I’m in a bit of a posting pickle. I’ve stuck to the same posting schedule for well over a year now – Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and a list of links on Sunday. Usually, I write a number of posts in advance and the schedule isn’t an issue. But the last couple of weeks and especially this week I’ve been writing them at the last minute and am desperately trying to stick to the schedule.
Now, it’s a little bit of my own fault that I’m behind. I had some downtime last weekend and could have easily have written all of the posts for the week. But it was really hot and humid and I felt lethargic and lazy. So, in the mornings I did some client work and in the afternoon I played Tomb Raider ;-)
I know, I know. Playing a video game may not have been the best use of my time but it used to be one of my main hobbies and I’ve barely played anything in the last couple of years. And as much as I enjoy what I do to earn money, there should also be some downtime.
And then after not being so very busy I am incredibly busy this week. The feast or famine nature of freelancing is hard for someone like me to adjust to who typically schedules everything down to 15 minute blocks. But it’s all good because I want to get ahead before I take a mini-vacation next month.
I have a lot of ideas for posts but most of them will take more time to write-up then I can manage right now.
So here’s a post about not having time to write my posts (because of some laziness and then super busyness).
Today I’ve been wondering if it’s better to not stick to the schedule if I don’t have something worthwhile prepared. It is very hard for me to NOT stick to a schedule though …
But, I’m pretty sure it’s better to miss a day then to simply churn out something not all that interesting just for the sake of posting something … anything. Although, I could post some of my cat videos – most everyone loves stupid cat videos ;-)
What do you think?
photo credit: CatDancing
For me sticking to my posting schedule is crucial because I am going to loose one or two of my valuable email subscribers if I didn’t.
Now in your case you are worried because you are late. My problem was posting too early and too often.
You know, I blog sermons and other stuff related to Christianity and church. So who wants to read a sermon every day? or who likes to read 2 – 3 sermons in a one day….?
Now my posting schedule is once in every 5 days. Earlier I was used to post on each day of the week, but then subscribers started leaving.
I am happy and my readers are happy too….
Hi Yohan – I think I’m more concerned about the schedule than my readers are. Maybe I need to do one less post per week.
I think that sticking to the same posting schedule with as many posts per week as you publish is incredible. Maybe it’s time for a change; nothing wrong with that. You set the rules for your blog. Personally, I don’t pay attention to who posts on what day because I’d never be able to keep track. I would have taken time off to play a game too, if I’d been you. All work and no play… ;-)
.-= Davina´s last blog ..Where I’m from is Elementary =-.
Hi Davina – Yeah, I don’t really know when people post either. The schedule is more for me and my obsessive tendencies than for the reader. I may need to do one less post per week.
Thanks!
What Davina said! Anyone who may keep track of your schedule and then calls you out on missing a beat has too much time on their hands, IMO. Give yourself a well-deserved break and enjoy the rest of the summer! Pretty soon your fabulous daughter will be back to school, temperatures will fall into a more normal range and you’ll see what the next phase is going to look like. :)
.-= Betsy Wuebker´s last blog ..Knowing What We Know Now =-.
Thanks Betsy – I think I’m more concerned about the schedule than anyone else ;-)
I swear, great minds think alike. I was agonizing over this just this week!!! You read my mind. This summer has been incredibly busy for me as I am trying to prepare my college bound son, never mind, trying to attend to the other teenager at the same time.
So my posting schedule – the haphazard one that I had to begin with – has been all out of whack. Having said, the time off has been giving me so many ideas to post on when I do return to my “regularly scheduled program”. I log in and save the titles as ‘drafts’ so I don’t forget and I am looking forward to getting back to my schedule so that I can post them.
And the freedom to do whatever I want on my blog is what it’s all about, isn’t it? So enjoy. Go work and make money. Your blog readers will be here when you get back.
Hi Karen,
I know you’ve been super busy this summer!!
I usually have plenty of ideas but many of them take a long time to write up – almost all of my howto articles are time consuming. I have a lot of drafts :-)
I guess it’s ok to miss a day here and there.
Kim, I admire the scheduling aspect of your life but to me there are many aspects to blogging. While a blogging strategy is inherent to more exposure for my services much like yours, I can’t work that way. I am writing more than ever these days. But I have no schedule. I know that marketing coaches tell you that when you get your audience ready to listen to you, building expectations, then you need to deliver regularly.
You obviously have a community here. You are the one who played a significant role in getting me involved in blogging and understanding social media in general. But I think your community cares about you and wants you to enjoy communicating with them.
For me, blogging isn’t work. It is fun. I love writing. It is what I do for a living too. But I like sharing my thoughts. I could not commit to a schedule though.
So do what feels best to you and have fun doing it. We’ll be here when you talk to us… !
.-= Julie Walraven | Resume Services´s last blog ..How Using Skype Can Change Communication =-.
Hi Julie – Lately it seems like you post everyday :-)
I like writing ok – it’s not my favorite. I like figuring things out and then I will write it up and share what I learned.
I really do think I’m more concerned about posting on schedule than my readers are.
Thanks!
Your blogging schedule isn’t for your audience; it’s for you. As others have said, most people in your audience don’t notice on what days you regularly post. They probably have a general sense of your frequency (approx. every other day), and might have come to expect that list of links on Sundays; but that’s probably about the extent of their relationship to your posting schedule.
You, on the other hand, use that schedule to get regular content updates posted on your website, which keeps traffic coming to your site on a regular basis. The danger in not keeping to the schedule isn’t that your audience will notice; it’s that your website traffic will fall off.
I’d suggest you think about how badly you need the website traffic. If it’s not critical, then taking a break from your schedule probably won’t hurt, and it might give you a chance to recharge and come up with new ideas that will make you want to start posting regularly again. But if the traffic is really important, then you might want to find ways to keep to your 4X / week posting schedule, but perhaps writing posts that don’t take quite so much time. Do people really like your lists of links on Sundays? If so, assuming those don’t take you as long to put together, you might consider doing those twice a week, rather than once. Or use your website analytics to tell us once a month what were the most popular posts for the previous month. Those are just a couple of thoughts.
Hi kkish – You raise a good point about traffic. Most of my traffic comes from search on certain articles. I’m not sure if my posting schedule really influences that or not.
Thanks for the advice!
When I changed from not schedule to posting on a schedule I got complaints from my readers. They liked to check out my blog and be surprised. Go figure!
The thing is, you will never please everyone – especially since you have so many readers. As you said, you don’t want to churn out garbage, so don’t force it.
I do something that is kind of in between. I have a few extra posts that I write when i have time – but I just save them. This way, when I know that it’s been while since I have posted something good, I have a well written post that’s ready to go.
z
.-= zoe´s last blog ..Facing your fears or ‘How I started my path to be a Roller Derby Girl’ =-.
Hi Zoe – That’s too funny – it just isn’t possible to make everyone happy :-)
I usually have extra posts written for just those types of moments – this is the first time in a very long time when I didn’t have anything except draft ideas prepared.
I have never really had a schedule apart from my goal of posting once a day. Sometimes it can be in the morning, sometimes at night.
.-= Dean Saliba´s last blog ..The 7 Links Challenge =-.
Hi Dean – Well, a post a day is a pretty awesome schedule. When I first started I used to do Mon-Fri and then quickly became too much.
Quality over Quantity…..
This is the way that works for me as a photographer who’s new to blogging.
When I started earlier this year, I was advised to keep a schedule, but I soon found that I was struggling to be authentic in my writing. It caused a LOT of stress and it showed, IMO. I want my readers to feel a connection, as if we’re having a little chat, just the way we would if and when we are in the same room together. I backed off of the schedule and focused on quality. Quality images that tell a story, with a story that I hope will hold my readers attention just as much.
So I say, “Rock on, Sista!”
(By the way, it’s been a month since I blogged, you’ve inspired me to share this bit about myself with my readers and viewers. thanks!)
Hi Tamara – Isn’t is awesome when leaving a comment gives you an idea for a blog post? :-)
Thanks!
“it’s better to miss a day then to simply churn out something not all that interesting just for the sake of posting something’ – of course it is. I don’t think readers notice if we skip a post, by the way.
.-= vered – blogger for hire´s last blog ..Why Do You Like Me =-.
Hi Vered – No, I’m more worried about me noticing. I’m kind of obsessive about schedules. ;-)
It really depends on you. If you are ok with it then stick to it. if it gets boring then try something different
.-= Top Twenty Lists´s last blog ..Top Twenty Odd Moments in Sports =-.
Thanks! That really is good advice.
You post moer than I do, so take a break. ;)
also! if you feel inclined to write a tomb raider post, I’ll definitely read it. :D
.-= Andrea_R´s last blog ..Return a list of sites on the network =-.
Hi Andrea – I thought about writing a tomb raider post. I often take videos while I’m playing and I could show everyone how incredibly bad I am. Poor Lara – keeps falling and dying :-)
Quality – quality – quality is the rule number 1. Discipline and a schedule is rule number 2, so don´t worried, it´s summer.
Hi Marbella – Thanks! Very true.
Hi Kim,
I used to post more often than I do now. When I dropped down to two days a week, at first I had set days, but now I just let my readers know “I will post twice a week – middle of the week, and on the weekend” Sometimes it’s Sat. and Tues, sometimes Sun and Wed, or….
I like having a posting “schedule” but being a little more lax with it gives me the flexibility I need.
.-= Barbara Swafford´s last blog ..Lose Weight While Blogging =-.
Hi Barbara – That might help – saying I post X number of times per week rather than on set days. Thanks.
Posting schedules, the NEED for them, and subscribers leaving because of it is a myth; eventually I will post the why.
Now if you as the blogger need something to keep your work week in some sort of order, that’s a different story. It’s merely personal preference and what works best for you.
Nothing to stress over. ;)
.-= Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..Last Post and Current To-Do List =-.
Hi Dennis – I think I’m more concerned with my personal obsession with schedules rather than the reader wondering why I haven’t posted.
I’d dare guess hat is secretly true for most…they just pass the guilt to the reader and hope it sticks. lol
.-= Dennis Edell | Direct Sales Marketing´s last blog ..2 Immediate Feedbacks Needed PLEASE! =-.
All work and no play makes for that churn out rhythm…just enjoy and do what you need to do….then it will all become play again and fun…your being is saying I need to do something different…
I have to stick to a schedule to get things accomplished but being ill this last year has taught me to change the schedule whenever what you are doing does not feel like play
.-= Patricia´s last blog ..Stopping to Smell the Flowers =-.
Hi Patricia – I agree – if it starts to feel too much like work than it’s probably time to take a break. :-)
“Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and a list of links on Sunday”
Actually, I think your schedule is a good one. We blog only when we have time and/or there is an event that needs broadcasting. We always try to have some event posted that folks can do on the weekend, but we are not always good about it.
.-= Colleen´s last blog ..Barnard Griffin Winery’s 5 for 5 at 5-00pm =-.
Hi Colleen – Thanks! When I first started I did Mon-Fri and that quickly became too much.
I think it’s important to post regularly, but when and how often should be up to the blog’s author. It’s also important to have some “downtime” from any activity, especially if that activity is starting to seem like work.
On an aside, Davina may say she doesn’t notice who posts when, but it hasn’t been that long ago that she asked me, “BTW, is it my imagination, or are you posting more frequently since you’ve been on the road? There must be something about getting “out there” and getting a life. :-) ”
.-= Mike´s last blog ..Ayers Natural Bridge =-.
Hi Mike – I think that sometimes a change in our routines provides inspiration and new ideas. I’m hoping I’m more motivated after my vacation later this month.
I’ve faced a similar question lately. I’ve been blogging since January and always kept myself on a schedule. I have to post something at least once a week and I picked Tuesday mornings as my weekly due date. This ensures that I write something every week. I’m in law school and it’s really easy to get behind in non-school activities.
I know how much I look forward to reading my favorite columnist, Dan Savage every week and how bummed I am when he takes a week off. I like the idea of setting expectations for myself and my dozens of readers that there will be something new for them every week.
For now, I think I’ll stay on my once-a-week posting schedule with the option to post something immediately if the situation calls for it.
Hi Ruth – I had a hard time doing anything but school when I was in school. Even when I was all caught up I always felt like I should be studying more or doing more research …
Once a week sounds really appealing right now …
Right.
So far, my results indicate that posting to a schedule is keeping my traffic growing steadily. When I go off the schedule, my traffic plateaus.
But it is time consuming.
Now add to this all the guest posting we’re also required to do, and all the promotion, and woops, where did my life run away too?
I don’t have an answer for you, Kim. Wish I did.
.-= Dave Doolin´s last blog ..Who’s afraid of outbound links =-.
Hi Dave – When I wrote the article I wasn’t really thinking about traffic to the site. Someone else made that point and it’s a really good one. I haven’t gone off schedule yet to determine how much the traffic would drop. Sometimes actual work needs to come first.
For personal reasons, I haven’t been able to stick to a schedule. My posting both on my personal and business blog is hit or miss these days and have been for a while now. I think a lot of it is some sort of fear I cant really identify with.
I think I decided a long time ago unconsciously that I wont stick to a schedule – at least for now.
.-= Carla | Green and Chic´s last blog ..Guest Post- Six Natural Mosquito Repellents =-.
Hi Carla – Why do you think it’s related to a fear?
I only started using a schedule because I’m obsessive about planning things anyway …
Publishing lots of content at once and publishing too little content both are bad….
I follow one simple rule..:
I schedule 1 post for every day and if something breaking or imp news comes up, I make 2-3 posts a day
.-= Harsh Agrawal´s last blog ..Hostgator Maximum Discount and 1 month Free Hosting- August 2010 =-.
Hi Harsh – I don’t think I could do once a day. Do you write any of them in advance?