You Should Blog Every Day

Filed under Proactive Writer, Promote your book.

Writers looking to build an effective online presence should blog every day.

Blog every dayI say this not to be controversial, but as a simple reality. I have talked in the past about the importance of seeing your online platform as a web, with your blog as the central hub and other platforms, such as Twitter, as spokes that lead back to this hub.

The problem many of us face is that the peripheral platforms (Twitter and Facebook) have three big advantages over the blog. The first is that they are easy to use, with content created in minutes. The second is that they bring immediate and visible results. The third is that success is measurable, with visitor counts and friend requests providing a real time measure of popularity.

Unfortunately, the aim of a writer’s platform is not to find friends but gather fans and the only way to do this is to be open, honest and add value. The best way to do this is with your blog.

By blogging every day you show your potential fans that you are in this for the long haul, that they can depend on you and that you will be sitting in their RSS stream when they look each morning. Occasional blogging is OK but it will not set you aside, you will just become lost in the noise of the net.

Reasons for blogging every day

  • Building a community takes commitment,
  • Increases your presence,
  • Forces you to have something to say,
  • Forces you to engage and listen to your community,
  • Forces you to write tight,
  • Forces you to be interesting.

Blogging every day has two additional advantages. The first is that it will do wonders for your google ranking. The more content you produce, the more people will link to your site and the higher up the google machine you will move. The second is it will increase your RSS subscribers. The more you blog the more readers you will attract. In fact, I would go as far as saying that the only statistic you should use to measure your influence is the amount of RSS readers subscribed to your feed.

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  • http://www.lucycoats.com Lucy Coats

    I can see your point here about building RSS readers, in for the long haul etc. But I have to disagree about blogging everyday. I can only speak from personal experience, but I DID blog everyday at the start, and I found it was counterproductive for me as a writer. If your blog becomes a chore (which mine did because of the everyday posting pressure), then you are less likely to be interesting, and therefore turn your readers off as a result. I blogged about this very thing last week–(see http://scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com/2010/02/writing-101-production-part-6-blogging.html ). Myself, I’m much happier blogging once a week, planning what to say, trying to make it high quality, and, most importantly, having a real focus to my blog which targets the readers I want to attract. I post links regularly on Twitter, as you do, and that definittely brings more traffic to my site. Slow but sure.

    Just my point of view though–feel free to disagree!

    Lucy Coats @ http://www.scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com

    • Gary Smailes

      I understand what you are saying. In fact, I used to agree! However, it is all about priorities. If you are looking to build an online platform you need two things. The first is people to pay attention, the second is for people to keep paying attention. The more you blog the more visiors you will attract. The more visitors the more people who will sign you for your RSS and the more potential fans. However, as I said here http://www.bubblecow.co.uk/2009/11/proactive-writers-are-remarkable/ your work needs to be remarkable.

    • http://stroppyauthor.blogspot.com/ Anne Rooney

      I’m with Lucy, I must say. I guess to some degree it depends on your readership, but it’s easy to make getting blog followers or building a platform an aim in its own right and forget to concentrate on writing. How many extra books could you write by blogging once a week instead of every day? (Depends on length of books, obviously – mine are short so it is a countable number.)

      My blog is currently suffering from domestic trauma, so neglected, but when not traumatised I aim at once or twice a week and to say something worthwhile then. How many people will read the blog every day anyway? Even blogs I like, I don’t visit every day.

      Who is reading your/my/our blogs? Readers of our books? (Not in my case, they are too young). Publishers? (Sometimes) Librarians or booksellers? (Maybe) Other writers and aspirant writers? (Certainly) It increases profile, but does it build sales? I suppose it’s too early to tell. But I wouldn’t want to lose sight of being a ‘real’ writer and spend too much time writing free content in a ‘look at me’ way.Again, just a personal view – but I don’t think it’s a black and white issue :-)

      • Gary Smailes

        A year ago I would have agreed but a year ago the internet was a much less crowded place. Today the biggest worry for any writer should be blending into the noise. One way to separate yourself from the crowd is to be prolific, persistently adding value. I don’t feel blogging is an ‘option’. If a writer is looking to build a platform they simply need to find the time to blog.

        • http://stroppyauthor.blogspot.com/ Anne Rooney

          Find the time to blog, yes – but I don’t think it has to be every day. No use having a platform with nothing on it, like the empty plynth in trafalgar square…

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  • http://stroppyauthor.blogspot.com/ Anne Rooney

    (I mean nothing on it in that you haven’t got any books out there!)

  • http://www.lucycoats.com Lucy Coats

    Give that woman a cheer! I’ll second Anne’s opinions–especially about not having time to keep up with my favourite blogs every day. Gary, my overall priority IS to be remarkable in every area of my writing, but with so many technocalls on an author’s time these days, priorities have to be ordered. Would I rather blog every day and pat myself on the back because I have so many RSS readers, but in doing that take time away from my ‘real’ writing business, which is creating the most wonderful/remarkable/interesting books I can? Or would I rather blog once a week (which still gives me a pretty good Google presence–if you type my name in, all the blog stuff is right up there), build my RSS readers slower, and spend the rest of my time creating the other stuff? I think you know which one I’m going for. :-) I’m wondering now what exactly it was that changed your mind on this issue, having been in the opposite camp, so to speak. Was it personal experience of blogging every day–or have you seen the results elsewhere? Have specific writers garnered fame (and/or fortune) by blogging every day? I know Robin McKinley is a case in point of someone who blogs every day and has a huge following–but I wouldn’t have the energy to do what she does and still write, and I take off every hat I own to her.

    Lucy @ http://www.scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com

  • http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/ Tom Albrighton

    This is an interesting debate. I can see the reasoning for blogging every day. In terms of link volume, you’re right that more posts=more links, and more interest from Google. It’s also good discipline to write something eye-catching and interesting every day, particularly if your paid work is in a ‘non-selling’ area right now.

    However, I personally blog once a week. My reasons are as follows:
    - I like my posts to feel a little bit ‘special’ for my readers
    - I like to put a fair amount of effort into my posts, crafting a real article rather than a brief post (which is partly my preference)
    - Some sources show that longer posts get more links; over the long term, articles that continue to add value (rather than news commentary) have got more linkbait power

    Anne’s right to question the value of blogging in building sales. I don’t think many of my clients or prospects read my blog. Its main value is in pleasing Google and attracting backlinks – which do affect sales, but only indirectly.

    • Gary Smailes

      Tom,

      I think you make a very valid point regarding the ‘weight’ of blog posts. Personally, I like the blog to reflect my thoughts on writing and building a platform. These thoughts are often moulded by the act of writing posts and the feedback they bring. My views change but are formed through my reading, podcast listening etc.

      The idea of posting a single heavy duty post each week is interesting in that people will be waiting for the post. I also agree that it would bring a lot of back links. My posts are mainly my view and lack the hard backbone of substantial evidence.

      I would ask though, how do you know your clients don’t read your blog?

      • http://www.abccopywriting.com/blog/ Tom Albrighton

        Well, I don’t know of course. I guess what I’m saying is that I don’t expect the content on there to convert prospects to sales. At best, a blog probably serves to establish credibility or knowledge.

  • http://www.alasdairdmurraycopywriter.co.uk Alconcalcia

    Every day is too often. The ideal would be maybe 2 or 3 times a week but blogging should be about passion and saying something the audience might be interested in and want to hear, not just churning out another piece for the sake of maintaining your internet presence. I have been invited to become one of six guest bloggers on a new launch and they want one piece a week from each of us. To be honest if they had said three I would struggle. There are other ways to keep your name in the public domain. Every day would be overkill and in the long run lose followers, not gain them, in my humble opinion of course.

    • Gary Smailes

      You say the ‘ideal’ would be 2 or 3, but why not 4 or 5?

      I am interested to know the other ways you maintain your presence.

      • http://www.alasdairdmurraycopywriter.co.uk Alconcalcia

        Hi Gary, I maintain my presence in other ways by commenting on other people’s blogs, finding interesting and relevant articles and tweeting a link to them and by occasionally promoting a certain aspect of what I do, again through Twitter, by putting a link to a testimonial page or a recent blog etc. I also use Linkedin updates to get messages out. There are probably more things but those spring to mind.

        • Gary Smailes

          Thanks for coming back – blog commenting is very powerful, as it Twitter. The beauty of a blog is that it acts as a central hub to which all your activity can flow. If a reader hits the magic rss button you then have a potential fan.

  • http://www.gioclairval.blogspot.com Gio Clairval

    I think you are all right. :)
    Yes, it depends on your priorities.
    It is true, according to the statistics I’ve read, that the more you blog (ideally every day), the bigger following you build. The same visitor doesn’t come back every day, but when she comes back she takes stock of what has been going on and chooses to read the posts she’s interested in.

    It is also true that the frequency of your posts depends on the depths of your articles and the time you’ve got. It takes me at least two hours to put together a post because I am being ambitious about the content I offer, and I would never be able to post that kind of content every single day (my limitation, not a general rule). I need to write my fiction stuff every day.

    However, they day I want to pimp a novel (at least three months before the book is released), I will devote all my time to blogging, because what Gary says is statistically verified.
    I will probably ask a couple of fellow writers or more to guest-blog, too. Several writers don’t feel inclined to blog, but have great content to offer. It’s mutually beneficial.

    So, yes, it’s about your priorities.

    • Gary Smailes

      Priorities are the key. You should build a network before you need it, then when you want to promote your book you have a ready made audience who trusts your view and will be more willing to pay hard cash for your book.

  • http://www.carolinesmailes.co.uk/blog Caroline

    I think this argument could alter depending on different stages in a writer’s career.

    When I first started writing, I was unknown, unpublished and through blogging every day I built a readership and got published. Yes, I understand that this isn’t the norm, but there are still cyber-scouts out there looking on blogs and twitter for new talent. So I’d suggest that unpublished writers, searching for an agent/publisher, blog every day (if they’ve something worthwhile to say!)

    Now, I don’t have time (or energy) to blog every day. I have so much other book-realted stuff to do and probably blog twice a week. I am sure I’d reach more readers if I blogged more (and probably sell more books), but I simply can’t (and I find that twitter works quite well for me to reach new readers and contacts).

    So perhaps there is a distinction to be made between the purpose of blogging every day in relation to unpublished/published writers? And maybe once a platform has been built, it’s about maintaining that but also about writing becoming the main focus again?

    Cx

  • http://chrisroutledge.co.uk Chris Routledge

    I don’t think the Internet is more crowded, just that the nature of it is changing. Real-time is a lot more important than it was and I’m not convinced that a blog post a day really helps much with that (it’s important write every day though). What you actually need is a continual and ubiquitous presence in the places where your customers can find you, but I’ve come to realise that the more you engage with social networking the more crowded it seems and the more pressure there is to engage; that doesn’t mean it’s actually more crowded, it just seems so. I’ve decided recently that the kind of effort that requires is too distracting from actual thinking and writing, so I’ve eased right off. I haven’t noticed visitor stats to my blog or clicks on my Amazon links dropping, though they did when I was ill last year..

    • Gary Smailes

      What you actually need is a continual and ubiquitous presence in the places where your customers can find you.

      Could not have said it better…

      • http://chrisroutledge.co.uk Chris Routledge

        I don’t see my blog as a marketing tool as such. I go more with Tom’s view of it being a credibility asset, and as a place where I can be found on the web, but it’s also a way of putting ideas out there to see if there is interest. Your spokes/hub image is a good one, but finding a balance between engagement and actual work is very tricky.

  • http://www.lucycoats.com Lucy Coats

    I should have declared my hand earlier and said that I write children’s books. Children’s writers are in a tricky situation when it comes to blogging/Twitter/Facebook etc, because at the lower-age end of the market–and even the teenage end (I write for all these), your actual reading audience is simply not there. So–in my case, I have a website aimed at children, with interactive map, colouring sheets/masks to download and games. It’s very popular and I get a massive amount of hits from both schools (who use it as an educational tool) and from teachers and parents. The website has an RSS feed to my blog and links to my Facebook Fan Page and my Twitter ID. So–my actual READERS don’t read my blog, because I have chosen to write about writing and to aim it at an adult audience. Having read all the comment and debate here (a perfect illustration of how blogging SHOULD work, Gary!), I’m still opposed to the every day blog for me–but can see that if I was promoting a book and on a tour (ie not in the process of writing) I might change that for a short while and do a sort of daily diary of events. Lots of food for thought, anyway, so thanks!

    Lucy @http://scribblecitycentral.blogspot.com (where a new post on conquering Writer’s Block is just up).

    • Gary Smailes

      I also write for kids and tend to disagree to some extent. Parents mostly buy children’s books and it will do no harm for you to raise your profile. Plus you never know what the future brings. I have found having a voice has opened publishing doors that would have otherwise remained closed. I also suspect that it is the same in your case.

      I go back to my point that you need to build a network when you don’t need it and it will be there for you when you do.

  • http://www.janetravers.com Jane Travers

    I had a minor melt-down on Twitter earlier today, after reading the topic of this blog post. The ensuing rant was not directed necessarily at this post – which I think contains valid points, though not necessarily the right advice for everyone – and certainly not at BubbleCow, who dispenses much excellent advice to wannabe writers like me.

    Rather, the title of this post was the straw that broke this particular camel’s back. As a wannabe writer, as yet unpublished and unagented, I have been lapping up every piece of advice that came my way; advice on how to write, when to write, where to write; what to read, and how often; advice to blog, to tweet, to network online. There is such a wealth of advice available, some of it contradictory. I realised today that I have been working myself into a lather trying to follow all of it, and suffering massive guilt at my inevitable failures.

    However, this has led to an epiphany of sorts for me. I’ve decided, from now on, to do it my way. Maybe I’ll only blog once every week or ten days – that’s ok. Most of my blog posts require a certain amount of research, so that’s probably all I’ll manage. And I won’t write every day, but when I do I’ll make it count. I feel like I’ve had a massive weight lifted from my shoulders – so thank you, BubbleCow, because your post was the catalyst for that.

    You know, I might even go and blog about this. ;)

    • Gary Smailes

      Jane – we all love a good rant!

      I would offer two additional bits of advice. The first is that being different and forging your own route is the only way to success. The second is to be selective with your ‘gurus’. There are many people offering advice in the ‘get published’ space who have either very little experience of the industry or have a couple of self published books under their belt.

      Try http://behlerblog.wordpress.com/ for good solid advice.

  • http://www.thehappyaccident.net Greg Pincus

    Gary – the idea that your RSS subscriber count measures your influence is one I’d say is flat-out wrong. Yes, a bigger readership can be a factor, but influence is far more than a single number. Instead, it’s better to focus on who you’re reaching, how it helps you or your cause, what do readers do in reaction to what you say, and whether you’ve built a reputation that gives you influence outside your RSS subscribers. If you have 4,000 subscribers and none buy your book, is that more influential than 1000 true fans who buy and proselytize on your behalf? Not even close.

    Look at Twitter as a great example – there are folks there with 20,000 followers who won’t get their message heard or retweeted by as many as you or I will. Who has more influence? Along these same lines was a post by Seth Godin last week with a helpful visual: http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2010/02/viral-growth-trumps-lots-of-faux-followers.html Influence is not defined by a follower count.

    As for blogging every day… well, as you say, it’s more important to be remarkable. A great example of this is Chris Guillebeau (http://www.chrisguillebeau.com) at the Art of Non-Conformity who only blogs two times every week on a set schedule. Despite that, his influence has grown and grown. More to the point, it works with HIS life and reaches HIS goals and ultimately that’s the balance we all need.

    Your list of reasons for blogging every day is a fine list… but is true even if you blog once a month! There are advantages to being more active and visible, no question, but for many authors what you suggest simply won’t work or return the benefits that THEY need. Again, there is a balance, and while I think blogging is great for authors and a platform is critical… being remarkable, visible, active, and consistently adding value works well whether you blog daily or not. Daily blogging is an option, but not always the best one for others, even if it has been for you.

    • Gary Smailes

      Greg – thanks for the feedback.

      You say:

      Instead, it’s better to focus on who you’re reaching, how it helps you or your cause, what do readers do in reaction to what you say, and whether you’ve built a reputation that gives you influence outside your RSS subscribers.

      This is all well and good, but how? It is easy to make generalised statements. solid application is another matter…

      If you have 4,000 subscribers and none buy your book, is that more influential than 1000 true fans who buy and proselytize on your behalf? Not even close.

      I would argue that the aim of a blog is not to convert to book sales, but instead create evangelising fans. Though book sales are important, people talking about your book and creating conversation is the real goal. Seth Godin sums this up well in Unleashing the Idea Virus.

      Influence is not defined by a follower count.

      I agree, that is why I suggest RSS subscribers is a better measure of social media impact.

      Again, there is a balance, and while I think blogging is great for authors and a platform is critical… being remarkable, visible, active, and consistently adding value works well whether you blog daily or not.

      Totally agree, don’t think the guys from Media Hacks could have put it any better.

      • http://www.thehappyaccident.net Greg Pincus

        We’re largely in agreement – I know you’re not saying there is only one way to go. Still, I’d argue that RSS subscribers is just another follower count. It’s not influence… though you can certainly garner more influence with more readers. Still, since we both agree that Seth Godin’s point is well taken, that also shows that subscriber count alone isn’t influence.

        My other points aren’t generalizations any more than your list of advantages to daily blogging are. No, they’re not always easy to track, and certainly not compared to concrete numbers. Still, there are simple ways to give some insight: Do people comment when you post and/or invite them in Are you getting a noticeable percentage or silence? Which posts get more response? If you issue a call to action… does anything happen? Those are ways to learn who your readers are, what they want, and whether they’re listening.

        You can look to see if people link to your content – are your readers spreading your ideas? On blogs? On Twitter? Elsewhere? Again, you’re trying to create fans not just build up numbers, so you need to see if they’re acting like fans. Of course, most of us spend more time being those fans for others, but sometimes we want fans, too.

        Also, you yourself mentioned that having a voice has opened up publishing doors – that’s a type of influence, too, as it doesn’t happen for everyone. That’s not subscriber based. It’s being visible and respected.

        A lot of this is subtle, true, but trying to understand who’s reading you, what they like, what they respond to, what they’ll do, and why tells you more than the raw number. It takes experimentation (and some geekery!), but I think it’s well worth it.

  • http://www.mylittlenotepad.com Rebecca Brown

    Well, I guess one reason to blog so much is to spark as much as debate as this one has!

    I can’t actually offer more to what people have already said so well, but just to add in my own opinions…I feel pleased with myself if I can get a decent blog post up a couple of times a week. I know more regular blogging gets more readers – I have seen it on my own as I’ve posted more and more frequently, and been delighted with the result. But the pressure to keep the blog interesting (and keep those readers I’ve gained) combined with writing outside the blogosphere and being a full time mum mean that every day is just not feasible. Plus I tend to write on an evening, post that evening and then again the following day, so if I posted every day I think I would end up a day behind myself!
    On the other hand, I totally agree that there are times when you need to boost your presence, such as an upcoming book release, and if/when I get to that stage I will make frequent blogging a high priority.
    Thanks for the article though, it’s certainly got people thinking!

    • Gary Smailes

      I completely understand, it is all about priorities. Regular blogging is the ‘ideal’ when building a platform.

  • http://www.NancyShohetWest.com Nancy Shohet West

    Glad you brought this up. As it happens, I do blog every day (www.nancyshohetwest.com/lifes-a-streak-run.php) but wasn’t always sure why since it’s not like I have a big readership, and I certainly could get away with blogging less often. But reading your post made me think about why I do this and why it matters to me.

  • http://davidnayan.wordpress.com/ david nayan

    thank you for your tips… I started my blog three days ago and have posted something every day. It was not my aim to do so, but the inspiration keeps coming. I do have to say that I value quality over quantity and as such I think I would rather not blog than to submit my readers to a weak posting. Still I am loving it and as such, I will be posting each day, so long as the inspiration is there… enjoy.

  • http://www.piedpiper3409.co.cc Pallav

    Everyday blogging is the best way to keep the writer inside you alive. Yet, you may not feel the same energy everyday but you’ll definitely get some relief. You should never take blogging as a duty :)

    Great write up

    Blessings

    • Gary Smailes

      Do you not think that it is important to not give yourself the permission to NOT blog every day?

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  • http://www.GoosingYourMuse.com/ JoAnn Braheny

    Gary, thanks for your kind comment on my blog post about your blog post! :-)
    Absolutely, YES… we should post something on our blog every day. And YES, we sure do try! Sometimes, life just gets in the way (or traveling, in my case). But it doesn’t mean that we can’t AIM to do it. So, I just want to THANK YOU again for the encouragement and urging to do so. Excellent!

  • http://www.GoosingYourMuse.com/ JoAnn Braheny

    Gary, thanks for your kind comment on my blog post about your blog post! :-)
    Absolutely, YES… we should post something on our blog every day. And YES, we sure do try! Sometimes, life just gets in the way (or traveling, in my case). But it doesn't mean that we can't AIM to do it. So, I just want to THANK YOU again for the encouragement and urging to do so. Excellent!

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  • http://www.tonynoland.com/ Landless

    I think your point is well taken. The Twitter stream is so ephemeral, it’s not clear that people will get a sense of your actual writing style from the string of tweets. A blog is a much better place for interaction.

    My blog is a mixture of fiction pieces, information, inspirations and quickie “cool stuff”. I try to post something substantial at least every other day, leavened with the smaller bits.

    Tony Noland

    • garysmailes

      I think you make a good point. I am not suggesting writers post a major essay every day, just something interesting that pushes their voice and their take on the world. A blog should be a joy not a chore!

  • http://www.keefieboy.com/blog.asp Keefieboy

    I think every day is excessive: you’ll quickly run out of material and start writing drivel. Even the likes of Nathan Bransford only do 2 or 3 posts a week.

    • garysmailes

      I think there are two separate issues here – quality and quantity.

      In regards to quality I agree that if you sit at you computer and say ‘OK, let’s write a post’ you will get drivel. However, if you focus on capturing your ideas throughout the day and recording them as potential blog posts, you will soon have a pool of high quality ideas to plunge into on a daily basis. Most major bloggers store up posts, trying to write two or three posts over the weekend and then publishing them as needed.

      As for quantity – if you are blogging three times a week, then why not go for five? Is it such a huge effort to produce two more posts? No disrespect to Nathan, whose blog I enjoy, but bloggers such as Chris Brogan and Seth Godin have built an empire on (almost) daily blog posts.

  • http://lacerwrites.wordpress.com/ Lacer

    Although I agree on how important blogs are as an author platform, I am not sure about the everyday bit, I’d say 3 or 4 times a week would be good (which I know I don’t do on my writing blog). I think writing everyday could be seen a little as overkill. Thinking about my personal RSS reader, I check the blogs I follow (about 20 – 25 blogs) daily but in this time pressured world I don’t always have time to read and I hate to say it but it’s the blogs that post more frequently that are the ones I’m more likely to skip rather than the ones that post say 3 times a week, where subconsciously I know there’s less of that blog to read, making me more prepared to read what that blog does produces, rather than a blog that posts daily whereI think “Well if I miss one or two, that doesn’t matter does it, as there’s so much of it”.

    I think it’s also down to the ‘personal relationship’ angle, thinking about my favourite author/writer blogs, most don’t post daily, some go through occasions of barely not even being able to post weekly, yet I always try and read what they say because I’ve enjoyed what they’ve written in the past. So I’d say it’s quality, not quantity.

    • garysmailes

      Would you not be more engaged with your favourite author/writer blogs if they did blog every day, plus followed you on twitter allowing you to interact with them more? Would you not then bit that little bit keener to buy their next book?

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  • http://www.tonynoland.com/ Landless

    I think your point is well taken. The Twitter stream is so ephemeral, it's not clear that people will get a sense of your actual writing style from the string of tweets. A blog is a much better place for interaction.

    My blog is a mixture of fiction pieces, information, inspirations and quickie “cool stuff”. I try to post something substantial at least every other day, leavened with the smaller bits.

    Tony Noland

  • garysmailes

    I think you make a good point. I am not suggesting writers post a major essay every day, just something interesting that pushes their voice and their take on the world. A blog should be a joy not a chore!

  • http://www.keefieboy.com/blog.asp Keefieboy

    I think every day is excessive: you'll quickly run out of material and start writing drivel. Even the likes of Nathan Bransford only do 2 or 3 posts a week.

  • http://lacerwrites.wordpress.com/ Lacer

    Although I agree on how important blogs are as an author platform, I am not sure about the everyday bit, I'd say 3 or 4 times a week would be good (which I know I don't do on my writing blog). I think writing everyday could be seen a little as overkill. Thinking about my personal RSS reader, I check the blogs I follow (about 20 – 25 blogs) daily but in this time pressured world I don't always have time to read and I hate to say it but it's the blogs that post more frequently that are the ones I'm more likely to skip rather than the ones that post say 3 times a week, where subconsciously I know there's less of that blog to read, making me more prepared to read what that blog does produces, rather than a blog that posts daily whereI think “Well if I miss one or two, that doesn't matter does it, as there's so much of it”.

    I think it's also down to the 'personal relationship' angle, thinking about my favourite author/writer blogs, most don't post daily, some go through occasions of barely not even being able to post weekly, yet I always try and read what they say because I've enjoyed what they've written in the past. So I'd say it's quality, not quantity.

  • garysmailes

    I think there are two separate issues here – quality and quantity.

    In regards to quality I agree that if you sit at you computer and say 'OK, let's write a post' you will get drivel. However, if you focus on capturing your ideas throughout the day and recording them as potential blog posts, you will soon have a pool of high quality ideas to plunge into on a daily basis. Most major bloggers store up posts, trying to write two or three posts over the weekend and then publishing them as needed.

    As for quantity – if you are blogging three times a week, then why not go for five? Is it such a huge effort to produce two more posts? No disrespect to Nathan, whose blog I enjoy, but bloggers such as Chris Brogan and Seth Godin have built an empire on (almost) daily blog posts.

  • garysmailes

    Would you not be more engaged with your favourite author/writer blogs if they did blog every day, plus followed you on twitter allowing you to interact with them more? Would you not then bit that little bit keener to buy their next book?

  • http://twitter.com/virginiaripple Virginia Ripple

    While it’s a nice idea to blog everyday, those of us with crunched schedules (read other jobs, family, and who would like to get some sleep at some point) would find it very difficult indeed to find even a few quiet minutes to craft a quality post. I choose to blog religiously once a week, with the occasional random post thrown in. Quite honestly, that is ALL my schedule will allow and sometimes even that is pushing it. Even the blogs I subscribe to post about once a week, sometimes only monthly. Those are the blogs I enjoy because I KNOW it’s quality and worth taking a few extra minutes to read. The paragraph or two blurbs only serve to annoy me. I feel like I’ve just wasted time I could have been doing research or *gasp* actually writing.

    • garysmailes

      equation: blog post = traffic therefore, more blog posts = more traffic. I totally understand that you have day to day priorities that are more important than building traffic to your blog.

  • http://twitter.com/virginiaripple Virginia Ripple

    While it's a nice idea to blog everyday, those of us with crunched schedules (read other jobs, family, and who would like to get some sleep at some point) would find it very difficult indeed to find even a few quiet minutes to craft a quality post. I choose to blog religiously once a week, with the occasional random post thrown in. Quite honestly, that is ALL my schedule will allow and sometimes even that is pushing it. Even the blogs I subscribe to post about once a week, sometimes only monthly. Those are the blogs I enjoy because I KNOW it's quality and worth taking a few extra minutes to read. The paragraph or two blurbs only serve to annoy me. I feel like I've just wasted time I could have been doing research or *gasp* actually writing.

  • garysmailes

    equation: blog post = traffic therefore, more blog posts = more traffic. I totally understand that you have day to day priorities that are more important than building traffic to your blog.

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  • http://twitter.com/anurag_webworld Anurag Nair

    ya blogging is very important…..you can best reach to your visitor through blogging….n it brings a lot of traffic too…I agree..You should blog every day…I am trying to blog for this: http://www.billfryercopywriter.co.uk…do you have any suggestions.

  • http://twitter.com/anurag_webworld Anurag Nair

    ya blogging is very important…..you can best reach to your visitor through blogging….n it brings a lot of traffic too…I agree..You should blog every day…I am trying to blog for this: http://www.billfryercopywriter.co.uk…do you have any suggestions.

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  • http://www.plantingdollars.com Ryan @ Planting Dollars

    I agree with your sentiments about blogging everyday.  If you’re not actively engaged in the topic you’re blogging about you’ll probably run out of ideas and stop short, but if you have a genuine interest blogging everyday doesn’t seem like work at all.