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