Discussions, debates, and conversations about blogging are constantly happening online. Some individuals even assert that blogging is no longer relevant.
This viewpoint often stems from personal experiences with unsuccessful blogging efforts or the perception that newer platforms are more engaging for today’s audiences.
Since launching the CanadaCreate blog in 2009, we have witnessed numerous changes in the blogging landscape. Nevertheless, we firmly believe that blogging still provides unique benefits, including comprehensive topic exploration, enhanced visibility on search engines, and a strong platform for showcasing authority and expertise in various fields.
In this article, we will delve into the future of blogging. We will analyze both sides of the discussion and evaluate the ongoing significance of blogging in an ever-changing digital environment.
What Is a Blog?
You might be curious about what exactly a blog is and how it differs from a traditional website. A blog is a specific type of website where the most recent content is displayed first. The content on a blog is typically called entries, articles, or ‘blog posts’.
A blog can be managed by an individual, a small team, or a large organization. In fact, many well-known brands maintain their own blogs.
Blogging originated in 1993 and has seen remarkable growth ever since. We’ve even created a post detailing the evolution of blogging.
What does the future hold for blogging? Why do some claim that blogging is no longer relevant?
Why Do Some Claim Blogging Is No Longer Relevant?
The online environment is continuously evolving, with new platforms and increased competition emerging daily. Some believe that blogging is becoming obsolete as more appealing alternatives arise.
For instance, social media platforms have experienced tremendous growth over the past decade. You can easily check Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram to stay updated with the latest news or see your friends’ photos. However, fewer people are launching personal blogs.
Additionally, video-sharing platforms are also expanding rapidly. YouTube boasts 2.7 billion active users, with over half of the global internet population visiting the site each month.
Moreover, artificial intelligence tools have recently gained immense popularity. Some question why someone would read a blog post when they can simply ask an AI a question and receive a comprehensive answer in seconds.
Lastly, there is increasing competition within the blogging community itself. The number of blogs continues to rise each year, making it more challenging for individual blogs to differentiate themselves. However, this growth indicates that blogging is thriving, not fading away.
So, is there any evidence to suggest that blogging is on the decline? The answer is a resounding no. In this article, we will explore the following topics:
- The Number of Blogs and Bloggers Is Increasing
- Blogging Remains a Vital Strategy for Successful Marketers
- Users Are Actively Engaging with Blogs to Gain Knowledge
- Many Users Prefer Reading Blog Posts Over Watching Videos
- Bloggers Are Earning More Money Than Ever
- Websites Featuring Blogs Achieve Higher Rankings on Google
- Is Blogging Threatened by Competition from Social Media?
- Is Blogging at Risk Due to Competition from Video Platforms?
- The Influence of AI on the Blogging Landscape
- Certain Blogging Niches Are Exceptionally Profitable
- Some Blog Types Are Losing Popularity
- Blogging Is Competitive; Prioritize High-Quality Content
- Bonus: A Step-by-Step Guide to Launching a WordPress Blog
- Expert Resources for Blogging Using WordPress
The Number of Blogs and Bloggers Is Increasing
The total number of blogs has steadily risen over the past few decades, and this trend shows no signs of stopping. Here are some statistics on the global blog count:
- 2006 – 50 million blogs
- 2010 – 152 million blogs
- 2015 – 227 million blogs
- 2017 – 300 million blogs
- 2022 – 572 million blogs
- 2023 – 600 million blogs
- 2024 – 700 million blogs
This growth is impressive.
Currently, there are over 700 million blogs hosted on platforms such as Tumblr, Wix, WordPress, and LinkedIn.
The majority of these blogs are on WordPress, which is used by 97% of bloggers and powers 43% of all websites on the internet.
Every day, more than 500 new websites are created using WordPress, and 6 million new blog posts are published daily, totaling 2.5 billion posts each year!
You may be curious if anyone is actually reading all these posts. The answer is yes; over 77 million new comments are made on WordPress.com blogs each month.
The number of bloggers is also on the rise. From 2014 to 2020, the number of bloggers in the United States alone grew by 10 million.
Tip:For more statistics like these, check out our comprehensive guide on blogging statistics, trends, and data.
Blogging Is an Essential Strategy for Successful Marketers
One reason blogs are so effective is that they truly work. Maintaining a blog is one of the best methods to promote a small business or online store.
Numerous marketing experts report that blogs often yield better outcomes compared to email newsletters, case studies, podcasts, eBooks, webinars, and infographics. A survey conducted in 2021 revealed that 36% of marketers believe blog posts deliver the best results.
This is because blogging can significantly increase sales and conversions by enhancing brand visibility and improving the search engine rankings of your online store’s product pages.
A study found that 76% of content marketers utilize content to generate leads, with 55% identifying blogging as their primary content marketing strategy.
Consumers also value blogs highly. A survey indicated that 56% of respondents made a purchase from an online marketplace, store, or brand after reading its blog. Additionally, 70% of consumers prefer reading a blog post over viewing an advertisement.
Note:We have published an article featuring even more marketing statistics, trends, and insights.
Users Are Actively Engaging with Blogs for Knowledge
Many customers read blog articles prior to making a purchase to gain insights.
In a recent survey, 33% of respondents expressed a desire to learn something new when asked about their reasons for reading blog posts.
A blog offers shoppers convenient access to valuable information, including how-to guides, product reviews, and curated lists.
This explains why how-to articles are among the most sought-after content types for bloggers, with 76% of them now creating these guides.
At CanadaCreate, we share this perspective. Most of our articles are designed to guide readers through tasks and solutions in a clear, step-by-step manner.
Many Users Prefer Reading Blog Posts Over Watching Videos
Despite the abundance of video content available, many users still choose to read. In fact, 77% of internet users engage with blogs.
This doesn’t imply a lack of interest in video content. A survey revealed that while 52% of respondents desired more blog posts, 43% wanted to see increased video content from marketers.
The positive aspect is that a blog serves as an ideal platform for sharing both written and video content. Additionally, blogs featuring images and videos tend to receive significantly higher engagement and traffic compared to text-only posts.
That’s why we launched our CanadaCreate YouTube Channel, which boasts over 1 million subscribers. Our audience can watch our video tutorials either on YouTube or directly on our blog.
Later in this article, we will demonstrate how blogs and video content can effectively enhance each other.
Bloggers Are Earning More Money Than Ever
A clear indication of the success of blogging is that many individuals can earn a substantial income through it.
While not everyone blogs as their primary job, data from 2010 showed that 11% of bloggers were earning their main income from blogging. Today, around 25% of WordPress bloggers report that they rely on blogging as their full-time profession.
Bloggers typically earn above-average incomes. For instance, a 2021 report by Semrush revealed that bloggers earned an average of $8,000 per month, equating to an annual income of $90,000.
If you’re interested in pursuing a similar path, check out our guides on WordPress career opportunities and effective strategies for monetizing your blog with WordPress.
Keep in mind that not all bloggers earn money. In fact, 33% of bloggers do not generate any income, and new bloggers often report earnings between $200 and $2,500 per month during their first year.
Blogs Help Websites Achieve Higher Google Rankings
To improve your business website’s ranking on Google, adding a blog is one of the most effective strategies. Business websites that include a blog receive 55% more traffic compared to those without one.
Websites with more content are more likely to appear on search engine results pages (SERPs). Blogs can have up to 434% more indexed pages compared to websites without a blog.
Visitors are more inclined to link to blog posts than to standard website pages. Companies that maintain an active blog receive 97% more backlinks, which Google recognizes and uses to boost their rankings.
Is Blogging Facing Competition From Social Media?
Social media has become a global phenomenon, with 4.59 billion users in 2022. This number is expected to reach around 6 billion by 2027.
Some argue that blogging is no longer relevant because it struggles to compete with social media platforms.
However, successful bloggers view social media not as a threat, but as a valuable opportunity.
Social media serves as a crucial traffic source for blogs. In fact, 56% of bloggers indicate that social media is their primary source of traffic.
Check out our social media cheat sheet for WordPress to discover which platforms can drive more traffic to your blog and how to optimize your social profiles effectively.
Consider using a tool like Smash Balloon to integrate your social media content into your blog posts, enhancing engagement with your audience.
Is Blogging Facing Extinction Due to Competition from Video Platforms?
In 2024, around 3.37 billion people engaged with online video content. While content creators and marketers should acknowledge this trend, it doesn’t mean you should solely concentrate on video platforms.
A blog provides a platform to showcase both your written and video content in one location. Nowadays, it’s common for blog posts to include images and videos alongside text. In fact, blog posts featuring videos attract 83% more traffic than those without.
While you can upload videos directly to your WordPress site, doing so can quickly consume your storage space and bandwidth. It’s advisable to avoid uploading videos directly to WordPress.
Instead, upload your videos to dedicated video hosting platforms like YouTube or Vimeo, which are designed to handle the extensive storage and bandwidth needs of video content.
You can easily embed these videos into your WordPress blog posts, which can enhance traffic and boost user engagement on your site.
Exploring the Influence of AI on Blogging
Artificial intelligence tools, such as OpenAI, are gaining significant popularity, with the ChatGPT website alone attracting 1.7 billion visitors each month.
You might be curious about the relevance of blogs in an era dominated by user-friendly generative AI tools. It’s natural to worry that AI could overshadow human-generated content online.
In reality, blogging and AI complement each other rather than compete. AI tools enhance their capabilities by analyzing existing online information, including blog content, while bloggers can leverage AI to improve their writing.
Advanced AI tools have the potential to transform your blog, enhancing its competitiveness. They can:
- Generate creative topic ideas for your blog.
- Develop structured outlines for your blog posts.
- Compose initial drafts for your blog articles.
- Design eye-catching featured images for your posts.
You can also utilize tools like All in One SEO (AIOSEO) combined with OpenAI to create compelling blog titles and meta descriptions that attract users in search results.
For more information, check out our comprehensive guide on optimizing OpenAI for your WordPress site.
Certain Blogging Niches Achieve Greater Success
Some blogging niches outperform others, drawing in more traffic or generating higher revenue.
Here are the most lucrative blogging niches:
- Food blogs dominate the blogging landscape, with 42.8% attracting over 50,000 visitors each month, generating an average monthly income of $9,169.
- Lifestyle blogs rank second, with 13.3% receiving over 50,000 visits monthly, and an average income of $5,174 per month.
- Travel blogs hold the third position, with 10% achieving 50,000 monthly visits and earning an average of $5,000 per month.
- Personal finance blogs also perform well, boasting an average monthly income of $9,100.
For a comprehensive overview, check out our guide on the most popular blog types.
Some Blog Genres Are Losing Their Appeal
While blogging remains vibrant, certain blog genres are struggling to find success.
Due to rising competition from other blogs, social media platforms, and video content, some blog types are unable to thrive and are fading away.
- Blogs are no longer the ideal platform for sharing personal life updates with friends; social media often serves this purpose more effectively.
- Blogs that lack images and videos fail to engage their audiences. Readers now expect visually rich content in blog posts, and without it, they may lose interest.
- Blogs with outdated information quickly lose reader trust. Regularly update or remove old content to ensure your posts remain relevant and accurate.
- Blogs lacking focus struggle to attract steady traffic. Center your blog around a specific topic or industry and optimize it for the right keywords.
Blogs that neglect quality cannot compete effectively. High-quality posts require time and effort, emphasizing user engagement over mere clicks.
Blogging is Competitive; Prioritize High-Quality Content
While blogging is thriving, not every new blog achieves success. Make informed choices, put in hard work, and concentrate on producing high-quality content.
With intense competition, it’s essential to make your blog posts unique and engaging.
Our tutorials at CanadaCreate will guide you through the process step by step.
Since quality is crucial, be sure to check out our guide on writing effective blog posts. It provides insights on structuring a quality post and offers useful examples.
For instance, it shows you how to craft a clear and concise introduction, organize content into easily scannable sections with headings, include a table of contents, and much more.
Bonus: How to Launch Your WordPress Blog
After exploring our guide on the enduring relevance of blogging, you may be inspired to start your own blog. Here are three essential components you’ll need:
- A domain name:The web address for your site (ours is CanadaCreate.com)
- Web hosting:The online storage that allows visitors to access your site.
- A blogging platform:User-friendly software that enables you to create a blog easily, without any coding skills.
Typically, a domain name costs around $9 to $15 per year, while web hosting starts at $7.95 annually. These expenses can accumulate.
Fortunately, Bluehost is offering our users an exclusive discount on hosting and a complimentary domain name, allowing you to start for as low as $1.99 per month.
If you want to explore more options before making a decision, check out our guide on selecting the best web hosting for a comprehensive comparison of leading hosting providers.
There are numerous options available for choosing a blogging platform, including many excellent free choices. For an in-depth comparison, refer to our list of the top blogging platforms.
If you’re looking to monetize your blog, we highly recommend using self-hosted WordPress.org, which is the platform we utilize at CanadaCreate.
It offers all the essential tools for blogging, and you can enhance its functionality with various plugins. The greatest advantage is that it allows you to monetize your blog in any way you choose.
For further information, check out our comprehensive beginner’s guide on how to start a WordPress blog.
Expert Resources on Blogging with WordPress
We trust that this tutorial has shown you that blogging is very much alive. You might now be interested in exploring guides on how to create and manage a blog using WordPress:
- Beginner’s Guide to Starting a WordPress Blog
- Should You Launch a Blog or a YouTube Channel? (Beginner’s Guide)
- What is a Blog and How Does it Differ from a Website? (Explained)
- Why Blog? The Advantages of Blogging
- Top 7 Profitable Blogging Niches (Easily)
- How to Identify Your Blog’s Target Audience (+ Examples)
- How to Organize Your Post Ideas in WordPress
- Essential Pages Every WordPress Blog Should Include
- Should You Allow Guest Posts on Your WordPress Blog? (Pros and Cons)
- A Timeline of Blogging History (1993 – Present)
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