The short answer is yes, blogs are still relevant in 2023. As long as people turn to the internet to consume content, seek answers, find inspiration or entertainment, research their next travel destination, etc, etc, yes, blogs will continue to be relevant.
The long answer is what this essay is all about and, to the point above, you likely landed on this page because you just asked Google a specific question: Are blogs still relevant?
And you also likely landed on this website for the first time so allow me to introduce myself.
What I know about blogging
Hello, my name is Rhiza and I’m a Growth Marketer slash SEO/Content Designer/Marketer by profession. I know that’s a lot of big words but essentially my job is about helping businesses become visible to their target audience and to market their product/services through content.
I am also a mum of twins who are now 10 years old. Which means for the past decade, I had the exciting challenge of creating and occasionally pivoting my career around my “main job” that is, raising little humans. Thankfully, I was an early adopter of blogging (launched my first blog in 2004!), and much of my hard skills today stemmed from witnessing frontline and center how the technology and art of blogging have evolved.
Blogging has evolved
Blogging has been around for more than two decades now. Although many have declared it as a dying art, blogging continues to thrive and grow. In fact, it’s still an essential tool for businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals to establish their online presence, showcase their expertise, and build a loyal audience.
In the early days, blogs were simply online journals where bloggers would write about their daily lives and share personal experiences—sounds a lot like what social media is today, right?
Blogging eventually became a way for businesses to become visible in search, educate their target audiences, and convert their readers into paying customers.
Today, there are millions of blogs online covering a wide range of topics, from fashion and beauty to technology and finance. There are also many content systems available depending on the type of content you’re inclined to create: WordPress, Squarespace, Instagram, Substack, Medium.
Along with the evolution of blogging, a lot of content formats have become available too, giving people plenty of ways to consume content: visual content, video content, and podcasts are some of the popular ones today.
The state of blogging in 2023
To understand whether blogs are still relevant in 2023, we need to look at the current state of blogging. Here are some key statistics to consider:
- There are over 600 million blogs online.
- 77% of internet users read blogs.
- Businesses that invest in blogging are 13 times more likely to see a positive return on investment (ROI).
- The top 10% of bloggers earn $10,000 or more per month.
- On WordPress alone, there are over 455 million websites and over 60 million blogs on the platform. Further, WordPress users post over 70M new posts each month. This doesn’t include all the articles published on other platforms, Substack, Medium, Squarespace, among others.
These statistics suggest that blogging is still a relevant and profitable industry. While the number of blogs online may seem overwhelming, it’s important to note that not all of them are active or updated regularly. In fact, many blogs are abandoned after just a few posts.
However, the fact that 77% of internet users read blogs indicates that there is still a demand for blog content. Whether it’s for entertainment, education, or research purposes, people are still consuming blog posts.
Additionally, the ROI of blogging is significant, especially for businesses—whether individual entrepreneurs, independent bloggers, small businesses, tech startups, or big enterprises. By investing time and resources into creating high-quality blog content, businesses can increase their visibility, establish themselves as industry leaders, and attract new customers.
Why blogs will remain relevant in 2023 and beyond
Now that we’ve established that blogs are still relevant in 2023, let’s explore why they will continue to be so. Here are some reasons:
1. Content is the currency of the internet
Let me just say this again. As long as the internet exists, content—regardless of format—will continue to be relevant. There will always be new topics to talk about, new experiences to share, new places to discover. There will be new ways to explain old topics, new answers to old questions. And as long as your blog is providing solutions to problems, answers to questions, and stirring hearts, it will continue to be relevant too.
2. Longevity
Unlike social media posts or ephemeral content, blog posts have a longer lifespan. It’s not unusual for blog posts published 3 years ago to still be ranking in Google today. They can continue to attract traffic and generate leads long after they are published, making them a valuable long-term investment.
2. Visibility
I like to think of blogging as a way to put yourself “out there”, whether intentionally placing yourself in front of your readers, or allowing yourself to be organically found in search engines. Blog content is still one of the most effective ways to be found.
3. Brand building
Whether for your personal brand or your business brand, blogs can help build identity and reputation. By providing valuable and informative content, blogs can establish a brand’s authority in a particular niche or industry.
4. Cost-effective
Compared to traditional marketing methods, blogging is a cost-effective way to market products and services. Blogs require minimal investment and can provide a high return on investment. This is not to say that creating a blog is cheap or easy. Blogging requires an investment of time and creativity, and if you know what you’re doing, the ROI can be truly rewarding.
5. Niche audiences
Blogging lends itself well to particular niches. In contrast, other types of content might be best for specific niches (e.g. lifestyle bloggers are thriving in social media). With that said, there are billions of people searching the internet daily, which means a billion and one ways in which they prefer to consume content. Cooking is one such niche that has a diverse audience that consumes content differently. This means if you want to start a food blog, you can either create video content, visual content, or written content or hey, you can do all!
I can keep going all day with this topic, but you get the point.
The question is…
Why are you asking the internet if blogging is still relevant?
If you are asking this because you want to know if blogging can help you market your service or your business, the answer is YES, there is enough evidence to prove blogs are as relevant as ever. But keep in mind that not all niches will lend themselves well to blogging, and if you don’t have the resources (and TIME) to consistently create blog content, then there are other marketing disciplines that might be a better use of your resources.
If you are wondering if blogging is still relevant because you want to start blogging in a personal capacity (like a passion project or a creative outlet); or because you’re a content creator who still prefers written content—not YouTube videos, Instastory, or Tiktok, but the good old fashioned prose with properly constructed paragraphs and sentences—then, I say, YES YES YES.
This is the sign you’re looking for. The internet needs more bloggers like you and stories like yours. So go ahead. Start blogging today.
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