It’s 53.5% and growing…

The number of web users expected to read blogs in 2011 has risen once again to 53.5%. That’s over half of web users spending time reading blogs in the current year.

The number projects to keep growing through the next few years.

Check out the data from eMarketer in Quick Stat: 53.5% of Internet Users Will Read Blogs This Year

53.5% of Users Read Blogs in 2011

We’ve seen this chart before. It isn’t really news to see more than half of web users reading blogs. It’s more about making the point again that there is opportunity available with blogging. If you aren’t taking advantage your competitors likely will.

Opportunity for Businesses

Most businesses have a 3 or 5 year plan or budget. In these budgets there are usually budgeted sales numbers or goals. It gives the business leaders something to shoot for and work toward. These plans also give investors something to look at when they’re determining how good their investment will be.

In the chart above you can see the three year growth pattern expected for blogs. It looks as if by 2014 there will be 60% of people on the web reading blogs. Not mentioned is the fact that the overall number of people using the web will increase. So you have more people using the web in 2014 and a higher percentage of those people reading blogs.

When you sit down and make your 3 year budget and strategy does it include a blog?

Is blogging part of your plan for customer acquisition? If it is be careful how you define the success of your blog. It’s a long term investment that aims to increase sales with current and new customers over a few years.

It takes time to become a thought leader in your industry. A blog is a way to achieve that goal, but it will take time and if you do it correctly you’ll find yourself gaining more sales and more new customers.