Why do people read blogs?
SUMMARY: According to HubSpot Internet users in the US spend 3x more time on blogs than they do on email. In an era of “fake news” that’s pretty remarkable. With 346 million people reading blogs throughout the world you should be asking “why are they reading blogs?”
So, today, why are people reading blogs? There are a lot of reasons but according to various studies here are the top ones:
1ne: Traditional media has let them down — A blog is usually written by people who are in the trenches and know how our real world works. The media, on the other hand, seems to write like an outsider looking in.
2wo: You hit the center of the target — People can relate to what you’re writing and get validation by knowing that it’s “not just them”.
3hree: They’re looking for help — Been there, done that? People want to know how you did that and are looking for advice navigating the maze that is corporate America.
4our: People Like Authenticity — If you write from the heart people will pick up on that and it makes your content more credible.
5ive: You inspire people to strive for higher things. People love to read about past successes you may have had. How did you do it and what were the results?
6ix: You skip the bullshit. Most blog content is direct and to the point. People who use blogs to promote themselves or sell something are only trying to improve their personal brands. I have seen, for example, a lot of people who were “social media experts” self-promote themselves to a level of importance needed to sustain their huge egos.
Look at the sidebar on this site. I have over 10,000 people who get these posts via email and the open rate is in the high 90 percent. My only reason for this blog is my love of marketing and to help people cut through the bullshit of all-day meetings and endless PowerPoints. I hope that comes across.
If you want to blog it takes time, devotion and more time. It’s a great way to talk to one another from the heart.
Originally published at www.newmediaandmarketing.com on February 2, 2019.
