Does your business need a blog? What time of day should you post articles? What’s the most popular blog format? Do you really need images? How often should you update? Business blogging statistics help you understand how potential customers respond to certain variables, from the ideal word count to how much traffic you stand to gain.

While every business blog is different, the basic goals remain the same: more traffic, better engagement, and converting clicks to paying customers. No matter what kind of business you own, run, or work for, use the following data to guide your content marketing strategy. While some of the statistics are intuitive—for example, it won’t surprise you to learn that the more you post, the more traffic you’ll receive—others are not.

Here are 15 of the most enlightening business blogging statistics you can use to boost traffic and generate leads.

1. 86% of content marketers use blogs

When it comes to content marketing, blogging is king. 86% of content marketers use blogs to establish expertise and draw in traffic. Compare that to the next most popular content marketing tools: 66% of content marketers use emails, while just 45% use infographics.

When you have a blog, you can expect to rake in 55% more visitors than businesses without one. Plus, you’ll generate more leads, especially when you integrate the rest of these tips. Really, you can’t afford not to have a blog.

2. The average blog post is 1,236 words

The length of each blog post depends on the topic you’re exploring, how in-depth you want to go, your industry, and more. In recent years, the average post length has increased from 800 words to 1,236 words.

According to the experts, you should aim for posts between 1,500 and 2,000 words. This allows your writers to add plenty of detail and analysis, which readers typically associate with higher quality.

3. Long-form posts of 3,000 words or more get the most shares

If you can really dive deep, try to publish long-form posts. The longer an article, the more shares it will get: while 1,500 to 2,000 words is ideal for many industries, posts with over 3,000 words are more likely to be shared with others.

This is due to the increased quality and detail found in longer posts. Long-form posts allow you to establish yourself as an expert in the field, all while generating more shares. The more useful information you provide, the more likely readers will want to inform others.

4. The ideal headline length is under 7 words

Headline length matters, too. While it’s important to be concise, you still want to convey enough information to hook the reader and set your content apart. To that end, headlines with the words “guide” and “how to” perform 3 and 1.5 times better than others, respectively. 30% of readers prefer headlines with numbers in them—like “15 Business Blogging Statistics to Know”—and 21% prefer to be addressed personally.

5. Chrome is the preferred web browser of 64% of internet users

Understanding how your readers access your content is another important business blogging statistic. 64% of internet users prefer the Chrome web browser. Safari is the second most popular choice at 19%.

Optimizing your blog for Chrome and Safari users will ensure the vast majority of your visitors have a seamless experience.

6. WordPress is the preferred CMS platform, accounting for 64% of known websites

WordPress is by far the most popular content management system. Currently, 89% of WordPress users use version five, and 10% use version four. WooCommerce, Elementor, and WPBakery are the three most popular subcategories.

7. The best time to post blogs is between 7 and 10 a.m.

If you like to read articles along with your morning coffee, you’re not alone. A sample size of 170,000 blog posts revealed that the best time to post new content is between 7 and 10 a.m., especially on the weekends. Always schedule blogs to go live during these hours to maximize traffic.

8. 70% of marketers update their existing blog content

What do you do with all those old blog posts sitting in your archive? They’re probably not getting much traffic these days—but you can still make them work for you. About 70% of content marketers update their existing blog content and republish it as new articles. This is a great way to save time, particularly for small business blogs, but it also shows a commitment to sharing the latest news.

9. A blog can increase your conversion rate by 6 times

Blogging is the most popular content marketing strategy for a reason: it works. When your website includes a blog, your conversion rate could be up to 6 times higher than if you didn’t have a content marketing strategy at all. Take the opportunity to connect with more potential customers and establish yourself as an expert in the field.

10. 70% of people prefer articles to ads

If you pay more attention to articles—actual content—than ads, you’re not alone. 70% of people claim that they prefer reading articles to seeing advertisements. That’s great news for content marketers, since it gives your business a chance to stand out among the crowd. When you consider how many ads we’re subjected to on a daily basis versus how much useful content we consume, it’s clear that maintaining a blog is a savvy marketing choice.

11. 80% of customers ignore paid ads

When it comes to ads, it’s not just a matter of preference: 80% of customers ignore paid ads and sponsored content altogether in favor of organic content. Instead of paying for sponsored content and ads around the web, focus on updating your blog to gain consumer trust.

12. Including images can yield 94% more page views

A picture is worth a thousand words—and when you include at least one image per blog post, you’ll get 94% more views than a text-only version. The internet is a visual medium: 63% of social media is made up of images, and 66% of those updates are image-based. This trend applies uniformly across all industries and topics.

If you want people to click and share, add a photo that helps express your message. Don’t just pick any photo at random, though—it needs to be relevant to the article in order to be truly effective.

13. Blogging 4 times a week can more than triple your traffic

How often you update your blog affects your incoming traffic, too. Aim to blog at least 4 times per week, whether that’s brand-new content or updating your old posts. You could see an increase in traffic of 300% or more.

Small blogs should try to produce content 3 to 4 times per week, while larger blogs should post new and updated content 4 to 5 times per week. The more you post, the greater your organic traffic.

14. Companies that blog daily increase their likelihood of reporting strong success by 32%

Blogging frequently can also improve your overall business success: 32% of business owners who reported “strong success” blog 2 to 6 times per week. What’s more, researchers have found that there’s virtually no difference between short and long-form articles. You don’t have to pump out 2,000 to 3,000 words of content every day—daily 500-word articles with relevant images can boost your business just as well.

15. Inbound content marketing generates 3 times as many leads as paid ads

Are you still paying for ads? Maybe you shouldn’t be. While paid ads can work, offering original content is the best way for consumers to familiarize themselves with your brand. This is especially great news for small businesses who might have more time than startup capital. Instead of investing money into ads, which may or may not be successful, invest time into producing regular blog content.

More than half of content marketers (55%) consider blogging to be superior to paid ads. That’s because inbound content marketing, like blogging, can generate 3 times as many leads as paid ads, without the monetary investment. It’s a value proposition: consumers feel like they’re receiving something of worth (information, education, or even entertainment), while learning more about your brand.

Start putting out valuable, original content!

When it comes to business blogging, the statistics don’t lie: you can’t afford not to have a blog. Not only can blogs organically introduce customers to your brand, but they make readers feel like they’re receiving something of value before they ever spend a dime.

Now more than ever, companies can benefit from savvy inbound content marketing strategies. Use these small business blog statistics to guide your content marketing strategy: whether you post short articles on a daily basis or in-depth long-form guides a couple times per week, you’ll see more shares, experience higher traffic, and generate significantly more leads.

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Sources for Statistics

Stats listed by the reference number in the article.

  1. Oberlo: 10 BLOGGING STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2021 
  2. Oberlo: 10 BLOGGING STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2021 
  3. SEM Rush: Everything You Need to Succeed in Content Marketing
  4. Blogging Wizard: 37 Latest Blogging Statistics, Trends, And Facts For 2022
  5. Stat Counter: Browser Market Share Worldwide
  6. W3Techs: Usage statistics and market share of WordPress
  7. First Site Guide: Blogging Statistics 2022: Ultimate List with 47 Facts and Stats
  8. Orbit Media: New Blogging Statistics
  9. Startup Bonsai: 41+ Business Blogging Statistics For 2022: Stats, Facts & Trends
  10. Scribd: Consumers’ Attitude Towards Custom Content – 2011
  11. Ryrob: 45 Blogging Statistics & Facts to Know in 2022
  12. Social Media Today: Content with Relevant Images Gets 94% More Views
  13. Hubspot: How Often Should You (or Your Company) Blog?
  14. Orbit Media: New Blogging Statistics
  15. Oberlo: 10 BLOGGING STATISTICS YOU NEED TO KNOW IN 2021