Do People Still Read Blogs in 2023? We Asked Consumers [New Data]

In accordance with our 2023 State of Advertising report, blogs are among the many high advertising and marketing channels that supply the best ROI.

Regardless of numbers displaying how blogs can profit enterprise, some entrepreneurs and enterprise house owners surprise, “Do folks nonetheless learn blogs?”

To find out the place weblog readership would possibly stand in the present day, I surveyed 325 folks about how usually they learn blogs. Here is what I do know:

Do folks nonetheless learn blogs anymore?

Learn how to Get Extra Weblog Readers

Constructing a Higher Weblog

Do folks nonetheless learn blogs anymore?

As a blogger who writes every day, my findings have been encouraging; most respondents (29%) learn blogs 1-4 occasions a month, 18% learn on daily basis, and solely 17% by no means learn blogs.

The graph under illustrates a breakdown of how usually respondents learn blogs.

Whereas the share of people that by no means learn blogs surpasses that of people that learn 1-3 or 1-4 occasions per week, extra folks learn blogs every day than by no means in any respect.

So, we all know extra persons are studying blogs, at the least typically than not all, however are they studying kind of than previously? In accordance with our respondents, it is about the identical or extra.

57% of individuals within the survey say the quantity of weblog content material they eat is identical as final yr, whereas 35% say their weblog consumption has elevated. Solely 9% say their consumption is lower than the earlier yr.

You may additionally surprise how persons are studying blogs. Are they barely skimming by way of or deeply studying the content material?

In accordance with the survey, 35% of individuals skim by way of blogs more often than not, and 38% do a mixture of skimming and deep studying.

13% deep learn greater than they skim, and solely 6% navigate to the knowledge they want as shortly as potential after which depart with out studying the remainder of the content material.

Our analysis exhibits running a blog continues to be a superb method to attain customers and broaden your enterprise. Individuals are nonetheless studying blogs; most are doing extra than simply skipping to the knowledge they need and leaving.

Moreover, running a blog continues to be extremely priceless for SEO. Nearly a 3rd of entrepreneurs use search engine-optimized blogs to draw and convert leads.

That will help you seize consideration from giant audiences — even when they much less often learn blogs — listed below are 5 methods to innovate your weblog technique.

Learn how to Get Extra Weblog Readers

1. Experiment with video and textual content in your posts.

As of 2023, video is the most well-liked and simplest advertising and marketing media format for the fourth yr.

Together with video in your weblog can add depth to your content material and enhance engagement since folks shall be compelled to click on on the video and watch it.

On the HubSpot Weblog, we commonly add movies to our weblog posts to present extra thorough particulars or professional recommendations on the subject we have written about. This fashion, readers who discover the weblog publish can learn or watch the content material.

Here is one instance of a weblog publish the place we included a video associated to its matter:

On high of enhancing the consumer’s expertise, putting movies in your weblog can even make internet content material rank in video-based search outcomes. Moreover, video content material can be extremely partaking once you share them in your social media channels.

If you happen to assume creating movies shall be too costly or technical for your enterprise, there are methods you should utilize to supply movies on a funds.

This step-by-step information walks you thru find out how to brainstorm, script, and affordably shoot movies in your weblog or different platforms, even when you do not have an enormous funds.

Many AI video mills are additionally out there, making video creation fast, simple, and cost-effective.

2. Add infographics or different authentic pictures to your content material.

You do not must be an professional graphic designer to create visually interesting infographics. After I labored as a digital journalist for native newsrooms, I usually needed to design graphics on quick discover for breaking information.

I wasn’t acquainted with Photoshop and had no actual graphic designer expertise — however I did have Canva. And that bought the job completed.

With all of the know-how and design-related apps in the present day, creating primary graphics is not inconceivable, complicated, or time-consuming. In truth, I used Canva to make the primary few infographics on this article.

If you happen to rent a graphic designer or get the cling of making graphics shortly, it’s also possible to take a look at posting infographics as the middle level of your weblog posts. Here is a publish the place the HubSpot Weblog did exactly that:

Whereas it’d take a bit bit longer to create branded designs and templates in your weblog initially, these visuals shall be useful for gaining picture search visitors.

Like video content material, authentic pictures might be extremely shareable and fascinating on social media.

3. Publish authentic knowledge, quotes, and professional insights.

Some bloggers assume they’ll get away with writing quick, light-lift weblog posts between 200 and 300 phrases. Whereas tiny, low-effort posts would possibly get some search visitors, they will not make your content material really feel authentic or attention-grabbing to the reader.

To compete with extra skilled weblog websites, write in-depth posts with knowledge and information to again up every level you focus on. If you happen to want help crafting lengthier weblog posts, strive HubSpot’s AI Weblog Author or Free Weblog Maker.

You possibly can publish in your weblog when you leverage knowledge assortment platforms like on-line survey platforms to gather authentic knowledge. This may make your content material look extra credible and reliable, but it surely can also enhance search visitors. Here is how:

Once you embody your knowledge in weblog posts, different bloggers or journalists on the lookout for knowledge to again up their factors would possibly hyperlink to your posts as proof.

These hyperlinks are sometimes known as “backlinks.” Whereas getting talked about on different web sites actually boosts model consciousness, backlinks additionally enhance your authority in serps.

Like knowledge, authentic quotes additionally encourage backlinking. Apart from this profit, weblog posts with quotes or professional insights from business thought leaders is likely to be shareable or partaking on social media platforms like LinkedIn.

Information, professional quotes, and insights additionally present information, and plenty of readers are drawn to blogs that present a chance to study one thing.

Within the survey, 61% of respondents stated they have been drawn to the final three blogs they learn as a result of they needed to study one thing, educate themselves, or reply questions unrelated to their profession or education. 

4. Use search engine optimisation methods to construct visitors and rank on search pages.

Whereas lots of the ideas above will make it easier to enhance your non-organic visitors and the reader’s expertise, you also needs to take note of natural visitors — which can possible account for many of your views.

Apart from movies, visuals, and inspiring backlinks with authentic info, it’s also possible to enhance natural visitors by leveraging key phrase analysis and different search engine optimisation methods.

If you happen to‘re new to search engine optimisation or SEO, getting in control on these methods is straightforward.

Whereas some techniques are so simple as including various textual content to your pictures, others embody inside linking associated weblog posts to a brand new piece you’re publishing.

Try this weblog publish to stand up to hurry on a couple of simple and efficient search engine optimisation techniques.

5. Promote your content material on the correct platforms.

Though search engine optimisation will possible be your major visitors supply, you will nonetheless wish to make sure you promote weblog posts on social media channels.

Why? Whereas it’s going to take time for weblog posts to rank in search end result pages, you’ll be able to share your content material on social media, e mail, or different channels to achieve non-organic visitors instantly after you publish a publish.

Lastly, selling any content material out of your web site successfully boosts model consciousness. Our survey exhibits that the majority weblog readers (30%) uncover weblog posts through social media posts and promotions.

Simply 18% discover blogs through search engine outcomes.

By posting priceless blogs in your channels, you could possibly acquire extra followers, publish shares, and engagements from audiences you did not have earlier than constructing a social media technique.

Constructing a Higher Weblog

As we go into 2024, we’ll see much more bloggers undertake aggressive methods that embrace new content material codecs to achieve audiences and stop low readership. No matter which techniques you determine to check out, preserve this stuff in thoughts:

• Add movies and visuals: Video and graphic advertising and marketing are getting extra plentiful and efficient in producing visitors and leads. Moreover, youthful generations interact with this content material greater than others. When you’ve got the bandwidth, be sure you experiment with visible content material.
• Supply authentic insights and ideas: Unique quotes and knowledge will enhance your search and non-organic visitors whereas making your weblog extra credible.
• Leverage search and social alternatives: Most web customers are nonetheless discovering weblog posts primarily by way of search and social media platforms. So, even when experimenting with new content material varieties, leverage key phrases, alt-text, and different search engine optimisation techniques to make sure you’re being attentive to search alternatives. You also needs to give them extra promotions in your social media channels.

If you happen to preserve the above strategies in thoughts, you’ll be able to enhance readership and enhance consciousness and conversions in your group.