Blogging has been around since the early days of the internet, with the first blogs emerging in the late 1990s. 

Ah, the memories. 

I still remember my first blogging attempts 16 years ago when the internet connection was brittle and Facebook was the new thing in town.

For many years, blogging was seen as a revolutionary new form of online media — a way for anyone to have a voice and share their thoughts with the world.

That’s what I felt in love with back in the day. 

A slow death?

Over the past decade, some have argued that blogging is dead or dying, especially old-school, text-heavy blogs. 

Words are not cool anymore. 

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok are where people go to consume content and share updates. 

Video content and podcasts have risen in popularity compared to text-based blogs. So have newsletters. 

They’re the new age of content.

So, does this mean blogging no longer has value in 2024 and beyond?

Not so fast. 

Come back stronger

While it’s true that the blogging landscape has evolved significantly since the early 2000s, blogging is far from dead, especially for those utilizing it strategically with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. 

Here are some reasons why blogging still matters in 2024 and will always do:

1. Blogging helps build authority and trust

High-quality blogging lends credibility and establishes you or your business as an authority in your niche. 

Fun fact: 

Companies that blog at least 3–4 times per month get over 3 times more traffic than those that don’t blog — Hubspot

Regularly publishing blog content showcases your knowledge and expertise on a topic. 

This builds trust and affinity with your target audience.

2. Blogs boost your website’s SEO

Search engines like Google love fresh, original, high-quality content. 

Updating a blog regularly keeps your website content fresh in the eyes of search engines, which can improve your SEO rankings. 

Blog content also provides more pages on your site that can rank in search engines, expanding your digital real estate.

3. Blogging drives referral traffic

Quality blog content will naturally gain organic search traffic, allowing new website visitors to discover your brand. 

This referral traffic is invaluable, as organic search leads tend to have higher conversion rates than other channels.

In fact:

93% of B2B organizations use blogging as part of their content marketing.

4. Blogs help convert traffic into leads and sales

Blog content is an extremely effective lead generation tool. 

Through strategic calls-to-action within blog posts, you can convert website visitors into newsletter subscribers, promotional offer sign-ups, or paying customers. 

Case in point:

76% of marketers say blog content creation is their top inbound marketing priority (Source: HubSpot)

Blogging builds relationships over time that drive conversions.

5. Blogging allows you to promote products or services

Product or service-based businesses can utilize blogging to educate prospective customers. 

Useful, relevant blog content provides value while simultaneously promoting what a brand sells. 

This content marketing through blogging is subtle yet still highly effective.

Because:

Blogs account for over 28% of total website traffic, more than any other content type

6. Blogs build communications with your audience

By consistently publishing valuable content, you can connect with readers on an ongoing basis. 

Blogs allow you to share thoughts, ideas, stories, and news. 

This fosters relationships between a brand and its audience, driving engagement and loyalty.

Fact:

75% of consumers say blogs positively impact their perception of brands

7. Blogging lets you test content marketing quickly

Blogging provides an agile content marketing platform. 

You can test topics, styles, and subject matter quickly at a low cost compared to other marketing tactics. 

This allows you to refine your content approach based on real data and analytics.

“Modern blogging needs to be much more conversational and interactive than the blogging of yesterday. The lines between blogs, social media and online communities are blurring.” — Ann Handley

8. Blogs are shareable on social media

While social media is great for short-form content, blogs allow readers to go deeper on a topic. 

Blog posts can be shared on social media platforms, allowing them to reach new audiences and get increased traffic. 

The two strategies complement each other nicely.

Quote: 

“Social media and blogging should go hand in hand. The long-form content on blogs gives you something meaningful to share on social.” — Peg Fitzpatrick

9. Blogs boost SEO even with new formats

While video and podcasts are on the rise, incorporating written blog content is still crucial for SEO success. 

The text on blog posts can be indexed by search engines, allowing them to better understand your content’s topic. 

This optimization is hard to achieve with other formats. It’s faster than video, and more informative than shortform social media content.

Also:

SEMrush reported a 50% increase in long-form blog content in 2022 versus 2021

So, text might not be dead after all.

Hence ↓

10. Blogging stands the test of time

Unlike some social media content formats or platforms that come and go, high-quality blogs have longevity (Hello, Clubhouse 🤣). 

Their value does not expire. The blogs with the best, evergreen content continue building organic search traffic for years after publication. This is a long-term asset.

“Video may be hot right now, but blogging still remains one of the best ways to directly reach your customers through content while growing your search traffic simultaneously.” — Neil Patel

The bottom line

Blogging is certainly not dead, even though the space has evolved dramatically from the days of pioneering bloggers in the late 90s and early 2000s. 

Blogging is different. There are different kinds of blogging. But it’s certainly not dead. 

While social media and multimedia are worthy of attention, text-based blogging driven by good SEO still delivers significant value. 

It helps brands build authority, traffic, leads, and sales.

For businesses, bloggers, publishers and essentially anyone with a website, blogging should and will remain a crucial component of a modern marketing strategy. 

The data doesn’t lie.

It shows blogging’s effectiveness, and its versatility allows it to adapt to changing times. 

Any claim that blogging is dead is simply clickbait. (And yes, I’ve done that too). 

Just like search engine optimization itself, blogging continues to thrive and provide real value to those who evolve with the times.

If you aren’t blogging yet, it’s still time to get started. 

Today!