“You MUST post every day!”

Ever heard that line before?

If you’re a content marketer or anybody with a blog, you’ve probably run across this advice once or twice. But don’t worry, it’s not (necessarily) true.

So, if you’re worried about having to crank out fresh, hot content each and every day, relax… and read on to find out exactly how often you should be posting if you want to be as successful as possible.

Full disclosure: There are a few advantages of putting out new content every day, such as:

• Gaining more opportunities to rank higher in the search engines
• Delivering the most up-to-date content to your readers
• Staying in the habit of writing daily

But… for most of us, posting every day is more stressful than beneficial. Worst of all, it can result in you putting out subpar content that won’t excite your readers or turn them into raving fans who want to give you their wallet.

The real question is: How often should you post?

Frankly, there’s no single answer for every marketer. Your answer will depend on a few key factors, including:

• Your topic
• The time you have available to write
• The average length/format of your content
• Your readers’ feedback

Let’s dive in and take a closer look at each one to see where you lie on the spectrum…

Your Topic

Certain fields (like breaking news or sports) will require more content put out through the week. Notice how I said you don’t “necessarily” have to post every day? Well, one of the few times when you probably do want to is if you cover current news and sporting events. It’s pretty obvious that you can’t be seen as a reliable source of cutting-edge information if you’re not constantly up to date.

On the other hand, if your platform is for more evergreen content like fitness, cooking, pets, or marketing, once a week could be all you need to keep in contact with your readers and keep new traffic flowing.

Your Time

How much time do you personally have to write and engage with your readers? You might only have a few minutes to set aside every day, while others may have hours that can be used for producing new content.

Depending on your schedule, you might not be able to post as often as others. That’s okay. Find what does work for you and just stick with it.

Pro tip: Try and create a routine so that you get in the groove of writing daily – even if it is for a few minutes. Those minutes will add up in a week.

Length and Format

The shorter your posts, the more frequently you can write them. If you cover celebrity news and gossip, it will be much faster to put out a post compared to a lengthier post involving research and attribution of sources.

If you have a lengthier, “meatier” post, don’t sweat trying to post every day. Once a week is plenty to let your readers digest your post. Plus, that way you can ensure you have enough time to create the highest quality post possible.

Feedback

Listen to your audience. See how they are interacting with your content. If you double your amount of content and comments go down, it may be too much for your readers to take in. Some may even write to you that they’re unable to keep up with the amount of content you’re putting out.

Some readers want a little content each day, while others want a longer, more in-depth post once or twice a week. Ultimately, if you’re not sure how often to post, just look to your audience. After all, it’s all about them anyway.

To wrap up, don’t post every day just because some “guru” somewhere on the Internet said to once. Do what works for YOU. Most importantly, before you hit publish, always ask: “Is this post helpful to my readers?”

No matter how often you post, if it’s not quality content, you’re wasting your time.

 

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