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Monday, 6 February 2012

How Many Posts Should You Write Each Week? - DailyBlogTips

How Many Posts Should You Write Each Week?

Posted: 05 Feb 2012 07:01 PM PST

When I started blogging, four years ago, many experts advised posting daily – to increase traffic and keep readers hooked. And many popular blogs do post every day (at least on weekdays).

Should you post every day, though?

Probably not.

Why?

Because:

If you write two posts each week instead of five (or seven), those posts will be much better written.
If you only post once or twice a week, you'll usually find that you get more comments on each post.
If you don't post too frequently, readers may actually read every post, instead of one in five.
If you don't use up all your ideas in the first few weeks of blogging, you're more likely to be successful in the long-term.

I normally recommend that bloggers aim for somewhere between three posts a week and one post every two weeks. Any fewer, and it's hard to build engagement; any more, and you may find it difficult to keep up the quality.

Reducing Your Posting

What can you do if you're currently producing five posts a week, Monday to Friday, and you want to cut back?

I'd suggest you simply change your blogging schedule, without even announcing it. Post on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, or on Mondays and Thursdays. If you're really concerned about reader reaction, then let people know your reasons: you want to provide higher-quality content, and the best way for you to do that is by focusing on just 2-3 posts per week.

Chances are, your readers will accept the change without any objections at all.

Increasing Your Posting

If you currently post once a month or less, you need to increase the number of posts you write.

Don't make a sudden resolution to write three times a week, or you'll quickly burn out (and you may well overwhelm your readers). Instead, work up gradually. Plan to post once every two weeks, then once every week, and so on.

Over the long term, quality trumps quantity. Sure, publishing loads of blog posts in a hurry may get you some quick attention and traffic – but it's not going to help you build up a solid business.

When you're reading blogs, do you prefer ones that update every day or just once or twice a month? Share your thoughts in the comments…

Ali Luke is a writer and writing coach, and has a weekly DailyBlogTips column on content creation. If you're struggling to get enough writing done, check out her free ebook How to Find Time for Your Writing.