Blog Posting : Is More Better?
04/11/2006
Back in the olden days (say 39.278 seconds ago) of business/marketing blogs the chant of those who drank the Kool-Aid was content, content, content. More is better and more than more is better than that! A blog that isn't updated frequently - say three times a week - was thought of as dusty and musty (achoo!). How often to post is one of the FAQs when I speak with new bloggers.
Blog buddy, Scott Burkett, Pothole on the Infobahn, told me about an Atlanta biz blog, Known Identity, that updates infrequently which led to an interesting chat. With Scotts okay here's our conversation about posting frequency and readers' expectations.
Diva: Do you think the blog is "resting" or "resting in peace" since the last post was 3/28?
Scott: Given their tight niche, they probably don't have as "much to say", so I would imagine their posts are industry-event driven, rather than mouthpiece driven. I would expect some gaps here and there.
Sidebar: I think Scott just termed a new type of blog -> Mouthpiece Driven. Gotta love that one!Diva: Which brings up another question..if content isn't updated frequently, does the it really matter if the content is perceived as valuable and one subscribes via RSS? Unless of course Google rankings and Search are part of your strategy.
Scott: I subscribe to some blogs that are updated perhaps once or twice a week (Charlene Li) while others are updated multiple times each day (Doc Searls). Some are updated once in a blue moon (Charlie Paparelli). The key to me is the value of the content, and the context of that content. I don't expect Charlie to write every day about angel investing, but I do expect Charlene Li to publish her mindshare more often.
Diva: So, does that mean your expectations are set by the blogger, the industry or both?
Scott: Both...if a blogger is a laggard in a fast-industry, they probably aren't worth tuning into. And vice-versa...
So how frequently should you post? The answer is ... It depends.(How's that for a marketer's response?) Seriously, it depends on how you've defined the goals and objectives of your blog strategy. If you're not concerned with search rankings once a month may be suffcient. If you want to be Diva of Google it might be several times a day. Of course, keep in mind the other part of the equation = quality of content. And as Scott says the speed of change in your industry.
Sorry Shel, the marketers are at it again..poking their fingers and morphing blogging. But here's a whispered secret ... you and I may agree more than you think (not about character blogs!) but about blogging changing marketing...although marketing is also changing blogging. [Naked Conversations Chapter Six Consultants Who Get It - page 94].
