Here we are in week 4 of our Social Media series; many of you have let me know how much you appreciated the topic of blogging. Some of you even told me that you are thinking about starting a blog yourself.
There are so many ways to go about blogging, really. It is just fun! I always tell people, if you like to encourage others and you like to talk; blogging is for you. It really might be your thing to do. There are others out there that need to hear your story; something that you know or something that you have experienced in your life.
Think about it; how much fun that would be.
Anyway, today my good friend Elizabeth will be talking to you about a few more details about blogging. She is a lot of fun.
Here is Elizabeth Maness:
How Often Should You Be Blogging?
by Elizabeth Maness
We’ve read tons of posts on this subject and it seems like everyone has a different opinion and there is no right or wrong answer. The only one who can determine how often you should be blogging is you. I am about to give you the best blog tip ever so listen up and take notes.
The best way to determine how often to blog is to first determine what your goals are as a blogger. People blog for different reasons and those differences will determine how often you should be blogging.
What Are Your Goals As A Blogger?
To truly get this blog tip, you have to first identify what your goals are as a blogger. Are you blogging for your business primarily to help drive more traffic to your site? Are you blogging to provide value to your readers with the expectation to monetize your blog through ads and affiliate programs? Some people blog for personal reasons with no intention other than to share with others and build a community. So what are your goals?
Personal Blogging
There are a ton of personal bloggers out there; those whose sole purpose is to simply share with the world their own personal experiences and stories, grow community, and connect with like-minded people. Figuring out how often to blog if you are a personal blogger is simple. It’s always a good idea to have some consistency. Create a schedule of some kind and train your readers when to visit your blog for new updates.
The one truth about blogging frequency that rings true no matter what your blog is that the more pages there are on your site to index in search, the more chances you will receive more traffic from search.
Blogging for Business
Blogs that are attached to your business website are a little different in nature. The main purposes of your blog should be to add value to your readers, establish your authority and expertise in your industry, and to increase search engine traffic. It would never be a bad thing to blog every day, if you can come up with enough relevant, compelling content, which can be a challenge.
We tell our clients that at a minimum they should be updating their blog twice a week, on consistent days, every week. If you send out an email twice a week, making those days the same day you update your blog is a good idea, that way you can include the link to your updated info in your emails.
When Blogging Is Your Business
So your blog is your business. What do you think you should do? As with any business activity if that is the primary way that you are making your income, or if you want that to be the primary way you make your income, then you should be going blog crazy.
It will be more important for you to have fresh, relevant, engaging content updated very frequently. You want to have as many pages as you can index in search engines, as most of your income will come not for referrals, but from search engine traffic. If blogging is your business then you should blog every day.
If you can’t imagine updating your blog that often, or find that you have trouble coming up with content at that rate then fill your days with guest posts to help out and also bring additional traffic to your site. The more you blog, the more you will be successful at driving traffic to your blog. And when blogging is your income, traffic matters a great deal.
So to sum it up, there is no real answer. Consistency is essential and there is no way to deny the benefits of blogging more often. What are some things you have learned about the frequency of blogging? Do you have any blog tips to share?
Elizabeth Maness
CEO AssistSocialMedia.com
Owned and operated by Elizabeth Maness,mompreneur, building business branding and relationship using social media since 2003.
Great article! There are so many people offering advice on how often to blog, and a lot of it conflicts with each other. You’re the first one I’ve seen who actually broke it down by goal. This makes it so much easier for every reader to decide which frequency is right for them personally. I can’t believe I haven’t see anyone do this before!
Thanks ladies.
Thanks Ron for your comment, I agree with you that Elizabeth did an outstanding job!
I like the point you make about consistency. For me it’s very important that the bloggers who have committed to following me know that they will receive a blog regularly. I like to blog weekly but as you point out, there is no right or wrong way.
Thanks for the tips!
I am totally with you on that Carolyn; it is actually the thing I like to do…being consistent, knowing that my readers are waiting of my email in their inbox!
Yes…being consistent is very important. Being an artist sometimes makes for interesting blogging. The night before the post is due, I run to my easel to be creative…lol. This is a good thing, because it keeps me on track! Thanks!
hahaha Mary, is that true? But being consistent is a good thing.
Very good thoughts and advice from Elizabeth! Consistency and blogging at least twice a week are concepts that stand out to me, and I agree on that. When I visit a blog that is inconsistent or the latest post is months old, I have a tendency to not return to it, even when I love the author and her writing.
Me too Susan, I also loose my interest in that blog and forget about it…
That is what it’s about..;) I have to get on the ball I’m behind this week ! Thank you for sharing..;) I love the author of this post.. 🙂
Who do you love Elizabeth? the author of the editors note or the one who wrote the article? LOL Thanks for a great post!! 🙂
Yes, consistency is key. My 14 year old wants to start a blog and we told him, until he is consistent, we will not get him a WordPress blog.
Thank you Elizabeth and Olga. What good information! Now the trick is to do it and not fall behind on my commitment to blog at least 2 times a week. It just seems I run out of time to get it done… I have tons of ideas. Maybe I am not fast enough with my writings? Maybe it takes me too long to actually get it posted once I have written it? Maybe I have too many interruptions? Maybe I take on more than I should? None the less I do desire to write at least 2 blogs per week… that’s my goal. Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement.
Great article. Content is KING! I’ve got to focus on completing my ideas into articles. I like seeing relevant, strong, applicable content when I’m reading blogs.
What great tips! I have found that coming up with content topics when creative juices are flowing makes a BIG difference when the writing well seems to be dry, so to speak. Frequency is extremely important. Thanks for all the great nuggets!
Great post Elizabeth! I always refer to the blog as the “hub” of your online presence. It’s your playground and you want people to come and play! Always drive traffic to the hub and you’ll increase folks going into your funnel. It’s a win/win. LOVE blogging!
Great advice!
A follow up tip: A recent article (and of course I can not find it now when I need to) stated that blogging 3 x times per week is great for business owners. Anything more than that does not give you significantly more benefits until you blog 3 x DAY! So that’s the advice I’ve gone with. My target goal is 3 x week, my minimum is 2 x week. My posting days are Sunday evenings and Thursday mornings and sometimes I get that 3rd blog post written! 🙂
For me, this post from Elizabeth really hits the nail on the head, Olga. I appreciate the advice to be consistent and then you can take a look at the feedback you are getting, in terms of visits, comments and interactions. I blog at least 2 x a week, with the occasional 3rd post thrown in. : D
Great post. I was resistant to blogging and now I am really enjoying it! I am surprisingly delighted that I have so much to say!
Meryl Hershey Beck recently posted..Dealing with Low-Energy People
Good tips. I’ve been blogging on Monday and Thursday, but this summer have cut back to once a week. For me, more than twice a week is too much. but when you get into a rhythm, it does begin to flow. I read somewhere that Monday and Thursday were the best days and more likely to have people read your posts. Do you feel that any particular days are better than others? Thanks for the great post!
Cathy | Treatment Talk recently posted..9 Parents Who Are Making a Difference
Great post Elizabeth. I myself blogged about this exact subject just recently and the stats for business that I found were very similar to yours. BLOG frequently, you want as many pages indexed as you can. Woohoo! Great minds think alike… tee-hee! x0x
Norma Doiron@Where Aspiring/Budding Business Owners Start, Grow & Strenghten Their Online Business recently posted..Top Keys to Fire Up Your Blogging Audience Response, Part 2
Great post Liz! I actually had to stop in the middle because I forgot to schedule my email for my blog post!! These are great tips – you really have to know your purpose behind it.
Mandy Edwards recently posted..Guest Post: How to Get a Google Bio Box
Ugh ,consistency. It can be really hard to come up with content for your own blog when you are creating content for other people’s blogs. I was doing really well for a while, but then I got a bunch of new clients and now I don’t have time.
So which is better, to blog twice a week for any of the good reasons listed, or to be writing for others and making money? I found I blogged more consistently when I wasn’t making money. I would love to take some time and get back to my blog. But when I have the time, I don’t really want to be writing yet another blog post! I want to spend time with my family, or watch TV, or get OFF the computer! Do you have any suggestions for me? Even once a week just makes me panic.
Susan Critelli recently posted..Infernius Norman, Destroyer of Worlds
Not sure I agree with the advice given in this post. It’s way too generic to really be helpful. There are indeed stats and studies to cite about how much you should blog for specific industries and goals. Too many folks get wrapped up in such generic advice and never really achieve anything other than keeping their blog hamster wheel turning.
Consistency is key, but a business without a good marketing plan and editorial calendar is a good way to waste your time. Sure, you may grow an audience, but those are just vanity numbers if your site does not convert. If that’s happening, then you are running a hobby, not a business.
Of course, if you are running a personal blog, then none of that matters. I do that too. And the engagement is fun, which is the goal.
MaAnna recently posted..When is the Best Time to Outsource?
Spot on post from Liz! She knows her stuff when i comes to SEO and blogging for business 🙂
Anita recently posted..Women’s Leadership: Turn Your Mistakes Into Opportunities