Bloggers, are you riding these prevailing trends?

Many writers and marketers have pivoted to a ‘less is more’ approach, focusing on quality over quantity, a survey finds. Paid promotion, strong visuals and professional editing are crucial, too.

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According to new research from Orbit Media, blogs still boost website traffic, SEO, public relations­ and marketing, but blog strategy is evolving.

Nearly 1,400 bloggers filled out the survey, which asked the 11 questions below:

Today, the average post takes three hours and 20 minutes to craft, a 39 percent increase since Orbit’s first blogging survey in 2014. Those who reported spending more than six hours on a typical post said they enjoyed “strong results.” To wit, Ann Handley of MarketingProfs said:

The bigger themes here are two. One: Quality matters. And two: We don’t need more content. We need more relevant content. Good writing takes time. Crafting relevance for your audience takes time. Inspired content takes time.

Daily blogging is down, with most writers now shooting for “several posts per month.” Those who do publish frequently, however, report “strong results.”

About half of all bloggers edit their own work, which is risky. According to the survey, “Bloggers who use editors are 43 percent more likely to report ‘strong results.'”

As Copyblogger chief Brian Clark states in the report:

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