Do People Still Read Blogs in 2023? We Asked Consumers
In the age of rapid digital transformation, some marketers and business owners question the continued relevance of blogs. They wonder, “Do people still read blogs?” To unravel the state of blog readership today, I surveyed 325 individuals to gauge their reading habits. Here’s what we discovered
Do People Still Read Blogs?
The burning question – do people still read blogs? As a daily blogger, the results were heartening. The majority of respondents (29%) reported reading blogs 1-4 times a month, while 18% claimed to read blogs daily. Surprisingly, only 17% declared that they never read blogs. These findings suggest that more people are engaged with blogs, at least intermittently, than those who aren’t.
Changes in Blog Consumption
But what about trends in blog consumption compared to the past? According to our survey, it either remained stable or increased. A whopping 57% of respondents stated that their blog consumption matches that of the previous year, while 35% indicated an increase in their blog consumption. Only a mere 9% reported a decrease in their reading habits.
Reading Habits
Beyond mere numbers, it’s essential to understand how people engage with blogs. Do they deeply read the content or merely skim through it? According to the survey, 35% of respondents admitted to predominantly skimming through blogs, while 38% practiced a mix of skimming and deep reading. Encouragingly, 13% favored deep reading over skimming, with only 6% indicating that they swiftly located information and left without reading further.
Why Blogging Still Matters
Our research underscores that blogging remains a potent means of reaching consumers and bolstering your business. People are not only still reading blogs but are also engaging with the content, going beyond quick skims. Moreover, blogging continues to be highly valuable for search engine optimization, with almost a third of marketers employing SEO-optimized blogs to attract and convert leads.
Strategies to Expand Your Blog Readership
1. Experiment with Video and Text:
In 2023, video stands as the most popular and effective marketing medium for the fourth consecutive year. Incorporating videos into your blog can enrich your content and enhance engagement. Video content can also improve your rankings in video-based search results.
2. Enhance Visual Appeal:
Include infographics and other original images in your blog posts. You don’t need to be a graphic design expert, as tools like Canva make creating visually appealing graphics accessible. Investing in branded designs and templates for your blog posts can improve image search traffic and boost social media engagement.
3. Offer Original Insights:
Write comprehensive, data-backed blog posts to distinguish your content. Original data, quotes, and expert insights not only enhance credibility but also attract backlinks from other bloggers and journalists looking for supporting evidence. These links elevate your authority in search engines. Moreover, such content provides valuable knowledge, which many readers seek.
4. Optimize for SEO:
To maximize organic traffic, employ SEO strategies and keyword research. SEO tactics like alternative text for images and internal linking can enhance your search rankings significantly. Organic traffic should constitute a significant portion of your readership.
5. Promote Effectively:
While SEO drives organic traffic, don’t neglect the power of promotion. Sharing your blog posts on social media, via email, or other channels can attract immediate non-organic traffic. Furthermore, effective promotion enhances brand awareness. Our survey revealed that most blog readers discover posts through social media promotions (30%), followed by search engine results (18%).
Conclusion
As we approach 2024, bloggers must adopt competitive strategies to captivate and retain audiences in an evolving digital landscape. While readership remains strong, embracing new content formats is essential to prevent dwindling engagement. By incorporating video, visuals, original insights, SEO tactics, and effective promotion into your blogging strategy, you can expand readership, boost brand awareness, and drive conversions for your business. Blogging’s enduring value lies not only in its readers but also in its ability to adapt and thrive in an ever-changing digital ecosystem.
