I’ve been thinking lately about how content creation is constantly changing, and particularly how it’s changed in the last few years. I’ve gathered some observations and news articles together to paint a new picture of how people are consuming content lately. Do long blog posts still have value? Do we only have seconds to hook our audience before they scroll past? Whichever form of content you prefer to create, it’s a good idea to keep abreast of current trends and keep in mind the shorter direction things are going in.
Last week I watched a movie about Beatrix Potter and how she wrote beautiful books and painted pictures of animals. I was thinking: she still created content right there. I mean, she wrote and she painted, but she still made something beautiful. I think she’s an inspiration, but she was a woman of her time.
If we have to adapt to the present, how do we do it?
Here are the trends I have noticed:
More social media content creators, less bloggers:
This one might seem obvious to you, but let’s run the numbers of those who listed their blogs from the time I created SA Mom Blogs (2014) to the present:
2014: 40
2015: 119
2016: 61
2017: 69
2018: 63
2019: 42
2020: 26
2021: 5
2022: 4
2023: 9
2024: 5
2025: 2
I was a stay at home mom the first two years, and definitely had more time to work on my blog, but that still doesn’t explain the transition about 2020/2021. Did people start making reels and TikToks during Covid?
On the other side of the fence there has been a notable rise in influencer / content creator agencies. There is an increase in work for content creators who can use video and photography on social media.
What Google is saying to creators: use social media
I subscribe to BlogAid news and this past week MaAnna had some news about creators that were invited to a Google event. One of these creators is a travel blogger who went from $12k to $300 when Google updated. I’ve never made those kind of numbers but It’s useful to learn about what is working now in the world’s largest search engine.
The key is this: blog posts are not enough anymore. You have to use social media to compliment your blog posts and write with the AI snippets in mind; they are not going anywhere.
If you’re not creating a TikTok, an Instagram reel, and a YouTube video that correlates with your blog post, you’re missing what your readers want from you. They wanna read. They wanna see your face. They wanna connect with you as an individual. They wanna feel like they know you. They wanna see your face. They don’t want to see your brand.
As someone who ranked on Google for safety in travel, and one of her top posts bringing in revenue being “Safety in Mexico” she now has to change her strategy.
We gotta have this thing so wrapped up in a circle that when someone Googles “Is Mexico safe?” there needs to be
-a TikTok about me talking “Is Mexico Safe?”
-a YouTube video of me talking about “Is Mexico Safe?”
– an Instagram reel of me talking about “Is Mexico Safe?”
-Pintrest of me talking about “Is Mexico Safe”
I got to hit that joint from all cylinders.
I think my question is: how necessary is this? Do we really need to do all? And when she starts implementing this, is it actually going to work?
I’m a big believer in having a YouTube video to supplement your blog post, but this seems like overkill.
There’s no doubt though, that for me, Facebook and Instagram are definitely helping me.
Another great resource on that event is this post by She Knows SEO
What Google is saying: User Intent
Another thing worth noting from her is that we have to write for people, not algorithms. That means showing your face and writing like a person, not a robot.
You also have to answer their question within 500 words, according to Tomiko. People are searching because they want answers to a question.
Shorter attention spans
The average attention span of a human has decreased from 12 seconds to 8.25 seconds in the last two decades, according to this site.
We actually have shorter attention spans than Goldfish (9 seconds). Let that sink in.
We are easily distracted. We forget things.
Video holds attention, and you have eight seconds to hook them.
You need to be very clear and simple in your message, focus on user experience and tell relatable stories.
As a blogger, remember that people would rather watch a video of you than read the text.
Do Longer Blog Posts Still Rank?
I Googled this and apparently the ideal length right now in 2025 is just over 1000 words to 2000 words (according to this post – 1043- and this post -1890).
I have made some experiments lately. I did a post on couches (mostly written by AI) and that post was long. 3107 words. But it was detailed and useful. I mean, you not only can learn where to buy the couch, you can learn how to clean it too! Ok, it was a bit much, in my opinion, but that post *checks Google Analytics* is still in my top ten months later, with 126 views this past month.
On the other hand, another one of my posts, on the Yoto player, with just 505 words, is currently no 7 with 172 views and has consistently brought in a lot of views. That post has a video where I personally explained how to use the device and our experiences with it.
I think what’s probably more important is: did you answer the searcher’s question? Is the text easy to read with H2 and H3 headings – broken down into easy to understand chunks? Did you pop a video in to make it even more personal and easy to understand? All these things will help.
Some conclusions
It’s all about balance
Short form content is obviously thriving in an environment where we have short attention spans. Long form content does still have a place where people want that detail. Grab their attention with the short form video and then back up your authority with the long form post. Maybe we just need to be smarter with our content to include both forms.
Adaptation
Content isn’t about choosing sides. It’s about knowing your audience and how to connect with them. How can you best serve them right now and adapt your strategy in a way that is going to be useful.
If you’re a content creator, the real shift isn’t about format—it’s about flexibility. The more agile and intentional you are with your content, the more resilient your message will be in a noisy world.
So here’s to ongoing learning and improving ourselves to create the best content that we can. We may not be Beatrix Potter painting pictures of rabbits, but we sure know how to tell a story in multiple ways.
PS – This post is over 3000 words 🙂 Did you read it all? Or did you just watch the video? Either way, it’s cool.
Want to start your own blog?
Create your own authority website blog! Included you’ll find how to leverage both social media and your blog posts.
Check it out here
You can also watch a video of a webinar I did about blogging in this post (scroll down to the YouTube video).
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