Bloggers: How Often Should You Really Post?
It’s a controversy that goes on with many bloggers. The topic seems to come out in every conversation. How often should I post? It’s a valid question that needs a little clearing up. However, this article will not tell you how many times you should post because every blogger’s situation is different. Instead, it will guide you to make the decision for yourself.
What Some Say
Some bloggers say to post everyday. Your blog will be fresh, having new content frequently. Search engines will find your site quicker and new visitors are bound to trust a site with many articles.
Other bloggers say that you shouldn’t post daily. They say that it’s impossible to post an article a day and still have quality content. It’s better to have quality than quantity. Plus, readers won’t be able to keep up with seven articles a week anyway. What’s the truth?
The Truth
The truth is: it’s up to you. Only you and your readers have a say in how many time you should post. No one else. Why? What might work for a particular blog, might not work for you. You should be making this decision for yourself. However, keep in mind two important factors when you do: your readers and your limitations.
There are two things that are scarce in this world: time and money. Keep in mind that this applies to your readers also. Ask yourself, “Does my target audience have the time to read my articles daily?” or “Will they get overwhelmed with information?”. If you’re content schedule is overwhelming to your audience, each post will become less effective, and less important to your readers.
Also, be modest. Know your limitations. If you don’t have the time to post daily, don’t do it. You’ll quickly burn out and it’ll show in the quality of your writing. Test the waters. Find out how much you can post and still continue to create quality content.
The Truth According to Me
I have to be completely honest and say that it was very difficult to not express my own opinions on posting frequency. I’m a believer in quality over quantity and that posting everyday is overkill. I don’t read articles seven days a week! Furthermore, if you’re a new blogger, it can be difficult to find the time and inspiration to write that often. Pace yourself and focus on crafting each post into a well polished article.
Carry It Out
Now that you decided, carry your plan out. This doesn’t mean that the testing will stop. Continue to adapt your blog to your readers and to your own circumstances. How can you carry out your plan effectively?
It’s been my experience, that the best way to carry out a plan is to follow a schedule. Schedule when you’re going to write and publish content. A schedule will really help you get things done, making your blog run like a well oiled machine.
This also does a lot for your readers. They’ll perceive your posting schedule, knowing exactly when to come back for fresh content. Build the trust of your readers by consistently writing excellent articles.
In short, make a schedule and follow it.
Further Reading on Schedules
- How to Develop a Niche Blog Content Plan
- Editorial Calendars and Professional Blogging
- How to Create A Schedule You Will Actually Stick With
Final Words
I know that when I was a new blogger, I was caught up in what some said was the way to blogging success. However, as time goes by, you learn and start to find a rhythm that’s comfortable for you. Now, I’d love to hear from you! How many times do you post on your blog? What have you done to organize yourself?
93 Comments
posting regularly is good but dont post too much post a day that a reader find it difficult to read them.
Flag as inappropriateIts nice tips but for me I post to my main blog whenever I feel like ..because I created the same to express myself when some feeling is there about anything in this world,But I post sometimes to my content blogs too,and I feel that the blog owner is the sole decision maker when to post what to post like things.right to expression may be the word.
Flag as inappropriateI think one should post three posts a day if he wants to sustain his Blog traffic.
Flag as inappropriateit’s true you can’t afford to write articles everyday and maintain the quality of your post.
Flag as inappropriatei will take that advice directly to my blog and let see :)
Flag as inappropriateThanks for this post. I was indeed in this dilemma. On my blog, http://www.tonz.net, i was planning to ask my visitors about it using a poll or something, but decided against it as my readers might think that i do not have a clue about this crucial thing.(My niche is blogging, itself.)
Flag as inappropriateThanks for this information once again. I’ll re-evaluate my priorities and then make a decision.
I agree to your post.
Flag as inappropriateGreat post
Flag as inappropriateI agree that there isn’t a set amount, and it totally depends upon your business, interest, blog topic, etc. I think blogging excessively in quick sucession with huge great big posts is quite daunting to most. But if it’s readable, broken down and doesn’t seem daunting then that’s a completely different story. The happy medium is a difficult one to hit.
Flag as inappropriatePhotoshop tutorial, from beginner to advanced
Flag as inappropriateIts nice tips but for me I post to my main blog whenever I feel like ..because I created the same to express myself when some feeling is there about anything in this world,But I post sometimes to my content blogs too,and I feel that the blog owner is the sole decision maker when to post what to post like things.right to expression may be the word.
Flag as inappropriateagree :) indeed
Flag as inappropriateHi,
Flag as inappropriatethank you for the insight. I’ve recently started blogging and to me it feels impossible to post very often anyway. Also, I tend to write longer posts (1000 words in general). I’m adjusting as I go, both on style and on presentation and have decided that when I’m more comfortable I can start posting more often. It really is more about quality than quantity and you have to find an identity for your blog anyway. If you don’t have a readers base to start with you want to create one and you can only do that when you have become confident with your style.
You gave me a good insight. Thanks a ton for this great post. Cheers.
- Robin
Flag as inappropriateGreat post… I have been debating. I think a few times a week is probably best. Daily posts… these are tough.. especially in a niche market like mine.
Flag as inappropriatequality is definately better than frequency thanks for sharing!!
Flag as inappropriatethis really helped, thanks for the great post!
Flag as inappropriateGreat Post. Thanks.
Flag as inappropriateI try to post 2 or 3 articles a week.
Flag as inappropriateI just haven’t the time to do anymore, as I have a full time job and a family to take care of.
Great Post. Thanks.
Flag as inappropriateThanks a lot. Nice post.
Flag as inappropriateThis is just an opinion. I just try to put myself in my reader’s shoes. Does the quality of what I put out determine my view of it or the frequency? And the answer has nothing to do with frequency. If something is good and it provides value, it will be found and it will be appreciated it; it will be talked about and it will grow in popularity. Some TV shows are every night and some are once a week. The shows that are every night don’t get higher rating than the ones that are once a week because of its frequency. It all comes down to how good the show is. And this is no different for posts. (NFL against NBA & MLB)
Flag as inappropriatewhy do you have the same article?
Flag as inappropriatehttp://www.blogfornoob.com/ramblings/how-often-should-you-blog/
just change the title and some of the words, why do you have to do the same? just for the sake of money? shame on you
Yes..!!!
If any one really inspire .. i can post offently without spam activities… am i right buddy!!!
Flag as inappropriateHi Buddy!!!
Really this is most use tips in web design related.. thanks many meet again.
Flag as inappropriateGreat article! Myself, i don’t like to rush. I want my content to be high quality. Time = Quality in my opinion.
Flag as inappropriateHi Tim,
Flag as inappropriateI had been trying to decide how often I should post to my new blog, this info was really helpful in making that decision. I never really thought about the fact that readers may become overwhelmed with information and its true I dont read articles 7 days a week, so why would expect my readers to I never thought of it that way. Thanks for the advice!
wow thanks so much.168
Flag as inappropriatewow thanks so much.155
Flag as inappropriateGreat reading! Thanks for sharing129
Flag as inappropriateThanks for your post , Great post.
Flag as inappropriateNice Tips. Thanks for sharing :D
Flag as inappropriateCool tip. I feel a bit more comfortable now. I’m a newbie blogger. I easily get carried away posting too often
Flag as inappropriateSimple idea that totally true.
Flag as inappropriateI try to add one post at 2 days interval. :)
Flag as inappropriategreat article.
Every blogger is confused that how often should he/she post.
I post 6 times a week.
Once again, thanks Tutorial 9 for this nice article.
Flag as inappropriateAmazing article. I completely agree with u guys. It is tough to get quality and quantity simultaneously. But, as a beginner blogger, one needs to post at least one article a day so that the visitors do not get a feeling that blog is going to die out. Slowly, you can elevate to quality rather than quantity.
Flag as inappropriateGreat article Tim! You are right on two counts, totally agree about the quality over quantity and that a blogger alone can determine how often he needs to post based on the browsing/commenting habits of his readers.
I started blogging about 8-9 months ago and I have realized it is very hard to get an audience and to hold on to them. With the plethora of blogs out there, you really have to be different to stand out. In this day and time, being different only brings you a trickle of visitors and blogging success every few days [something that would have sky-rocketed you a few years ago when it was all new]. I think new bloggers need to post a bit more frequently so as to not let their followers feel like they have abandoned their blogs. With more stability and time, your readers will grow to trust your posting habits and not leave if you post less frequently :)
And boy oh boy, is it hard to come up with fresh, original ideas all the time, isn’t it? :)
Flag as inappropriateI’ll agree that most people aren’t equipped to post everyday. Often that just comes from the focus of the blog in general. That being said I believe that there are certain boons of posting everyday, for example BikeSnobNYC is one of best bike blogs out there with a daily post, and it’s always hilarious. I do see where your coming from on the quality with plenty of blogs spreading themselves too thin.
Flag as inappropriateNice article.
I started a blog a time ago, and at first I thought the only thing I should do was write, write and write. Then in August I actually got on the front page of DZone, got some Diggs, …
And I sat back and said: ‘nice, good job Pieter’. But then I stopped posting and I got less and less visitors.
Result: I haven’t post anything for the last three months. But I don’t care. Why?
I blog for myself, not for an audience. I blog because I really want to remember the things I blog about (links to useful resources, code snippets I often use) and then I give something back to the community by putting it online and sharing it with everyone.
Yet you might want to take a look at my blog so here’s the link: http://pieterbeulque.be/blog/
Flag as inappropriateI believe that quality it is better than frequency. I follow some blog that post twice a week, and I always read all their articles because the quality of the content. That is the only reason that make me return and to be loyal.
Flag as inappropriateIt seems obvious that posting just for the sake of having words on the blog is bad ROI. I have seen excellent everyday posts by a couple of journalists who blog for newspapers. But this is more newspaper style – the everyday column.
Flag as inappropriateFor the blogger working alone I doubt he will be that prolific, and still produce good content.
I have either unsubbed or moved to the digest version of sites like LifeHacker. LifeHacker, along with a few other blogs I would like to read soon become overwhelming.
Very good and informative post/question.
Hi Tim,
great article about a question every blogger has ‘to deal with’ for themselves. The decision depends also on the kind of blog you’ve got: a newsblog that updates once a week is a ‘no go’.
First of all, I belief in quality and it’s impossible to post quality-articles on a daily basis. I try to update the gonzoblog.nl at least once a week.
Cheers & Ciao …
Flag as inappropriateAs a reader, I get extremely annoyed with bloggers who post several times a day. Most of the time, they are just wasting my time and I quickly unsubscribe.
Every day posting is fine for some types of blogs but not all of them. I found it worked best for blog who have some kind of concept (i.e. a daily picture, daily advice, daily best of whatever).
My favorite blogs all publish less often. I find it really show when people put their heart into writing a post.
As a blogger, I personally post three times a week. I feel it’s a good balance for me. It gives me time to research topics, organize pics etc. and yet come out with fresh content.
Flag as inappropriateif the truth is that only i can decide when to post
Flag as inappropriateso why in the fabuarry did you made this artical?
I blog every day i know it’s a lot of work, specially for someone like me who spend 8 hours a day working and spend hours in transportation everyday.
What i do is: i organize myself.
How do i do that: i keep a schedule for everything i have to do in real life, and that is how i know if i will have more or less time for blogging.
Being organized it’s the key. If you are not organized you are not going to get anywhere.
So, when i know i have time for blogging, i blog, and when i’m not blogging, and i get an idea or i see something worth talking about in my blog i keep it in a corner for when i have time to blog.
Also if i write two articles with a similar theme, i try not to post them one after the other. I schedule for later, sometimes i write my posts several days in advance, specially when i’m going away on vacation far with little or no internet or have lots of work. That way i only check the blog for wordpress updates everyday, do daily backups, moderate comments and upgrade plugins.
Well as you see it’s a lot of work. not to mention that my blog is becoming more and more popular and i get invitations for different things (i nearly have one or two different invitations per week for blogging parties and stuff) It takes a hell of an organization to keep everything running and still do what i do in life everyday outside the blog.
Flag as inappropriateIt is important to consider this aspect..
Flag as inappropriateThanks for the read!
Twice a month. Quality not quantity for me…
Flag as inappropriateI think it is an unanswerable question because you have to figure out a schedule that works for you and your readers.
I don’t see the point in posting something that might compromise the overall level of content of the rest of the site just because I HAVE to post every day.
I’ve experimented a bit over the short life of my own blog, and have now settled into producing two posts a week, one article, one freebie.
I think If I bombarded the site with a post a day the points I’m trying to communicate would become diluted. I also believe that my reader interaction would suffer, I’m sure they wouldn’t have the energy or patience to comment every day.
Flag as inappropriatei post every day when i can
thats the aim
nice post TIm
Flag as inappropriate“If you’re content schedule is overwhelming [...] ”
Should be “If your content schedule [...] ” I think?
And to comment the article itself – nice :)
I post very randomly. So far I’ve published 8 posts during November, and several months only have one post per month. These last few posts have been daily, or bi-daily. Of course, I don’t have ‘articles’, as such, as it’s a photo blog. I just post when I have something relevant TO post. (Oh, also, the blog turned 100 the other day. And there was much rejoicing.)
Once again, nice article. Made me think about how I actually DO think :D Thanks
Flag as inappropriateI think, you should to post, when you have some interesting idea
Flag as inappropriateYour post has given me great points to consider as I’m preparing to regularly update my site I started a few months back but have recently neglected. Great comments from everyone as well. I’ve never really considered a schedule for posting but I definitely see the benefits. Thank you very much to all.
A quality read, will be back for more.
Flag as inappropriateYou should blog when you have something that you think other people will find interesting. period
Flag as inappropriateThis article solved a small question that was running in my mind about planing and posting the articles. Hope so now onwards i shall follow above mentioned tips
Flag as inappropriateA blog is judged by how valuable it is for its readers. The value itself is a function of the quality of the content and the engagement of the visitors.
However, to keep the readers engaged, you have to make sure to create new content on a regular basis.
So you have it – create and publish quality posts as often as you can.
Flag as inappropriateWell… we then come to the other side of the coin. Let’s say that you can post everyday. Can your readers actually read all seven posts?
Thanks for the comment.
Flag as inappropriatearound 6 times per week
Flag as inappropriateGreat points Tim. As for traffic, I’ve noticed that the articles that I put a lot of time and effort into tend to get regular search traffic. I have some articles that I put up a year ago that are still getting thousands of hits every day. So I would definitely say that quality over quantity is your best bet.
Flag as inappropriateGood read! I agree that it’s a matter of preference and goals. Personally I tend to write less. The less I write the more time I have for thinking, writing and research.
I think it’s a myth that if you post often (let’s say, every day) you will gain more traffic, comments, etc. For some blogs, such as SmashingMagazine it is true. But personal blog is a different story.
People are so overwhelmed with the information from various sources that they don’t even notice how often you write. They don’t know and don’t care when you published your previous post. They just want a good read.
Flag as inappropriateYou know what? I agree with you. I believe that if you’re posting everyday for SEO purposes, yes, you will get a lot of traffic. However, how much of that traffic is going to turn into loyal readers?
Although I do think that readers notice when you post, it won’t matter if you don’t have a quality article to publish.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateThis was such a helpful article. I started my blog in September. It started as a restaurant review blog but I’ve also started posting recipes as well. Since I want my restaurant reviews to be as descriptive as possible, I try to post them every two days. I don’t want to compromise the quality of my writing when I post. So what I’ve done is a restaurant review on Monday & Wednesday and a recipe on Tuesday or Thursday to space things out. I usually give myself the weekend off too.
Flag as inappropriateThat’s good. It’s important to follow your schedule but also schedule in breaks. If you’re not giving yourself breaks, you can burn out and then it’s not fun anymore.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateI have just started my blog, and I should pick up the pace. That said, it seems reasonable to put out new articles as often as people revisit your website.
Flag as inappropriateI try to post every day, except for Saturday, but I guess sooner or later I’ll narrow my schedule down and will post everyday but on Wednesday and Saturday :-)
Flag as inappropriateA good question though :)
Interesting thoughts. I do completely agree with you. My thoughts about this is that a blogger should find the perfect balance between the two, quality and quantity. Spend some time writing a good blog post, but try not to over-do it. That’s why for some, shorter blog posts are better.
Flag as inappropriateVery interesting article. Besides the facts you and the comments mention about the reader side and how many posts they can actually handle to read, it is very interesting and helpfull for planning and handling a blog.
I opened a company blog recently and decided to post pretty much once a week, so people have the cahnce to read and comment. Since it is in german I am thinking of starting a more “private” english blog, too. And I am exactly in the phase of thinking about what to write, how often to blog and stuff like that. So it was really interesting to read your thoughts and the comments of other bloggers. Thanks guys!
Flag as inappropriateI’m glad you could find it useful. What makes me even happier is that you’re planning before starting a blog. It’s important to research and then create a posting schedule before actually starting the blog.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateI post “serious” articles every 2/3 days also I post “Daily DesignTweets” everyday to keep freshness of a blog. Great tips for new bloggers as me, thanks Tim.
Flag as inappropriateThat’s great! If you and your readers can handle it, then that may be the formula for your blog.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateGreat post. Very helpful
I recently switched the frequency in which I post.
I used to post daily. More often than not, the post was simply a bit on another article, a quick opinion, or a great deal I found online – just t keep them coming (posts and traffic).
Last month I made the decision to post only when I had a complete and quality article – happens to be about once a week.
Yes, I have noticed a slight drop in traffic. However what I gained I hold more valuable – posts that I find are better quality, generate more comments, and get dugg and retweeted. Not to mention this opens up more free time for me to concentrate on growing the business in other ways.
Flag as inappropriateThat last point you made is awesome. Yes, you might see a drop in traffic but isn’t it better to have meaningful comments and discussion than have a whole bunch of hits?
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateYesterday was officially a week for my blog site. I decided after that I would stick to three posts a week (Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday) releasing the posts at 11 am central time on T & Th; 9 am central on Saturdays. This gives a decent post for each category & a week “marinating” time for each post. Those times also allow me a moment to breathe, think, create, edit, and simmer before the next post is done. Of course, it has only been a week so I may have a different story in a month or two.
Flag as inappropriateWhat I like about your post, Tim, is your angle. You didn’t make a decided “you must do this for success.” You left it up to the blogger by giving us valuable points to think on. Thanks
-reid klos-
Congrats! You see, that’s the thing about blogging, there is no exact formula. It’s not a science; it’s an expression of feelings, emotions, opinions, and creativity. That’s why it’s so important that you decide for yourself.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateI’ve set aside every Sunday morning to post to my two blogs. Sometimes I will add one midweek, but it is usually just a link or some lightweight content. During the week, I keep lists of subject ideas, and occasionally will go ahead and write a post, but then I hold it til Sunday. It takes off the pressure, and I enjoy my Sunday morning writing time.
Flag as inappropriateThat’s great. It’s what works for you and like you said, it takes off the pressure. Most of us blog and have other responsibilities to carry out.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateI try to update my site at least twice a week. Sometimes I’m able to get ahead of the curve be scheduling posts to keep the balance.
Personally when reading other sites I keep up with maybe half the posts they make especially if they update 3/4 times a week.
In the end it comes down to the quality of the post and how well the writer has established themselves with there audience.
Flag as inappropriateThat’s great! I think twice a week is a good balance where you are coming up with fresh content but at the same time, letting it (here comes that word again) marinate so that more people have the chance to read.
I like that you also evaluated how much you personally read. It’s important to be the reader and implement that evaluation in your posting schedule.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriatePublishing Post to often will just get your other articles buried. Let your readers read your articles and wait a while before you post publish another one. Also writing to often will make your rss subscribers really mad and they might unsubscribe from your feed. Take it week by week :)
Flag as inappropriateYou bring out a good point. You’ve got to let an article marinate for a while. That way, more of your readers have the time to read it.
Thanks for your comment Marcell.
Flag as inappropriateI think it will vary wildly from person to person, on my own blog I try to get 1 or 2 posts up a week, but it is only me posting on there. There’s no way I could post alongside all my work and still turn out anything worth reading.
However you look at somewhere like Six Revisions and there is a post everyday with a lot of guest writers providing content. I think that’s fine given the varied nature of the posts, not everyone will want to read every post and hopefully there’ll be at least two or three a week that they do read.
Bottom line is of course to get the balance right for your own blog.
Flag as inappropriateNice post Tim, thanks.
Yes. When you have writers consistently creating content for a blog, it’s easier to post more. However, when it’s a one man show… a whole different situation.
Find a rhythm that works for you and your readers.
Thanks for your comment.
Flag as inappropriateHmm.. . Quality is better than quantity!! :-)
Flag as inappropriatePosting frequency is an important part of understanding traffic, blog quality, and future success.
I think each blogger and blog should determine their frequency, but bloggers should know that the more you post the more traffic you get. So find a posting frequency that gives you balance of both quality and quantity. There are ways to do both.
Flag as inappropriateGreat point. There is a way to find that balance but, it’s up to each blogger to do it.
However, there have been bloggers that are firm on the decision to only post a quality article once a week and yet their blog still has a lot of success. Meaning that readers come back for the quality of your posts, not their frequency.
Thanks Seth.
Flag as inappropriateI don’t think there is a solid proof to show posting daily or more frequently will bring more traffic. There are many blogs, which make new posts twice a week. As long as you establish a posting schedule and stick to that schedule, that would be OK.
Flag as inappropriate