photo credit: woodleywonderworks
photo credit: woodleywonderworks
Last weeks post about The Top Ten Reasons for Posting Daily was popular and received the most comments so far on any post (29 comments so far) and provided some spirited conversation. Several commentors suggested that a blogger may not want to post every day and provided examples of successful, moneymaking bloggers who post infrequently. I certainly wouldn’t want to get in a fight with James about this. I will leave that task for Allyn and Steve. It is clear that it is too simple to define a successful blog by the quantity of posts and that quantity of posts will never compensate for poor content. With all this new insight under my belt, I went back to my notepad and drafted a new list:
The Top Ten Reasons for not Posting Daily
1. You will run out of material too quickly
2. It will take readers less time to get tired of you
3. It will give you more time to work on each post
4. It will give you more time to promote your blog
5. You will have more time for comments to accumulate
6. Frequency may detract from money making success
7. Readers will anticipate your next post eagerly
8. Readers will be less likely to miss posts
9. Alexa won’t care so long as readership is high
10……..
I was on a roll there with help from Steve and Allyn but when I wrote down that list, I’m still missing that blinking number 10. Help me out please. Tell me what should be the 10th reason and what is your best reason for not posting daily? Thanks.
Agreed Long. Is that what you are doing?
I find that I get a lot more comments when I post just a couple times per month, 3-5 maybe. Weird how that works.
.-= Katie´s last blog ..No compromises =-.
Because I post in a variety of styles exploring different aspects of my niche, my articles attract variable amounts of comments, and not always from the same crew. So posting daily is working out for me.
I’m building an asset base too, readers and commentors are only a part of the equation. An important part, but not the only part.
-d
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..How Moderating Comments On Your Blog Destroys Conversation =-.
Katie,
So far it is working the other way for me. But your truck is way sexier than mine.
It seems to be all in the purpose of your blog. The arguments seem to be passionate for either side.
Do what you need to do, do what makes you feel comfortable, but I think it’s more important to write for the moment than to write for your readers. You will always get readers, whether someone reading tomorrow’s post tomorrow — or tomorrow’s post a year from now.
.-= Ari Herzog´s last blog ..Top 70 Commentators in January 2010 =-.
I certainly wouldn’t define a blog by how many posts are on it. Lately I’ve been updating a lot but there has been days I have gone without updating even weeks.
.-= Rose´s last blog ..The Online Reputation of Rose DesRochers =-.
I like number 4 and 5 because not posting every single day (no offence whatsoever here James lol) allows more time to gain comments and promote your current work.
I’d have to say for my 10 it would be because I already said when I would post and I’m going to stick with what I said.
If it changes I will let it be known on my blog before I just start posting more or less (yeah right) than I am now. 🙂
What do you think?
.-= Eric´s last blog ..Lets Help Each Other =-.
I agree. I don’t like to write posts too often. I think people are busy enough and if you post too many articles, they will miss most of them.
.-= Julius Kuhn-Regnier´s last blog ..My Pathetic Believe about Social Media =-.
Hey Ralph!
Just popped in to say thanks for the mention, mate.
Here’s a #10 for you… Sometimes my family needs me more than my blog. 🙂
Take care, mate.
Steve.
Great post. Very short and most understandable.
#10. Lack of basic infrastructure (if you are from my country- LOL)
Hi Ralph,
I have to lay my cards on the table and say Give A Brick currently publishes twice per day. However, one post is a short read piece whereas the other is usually anything between 500-1000 words. I like publishing daily since the two different styles suit different audiences. The other consideration is that as the community writing takes off, publishing every day allows a range of articles to be included.
All that said, if I were the sole writer, I would struggle in the long term which leads me on to my #10 reason for not-publishing daily: sometimes it’s nice to have a day off 😉 Sire wrote today’s article so yesterday I had a day off. I hadn’t intended being offline all day but got distracted at the beach with the children!
.-= Eleanor Edwards´s last blog ..The Importance Of Good Parenting =-.
Rose,
It was pretty clear from the first list that this is an area where there is no absolute truth. I just thought it would be interesting to look at the other side before James brainwashes me.
.-= Ralph´s last blog ..The Top Ten Reasons for NOT Posting Daily =-.
Eric,
It seems to me that the comments will accumulate whether or not you add posts and unless the posts build on each other, it isn’t necessary to wait.
Julius,
Can I rephrase your comment to mean, don’t get ahead of your readers?
Olusegun,
Thanks. I find that the less I say (fewer words) the clearer it is.
Eleanor,
I wonder what James thinks about a day off? I’m with you though.
You know Ralph you could have thousands of reasons for why not to post everyday, but the hard thing is picking which are really the top. I’d have to say the #1 reason is because fresh air is not produced from the computer.
^.^
Dexs,
I guess health and heavy duty blogging might have a conflict.