If you feel like your blog posts are getting shorter, you're right. Orbit Media's 12th Annual Blogger Survey (808 Marketers, 12 Years of Tracking) shows a clear change in the way people create and promote content. Longer reads, faster publishing, and the near-universal use of AI tools have now defined the landscape.
The blog is not working yet, but it's not working dramatically
Approximately 80% of marketers say blogs can produce measurable results. That's good news, but only about 21% call those results “strong.” The middle is dominant. 60% say blogs are helpful, but it's not a big deal. The rest will not see any impact or know. So, while the blog is still working, big wins are hard to reach.
Words count down, but depth still pays off
The average article is currently close to 1,333 words. Two years ago, the number was high. For almost ten years, authors continued to grow their posts for a long time each year. The trend is now reversed.
Still, the long format content is still excellent. Four out of ten people, who are over 2,000 words, report strong results. These short works publish faster, but the data shows that length is closely linked to performance.
Less publicity, saving time
Most authors post 2-4 times a month. Weekly publications are declining rapidly. However, those who keep a higher pace (several posts a week) are looking at the best returns, with a strong result of around 37%.
The time spent on each post has also decreased. On average, people are spending 3 hours 25 minutes on the piece, down from just four hours in 2022. The AI editing tool clearly shaves a few minutes from the process.
AI is everywhere now
Two years ago, most marketers weren't touched on AI. In 2025, almost everything has it. It's still only about 5% working without it. The majority use AI to brainstorm, outline, or clean up text. Few people trust writing the entire post.
Data refers to balancing again. A team that blends AI can help people edit. Full automation is delayed. Machines can speed things up, but they still can't fit the human nuances.
Visuals and research keep readers around
Currently, almost every article has images, with 88% of them. 60% use charts or data, a quarter includes video and a small number of used audio. That last group was small but surprisingly effective, with around 30% reporting strong results.
Visual volume is also important. A post with at least 7 images performs roughly three times better than one image. And the original research became a quiet differentiator. Currently, almost half of marketers have published their own data, with about a quarter of which have strong results.
Format and Focus
How-to articles still dominate, accounting for around three-quarters of all posts. The list and guide will come next. However, deep data-backed formats continue to beat the results. Approximately 27% of writing reports, long tutorials, or detailed descriptors rank their work as influential. Effort is still important.
Changes in promotional habits
Social media remains the top channel used by 93% of marketers. About a third depends on SEO and another third of email. Paid promotions and influencer outreach are far behind, but in return there is better.
Those running paid campaigns have had strong results of around 30% of the time. Influencer collaboration offers similar benefits. Only 9% of respondents do it regularly, but that small crowd overall performs best.
A more difficult search
More than half of marketers say organic traffic is slipping. 63% list it as their biggest challenge. Engagement follows immediately after 56%. AI-generated search summary and zero-click results are part of the problem.
Despite that pressure, SEO discipline still pays off. Marketers who constantly conduct keyword research will achieve strong results of 32% of the time. Skip it cuts that number in almost half.
Analysis and guest postings remain important
Tracking all posts directly correlates with better results. A third of creators measure the performance of all pieces, showing a strong response rate of 32%. Occasionally, the checkers rarely reach 13%.
Guest posts are also helpful. Approximately 37% publish it from outside, double the success rate of people staying on their site. Takeout is easy. What is measured is improved, and what is shared becomes spread.
Four Habits to Predict Success
Looking at the complete dataset, four practices line up consistently with stronger results.
- Write longer posts (over 2,000 words)
- Use multiple visuals
- Working with influencers
- Track your analysis periodically
Each one far surpasses the 21% benchmark for strong results.
The blog is in 2025
After 12 years of follow-up, the pattern is stable. Blog posts are short, AI tools are normal, success depends on volume and more on structure. The workflow has matured. Marketers are chasing not only creativity, but measurable efficiency. The blog is not declining. It's become a data habit.
Note: This post was edited/created using Genai Tools.
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