Percentage of Blogs that Fail – Why 80% of Blogs Will FAIL this Year and How NOT to FAIL!

An astonishing 80% of ALL blogs will FAIL this year! And the question is: What makes a blog successful? In this article, we discuss the 3 critical success factors that will help you succeed as a blogger. And as a bonus, we show you how to develop a “no fail” blogging plan.

Here is a statistic that should scare you. Over 80% of blogs will fail in the next 18 months. That’s the percentage of blogs that fail.

And that’s over 50 million blogs.

A humongous percentage of blogs that will fail in the next few months.

And your current or future blog could very well be one of them. Yes, you could FAIL as a blogger this year!

This is what I mean.

This year, over 63 million new blogs will be created.

I know because according to WP Virtuoso,  a new blog is created every half a second, and we all agree that there are 86,400 seconds in a day! So how many blogs are there in the world?

I would say hundreds of millions.

And this is the really scary bit for bloggers.

80% of blogs will fail this year!

Why Most Blogs Fail

Most blogs will fail because the bloggers haven’t got a ‘no fail’ blogging plan. They don’t treat their blog as a business. More on this later.

But first…

Research by Bloomberg (quoted by Forbes) shows that 8 out of 10 businesses fail in the first 18 months. That’s a colossal 80% of new small businesses including new blogs. If we extrapolate that to blogging statistics, we can safely say that 80% of the new blogs created this year will crash and burn in the next 18 months!

80%! That’s the percentage of blogs that fail! That’s right: 8 out of 10!

Blogging failure is now a real issue. And the question is: Will your blog be one of the few that will survive? Or will your blog become one of the blog failure stories in the next 18 months?

What Percentage Of Bloggers Are Successful?

According to blogger extraordinaire Neil Patel (New York Times best-selling author, described by The Wall Street Journal as a top influencer on the web):

For every successful blogger that’s out there pushing the benefits of blogging, there are also many, many bloggers who have failed.

Those who run a successful blog, on the other hand, have mastered a few key elements that reaffirms why blogging is so alluring to so many.

A successful blogger befriends social media, puts in a ton of hard work and consistently writes quality content. They’ve also found a way to garner attention and make money, which is what drives most people to start a blog in the first place.

If 80% of Blogs Will Fail this Year, Are Blogs over? Are Blogs still relevant?

Of course, blogging is not dead!

In fact, “reports of my demise are premature”, says Blog! And what better proof than the fact there are 63 million new blogs set up every year!

I’m going very strong. Evolving, yes. But demise, hell, no! Reports of my demise are premature!

-Blog

There may be millions of blog failure stories.

But are blogs over? Definitely not!

What has replaced blogging?

The emergence of social media and live streaming may seem to have replaced blogging.

But the reality is this.

There is still an insatiable appetite for blogs, blog posts and what bloggers have to offer.

And what most bloggers are doing is to combine blogging with vlogging, podcasts, videos and live streaming.

So is blogging oversaturated? No!

How to Develop a “No Fail” Blogging Plan

Let me ask you a few rhetorical questions to help you create a ‘no fail’ blogging plan for your blog:

• Are you struggling to get the results you want from blogging?
• Do you wonder if it even makes sense for your long-term goals?
• Have you lost the passion you had when you started blogging?
• Do you sometimes feel that blogging is beginning to feel like a massive waste of time?

Key points of your “No Fail” blogging plan

If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions, it’s crucial you understand five key points:

• It’s important not to give up too soon as blogger.
• Blogging has changed a lot in the past few years.
• Blogging works if you’re persistent, consistent, and you stay committed to it.
• If you can ride out the storm, stay the course and persevere, the storm will pass.
• Giving up too early can be the worst decision of your life as a blogger.

And the battle for attention has gotten tougher.

A lot tougher.

Over the past few years, blogging has evolved into a serious online marketing activity.

Here’s something you need to know: If you don’t approach blogging with a serious mindset, then frustration is almost inevitable.

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Blogging Resources Recommended Just For You

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But all is not lost. 

My goal is to inspire you to reignite your passion for blogging because if you don’t, you will fail as a blogger.

And now, some more rhetorical questions to focus your mind…

If 80% of blogs will fail this year, then is blogging dead? Are blogs still relevant? Is blogging still relevant this year? If blogging is dead, then what happened to blogging?

On the other hand, if blogging isn’t dead, then is blogging worth it?

Why Do Bloggers Fail? Here Are 7 Ways To Be A Mediocre Blogger Who Will Fail This Year

#1. Be average with no unique selling proposition

With more than 152 million blogs  on the Internet, and over 50 million of those  blogs guaranteed to fail in the next 18 months, one of the easiest ways to fail as a blogger is to be mediocre and average.

However, if you do not want to fail as a blogger, then the question is, “How can YOU stand out?” The simple answer is your unique value proposition (USP) or value proposition.

Your value proposition answers the question your audience is asking. For example, “What can you do for me?” or “What’s in it for me?” aka WIIFM Radio!

Your value proposition will give you the clarity you need to hone your other branding elements like your logo and brand slogan, and sync in your content, messaging and marketing. In other words, it will make you stand out.

The key is to be specific. Don’t write about dieting. Write about dieting for new moms who want to stay healthy.

If you haven’t done so already, you can develop your own value proposition, using this template:

• I am [your professional identity, e.g. blogger, author, coach, copywriter, speaker etc.]
• I help [your target audience]
• do [your unique solution]
• so that [your promised transformation]

Here’s mine:
I am a blogger, copywriter and coach. I help start-up entrepreneurs build large email lists that they can monetize so that they can live the life of their dreams.

Without a value proposition, your blog is destined for failure. And you’re destined to fail as a blogger this year! Get real specific with what your blog stands for, and make your blog stand out!

#2. Want to fail as a Blogger? Display a lack of passion

Here’s the truth you need to know. If you’re not passionate about blogging, you are unlikely to succeed as blogger.

Passion generates commitment and a strong desire to succeed. By ‘passion’ I mean an unquenchable, all-consuming desire to make something work.

Passion is the fuel that will keep you going even when you don’t feel it!

Without passion, your blog is destined for failure. Without passion, you’re destined to fail as a blogger this year!

#3. Experience burn out

Burnout is thought to result from long-term, unresolvable job stress.

In 1974,  Herbert Freudenberger became the first researcher to publish in a psychology-related journal a paper that used the term burnout. The paper was based on his observations of the volunteer staff (including himself) at a free clinic for drug addicts. 

He characterized burnout by a set of symptoms that includes exhaustion resulting from work’s excessive demands as well as physical symptoms such as headaches and sleeplessness, “quickness to anger,” and closed thinking. He observed that the burned out worker “looks, acts, and seems depressed”.

According to Psychology Today, “Burnout is not a simple result of long hours. The  cynicism, depression, and lethargy of burnout can occur when you’re not in control of how you carry out your job, when you’re working toward goals that don’t resonate with you, and when you lack social support. If you don’t tailor your responsibilities to match your true calling, or at least take a break once in a while, you could face a mountain of mental and physical health problems.”

If the thought of blogging makes you lethargic, makes you feel depressed or makes you cynical, then you’re probably burnt out.

And you need a break!

If you’re experiencing burnout, you need to get professional help ASAP. If you don’t, your blog will fail. And you’re destined to fail as a blogger this year!

Remember that 80% of blogs will fail this year. Don’t be part of that statistic!

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#4. Show a distant lack of  creativity

Here’s how to easily fail as a blogger.

Be boring, predictable, unoriginal, un-creative, unresourceful!

However, to stand out and succeed, be creative. 

By “creativity”, I mean inventiveness, and the use of imagination or original ideas to create something.

Synonyms include: inventiveness, innovation, individuality,  expressiveness, inspiration, creative power, resourcefulness, ingenuity and enterprise.

Psychology Today puts it this way, “Even those of us not in explicitly creative fields must come up with new ideas and insights in order to move ahead. How can we shake up the way we think? … While research psychologists are interested in increasing  innovative thinking, clinical psychologists sometimes encourage patients to use artistic expression as a way to confront difficult feelings.”

To NOT fail as a blogger in the next 18 months, you must not only be creative and resourceful as a blogger, but you must also find a way to come up with new ideas and insights.

Without creativity, your blog will be average and mediocre, and doomed for failure. And you will be destined to fail as a blogger this year!

So, improve yourself.

Read.

Read widely.

Read blogging tips.

Read articles about bloggers, and read blogging success stories.

Read about how to start a blog and make money, read successful blog posts and read about how to make your blog successful.

The Percentage Of Blogs That Fail

Here are the rest of the 7 ways to be a mediocre blogger who will fail this year.

Ready? Let’s go!

#5. You’re not giving people a reason to return

Want to fail as a blogger? Make sure your visitors don’t return. Your blog is a digital piece of real estate that you own. Want to succeed as a blogger? Make it attractive. Make it homely. Make it the go to place for people in your niche.

Glen Long former Editor in chief of Smart Blogger gives the following 11 reasons why people bounce from your blog and never return:

1. Your Headline’s Writing Checks Your Post Can’t Cash. In other words, your headlines suck!
2. You’re Over Eager (and It’s Embarrassing). You ask too much of your visitors too soon!
3. You’re Convinced Your Content is Worth Waiting For. Your blog is too slow! Make it faster!
4. You Make People Exhausted Not Energized. Make your posts interesting to dive into.
5. You’re Too Damn Wordy (Even for a Writer). Make use of short sentences and paragraphs. Use bulleted lists. Features and inline images. Quotes and callouts. All of these can transform your post from hard-to-read to hard-to-resist.
6. Your links are too interesting. Use external links sparingly and ensure they:
   • Launch in a new window.
   • Don’t break the flow of your writing (i.e., no attention-grabbing calls-to-action).
   • Highlight supplemental, not essential information.
7. You’re Thinking Too Big. Make your blog mobile friendly.
8. You’re Too Busy Trying to Make a Few Cents. Ditch those annoying ads. Hear Glen Long again, “For most readers, ads are an annoying distraction that cheapens your brand and increases the chances they’ll bounce. For the small percentage who are enticed by an offer, ads are an exit ramp taking them away from your content.”
9. You’re Exploring Well-Charted Territory. Be creative. Be bold. Don’t be predictive.
10. You’re Scared of Commitment. Focus on your USP (See #1)
11. You Leave Your Readers Hanging

If you don’t give your visitors a reason to return, your blog is on a fast track to failure. And you’re destined for failure as a blogger this year!

#6. Keep promoting your blog the wrong way

There is a right and wrong way to promote your blog posts.

If you want to fail as a blogger, just keep doing what you’re doing. Keep promoting your posts by posting a couple of posts on Facebook and couple of tweets on Twitter.

More importantly, ignore the authorities and influencers in your niche. Don’t network. Don’t reach out to your influencers. Remain an island to yourself.

However, if you want to succeed, then you need to connect with those influencers.

According to Jon Morrow, all posts have two audiences:

• “The people who read them.” I call them your primary audience; and
• “The people who link to them;” I call these your powerful audience, the movers and shakers in your niche.

If you want traffic, you’ve got to satisfy these two audiences. So, who are the people who link to your posts? The influencers in your niche that you’ve developed relationships with.

You should write posts targeted at those connections – the influencers and authorities. However, don’t ignore your primary audience – they still matter – but think about what those connections would find irresistible to link to.

If you keep promoting your blog the wrong way, your blog is destined for failure.

And you don’t need Mystic Meg to tell you that you’re on course to fail as a blogger this year!

#7. Don’t give the time and dedication.

Here’s another fantastic way to be on the downward slide to failure as a blogger.

Don’t give your blog the time of day. Blog when you’ve done everything else. After all, there are more important things than blogging. Not giving your blog the time and dedication required to nurture it can only have one outcome: You’d fail as a blogger.

However, if you want to succeed as a blogger, you must persistent, consistent and committed. Success in anything requires dedication. You must devote the time and attention your blog requires. Stop cutting corners.

Here’s the truth you already knew: If you don’t give your blog the time and dedication it requires, your blog will fail. And you will fail as a blogger this year!

What Makes a Blog Successful? The 3 Critical Success Factors that will Help you Succeed.

If I had to isolate three things that make all the difference between the blogs that succeed and the blogs that will fail, they will be these:

• persistence,
• commitment and
• consistency.

Don’t give up. Never give in. Simply keep going!

In reality, this is true of any kind of any online business. And yes, your blog is a business.

By blogging frequently – posting new, fascinating, important, relevant and insanely valuable content, about key ideas in your niche, you are feeding a yearning your readers have: the desire for solutions.

You’re also creating more pages to be indexed by Google, which is fantastic for SEO. This naturally leads to higher rankings in search engine results, which means your website is more likely to be viewed as a trusted resource by people in your niche. A win win for everybody.

Wrapping Up – Is blogging still profitable? Does blogging still work?

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While blog failure stories abound, the reality is there are also very many blog success stories. At the end of the day, it depends on you. There is an insatiable hunger for blogs that are creative and which offer insane value. But you have to be focused and run your blog as a business, not a hobby!

Are blogs still relevant this year? Definitely. Does anyone read blogs anymore? Hundreds of millions of people still read blogs. Google still directs hundreds of millions of search engine enquiries to blogs every month.

Does blogging still work and is making a blog worth it? Of course! is no easier way to build an online presence, reach a dedicated audience or tribe than through a blog. And for pro bloggers, blogging is a fantastic way to earn a living.

80% of Blogs Will Fail this Year – Now your turn

Are you worried about the percentage of blogs that fail? In your view, why do most blogs fail?

Do you want to flourish, succeed and thrive as a blogger or do you want to be part of the blog failure stories this year? Have you ever asked yourself, why do most blogs fail?

How many people read blogs? Who reads blogs anyway?