Hello Reader!

Orbit Media’s 2026 Blogging Statistics report surveyed 1,042 content marketers about what they create, how they work, and which practices produce the strongest results.

Here are the stats that stood out most to me:

1/ Only 13.9% of marketers say their blogs deliver strong results, an all-time low. Between 20% and 30% reported strong results in each of the previous 12 years.

What I think this means: The standard content playbook isn't working like it used to. Generic TOFU content is out. Original data and BOFU content are in.

2/ AI adoption has reached 92.4%, but using AI doesn’t make marketers more likely to report strong results.

What I think this means: AI is an integral part of the marketing process, but it's not the element that leads to results. It helps us produce content, not get results.

3/ The average marketer now spends 50 fewer hours writing each year than in 2022. During that same period, the percentage reporting strong results fell from 26% to 14%.

What I think this means: We’re producing content faster, but AI isn't making it any better.

4/ Influencer collaboration is the strongest predictor of success in the study. Marketers who collaborate with influencers are 2.6 times more likely to report strong results.

What I think this means: Bringing more credible voices into your content may matter more than publishing more content.

5/ Influencer collaboration has fallen from 25% of marketers in 2017 to only 7% today.

What I think this means: One of the most effective content strategies may also be one of the biggest untapped opportunities. Find B2B influencers and partner with them.

6/ Publishing original research increases the likelihood of reporting strong results by 50%, yet fewer marketers are investing in it.

What I think this means: In a sea of AI-generated summaries, creating information that didn’t exist before gives people and machines a reason to cite you.

7/ Content that goes through a formal human editing process is nearly twice as likely to deliver strong results as the benchmark. AI-edited content performs below the benchmark.

What I think this means: The human touch is a valuable differentiator.

Get the full report here. It's neat.