Thursday, November 20, 2008

When To Blog That Is The Question

By Don Bethune

It is true that blogging has become very popular with web users. It is an easy way for people all over the world to tell others their story and their history. It is able to connect people better than print media because the connection is personal and immediate. How often you should add to your blog, however, is a question that many people share.

The most crucial thing you need to know when deciding how often to blog is who is reading your content. Whether you post daily, weekly, or monthly, who is going to be seeing your posts is what you should use to set up your posting frequency schedule. Content is actually more important, but how often to post is definitely something to consider as well as this will give your readers the chance to develop a schedule for visiting your site.

Make sure you think about everything involved with your website when you are considering how often to post new content. If you are new to blogging and have that beginneras enthusiasm, you might start off with two posts a day, but that will fall off within a month or two. Unfortunately, your audience will fall off as well, because they will be expecting fresh content on a daily basis. You need to keep up with things in order to keep things interesting for your readers.

The type of blog you are presenting is another factor worth considering. Different frequencies work with different types of content. Daily posts about a special trip you are on make sense, but if your content is more in-depth on a particular subject, you may want to consider weekly additions.

Another factor to consider when deciding on posting frequency is your actual content. You want to be sure to not overestimate your writing capabilities so that you are not stuck with nothing to write. Writing a few extra entries in advance and saving them for later can be one way to overcome this possible problem. You should strive for consistency, so having backup entries can help you get through any dry periods you may experience. Keep in mind that you should always know your limitations.

Letting your readers know your posting schedule is a good idea, as is telling them if that schedule is going to change for some reason. If you plan on taking a trip and wonat be able to post for that week or two, letting your audience know will help guarantee that they return to your site when you are back and posting new content. Blogging is all about connecting with your readership, so make sure you are keeping the lines of communication open.

Look into your core audience to determine what frequency of posting will be optimum. Daily blogs can be a lot of work, but are necessary for those blogging on daily events and news. A daily blog can be redundant for some blogs, however. Think of yourself because, most likely, you are a fan of what you are blogging on, so think of how often you are out there reading blogs similar to yours and how often those are updated. You want to make sure that you find a happy medium when it comes to posting frequency and content, because if you post more frequently than people are reading, than you are not optimizing the release of your content. Obviously old blogs can be read after the date they are posted, but most readers like to have a "fresh" copy.

How often to post is one of the most important aspects of blogging, one that many new bloggers do not even consider. However, if you take the time to think about it, you can keep your readership happy and interested in your site for a long time. Keep in mind, however, that you should always consider what works for you and keep it fun.

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