Thursday, November 20, 2008

When To Blog That Is The Question

By Don Bethune

Blogging is growing like wildfire across the internet. People are using it to connect with others in a way that print media has never been able to do. It is perfect for keeping up with the everyday events of other people and for letting others know whatas going on in your own life. An important question to ask, however, is how often new bloggers should be adding new content to their sites.

Having good timing and knowing who is visiting your web page are important factors to consider when deciding how often to add to your blog. You can add new posts daily, weekly, or monthly, depending on what your readers would like the most. Content is obviously a larger concern, but the timing of new posts is a serious factor to consider. Your readers will then easily be able to get set with a consistent schedule for checking out your new posts.

To decide how often to post to your blog, there are many things you should consider. You need to balance your beginneras enthusiasm with the inevitable wane in interest you will feel after a month or two. Think of yourself like a newspaper, and keep in mind if readers are used to new content every day, they will disappointed if that new content falls off to just once a week or so. In fact, your audience may lose interest all together and start visiting new sites, so you need to focus on keeping your readers interested.

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.

Content can be a determining factor in how frequent one blogs. Be sure to know your own capacity when it comes to your writing skills so that you can determine how often you can have a blog prepared. It is not always a bad a idea to write extra entries while you have an idea, then save the entries to post later. It is better to have a consistent stream of entries than to post in blocks, where you post numerous times in a short period then have a dry spell. Try to set short term goals, such as two to three postings per week. Remember to know your own limits and mold your schedule around what you can reasonably handle.

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.

A demographic sampling of your readers can also help you determine how often to post to your blog. Although it is a lot of work to write new blog posts daily, some blogs practically require that frequency of new post. Some blogs, however, can get repetitive very quickly if you make daily additions. Just use yourself as a guide if you check out blogs with similar content to yours, how often you read those can give you a good gauge of how often you should be posting. Try to establish a happy medium so that youare not posting new content that nobody is reading while itas still fresh.

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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