How long does it take to write a blog post?

In this article, I’ll guide you through the different elements of blog writing, exploring the amount of time involved and whether it actually matters if a blog takes three hours to write or three days.

So, how long does it take to write a blog?

Researching this question resulted in a lot of eye-rolling on my part. The humble brag brigade would have you believe they can smash out 1500 words in an hour. Bravo etc, but you’ll forgive me if I’m a little sceptical.

The stats below provided by Orbit Media offer some insight into the matter, stating that the average length of time to write a blog post last year was three hours and 51 minutes, almost 20 minutes quicker than 2022.

My gut feeling is the reduction in time could be attributed to a certain AI chatbot rearing its ugly (albeit sometimes very useful) head…but more on that later.

In all honesty, I’m tempted to take these stats with a pinch of salt. I think the real answer to the question ‘how long does a blog post take to write’ is…it depends. A simple blog like ‘How to cut a cat’s claws’, where the methods are limited and you’ve been doing it for years is never going to take as long as a blog entitled ‘An in depth look at the complex socio-political, economic and ideological factors contributing to the gradual stagnation and dissolution of the Soviet Union’, especially if you have zero knowledge of the topic (which I don’t, but I’m guessing our existing client base won’t be requesting such a blog anytime soon – phew!).

The ‘it depends’ answer, while accurate, isn’t exactly helpful. That said, if we separate the research element from the actual writing part, it becomes a little more feasible to provide a ballpark timeframe, as demonstrated below.

Breaking down the blog writing elements

SEO strategy

Without SEO, your content is likely to end up floating in a tin can round cyberspace, hoping to be picked up and rescued by the Google mothership. You’ll probably need to spend at least 15-20 minutes researching keywords on tools such as Semrush to identify which ones will perform best and get your blog shooting up the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Creating a structure

A structure doesn’t always mean a nice, neat framework with all your H tags present and correct from the off. It could be as simple as placing chunks of text or research into some sort of order which makes sense to you, before gradually massaging it into something more comprehensible. Typically, this might take 30 minutes on average, but again, I have to sound the ‘IT DEPENDS’ klaxon.

Top tip: You don’t have to start at the intro. I rarely do, as opening paragraphs are notoriously tricky to write and I find it helps me to have everything else in place first.

The first (crappy) draft

Aside from research, this is the part that will inevitably take up the greatest amount of time. You’ll either end up staring at a blank screen for half an hour or bashing out the longest paragraph ever, most of which will end up being deleted over the subsequent edits. On the basis there are no distractions or breaks, the first attempt will typically take around three hours to write, knitting together all research, thoughts, guidance, facts, quotes, etc.

Editing and re-editing

When you revisit the first draft, you will inevitably find a multitude of words, sentences and sections you want to change. Editing allows you to refine your blog, cutting the waffle and tidying up clumsy syntax. I find reading it out loud helps – and of course, getting a second pair of eyes on it. This may take an hour or so, depending on how crappy your first draft *really* was. Oh, and if you used AI to help create your first draft, you will probably need a couple of hours to rewrite the content in your own language and tone.

Adding images

Is there anything less appealing than a wall of text? People are drawn to images and, more often than not, visuals are a brand’s bread and butter – think travel businesses or ecommerce sites. Would you book a holiday or buy a product without seeing a picture first? Finding or designing images that complement your text can take 30-45 minutes on average. This duration can fluctuate based on the number of images you're planning to use or the type of blog post you're creating.

Formatting

Formatting improves your blog’s readability, making it more appealing to your audience. This involves breaking down chunky blocks of text, positioning images and links, plus giving the whole aesthetic a bit of spit and polish so it looks just as good as it reads. I’d typically devote about 20 minutes to this so it’s not a huge task, but an important one nonetheless.

Check for apostrophe catastrophes

Grammar and spelling checks can be a pain, but for a professional piece of work, it’s important to get it right. You can use tools such as Grammarly or your platform’s own inbuilt tool, but make sure it is set to UK English rather than US English (if writing for a British audience). This shouldn’t need to take more than 15 minutes in total.

What is the optimal blog length?

According to Semrush, a blog should be between 1,500 and 2,500 words long, but it really comes down to the type of content you’re writing and the audience you’re writing it for.

Does size matter?

There are graphs out there that suggest it does, but longer isn’t always better in my opinion (no sniggering at the back, please). At the end of the day, you should create the blog post length that best serves your audience’s needs. A good approach is to see what sort of length high-ranking blogs competing for the same keyword are clocking in at and explore how you can improve on their respective content. For instance, if you are writing a blog about nature walks in Dorset, could you include any info that competitors may have missed, e.g. best time of year to go, whether the walks are dog-friendly, any amenities en route, etc?

Does duration matter?

Unless you are one of the very few oh-so-lucky bloggers who are not restricted by timeframes or deadlines then the length of time taken to write a blog does indeed matter. Your clients and readers don’t have time for you to go and seek creative inspiration up on a mountain top somewhere. They need a cracking piece of original content within a pre-agreed timeframe.

As a side note, if your primary goal is to get a blog finished in the shortest amount of time possible, rather than focusing on producing a quality, well-polished piece of work, then I think you are doing yourself and your audience a massive disservice.

Blog writing tips

If blog-writing is not your natural forte and you’re unsure how to approach it, here are my top tips to help you on your way:

• Know your audience: I cannot over-estimate the importance of putting yourself in your readers’ shoes. You’re writing for them and providing the information they need in a way that stops them seeking out the info elsewhere.
• Know your topic: Bit of a no brainer, but you need to be incredibly well-versed in your subject matter, which is great if you’re writing about the same things repeatedly, but a laborious, time-consuming process if you’re covering a range of unfamiliar topics. There’s no shortcut sadly…but hey, think of all that incredible knowledge you’ll pick up along the way!
• Don’t write when tired: If I’m being honest, my brain is pretty much useless after about 4pm. I know my ‘A-Game writing’ comes earlier in the day when I’m alert, rested and not thinking about what I’m going to have for tea that evening. If you do find yourself writing well into the night (which we inevitably do at some stage), make sure you revisit the content the following morning with fresh eyes and a decent cup of coffee inside you.
• Get a second opinion: Having a second or third person give your blog a onceover is a great way to get a fresh perspective on your content. They’ll inevitably spot little flaws you’ve missed or have some suggestions on where the blog can be improved.
• Grab 'em by the headlines: Getting someone to engage with your blog in the first place can be tricky, which is where an engaging headline that piques curiosity can pay dividends – just don’t go too far down the clickbait route…you’re not a tabloid.
• Be a thought leader, not a thought follower: Regurgitating the same article someone else has written is a waste of everybody’s time. Bring fresh perspectives, insights and opinions to the table.
• Writers block? Get ChatGPT to help: Ah, come on now – put the pitchforks down. I don’t mean get ChatGPT to write the blog for you (because inevitably, it will be awful and full of words nobody wants to read like ‘leverage’ and ‘elevate’), but use it to give you a starting point or initial framework to work from if you’re suffering with a nasty bout of writers block or lacking inspiration.

Need help with writing a blog post?

Let’s face it – blogs are time-consuming to write and many businesses view them as a ‘nice to have’ rather than a ‘need to have’. But here's the thing - blogging shouldn’t be written off as just a box-ticking exercise. It's an effective marketing tool which can be great for rankings, beneficial for boosting measurable sales and also a brilliant way to connect with your audience.

If you need a hand with blogging for your business, Adido is here to help. Our fantastic Content Marketing team (including me!) are seasoned bloggers and know a thing or two about helping our clients scale the SERPs. After all, your success is our success. Contact us today to learn more!

Just one more thing…

If you’re struggling to write a blog within a specific timeframe, just remember this. It took Michelangelo four years to finish the Sistine Chapel, so, you know, you’re in good company.

(And for complete transparency, this blog took me five hours to write).