How Often Should I Post—Keys to a Reasonable Blog Schedule

by Edie Melson +Edie Melson

There is lots of information about blogging around, some of it good and some of it not so good. One of the biggest misconceptions I see is in regard to how often you should post your blog. The common misconception seems to be that daily is always best. While this may be true for some, it’s definitely NOT for the majority and here’s why. 

• Daily blog posts don’t always get read. People are busy and few (if any) have time to read every blog every day. If you post once or twice a week I’m much more likely to read every post than if you post every day. For the sites I follow that post every day I pick and choose what I read by the title of the post (which is a whole nuther subject!).
• A daily schedule can cause burnout. For many people, a blog is something they do in addition to their regular writing. If you have to work too hard at it you may be tempted to quit.
• Frequently the posts are better when they’re spaced further apart. Let’s face it, it’s hard to be great day-in and day-out. This definitely holds true with blogging.

So what is a reasonable blogging schedule? Truthfully it depends. But here are some things to think about to help you find that magic number for you. 

• Your personality – are you easily discouraged when you don’t live up to expectations? If so, I’d start slowly. Once a week is a good goal and then, if that’s manageable you can add another day. But keep the schedule in line with what you can accomplish. If you’re like me, when I fail at something too often I give up and quit.
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•  Your goals – think about what you want the blog to accomplish. Are you trying to connect with your readers or start a network? That will entail posting more often and replying to comments in a timely fashion. Do you want to build a platform? With that, a regular schedule of two to three times a week, with focused articles and posts should do the trick.
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•  Your lifestyle – what does your home life look like? Do you have a full-time job or are you a full-time writer? I have a friend who writes and she homeschools five kids. Believe me, posting four or five times a week just isn’t a reasonable goal for her. 

So what’s the answer? Mainly, I think we need to be flexible. We need to give ourselves the time and space we need to figure out what works best for us and our readers. When we do that, we’ll be well on the road to excellence.

So what have you found? I’m curious, how often do you post and what feedback have you received about your posting schedule?

Don’t forget to join the conversation!

Blessings,

Edie

Edie Melson is the author of numerous books, as well as a freelance writer and editor. Her blog, The Write Conversation, reaches thousands each month. She’s the co-director of the Blue Ridge Mountains ChristianWriters Conference and the Social Media Mentor at My Book Therapy. She’s also the Military Family Blogger at Guideposts. Com, Social Media Director for SouthernWriters Magazine and the Senior Editor for NovelRocket.com. Connect with her on Twitter and Facebook. Don't miss her new book from Worthy Inspired, WHILE MY SOLDIER SERVES.