive overview of the state of blogging – drawing together over 70 need-to-know statistics across critical topics every blogger should understand, including:
- Size and influence of blogging compared to other online media
- Most popular blogging platforms
- Benchmark content formats, length and design
- Income potential
- Content promotion essentials
- Emerging opportunities
Let‘s dig in…
Editor‘s Choice: 5 Jaw-Dropping Blogging Stats
Before diving deep, here are 5 particularly surprising blogging statistics I uncovered:
- Blogs account for ~11% of all websites – significantly more than social networks (~4%) and ecommerce stores (~5%). (Source: W3Techs)
- The median blog post length grew to 2,450 words in 2022, up 17% from 2020. (Source: Orbit Media)
- Blog posts with visual elements generate 94% more views than text-only posts. (Source: Orbit Media)
- The global influencer market is projected to exceed $20 billion by 2024. (Source: Influencer Marketing Hub)
- Over 50% of pro bloggers now rely primarily on affiliate marketing links, more than display ads. (Source: MonetizePros)
Let‘s dig deeper…
General Blogging Stats
Recent numbers on overall blogging participation and popularity:
600 Million+ Blogs and Counting
- Blogging shows no signs of decline, with over 600 million active blogs tracked globally. (Source: Hosting Tribunal)
11% of All Websites Are Blogs
- Blogs occupy over 11% of all websites – more than social media (~4%) or ecommerce (~5%). (Source: W3Techs)
2 Million New Posts Daily
- Every day over 2+ million blog posts go live across the web. (Source: Hosting Tribunal)
50%+ of Internet Users Read Blogs
- Despite the rise of video and social apps, blogs still inform millions daily – over 50% of internet users read blogs. (Source: HubSpot)
100+ Million Comments Per Month
- Comments remain a core metric of blog engagement – exceeding 100 million per month across WordPress sites alone. (Source: WordPress)
The enduring popularity of blogging stems from the convenience, depth and personal connections blogs facilitate better than social media…
But with audience attention more fragmented than ever in 2024 across a multitude of mediums and platforms, succeeding today as a blogger becoming vastly more competitive.
Most Popular Blogging Platforms
WordPress dominates global blogging platform market share – powering over 4x more sites than #2 Blogger.
But simplicity has long been Blogger‘s strength for casual bloggers. More willing to sacrifice customization for convenience? Blogger may suit your needs.
For bloggers seeking to own their platform though, Ghost and Medium warrant consideration. Each facilitates elegant content publishing while handling hosting complexities you otherwise need manage yourself.
Let‘s look at latest platform adoption stats:
75 Million Blogs Powered by WordPress
- Boasting 75 million users creating over 60 million blogs, WordPress is the undisputed champion. (Source: Hosting Tribunal)
Blogger Still Active with 75 Million Users
- Google‘s Blogger bootstrapped blogging for millions with its no-frills approach – retaining over 75 million active users. (Source: Blogger)
Ghost Gaining Traction – 500k+ Users
- The modern, minimalist Ghost platform has attracted over 500,000 bloggers. (Source: Ghost)
Medium Top Choice for High-Volume Publishers
- Browser-based Medium now serves over 30 million monthly readers – making it the #1 choice for bloggers seeking mass reach. (Source: Backlinko)
For bloggers serious about owning their brand though, decoupling from Blogger or Medium by self-hosting via WordPress or Ghost is advisable long-term.
Ideal Blog Post Length and Formats
So what are the benchmark features of high-performing blog posts in 2024? Let‘s check the key numbers:
Average Post Length Over 2,400 Words
- The median blog post length has swelled to 2,450 words – up 17% from 2020 as bloggers embrace long-form content. (Source: Orbit Media)
List-Based Posts Generate 100% More Traffic
- Interpreting data into list-based stories proves particularly magnetic for readers – driving 2X more traffic than standard blog post formats. (Source: Orbit Media)
94% Traffic Lift from Adding Visuals
- Enhancing posts with custom graphics, photos and illustrations delivers dramatic results – 94% more views versus text-alone. (Source: HubSpot)
In today‘s hyper-competitive content landscape, truly optimizing blog posts for discoverability and engagement warrants significant upfront research and creation effort.
Quick hacks to boost blog post performance:
- Feature keyword research
- Value-focused headlines
- Scannable formatting
- Visually rich
- Promoted across channels
This 360-degree optimization mentality represents the new normal as blogging professionalizes.
Blogging Income Statistics
A tiny yet growing proportion of bloggers now produce content full-time by generating meaningful income from their sites.
But how much money can a blog make? Let‘s dig into latest blogger earnings stats:
Over 50% Prioritize Affiliate Marketing as Top Income Stream
- More bloggers now rely predominantly on affiliate marketing over display ads – exceeding 50% of pro bloggers. (Source: MonetizePros)
$100k+ Per Year for Top Bloggers Via Affiliates
- Leading bloggers easily clear 6 figures yearly from strategically placed affiliate links and content recommendations. (Source: IncomeSchool)
$100+ Per 1,000 Ad Impressions
- While ads play second fiddle to affiliates for most pro bloggers, display ads still generate $100 – $200 per 1,000 impressions on average. (Source: Niche Pursuits)
Influencer Marketing Over $15 Billion By 2024
- Sponsored content represents a sizeable untapped opportunity as brands direct over $15 billion yearly toward influencer marketing by 2024. (Source: Insider Intelligence)
Translating blogging passion into significant income requires long-term commitment to cultivating a clearly defined audience niche.
Patience working 6-12 months invest upfront before seeing rewards is key.
Essentials for Content Promotion
Enhanced content optimization now merely tables stakes. Actively promoting newly published posts across social channels proves equally vital for discovery:
75%+ Never Return After First Visit
- Without promotion, posts risk vanishing into obscurity – over 75% of blog visitors represent one-time drive-bys. Cultivating lasting reader relationships is pivotal. (Source: Orbit Media)
Twitter Most Effective Channel for 75% Of Bloggers
- Among major social platforms, Twitter drives the most referral traffic for 75% of bloggers – making Twitter essential for content amplification. (Source: Orbit Media)
Facebook Generates Over 30% Traffic For 65%
- Despite declining organic visibility, over 65% of bloggers continue sourcing over 30% of site visits from Facebook. (Source: Orbit Media)
In addition to promoting new posts via social media, fueling referrals by collaborating with peers via guest articles and cross-links often moves the needle.
80% of blogging pros actively participate in cross-promotion networks and editorial partnerships to expand reach. (Source: BloggingWizard)
The Future of Blogging
Despite blogging‘s longevity, expect platforms and business models shifting in coming years…
Here are 3 developments to track that I predict will disrupt blogging:
Ascent of Independent Creator Platforms
WordPress pioneered software-empowered blogging for the masses…ushering an era of decentralized user-generated content production.
Today Substack and Ghost represent reimagined independent publishing platforms – enabling creators to easily self-publish premium written and audio content for paying subscriber audiences.
As audiences grow weary of algorithmic feeds deprioritizing their favorite voices, direct creator-audience bonds will strengthen.
2023 surely marks just the early ascent of this movement as more verticalized creator-first platforms launch aiming not to maximize attention and data collection across indistinguishable masses – but to nurture passionate niche communities around bounded sets of trusted voices.
Rise of Blogger Influencer Networks
Today over 50% of consumers rely on advice from bloggers and internet personalities to guide purchasing decisions – more than traditional advertisements and celebrity endorsements combined. (Source: 2020 State of Blogging Report)
This ballooning blogger influencer industry promotes tremendous potential for bloggers able to establish clearly differentiated identities and narrative voices garnering audience trust.
As social platforms increasingly inhibit original voices for sanitized corporate mandates though, connecting directly with audiences via owned blogs and channels offers greater creative integrity and ownership.
I foresee the strengthening of partnerships between like-minded blogger influencers into tribes amplifying reach through syndication and cross-community engagement.
Passionate niche communities cultivated around networks of trusted expert bloggers represent the future.
Specialization Around Niches
Publishing broadly attempting to attract a general audience is growing increasingly futile. With over 600 million blogs currently populating the web, newcomers experience immediate obscurity without precise audience targeting.
Success today requires embracing specialization – spotlighting specific underserved niches and obsessions aligning to one‘s innate interests and experience. This granular targeting helps bloggers stand apart while fostering opportunity to create truly unique value.
Expect waves of micro-niche blogs gaining traction that would never have thrived attempting an overly broad editorial mandate. From technical how to guides to fan communities celebrating beloved cultural ephemera, passionate enthusiasts will flock to blogs celebrating niche topics connections with traditional publications unable to resource adequately.
The state of blogging in 2024 thrives on specificity. Define your turf clearly from day one.
Final Thoughts
If a single insight resonates from the exhausting detail above – it‘s that modern blogging requires far more deliberate strategy than its earlier incarnation supporting hobbyist publishers casually waxing on preferred topics.
Today‘s saturated content landscape demands clarity of purpose and positioning just to stand out.
Raw passion for chosen subject matter remains essential. But channeling this energy effectively equally balances creativity with strategic audience insight.
My core takeaway for aspiring bloggers in 2024:
While authenticity is eternal, thinking like an indie media mogul wins in the new attention economy.
I hope this data deep dive on all-things blogging helps set your efforts up for success!
What surprising blogging stats stand out most to you? Let me know in the comments!
