Blogging is all about updating. It is about maintaining an open diary and updating it so that everyone can read it.
If you blog in order to promote your business or if you treat your blog (the website) as a portal for your business, then you need to be updating your blog regularly.
Yes “regularly” or “consistently” is the key. You need to find a blogging frequency which suits you (or your blog) and then stick to it.
Now I get some blogging starters often ask me “How to find the right blogging frequency?“. Although the short and easy answer is “by trial and error” I’m sure that won’t be an answer that would satisfy a newbie blogger who has started the struggle.
After all, blogging has so much more to worry about and if finding a blogging frequency is itself a challenging issue, frustration won’t be too far.
From my blogging experience so far, I can share some insights about this “blogging frequency” notion.
First of all I’d like to emphasize that one size doesn’t fit all. Choosing a blogging frequency depends on various parameters for different people.
Secondly, there’s no rule!
So it isn’t possible to come up with a “guide” or “tutorial” to find your optimal blogging frequency.
But don’t worry, I won’t leave you without an answer. Let’s dive in.
Now, let me analyze the two extreme cases: 1. Publishing more, too much and 2. Publishing less.
Publishing more – When does it work?
If your blog is kind of a reporting medium, then you should obviously do more blog posts. Now “more” can mean publishing blog posts everyday or even multiple number of times per day.
For instance, lets consider Mashable. It is a tech blog which reports news and cool releases in technology and media to its readers. The blog has to pump blog posts multiple number of times per day because there is so much going on around.
There are lots of gadgets that are being released, there is so much to review and report, someone is being sued always, some software/products is being launched and so on.
So if your blog is going to be a news reporting site, then yes, you need to be publishing a lot of content – no doubt on it.
Publishing Less – When does it work?
Now, there can be various as to why a blogger might publish very less posts on his/her blog. By less, I mean less than once in a week.
The blogger could be busy, have too many blogs, have a day job and so on. Or the blogger might simply choose to update his/her blog as and when he/she wishes.
That said, updating a blog is totally up to the blogger. Anyone is completely free to choose their schedule.
BUT, the point is to choose a frequency that works well, if you consider blogging to be a serious business. Of course, if you are blogging for fun, it is totally up to you to choose any frequency that you might like.
Now coming back to the point of when publishing less works, it works when-
1. Your blog is pretty new. Yes, when there are not too many readers following your blog, there is no point in putting a lot of time in creating content. You must absolutely have some killer posts, but it will be bit of a waste to post too much or post daily when your blog is quite new.
2. You are running a blog in a niche that is not busy at all. Unless your niche is super busy and have lots of things to report, you can publish a post only when you have something useful to say to your readers.
So..
How to go about getting the right blogging frequency?
Now I am back at it. I will tell you how I learned the way to choose a correct blogging frequency that suits me and my niche. I can tell that I did it wrong for the first time with my first (serious) blog, the one you are reading right now 
.
But now with the other blogs I have started, I followed this strategy and have found it to be working great!
The strategy to identify YOUR blogging frequency
Make sure you have at least 5-10 good quality posts when you launch a blog. Plus, some posts in reserve, scheduled at a rather slower rate – say one or two posts per week, certainly not more.
Why? Because your blog is new; unless you are already popular (even if you are), you won’t have enough readers to notice your awesome stuff you are publishing by spending hours and hours in production (researching, writing etc.).
During this initial time of about 1 month (or may be 2 months), focus on improving other aspects of the blog like developing a social media presence, investing in any necessary software/plugin, investing in any training programs, studying the niche and keeping up with the current events in your niche and so on.
After this time, start increasing the frequency of publishing. If you have been doing it once a week, now increase it to twice a week. Run your blog at this publishing rate for about 2 to 3 weeks.
And then, if you feel that you can handle publishing at this rate alongside other blogging activities (commenting, networking, guest posting, social media marketing etc.) then you may increase it to 3 times a week, say publish on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
Blogging Frequency: Takeaway
Publishing daily is not necessary unless you have a very busy niche. You don’t have to kill yourself in pumping content in and out.
Plus, in publishing 3 times a week at this blog, I find that
- I have enough time to promote each and every post in a nice way, and
- My readers (you, my dears) are not overwhelmed with too much content; I give them enough time to notice each of my posts.
Although I totally agree that if you publish daily or more than once a day, there is a higher chance that you will get more traffic, there is no point in doing it when you have no or very little traffic.
And, in my case personally, I have taken a decision that I won’t post daily, unless there comes lots of guest posts that need to be published on a time-sensitive manner. But for the posts I write myself, I won’t be doing it on a daily basis (see who else has also taken this decision).
But I will be doing it on a regular basis.
That is the key. You need to have some pattern in publishing your posts. Be it weekly, daily, monthly or three times a week – stick to that frequency once you’re all set.
So….. Whaddya say?
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Article by JaneSheeba
+Jane is the founder of Problogging Success. She is an expert blogger, consultant, freelance writer and blog designer. Don't forget to get your hands on two FREE Ebooks she offers.
Jane has written 262 awesome posts for Problogging Success.
{ 74 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi,
I am facing the same problem of frequency. When i started blogging in Feb 2011, I used to post twice a week. I have maintained that frequency for some months. But now , being a part time blogger i couldn’t maintain that frequency and i am very much worried about it. Now I have to plan the frequency duly considering the factors you have revealed. It may give solution. Thanks for your tips.
Pratap Reddy recently posted..Now You Can Get a Flatter Tummy with Weight-Loss Supplements
Pratap, there’s nothing to worry about. Just choose a frequency that suits you. If you are consistent your readers will love you
Thanks for stopping by!
This is a fantastic post! I struggled with this for a while. I recommend thinking of the blogs you follow – if you’ve unfollowed someone, because you couldn’t keep up, then you know what “too much” is and can apply that to your blog as well.
I settled on 3x a week for each of my blogs. It allows me to write good content for multiple blogs and affords me to the time to network with my followers and keep up with other blogs.
Thanks for your thoughts. I wish I would have found this a year ago
Kim, that’s exactly write. We can judge what frequency our readers will be comfortable with, by comparing it with our own instincts
If i want a lot of direct visitors i publish more, and definitely regularly. That keeps the fan base hooked on information.
But if i go for Google traffic, then it’s ok to publish a little less often, just as long as that one’s also regularly. Google likes consistency.
Stan recently posted..Manfrotto 055XPROB Pro Tripod Legs Review
Stan, ya you got it right! Consistency is the key
When I first started blogging this was a topic that I always thought about. In fact, I became obsessed and thought that if I did not post every day then the world would end. What I have come to realize over times is, like you said, there are no rules. It really depends on your niche and your audience. I have 3 blogs now and on two of them I post 2-3 new pots per week. I am starting a new blog (2 days old now) so I am building my initial base of posts by posting once or twice a day. After a month or two I will probably get into a pattern of posting once a day.
Dan Keller recently posted..Best Digital Camcorder in the Market as we enter 2012
Dan, that’s exactly how I worked my way up and just like you, I’m up with a new blog as well. So as time goes, we should adjust our schedules to fit!
Hi Jane,
It’s definitely true there is no set rule for blogging frequency just as there are no two people exactly alike.
The point you laid though will help new blogger set their frequency.
As I have been blogging for a few moths it was a problem I worried about often but we all find the flow eventually and so did I.
Thank you for you insight in this usually confusing topic.
All The Best,
Giles Wells III
Giles Wells recently posted..3 Lessons I Learned from Watching Captain America Movie
Glad I could be of help Giles!
Hi Jane,
I remember my first blog. I used to post whenever I just felt like it. Sometimes, twice a month. Other times, nothing for two months. No wonder Google ignored my blog.
I’m wiser now but I still don’t follow any frequency and that will be one of my goals this year. I’m going to see if what works for you will also work for me.
Thanks for sharing your tips with us. Happy New Year!
Theresa Torres recently posted..Balance Transfer Game: What You Should Know
You should certainly try and see what fits you, Theresa. Thanks for stopping by!
Intriguing post! Because we cover environmental news and stories related to nature/wildlife conservation, I actually wish we could publish stories more often than we do (usually 3-4 times a week). But, like you said, it’s a balancing act, because you want to make sure each post gets the promotion it deserves. Still trying to fid the right balance, I guess.
Bret recently posted..Happy New Year! (And A Quick Look Back At 2011)
Bret, I’m sure you’ll figure that out soon
Thanks for stopping by.
I didn’t know you were into science! What field are you working in? Let me know on Twitter when you reply.
Best regards from Belgrade, and Happy New Year! May your blog flourish and your readers cherish!
Bojan recently posted..C.O.R.E. System – Fast lane to the top
Hey Bojan, I’m a “Young Scientist” (well, that’s my job title
isn’t that sexy?) in the field of Medical Physics. Did postgraduate in Physics and Ph.d in Medical Physics.
Basically I’m into modelling neuronal networks with the help of physical/mathematical equations, simulating the model numerically to find out mechanism and explanations behind pathologies and cognitive brain behaviours.
WOW, did I talk too much? Hope I did answer your question anyway
i really love to read from your blog … your work is really great and this post is very helpful to me , thanks
Hey Jane. I’ll tell ya, I’ve been on both sides and I learned that it depends on a lot of things; what do you want to achieve with your blog, what are your goals, what niche are you in? I run quite a bit of blogs and their standard and format stays pretty much the same. Content: different. Frequency: different. Audience: different. Purpose: different.
Some exist to make money, others exist to drive traffic somewhere else, some are purely for fun, charity, and other are just tests. Can you believe I run some blogs just for testing.
So, at the end, it depends on a lot of variables. Less usually means more quality, and more means the idea is increasing traffic and traffic rank. But more should never mean skimping on quality.
Ivin recently posted..My Advice To Popup Domination
Ivin, I totally see what you mean. I too run some blogs simply for fun and to diversify the topics I write. And I do not maintain the same writing schedule for all my blogs. Lots of variables, indeed!
Hello Jane. For me, it’s generally influenced with when there’s news and tech happening, when there are developments, when I run contests or when the community feels inspired. These days I thin you shouldn’t just blog, you should make it count and do it properly. There’s so much competition that you gotta do your best every time, frequent or not.
bbrian017 recently posted..Increase Blog Traffic by Hosting a Blog Engage Giveaway Contest
Oh yes Brian, that’s a great point! We always have to do our best
Interesting – When I first started my inspire to thrive blog I did not plan on posting daily – it just sort of happened. And when I cut back during the holidays I noticed the visits were less. Is it because I posted less or because it was the holidays? I do skip a day here and then now if there is nothing of importance to post. No use posting if there is no real content to post or if I’m in such a hurry to just get it done.
Lisa recently posted..Another Great Feature From The Buffer
Usually when you transit from posting more to posting less, you will surely find a drop in the traffic. That’s simply logical. But make sure you don’t reduce it drastically. Otherwise you should be totally fine!
I think 4-5 post in a week is good. thank you for your views Mrs. Sheeba.
Hi Jane,
Super tips!
From my experience, the more you create the less you compete. Writing daily helps me generate more creative ideas and even if no one was around to read my first few hundred posts – yeah I know, pretty crazy
– I perfected my craft in those days.
Keep writing. Keep creating. Add value, and you become quite valuable in the eyes of others.
Thanks for sharing!
RB
Ryan Biddulph recently posted..How You Can Prosper as a Cash Gifting Sponsor
Ryan sure what you say perfectly makes sense. Writing daily is pretty much an art and it takes a lot of commitment. As to blogging there is no doubt that it means more valuable content, traffic and authority!
Thanks for stopping by.
Sheeba – Well I myself never ever given a thought about blogging frequency at all. As you rightly said there is no one single formula working for everyone. But then in real life, the frequency gets defined automatically – based on how often do you get ideas for writing your next good post. Examples like Mashable may not be applicable to majority of bloggers like us wherein one person is managing the blog whereas blogs like Mashable are controlled and edited by a big team. So obviously, they have better resources to keep updating multiple times in a day.
As a thumb rule, I would say that even if you are not able to write on daily basis, in no case you should have a very low frequency of submissions. Ideally, you have to have at least one post per week if not more. That’s also important from the point of view of keeping your interest alive in blogging.
Maninder recently posted..Top 10 Best Free Android Apps to Find the Lost or Stolen Phone
Maninder what you’ve said is just right. What frequency fits us is mostly decided my our own circumstances and capabilities!
“Publish less” is never recommended – bloggers need content, it’s one of Google’s imposed conditions if they want to gain authority. Too long posts are not good either, because readers may not be so patient.
Stacy recently posted..Koblenz LCK 50 Compact Portable Washing Machine Review
Hi Stacy, welcome to my blog. Yes indeed publishing more helps gaining authority easily, but again its never to be taken as a rule. Coz if we push ourselves to publish daily when we actually can’t then the quality of the content will be miserable – something that Google and people will never appreciate!
When it comes to blogging frequency as much as possible I blog everyday. Since it will enhance my writing skills at the same time it will make my website strong in the sense that additional topics will be included on my blog. For me publishing less become effective if your topics are high trend and low density and also depending on your niche.
Sure, your strategy sounds good Adam.
You are so right about this Jane. There is really no “formula” to best calculate a posting frequency. What does matter is that you need to find the optimal point and stick to it. For example, one way that I found out about my own frequency is that it is better to post 2 – 3 times a week, and in particular never on Sundays. I found that Sundays is not worth the effort as the “feedback” is very low. In addition, like you said, if you are not in the “news” type niche, I think that posting way too much can actually be negative as we need to give time for our visitors to “digest” all the information out there. ..
DiTesco recently posted..The Best SEO Practices and Tips 2012
Fran you’re right about Sundays! I used to publish on Sundays when I was doing alternate days posting. But found out that the Sunday posts, no matter how good they were, they go so less attention!
Excellent post. I am a fairly new blogger so still not quite sure about frequency of posting. When I was traveling over the holidays I posted nothing for 12 days and still got hits. Go figure.
Jody, well, things might always work sometimes
That’s a good thing for you 
Although posting more means more traffic, it doesn’t mean that your traffic will fall steeply if you don’t post for a while. Especially if you manage to have some decent readership, being away for a short while should be OK!
Thanks for stopping by.
i think its the quality rather the matter of more or less …. quality material is best what else the frequency is
Bilal, quality is something that we must always put in the first place!
I think the frequency of updating does really depends on your niche. For example photography vs news. The frequency varies to be honest.
Ricardus recently posted..Integrate a fully functional Q&A section in your WordPress website
Ricardus, yes indeed. Thanks for stopping by!
Hi Jane,
This is always an interesting topic of discussion! I have read various opinions on the topic of blog post frequency. Some people believe that you MUST post daily for a successful blog while others swear that daily posting will kill your blog.
Like you I agree that it depends on the person, the blog, the niche, the readers, and other variables. There is no perfect answer for anyone. There are pros and cons to each answer and it’s up to the individual blogger to decide what is right for them!
Stacy
Stacy Claflin recently posted..Blogging Tips 101 Contest
Stacy, the “must” is what usually bothers me. There is no “must” actually and everyone should find and settle at their own comfortable frequency!
Jane, thank you for this. I am just starting to question my timings with my posts.
Initially, 3 months ago, I was posting almost every day or every other day with my new blog. This was mainly because I was learning something new and found it ‘went in’ better if I watched the video then wrote a post about it.
So it was mainly for that purpose and it’s worked because I did learn it.
Now, whilst I continue to learn a great deal, I feel the time is right to slow down and produce far more interesting content than just How To’s. I want to be more me and let my follower see what I’m really like.
Time to get going.
Thanks for this, Jane.
Best Wishes
Andy Moore
Andy Moore recently posted..Get Going with WordPress
Andy, yes that’s the usual pattern. But its bit ironic, that we write more when no one is reading our blog. At the same time we should not forget that at the earlier stages more content is good for the bots to crawl!
Thanks for that. Every article I have read on this said that I MUST blog at least every 2-3 days! The problem I have with that is that my target audience is corporate exec’s who simply don’t have much time to read blogs – their time is a very precious commodity. So I limit my blogs to around 250 words and publish every 2 weeks. I would like to blog weekly, but I think I might struggle, and this way I maintain consistency which is important for me.
thanks.
johnb recently posted..Avoiding Uncertainty
John, if it suits you and your readers, that’s the optimum frequency. Listen to no one! Thanks for stopping by
Thanks for this article, I always confused about this. During exam time I always try to use schedule article feature.
Rajesh Namase recently posted..3 Critical Elements to A/B Test Regularly
Hi.. Jane ! You have shared a useful opinion about blogging frequency. Although it is quite difficult to maintain a good frequency if you alone are managing your blog. It needs sincere commitment to maintain the right frequency. I assume that due to fierce online competition, consistent efforts are required to succeed in blogging arena.
Alok recently posted..Jan 6, Selling Physical Products Online – Page 2
Hi Alok, what do you mean by “good frequency”? IMO it is something that suits your niche and yourself. If you are not able to maintain a particular frequency, you can certainly downgrade to a certain frequency that is comfortable to you. Coz it actually doesn’t make sense if you push yourself so hard and publish poor quality content!
Thanks for stopping by
Hey Jane,
I have been very irregular with my blogging schedule. Though I made it a point to do it at least twice a week but somehow my work always seems to get in the way. Recently, I missed from the blogging scene for over a month! And it showed in the responses further on!
Having a blogging schedule is tough to pick on but it is more of a personal choice and what works for the blogger themselves!
Thanks, will try to incorporate some of the things mentioned here!
Have a nice day!
Hajra recently posted..Will they call you over for a bloggers party?
You’re right Hajra. Forcing ourselves to take up a schedule will often result in unwanted outcome
Hi Jane,
In my case the frequency at which I publish my blog posts has increase to once a week (it was less than that before), and the reason why it would be very hard to do more is that I have four blogs and I am trying to guest post quite a bit as well these days. Now, that doesn’t even include my freelancing
So, as you say it really depends on each personal case as well. Thanks for this
Sylviane Nuccio recently posted..Is Guest Posting Worth It?
Hey Sylviane, I can relate to you. I too write for 4 blogs, other niche sites, guest blog and freelance. So whatever we feel comfortable should be it
Kudos to you for managing multiple blogs 
This Article Cleared all my doubts regarding blogging frequency.. I was very worried how can we update twice or thrice a day but here i got the real idea.. thanks..
Blogging Tips recently posted..Giveaway : 1 Year FREE HOSTING at FatCow
There’s no need to be worried. The key lies in identifying what fits us, that’s all.
BTW: May I know your real name?
Hey Jane
My blogging has been really consistent now than when I first started blogging.
You just got to keep that momentum going in posting frequently.
Easther Sudharta recently posted..Scraped content: Was it Really a Scraped Content?
Easther, its usually that way. When we start we struggle and learn what fits us and the dust will settle soon.
I’m blogging, guest blogging, writing articles, writing reviews and I usually am researching. I work to post at least 1 -2 blog posts per week each site and 1-5 articles on various other sites. On Sundays I try to catch up some more by responding to those new followers on Twitter. It’s all about scheduling and not getting too overwhelmed…and taking a break when you really need it to avoid burnout. This blogging thing is NOT for wimps!
Great article
Dianne recently posted..Couple of issues arise with new Jamaican government already
Hey Dianne, your schedule looks tight at the same time, organized. Kudos!
I personally allocate 1 1/2 to 2 hours a day to writing a blog post. I try to blog daily except weekends. Your so correct in that ” stick to that frequency once you’re all set”. Blogging more or less does depend on the niche market you are publishing to.
Barry D. recently posted..NETWORK AND SOCIAL NETWORKING
Barry, you seem to be doing great as a starter. Keeping up to your schedule is the key and you are already doing so!
I am spending around 8 hours daily to maintain my blog and schedule my post to maintain posting frequency and regularity.I think regularity affects our SEO structures as well as Pagerank.
Wonderful information,Thanks for sharing.
Bhavesh Sondagar recently posted..Valentine’s Day 2012 Google Doodle
Hey Jane as you know I do fall into one of your categories “Business Blogger”. I am a slow poster as both of my niches take up so much time. But I do love reading blogs as you may have started to notice. Whenever I get stuck with my work I read blogs, and It just gives me the inspiration to keep on.
Admiration of what “Real” writers do on a daily basis, consistently amazes me…yes I am speaking of you. Thank you!
Bryan Ring recently posted..Build A Business WordPress Site
I my view bloggers should have post less because if you are publishing too many posts without being attracted by visitors or with very few comments than its not going to help your cause. The main purpose of any blogger should be to present his or her articles to their readers so that they can easily read it.
Mohsin Ali recently posted..HTC Wildfire S Phone That Reveals The Real You Rs.23000
Content freshness and constantly updating it, has been one of the factors by almost all search engines in determining where your site will be in SERP. By following the guides presented on this post, we could be assured that our efforts will not be wasted and we could see the results afterwards.
Jean recently posted..Frigidaire stackable washer dryer
I was blogging daily but I feel that the little vistor I have are missing out on my beginning blogs which are my killer blogs. I thought it necceasy to blog every day for SEO ratings. I am now going to publish 3 times a week and hope it won’t effect my ratings.
Great article that makes sense of blogging frequency. Thanks Jane
Barry D. recently posted..HOW TO SELF PUBLISH YOUR E-BOOK AND HOW TO PROMOTE YOUR E-BOOK
Jane dearest!
Not particularly because you and many other A list bloggers suggest this (a huge thumbs-up to you just by the way for thinking alike
) but I have myself chosen the Mon-Wed-Fri frequency simply because it gives me enough time to firstly research, then to plan and finally to construct my next post that will ensure top quality that I believe in.
It also gives me enough time for other writing (eBooks, guest posts and of course giving my 2 cents and interacting with dear friends like I am doing now
) and also to engage in other aspects of the life of a successful blogger like personal improvement and training, social interactivity and marketing and also keeping up to date with what’s going on around me and my competition (very often dear friends of me as well).
I tend to write slightly long-ish posts that contains a lot of information, so I believe this also gives my readers enough time to firstly digest and secondly to implement anything they’ve learnt.
Thanks a mil for the valuable share Jane!
Ruan | EbooksTutorialsAndGuides recently posted..Upcoming eBook Release: The Best Traffic-Generating Strategies By 10 Top Bloggers | A Tribute
Jane I found this article to be invaluable information to a new blogger. I must admit, there is a huge learning curve when it comes to blogging. There is just so much information out there with no right or wrong answer. Thank you for sharing this article.
Angel recently posted, 5 Best Ways to Utilize LinkedIn Groups
irrespective of the no. of updates, I prefer to follow a discipline and I think it is the best one to follow.. don’t u agree with me..?
Jai recently posted..Android Vs iOS, Advantages of Android Over iOS
Hi Jane this is an excellent post about blogging frequency, especially this point “If your blog is pretty new, when there are not too many readers following your blog, there is no point in putting a lot of time in creating content.” well said…
Ah a constant struggle for me. I like looonger and more epic posts and its hard to write them as frequently as I’d like. So I always feel guilty when I don’t get something up. Gotta just find a schedule and stick to it. Thanks!
For me the most accurate way to know if i post to much is when i post pieces i’m not proud of. I mean everyone who has a blog have at least thought about posting an article that doesn’t add so much value to the blog. So, that’s my metric. If you post good, interesting and unique content people will like it and read it and share it, regardless the frequency of your posting. On the other hand, if your article is not that great be moderate and try not to annoy your readers.
Anne recently posted..Sci-fi illustration number 6
I belong to that number of people who prefer quality to quantity, and that’s why I think that it’s better to publish posts not very often. I guess, that 2 or 3 in a week will be ok
Melissa recently posted..Top Bussiness Web Templates – Professional And Free
Hi Jane, I was confused about this thing from long time. But now I got my answer about blogging frequency. Now it will be very easy for me to decide my blogging frequency. Thank you.
Veer Modi recently posted..How To Start Blogging Series For Beginners: A Step By Step Guide To Start A Blog
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