Nice that you have jumped into the 100th article on our blog 🥳 It's a big milestone for us, and we thought we could use this opportunity to share the experience we've gained during this blogging journey.
What if I told you that some of our blog entries have converted readers to subscribers at an astonishing rate of 14%? Or that the strategic use of blog content could position your brand in front of thousands, if not millions, of potential customers? Intrigued? This article dives into the benefits of blogging, supported by our firsthand results and the latest industry data. If you've ever doubted the power of blogging or considered starting your own blog, this piece will arm you with reasons and real outcomes that are hard to ignore.
Why blogging is important?
Back in 2019, when we first started blogging, it felt more like a fun way to connect with like-minded folks. But soon, it became a key player in how we draw visitors and snag new clients. It's kind of amazing what sharing a few well-crafted articles in the right places can do!
For instance, I’d pop into Facebook groups, not to sell anything, but just to drop a link when someone had a question our blog answered. It wasn’t about pushing our products; it was about being helpful. And guess what? This not-so-pushy approach helped us welcome new clients. Some articles even helped people decide to sign up right then and there, with conversion rates soaring to 14%!
Now, let’s talk numbers—they tell a pretty compelling story. About 68.52% of people feel more confident about a website that runs a blog. It makes sense, right? A blog can show you know your stuff. Plus, 71% of B2B buyers get into blog posts during their buying journey. They’re not just browsing; they're getting the info they need to make smart buying decisions.
Why are blogs important for SEO? Well, they're huge. Blogs help businesses, especially B2B ones, receive 2X more revenue from organic search compared to other channels. And when it comes to pulling in the right crowd, 60% of marketing pros say that SEO and blog content are their best tools for finding quality leads. But that’s not all—blogs are ace for building links and boosting your site's authority, which is like making your site more popular and trusted by search engines.
Our blog is a bit of a hero when it comes to organic traffic. It’s not just about getting attention; it’s about getting the attention of the right people. Our blog helps highlight thousands of keywords, making sure we pop up in searches more often. We tailor our posts to tie in with what’s hot, what our readers need, and how our products can help. Whether it’s tips on building a professional website or the best ways to shout about your brand on social media, our blog helps pull in people who are looking for exactly that.
And here’s a kicker: 70% of people would rather learn about a company from an article than an ad. That's huge! It means people are looking for stories and insights, not just sales pitches. Our blog lets us chat directly to our audience, build real relationships, and turn casual readers into loyal customers. It's pretty clear that blogs aren't just surviving; they're thriving as essential tools for modern businesses.
What is the purpose of a blog?
So, what are blogs good for? Think of a blog as a tool that is versatile, useful in multiple scenarios, and can adapt to meet various needs, whether you’re a hobbyist sharing your passion or a business aiming to boost your online visibility.
What is the point of a blog:
- PR tool: Consider a blog an ongoing PR campaign. It lets you control your narrative, share big wins and updates, and manage your brand’s story in a friendly, accessible way.
- Information hub: For experts or enthusiasts, a blog is a platform to spread knowledge and insights, establishing you as a thought leader in your field.
- Lead generation: Blogs excel at converting visitors into leads. By offering gated content, such as free eBooks, white papers, or access to webinars in exchange for contact information, blogs can be a significant source of lead generation for businesses.
- SEO: Regularly updated blogs fuel SEO success, as search engines favor fresh content. By strategically using keywords, blogs can drastically improve a website's visibility and organic search rankings. Additionally, blogging allows you to reach users interested in your content.
- Community building: Blogs are great for building a community of like-minded individuals. Through comments and interactions, a blog can foster a sense of community and ongoing dialogue among readers, enhancing customer loyalty and engagement.
- Educational resource: Many blogs serve educational purposes, offering tutorials, step-by-step guides, and in-depth analysis on various topics. This can transform a blog into a go-to resource in its niche.
- Market research tool: By monitoring which posts garner the most attention or provoke the most interaction, blogs can also serve as a tool for market research, helping you better understand your audience’s preferences and needs.
- Advertising revenue: For those with a significant reach, blogs can generate income directly through advertising, such as banner ads, sponsored posts, or affiliate marketing.
Aside from differents blog roles there are also several types of blogs, each serving unique purposes:
- Personal blogs: Here’s where individuals share their journeys, thoughts, and personal experiences.
- Business blogs: These are all about reaching potential customers, offering industry insights, and improving SEO.
- Company blogs: Similar to business blogs but often with a broader scope, covering everything from company news to industry developments.
- Review blogs: These are gold mines for consumers looking for honest opinions before they make a purchase.
- News blogs: For the latest happenings in various fields, news blogs are go-to resources for many readers.
- …and many more!
What are the benefits of blogging?
Blogging is more than just a way to fill your website with content; it's a powerful tool to connect with your audience and drive your business forward. Let’s break down advantages of blogging:
1. Boost in leads
Businesses with business blogs see their leads grow by an impressive 165%, while those without only manage a 73% increase. That’s a big gap! Regularly posting on a blog can also pump up your monthly leads by 67%.
2. Grows trust and loyalty
If you keep sharing valuable information through your blog, people start to see you as a reliable source. This builds trust, and over time, readers become loyal fans who not only keep coming back but also spread the word about your brand.
3. Increases your visibility
Every blog post is a chance to show up in search engines and introduce more people to your brand. It’s like leaving breadcrumbs across the internet that lead back to you, making sure your name pops up more often when people are looking for information.
4. Drives website traffic
Blogs do wonders for your SEO efforts, helping your site climb up in search rankings and become more visible. This means more visitors, and more visitors mean more potential customers checking out what you offer.
5. Delivers long-lasting results
Here’s a cool thing about blog posts: they keep working even when you’re not. A post you write today might catch someone’s eye months or even years later, bringing in traffic and leads without any additional effort or cost from your side.
6. Builds a community
Blogs are a great place to engage with your readers. Whether it’s through comments or discussions triggered by your posts, you get to build and nurture a community around your brand. This ongoing interaction deepens your relationship with your audience.
7. Establishes you as an expert
By regularly writing about industry topics, tips, and news, you position yourself as an expert in your field. People start turning to your blog for trusted information and advice, enhancing your credibility and authority.
Is blogging dead?
With over 600 million blogs among 1.9 billion websites, churning out more than 6 million posts daily—adding up to 2.5 billion annually—it's clear that blogging is far from extinct. Rather, the landscape of blogging is dynamically changing, adapting to new technologies and changes in how content is consumed.
Remember that 68% of online experience starts with searches and when people search for information online, blogs often show up in the results. About 50% of people read blogs at least once a week.This shows that if you keep posting interesting and useful content, there's a good chance you’ll keep your readers coming back also from younger generations.
It’s no secret that platforms like TikTok are changing how the younger set consumes content. This doesn't mean long articles are out; it just means that adding visuals or creating shorter posts might help attract more viewers. In the UK, blog reading among young people has increased significantly—from 10% more than a decade ago to 26% now.
AI and search engine updates are also shaking things up. They make it easier to create content, but also harder to stand out with so much out there. Plus, Google’s tweaks like Core Updates can sometimes throw even the best blogs for a loop, especially the smaller, niche ones.
So, is blogging dead? Far from it! As long as bloggers adapt to these changes by creating engaging, high-quality content that meets the current interests of their audience, blogs will continue to be an essential part of our digital lives. Whether helping with DIY projects, sharing lifestyle tips, or promoting a business, blogs have a significant role to play.
Can you make money blogging?
Blogs can also be a source of income. A significant motivation for many bloggers is the potential to earn income, with two-thirds of bloggers citing earning money as their primary goal. For B2B companies, blogs are especially powerful, typically generating twice the revenue from organic search compared to other channels.
The income spectrum for bloggers is broad, but on average, bloggers can earn around $45,000 annually. This figure can vary greatly depending on how you monetize your blog, the niche you choose, and your dedication to the blog's maintenance and promotion. You can make money from blogging through:
1. Affiliate marketing
This is a major revenue avenue for many bloggers, accounting for 42.2% of their income. It involves recommending products and earning a commission whenever your audience makes a purchase via your affiliate links. This method is highly effective because it aligns with the content naturally if you choose affiliates that resonate with your audience and content themes.
2. Google AdSense
As the most popular ad network for bloggers, Google AdSense allows you to earn money passively. You place ads on your blog, and then earn based on clicks or impressions. This method works well when you have significant traffic, as more visitors lead to more potential clicks.
3. Sponsored posts
Companies may pay you to write posts that feature their products if your blog reaches a sizable and engaged audience. This can be quite lucrative.
4. Selling products or services
Your blog can serve as a springboard for selling your own products, like courses, ebooks, or merchandise, or services such as consulting or coaching.
5. Memberships/subscriptions
If you offer highly specialized content, you might consider a membership model where readers pay for premium content.
How fast can you make money?
Starting a blog is definitely more of a marathon than a sprint. It can take time to build an audience, establish trust, and optimize your monetization strategies. Some bloggers start seeing a modest income within a few months, while for others, it might take a year or more to generate significant revenue. The key is consistent quality content, strategic marketing, and engaging directly with your audience to understand and meet their needs.
How long does it take for a blog to get traffic?
Launching new articles is exciting, but they take time to get picked up by search engines and readers. On average, it might take up to a year to see significant organic traffic, although there are always exceptions. For instance, a piece we wrote on a hot topic soared in visibility almost overnight. It grabbed keywords and started pulling in traffic just 2 days after publication, quickly proving its value.
Sometimes, hitting a less crowded niche or riding the wave of a trending topic can yield faster results. This was the case with our trending article, which doubled in traffic value within two months thanks to timely and relevant content.
When we’ve updated old posts to keep them fresh and relevant, we typically started seeing improved results—like more traffic or better search rankings—within about 3 months. This aligns with findings from Ahrefs, which suggest it can take three to six months for SEO efforts to manifest noticeable results.
Ahrefs also notes that only about 5.7% of pages make it into the top 10 search results within a year of publication. Moreover, the impact of a new link pointing to your site might start influencing your rankings after an average of 3.1 months.
How many blogs should you post a month?
The ideal frequency can vary significantly depending on several factors, including your industry, audience, and the depth of the content you are producing.
One of our clients in the energy industry, who uses the BOWWE Blog Builder for their website and blog, has seen remarkable benefits from posting just once a month. Each post is crafted by their team of experts and dives deep into niche topics with precise, authoritative content. This strategy has led to a 4X increase in keywords and a 3X rise in website impressions. For a sector that relies heavily on trust and credibility, their blog has become a key asset, proving that quality often trumps quantity.
At BOWWE Blog we initially settled on publishing three times a month. This schedule served us well, aligning with our resources and strategic goals. However, with growing confidence in the ROI of our blog, we've recently begun to experiment with increasing our publication frequency. We're now exploring how many high-quality articles we can realistically produce and what impact this increased cadence will have on our engagement and SEO results.
It's crucial to emphasize that the quality of your blog posts is far more important than how frequently you post. High-quality content—well-researched, engaging, and valuable to your readers—is the top factor for blogging success. In fact, bloggers who focus on original research and in-depth analysis are 41% more likely to see positive outcomes from their efforts.
Moreover, while 66% of bloggers stick to a schedule of posting weekly or monthly, those who manage to publish 2-6 times per week report being 50% more likely to achieve successful results. However, this doesn't mean that more is always better. The key is to find a balance that allows you to maintain a high standard of content without burning out or sacrificing depth for frequency.
In conclusion, the number of blog posts per month should be tailored to fit your unique circumstances. Assess your team's capacity, your audience's appetite, and the complexity of topics you cover to determine a blogging schedule that maximizes impact without compromising on quality. Whether it's one deeply insightful post per month or multiple posts per week, ensuring each piece adds value is what will ultimately drive your blog's success.
The future of blogging - summary
With strong SEO practices and the latest digital marketing trends, blogging continues to be an effective way to reach audiences. The rise of AI and voice search technology is creating exciting new opportunities for bloggers to connect with their readers in innovative ways.
SEO remains a key strategy for blogs, significantly outperforming organic social media by driving over 1,000% more traffic. This huge advantage shows just how powerful blogs can be in drawing attention online. With 3.5 billions of Google searches happening daily, the potential for blogs to engage a vast audience is tremendous. Add to this fact that approximately 92.96%, traffic comes from Google Search, Google Images, and Google Maps.
As smartphones become the primary device for internet access, over half of smartphone users find new products or companies through mobile searches. This underscores the need for blogs to be mobile-friendly and tailored for search queries likely initiated on mobile devices.
Despite the wide array of content formats available, blogs remain incredibly popular, with 90% of marketers relying on them to meet their content goals with nearly 76% of them using AI tools to enhance content personalization and SEO.
Additionally, with more young people using voice search daily, blogs are adapting by focusing on long-tail keywords and conversational content that matches natural speech patterns. This not only improves search results but also makes blogs more user-friendly and engaging.
In essence, whether you're leveraging a blog for business development, educational purposes, community building, or simply to share your passion, its importance cannot be overstated. With the right tools and approach, a blog can become a powerful component of your digital strategy.
Karol is a serial entrepreneur, e-commerce speaker m.in for the World Bank, and founder of 3 startups, as part of which he has advised several hundred companies. He was also responsible for projects of the largest financial institutions in Europe, with the smallest project being worth over €50 million.
He has two master's degrees, one in Computer Science and the other in Marketing Management, obtained during his studies in Poland and Portugal. He gained experience in Silicon Valley and while running companies in many countries, including Poland, Portugal, the United States, and Great Britain. For over ten years, he has been helping startups, financial institutions, small and medium-sized enterprises to improve their functioning through digitization.
