Updating Your Blog

[KristineS]

I've had this discussion several times in other venues, so I thought I'd ask the question here.

How often do you think a blog should be updated. I aim for posting new content every day, but as I start to write in more and more places that isn't practical. I've now made my peace with about three or four times a week.

What do the rest of you do? What's your blog update schedule?

[the goat]

Mine fluctuates a lot. Some weeks I'll make two entries and some I'll make ten.

It hinges on two factors. First is if there is a lot going on in the Boston sports world that week. Second is if there is a lot going on in the goat world that week.

I have always felt that one post a day is the ideal, and that is what I strive for. It just never seems to work out that way.

[Harold Mansfield]

I have one blog that I updated everyday, and another with several front page sections/categories that I updated the feature every 1-2 days, and the other sections at least once a week.

[KristineS]

I like to see new content so I try to do at least one post a day. One the corporate blogs, one gets updated every day, and another at least 3 times a week. My personal blogs don't fare so well. A Frugal Housewife gets updated every day, but there are three of us writing for that. When I'm Thin and Settling for More don't get updated as often. I need to get better about that.

[vangogh]

I think posting frequency is different for different blogs. A news blog for example needs to update a few times a day. In general it's more important to blog when you have something to say and can post quality. I used to think it was important to post to a schedule, but sometimes the posts became forced and I was probably better off not posting that day.

I still post on a schedule, but it's more for me to keep a rhythm. If a usual posting day arrives and the writing isn't coming I'll skip posting. If it's not a usual posting day, but I have a lot to say I may still write and post.

Quality over quantity, though you can't let your blog go empty too long.

[KristineS]

Quality over quantity, though you can't let your blog go empty too long.

I definitely agree that it should be quality over quantity, but the control freak part of me wants to come up with some optimum posting level. I'd take one good post a week over several indifferent posts a week any day.

[vangogh]

A year or two ago maintaining a tight posting schedule was all the rage. The past year I've seen a lot of bloggers posting when they felt like it instead of adhering to a schedule. What I notice in my own reading is that those who post great stuff still get my attention when they post, even if it's not the same 2 or 3 times a week.

There are some who post great content, but rarely if ever post. I generally don't check their blogs much anymore since in all likelihood there won't be anything there. I will still check eventually, though since I expect when they do have something to say it will be worth the time to read.

On the other hand there are blogs that update frequently, but most of the posts aren't worth the effort to read. I'm finding myself unsubscribing from these more frequently since the effort to find the signal through the noise is no longer worth it.

When I think of all the blogs I read and enjoy they have very different posting habits. The thing that's common to them is I enjoy their content and find it useful. That more than anything is the key to blogging. Offer readers something they will enjoy reading and find useful to their lives.

[KristineS]

Yeah, I do know of some blogs that mostly post videos or links to other people's stuff or pictures and after a while I generally stop going back or won't go back as often. I also probably won't go back if all that's posted is press release after press release. I want to see personal content, what someone thinks or feels about an issue. That's what interests me.

[vangogh]

Yeah, in the end it's all about whether or not you like their content and if they publish enough to keep you coming back. If you like the content though, you'll still check them out from time to time, even if they don't post often.

[KristineS]

That's very true and it's one thing I had to learn. I used to be really rigid about posting, and then I took some time off and all my readers were still there when I got back. After that I got a little less rigid about having to post every day. It was kind of a relief.

[vangogh]

For awhile I had gotten into a good rhythm and was posting on schedule week after week. The first day I skipped a post was really hard. There was this feeling of dooming the whole blog by missing a single day. Obviously that's a silly feeling since no blog will lose all its readers for missing a post, but that feeling is there.

After skipping it once and realizing the sky didn't fall it was very liberating and made me see how quality was so much more important than maintaining a schedule.

[orion_joel]

Just seeing this post now, and taking a look at my two blogs i realized it has been close to 2 weeks since i posted on both of them. I had not even realized the gap. In saying that though for both of them this is to date the highest traffic month for them. so posting and visitors does not always equal.

I think for me it comes down to how easily the writing flows. I had probably about 2 to 3 months where i could sit down come up with a topic and write 400-500 words sometimes even 1000, no problem. However, while i have done that once or twice in the last month, i have been having much more trouble, where i just end up writing a line or two on a topic that i thought i had some interest in and then just staring at the screen thinking now i am sure i was thinking i could write more then this.

[vangogh]

The flow and ebb in writing and ideas hits most bloggers I think. I know it's happened to me. I've gone a few months where it feels like ideas are everywhere and the words come as soon as I sit down. Then there might be a month where I can't think of a thing to say.

I'm getting better at still writing some pretty good posts during those times when the words aren't flowing, but I tend to post a little less frequently during those times.

How long it's ok to skip posts is something that really depends on the blog and the audience. Obviously a news site needs to be updated regularly, but beyond that it more how long your readers will stick with you during the times you don't post.