Research Reveals Top Blogging Trends

In both 2014 and 2015, Orbit Media conducted a survey of more than

1000 BUSINESS BLOGGERS.Find out how you stack up with blogging professionals worldwide.

TOP TAKEAWAYSfrom the research

Presenting the

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

Less than 500 words

500 - 1000words

1000 - 1500words

1500 - 2000words

More than2000 words

20142015

Taking time?

How long is your typical blog post?

Bloggers are investing more time creating posts.

Serious business bloggers put more e�ort into their craft and are logging longer hours.16% spend 4+ hours per post. 6% spend 6+ hours.

2.5 hours is the average time invested in writing.

The top 6% invest 2x as much time as the bottom 70%.

54% knock-out blog posts in an hour or two. Will they achieve their goals?

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

Less than 1 hour

1- 2hours

2- 3hours

3- 4hours

More than6+ hours

20142015

4- 6hours

Going long?

How long does it take to write a typical post?

Far more bloggers now pen lengthier posts.

Blog posts of 1,500+ words have increased by 72%.

Average word counts are up approximately 100 words compared to last year.

ShortiesLess than 20% produce posts of less than 500 words (which is lower than last year).

The sweet spot The 500 -1000 range remains the most popular length (though it’s declined).

LongPosts of 1000 - 1500 words have increased

Longer The trend holds steady in the 1500 - 2000 word range.

LongestAbout 2x as many bloggers now write posts upwards of 2000 words.

0.0%

7.5%

15.0%

22.5%

30.0%

more thandailyr

daily 2 - 6Posts/Week

weekly monthly less thanmonthly

irregularintervals

severalper month

20142015

Publish much?

How frequently are bloggers publishing?

85% publish at regular intervals.

The majority of bloggers publish weekly or more.The number of bloggers publishing daily (or more) has risen.

53% publish at least weekly.

Only 15% publish at irregular intervals.

Daily bloggers report spending less time writing their posts.

Moonlighting?

25.0%

35.0%

45.0%

55.0%

65.0%

earlymorning

during businesshours

after businesshours

at night on the weekends

20142015

When do bloggers blog?

More blogging is being done during normal work hours.

Blogging is less a hobby and more an occupation.

0.0%

25.0%

50.0%

75.0%

100.0%

SocialMedia

SEO EmailMarketing

In�uencerOutreach

Other

20142015

PaidServices

Driving tra�c?

How are bloggers driving tra�c to their posts?

93% of bloggers share their content on social networks.

There is a general increase in the use of most promotion channels.

Search, email, paid and in�uencer marketing are all up.Buying tra�c has increased dramatically.

$

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

animage

more thanone image

video audio Other

20142015

a list

Got media?

What media are bloggers including in their content?

Images and lists are the most popular formats for blog content.

Nearly half of all bloggers use multiple images in their posts.

The use of audio has gone up. The use of video has gone down.

0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

80.0%

I edit my own work

“show it to a person or two” (informal)

I use an editor(formal)

More than one editor

20142015

Editor needed?

Do bloggers use editors?

The majority of bloggers do not have editors.

Only 16% have a formal editing process.

There is a 16% increase in using editors.

0.0%

12.5%

25.0%

37.5%

50.0%

none less than 5% 5 - 25% 25 - 50% 75 - 100%

20142015

50 - 75%

Guest posting?

What percentage of your posts are guest posts?

64% write for more than one blog.

0.0%

15.0%

30.0%

45.0%

60.0%

none less than 5% 5 - 25 % 25 - 50 % 50 - 75 %

20142015

75 - 100 %

For hire?

(posts written to promote businesses other than their own)

What percentage of posts are written for clients?

57% write content on behalf of clients (at least some of the time).

0.0%

7.5%

15.0%

22.5%

30.0%

I don’t haveacces to analytics

Never/Rarely Occasionally Usually Always

20142015

Who’s counting?How often do bloggers check their analytics?

95% have access to analytics, but only 55% regularly check them.

WHAT’S NEW IN BUSINESS BLOGGING?

Bloggers are stepping it up.

Survey result comparisons from the past two years re�ect an increase across the board in:

Time spent per post

Length of the average post

Posts created for clients

Working on blogging during o�ce hours

Original survey data

http://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogger-analysis/ http://www.orbitmedia.com/blog/blogger-research/

Presentation design

Research and writing

Want to talk about content marketing?I invite you to share this research and welcome opportunities to present data-based insights regardingbusiness blogging, content marketing and web design and development.

http://www.orbitmedia.com/contact

Andy Crestodina, strategic director