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How Often Do YOU Post?

You may remember I did a couple posts last month in conjunction with ProBlogger’s 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.  Then all mention of building a better blog fell off the face of the earth.  That’s because I got too busy to play along.  There were some VERY helpful posts throughout the 31 days and several assignments I had every intention of carrying out, but I finally came to the conclusion that I’m a ProBlogger dropout. If he ever does the program again, hopefully he’ll catch me at a better time.

The 31 Days project is over, but when I saw this article last week entitled Be Consistent and Useful — Thoughts on How Often to Publish on Your Blog, I thought it was an interesting topic to discuss.  If you heard my interview for Profitable Mommy Blogging, you’ll know this is a topic we touched on briefly.

As I said to Carrie, I know that I post more than the typical mommy blogger.  What can I say, I have a lot to say!  At school conferences, teachers always told my mother that I talked to much.  I like to joke that I’ve finally found an outlet where I can talk as much as I want and no one has to listen unless they want to.

I actually cut down on posting frequency for a while, which for me meant keeping posts to one a day and not worrying about posting on the weekends.  But I noticed a significant drop in readership and comments, which was rather disheartening.  I think what happened was, the random newsy posts took backseat to the more intentional posts.  I began to pressure myself to only post if I had a point to make or a good story to tell or something informative to share, but people actually missed the rambly, pointless posts — go figure!  And I missed the conversations they spawned.  I learned that the variety is what had kept the momentum going.

When I went back to my original posting habits, I got a great response and I’ve enjoyed blogging SO much more.  So even though I sometimes take a little ribbing for being such a prolific blogger, it’s what works for me.  I look at it this way — people can pick and choose from among my plethora of posts, and there’s a little bit of something for everyone.

I did retain one thing from my year of more selective posting.  I do not pressure myself to blog on the weekends.  If I have something to post and time to write, I do, but I don’t stress about getting something up. I don’t ever look at my traffic stats on Monday mornings.  That adjustment has been very freeing.  A girl’s gotta recharge sometime!

Not everyone will find that kind of posting frequency works for them.  As ProBlogger points out:

There’s no ‘Rules’ when it comes to Post Frequency.  My main advice on posting frequency is to be consistent and keep the quality of your posts as high as possible.  There are successful blogs who post 20 times a day and others that are lucky to post 20 times a year – any level of post CAN work.

When this topic came up at Blissdom, the general consensus was that consistency is the key.  If you post 10 times one week and 2 the next, your readers won’t know what to expect and may get antsy.  But if you routinely post twice a week, they will grow to expect that and adjust their expectations.

How often do you like to post?  What kind of posting frequency (or infrequency, as the case may be) works for you??

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Hey, don’t miss the Summer Bridge Activities workbooks I’m giving away over at Reviewsings — a great way to keep your kids up to par on schoolwork during the summer.

Join The Conversation

42 Responses

  1. I try to post 3 x a week but I want to start expanding my blog and so now I am re-evaluating everything. My blog is still so new so I am open to as much advice as possible.

    Thanks for this post it is helpful!

  2. I post at least once a day, M-F. I usually take weekends off, but it just depends. I’m posting more now…about 2-3 a day, because I’m trying to get all my reviews and giveaways ahead of schedule before the baby comes! Then I have my pregnancy update posts. Plus my regular “inspired” posts. I feel like I’m posting too much….but I’m sure I’ll feel I’m not posting enough in a few weeks!!

  3. Right now I’m covering HE101 on my own. I’m being as consistent as I can until Ivy returns. I know there are areas I just can’t cover at the moment. I have to remind myself that even though it feels as though I’m behind, I have no deadlines. I always thought I had a good work ethic, I’m learning I just may be a workaholic. 😉

  4. I haven’t put myself on any schedule yet, but I’m posting about 4-5 times a week sometimes more.

    Funny you posted about this, I was just thinking about this the other day! LOL

    ~TidyMom

  5. When we are home and everyone is well, I post anywhere from 3-5 times a week. I almost never post on the weekends, and I rarely post every day. However, I’ve taken a couple of 3-4 week breaks when we went on vacation, daughter was hospitalized, etc and life was just overwhelming me.

    In reading others’ blogs, I have a hard time keeping up with those that post several times a day. I feel obligated to read all of them, and I just don’t have the time! I am learning to let that go. 🙂

  6. Excellent post! There’s always that question of HOW MANY but it’s nice to see confirmation that there’s no magic number.

  7. I find that I’m posting about three times a week. I have noticed people that post daily and I wonder if they make it a point to do that or if they just have something interesting to say that often. I’m new to blogging so maybe I’ll find a rhythm once I feel like I’ve found my voice.

  8. I tend to post twice a day, but I need to organize my time better with summer coming. I love doing this, but don’t want to take too much time away from my kids. I DO feel obligated to post on the weekends. I am glad that others DON’T feel that. That insprires me to change my thinking. Thanks for your great blog!

  9. Mama Bub — It’s my goal to post once a day on weekdays. If I end up posting more than that, that’s great. But my goal is to get something up every morning so there is some consistency.

  10. I followed 31DBB, did not manage all the assignments, but saved them for future use.

    As I am taking part in Project 365 (365 daily photos for 2009) I had started posting daily since January. However, I have been a but more relaxed about it recently, and it is suiting me better. I try to post 3 – 5 times per week, and have never managed to post twice in one day. I want my blogging to be enjoyable, and not a chore or burden which I resent.

    Struggled this past week with posting as I have been distracted by orders for my jewellery. So yesterday I posted asking for any questions – hoping this will give me some upcoming topics.

    So if you have a question for me (hint, hint!) you know where to find me!

    PS I am glad to have the “old” (in the nicest possible way) you back, and it is your style of blog I aspire to (no pressure!)

  11. I read your posts everyday but I come back within the same day or two for your conversation starter posts. I read more “sharing” mommy blogs so yours is my go-to for water-cooler type stuff. I always like reading through the comments you generate with those kinds of posts. But that’s not what you asked – you asked about how often we post. I usually post hormonally. More at certain times in the month and less at other times LOL.

  12. When I began working full time, something had to give. For me it was posting. After much self-inflicted angst, I remembered that my blog started out as a personal diary for me. Everything went back into perspective and now I don’t worry about relevant content and frequency. I post purely for pleasure again and ignore the huge drop in my readership. I’d like to think that I’ll get on a regular posting schedule again, but who knows? Life’s too short to worry!

  13. I try to post every day and usually do! I’ve been taking Sundays off and only do a “Scripture Saturday” post on Saturdays. I find not too many comments on the weekends and that’s okay. Gives me a chance to recharge and think of new things to post about in the upcoming week! Great post!

  14. Lois – You reminded me – I used to do a Scripture Sunday. Got lazy, but that’s a nice thing to do.

  15. I post every week day and sometimes on the weekend, if I feel like it. But, I try to stay off the computer on the weekend and spend more time with the fam…

  16. I don’t have a set post goal each week. Usually I post at least 4 times a week, sometimes more sometimes less. It depends on what is going on in life, and where I have the time.

    At one point I tried to force myself to post each day, but found that my posts were lacking…me. It wasn’t me posting, but the urgency to get the post up. I felt that I lost a great deal of why I blog when I did that.

  17. I notice that since I blog more…I get more comments and more readers. Whenever I take a break, there
    is a decline.

    My goal is to always post once a day.

    Thank you for writing this post. It was indeed very helpful!

  18. Interesting post!

    In my first year of blogging (I guess I’m entering year 4 now!), I grew to be obsessed. I felt like I HAD to post daily.

    In the last year or two, as blogging has become more of a business for me as I write for 5 Minutes for Mom and manage and write at 5 Minutes for Books, I don’t worry about that level of consistency in my personal blog (of course — look who I’m talking to — you have multiple sites as well).

    So, now I post around 4 times a week — sometimes a bit more and sometimes less, but I think my regulars know to expect content throughout the week, but not every day.

    And yes, my overall hits dropped, and that bugged me (and still does at times), but I try not to worry about it, and just do what works for me.

  19. I post whenever I have something I want to write about. My blog is as much for me…actually it’s more for me…than it is for others. It’s a journal of my life. I’m also saving my text in Word. I intend to put it into book form so my kids can have it down the road. I usually end up posting 5 times per week or so, depending on the activity level of the week.

    I love your blog. I love the newsy posts, and I love that you’re usually toward the top of my feed reader each day because you post often. =)

  20. I shoot for once a day Monday to Friday. Lately it’s been hard. But I do notice the one’s I get most comments on other than Friday’s Fave Five are newsy, chatty ones.

    Lately with everything that needs doing around here and working full time it’s been hard to post. But oh well, that’s where a drafted meme comes in mighty handy. LOL.

  21. I try to do, at least, 1 post per day Tuesday-Friday and spotty on the weekends. But I’m not all the concerned about upping my readership. I write what I want to share with people and if they read it, okay and if they don’t – well, that’s okay too. It’s more of an outlet for me than anything else. If it turns into something more, that would be awesome, but I still want it to be ME.

  22. I also am a 31DBBB drop-out, but I plan on finishing the last couple of posts and doing a couple of summary posts. I post everyday, sometimes twice a day. I usually plan out my posts for the week and write them on the weekend, but then I do a lot of spontaneous posting and things happen or are interesting to me. I love writing, so the daily exercise is a stress relief for me.

  23. I want to post each weekday, but lately I have not done so. I just don’t have much to say I guess. I have never been a weekend poster, so my readers know not to expect new content on the weekends. I aim for M-F, but I sometimes miss. Oh well.

  24. I generally post 3-5 times a day, Monday through Friday. But I rarely post on weekends, unless I’m getting ahead on Monday’s blogging. I used to feel pressure to blog on the weekends, but found I could easily get burnt out if I don’t take the weekend “off”.

  25. I used to try to post every day and follow many of the other blog “rules” to up readership. I participated in carnivals, commented EVERYWHERE, and posted whether I really had anything to say or not. I accomplished nothing other than stressing myself out and having a little pity party that despite all that I still had the same 5 or 6 that “followed” me and that is it. I finally decided that I needed to go back to the original reason I began blogging and that is to keep far away family up on what is happening with us. If I have something to blog…I do it. If not, I don’t. Sometimes I post every day, sometimes I go a week without doing any blogging. I am really not that interested anymore in making other people happy, I just type my stories and memories and if I make some good friends along the way(and I have) then I am thrilled but I am no longer a slave to the how to’s.

  26. Well we’re all different aren’t we? I used to post 3 times a week but I noticed an increase in comments when I posted once a week. So now I post 1 meaningful post every monday and let it run all week. I usually get up to about 20 responses before the next Monday rolls around, which is pretty good I figure since I only have about 50 followers. I also found taking the “subscribe” button off the top of my scroll bar has helped drive people to visiting the blog to read the posts, which motivates me to keep the side bar spruced up and new. I prefer that people come to the blog to read instead of reading my post in an email. Anything I might be missing with that point of view?

  27. My blog is meant for family and friends to keep up with what’s going on with us since we live so far away, so I’m not really concerned with posting too much. (Although I do get fussed at when I don’t post enough!) Reading blogs is part of my morning routine before the kids are awake and the day gets away from me. I run through my ‘regulars’ and am usually disappointed if there’s not a new post each day (excluding weekends). I look forward to the posts and usually can take something from at least one to apply to my day. (For the record, I love when I have a few minutes to check back during the day and find a new post on Musings!)

  28. i hate to reveal my guilty secret but i have started trying to write about 5 posts on monday or tuesday and scheduling them. i like to have new stuff but i don’t like having it hanging over my head every day. so far it is working well for me…

  29. And once again we have a winner in you Jo-lynne.

    Thanks for this post. I became a 31DBBB dropout when the issue came to posting intentional content that informed and educate.

    I keep hearing in my head comments from friends like, “why don’t you talk about your kids more??”

    And I discover people listen to my ramblings after all!

    Ok. Off to ramble some more good quality and consistent ramblings.

  30. I post daily on my family blog and 3 to 4 times a week on my book blog. The book blog has two consistant posts Every tuesday and Friday and the reviews fill the spaces between. I figure since one can really only read so many books…this site does not need a daily post but I also agree consistancy is key!

    I love your posts even when their are 4 a day – I come and comment when I have something to say but I read them, trust me I READ THEM ALL!

  31. I seem to go through cycles. Right now, recovering from surgery, I’m not posting much. I can’t even seem to tweet.

    I find I post more often when I participate in carnivals, but the posts aren’t very personal.

    I also struggle with revealing too much of myself or not wanting to hurt the feelings of readers who might know me in “real life.”

    I need to just get over it.

  32. I find that it is becoming increasingly more difficult to come up with interesting and unique post. So rather than offering mediocre posts I now post when I actually have something to share that I find interesting. Loyal readers will check back.

  33. I think it depends on why you are blogging. I post 3-4 times a week on average, I think. I’m here for the community and honestly, I find it easier to keep up with blogs that post less than every day and I have stopped reading some blogs that post too often.

    But you are right that it is the content that counts, not the number (too few or too many) posts!

  34. You told me to post every day, so I usually do. If I feel really not funny, I do not post. But I’ll bet I post 362 days out of the year, easy. Perhaps I am the only one who thinks I am funny 360 days out of those 362 posts, tho!

    You know what I hate? Saturdays. I finally have a day off, and I feel like I am funny on Saturdays, and no one reads me. Well, by “no one” I mean I get about 465 readers on Saturdays, so maybe I should shut up. And hours and hours go by with no comments. Oh, Saturdays are lonely days for me.

    Maybe I should get a life. You think?

  35. June, I hate Saturdays too! It seems silly, as my husband is around to “help” with the kids, although that rarely seems to happen. Saturdays are lonely days for me too, and the fact that the blog slows down to almost a dead stop doesn’t help either.

    We both need to get a life, by the sounds of it!

  36. I’ve gotten into the routine of posting every day (mostly) Monday through Friday, and a review post on Saturday. Sunday is my day off!

    I’ll admit – I sometimes get overwhelmed when people blog more than once a day. Especially when it’s someone who I particularly like and want to read (ahem!)!! 😉

  37. Oh, but I actually put up two posts today. So – pot calling the kettle black and all that. 🙂

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