How Frequently and How Long Should You Blog?
written by Anthony Dinh
One question we as bloggers have found ourselves asking at one point or another is, how frequently should I blog and how long should they be? This is a subjective question to which there is really no right or wrong answer. Everyone has their own valid opinion when it comes to this matter, you just have to find a balance and go with what works best for you.
Post Frequency
Whatever frequency you choose to blog, just be sure to keep it consistent so your readers know what to expect. At the moment, I myself can only find the time to post once a day during the week, so that gives me about 20 posts a month. Don’t post 3 times one day, then go for a whole week without posting. This erratic frequency of posting will confuse your readers, and it will become a guessing game as to when your next post will be published. You will end up alienating them and they will eventually stop coming. Also, once you get into a rythm, keep it up because once you stop, it’ll be difficult to get back into the groove. Personally, I recommend having no fewer that at least 3 posts sitting in your queue ready to go at a moment’s notice. That way, you can preschedule them for weekend editions, as well as have a safety net for when you can’t find the time to write because when life happens, it’ll be nice to not have to worry. Not only that, it’s a good idea to have posts ready to go for guest post opportunities that may arise on short notice.
Post Length
Don’t bound yourself to strictly long posts or short posts, or set a goal like 500 or 1500 words, etc. Just do whatever is natural and whatever makes sense for the topic at hand. If it’s just a quick random thought that takes only 100 words, so be it. Conversely, if it truly requires 1500 words to properly get your point across, then don’t be afraid that the readers will get bored because if it’s that good, they’ll read it! However, don’t write a book…not every post has to be a masterpiece or doctoral dissertation. If you think the post will be too long to read in one sitting, consider breaking it down to a series of more manageable posts. This will also save you from having to think of new ideas for your next few posts.
Stockpiling for Writer’s Block
As bloggers, we’ll all encounter the frustrating syndrome known as “writer’s block” from time to time, so it’s always a good idea to stockpile your posts for a rainy day, especially when you are in a writing mood and the ideas are flowing. I highly recommend having a notepad or your cell phone with you at all times, so you can immediately record or jot down ideas as they come to you. I know you’ve all had a great idea at one point and ended up totally forgetting about it because you didn’t write it down…I’m guilty of this myself! Even if you wake up in the middle of the night and happen to conjure up a great idea for a post, either get up and start writing while the idea is still fresh, or jot it down on a notepad at the least. You can also start a post in draft mode with a one-liner which summarizes your idea so you can go back and finish it at a later date. Visiting other blogs is also a great way of getting ideas to post about, but remember, use them for inspiration only, do not copy! You can also ask fellow bloggers to guest post on your blog to buy you some time until you can get over the hump. Finally, if you are really desperate for ideas, you can always recycle one of your older posts with a follow-up post by updating it with any new facts, figures or developments, etc. If the recycled post is old enough, chances are, you reader won’t even notice.
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This is where most new bloggers fail. They start out with a lot of enthusiasm and post 20 posts the first week, but after finding out that it is hard to keep up, they stop.
Rajaie, thanks for visiting and taking the time to comment. I’d have to agree with your comment. Many people don’t realize how much hard work and dedication it takes to run a successful blog. They figure they’ll just throw up a blog, write a few posts and the money will automatically start pouring in. After only earning a measley $3 after the first month, they finally realize how hard it is to actually generate decent traffic and to monetize a blog, at which point they throw in the towel and give up.