Let me come right out and say it – I am guilty of what I am about to write about! So make sure you do as I say, and not what I did.
Just like an abandoned home pictured here, visitors to your website may feel that you have let your site dwindle away and they may not come back. If you don’t provide new content on your website on a consistent basis, visitors may think you have abandoned the site.
When you have regular visitors that frequent your site, you do not want to let them down by NOT updating your site. This will just confuse them. Confused visitors will usually decide to stop coming to your site.
What can you do? Simple! Come up with a regular posting schedule! if you decide that you want to write every day for your site (or each weekend), then do that! Stick with it and be consistent! If writing that frequent is too much, scale it back and only write a couple of times.
Most of the time for me, I run out of time. It is not that I do not want to write, or don’t know what to write about) it has been that I can’t find the time. I should not say I can’t find the time, rather, I place other priorities above my posting. This is not right or wrong, it just is (how very Zen!).
Currently, I am in the middle of developing a couple of new courses, creating my affiliate program (so folks can earn some cash while promoting my products), developing a few websites, speaking, writing, and living life!
When I realized that my site was starting to grow some weeds around the edges, I quickly schedule time twice a week to update the blog. I can certainly get 2 articles written each week. That is my schedule. I will be posting on Thursdays and Sundays – I will test this to see if these are good days for my readers. If not, the days can be changed.
The other day I wrote about, PLR (Public Label Rights) – this is a great starting point if you don’t know what to write, how to organize your thoughts, or just don’t have a lot of time.
What is your posting schedule? Do you post 5 times a week? 1 time a week? Every other week? I would love to know. Leave a comment below with the number of times you write a blog post.
Excellent post. I am a big believer in scheduling time in our calendars to write. I also use mindmaps to brainstorm ideas for content and then put the content into my calendar so I am not faced with a blank screen and a blanker mind when I sit down to write. I try to get two new posts per week created.
Mindmapping is a great way to get your thoughts in order and all ‘mapped’ out! I use a version, XMind – they have a free version and a Premium version (but I digress!)
2 posts a week is admirable, Minette!
Such a great point I can’t tell you how many blogs that I have come across that are not updated any more and are just sitting there with a bunch of dust on them. Posting on a regular basis is very important and creating a schedule is a great way to do it.
Yuck! Dusty sites 馃檪 How often are you posting, Beth?
Hi Paul!
Since I’ve been back to work after last year’s health crisis, I’m posting about once per week, which seems to be working out just fine. Especially when you consider I’ve had the same blog since 2006 and there were a couple of years in there you could count on both hands how many posts I did. Yikes.
Not anymore! I’ve seen the light. And with your help my blog is all updated and things work and everything! YAY!!
That is great, Felicia! Consistency is the key! Let your readers know what to expect and they will be happier!
It depends but I try to get anywhere from two to three posts a week 馃檪
Very nice, Beth!
Alright Paul! I’ll admit that I’m guilty, as charged. It’s so easy to abandon one project for another, and to let it slip off the grid. Having a schedule is a great idea and pre-planning my writing will certainly help me to get to it. Thanks for this.
Good Luck, Lynn – you can do it!
Good post. Hit the nail on the head a couple times. I am trying to stick to a schedule of twice per week. It sounds easier than it is. I do good for a while and then fall off the wagon. But I keep getting back on and trying again, so eventually it will become consistent. As you said, living life can sometimes get in the way….and if we didn’t live life….we would have nothing to write about!
Make the space on your calendar and stick to it. I think that is easier said than done sometimes. But, persistence pays off. Good luck, Robin!
Dang, Paul, I started off the year with great intentions . . .
I was inspired, then chagrined, as I watched other people write about their “Top 10 Posts of 2013.” I set out to do my version of that and realized I barely had ten posts in total for 2013 (and no, they were not all award-worthy)!
So I am committed to do at least 13 for this year. One a month, at minimum 馃檪
Just One A MONTH?? Anita – you can do better than that! How about at least once a week?!?! Let me know if you want me to Guest Blog once in a while! Maybe I can make your highlight reel for the year!
Geez, Paul, call me out in public!
I may take you up on the GB sometime soon, thanks!
Call you out? I prefer the phrase, “Keep you accountable!” 馃檪
Let me know if I can help!