How frequently should you post?

In a previous post I wrote about "How long should your posts be?" and this time I'll discuss how often you should post, as these are both issues many people ask about.

And like I said before - it really depends upon you and your particular blog – but there are some things you will want to consider when deciding how often to post.

Too Frequently
If you post too often - like several times a day - and the posts are even kind of long, most people won't have time to read all of them. Personally I sometimes find myself getting kind of annoyed with blogs that post too frequently - I'm unable to keep with it and just get frustrated. I will sometimes even unsubscribe to blogs that post too much.

Most of us probably don't have that much to say that is of that high of quality to write multiple posts each day either. Of course there are exceptions!

Too Little
If you don't post often enough, people may either forget about you or think you stopping blogging. If you are trying to build a relationship with your readers and you want them to get to know who
you are, you may lose some momentum if you wait too long between posts.

The overall message you are trying to get across in your blog may get lost also if people can't remember your previous posts too clearly.

Just Right
I would say - and I'd like to hear your opinion on this too - once a week is the minimum frequency before you might start losing some people. 2-5 posts a week is real nice for building momentum with a
blog.

Consistency is Key!
The most important thing is to be relatively consistent in your posting frequency. If you are planning to change how often you post - either do it gradually or make an announcement to your readers that
you will be changing how often you post and let them know about what to expect.

I have not been a good example of this myself. Sometimes I go in spurts - post a lot for a while, and then nothing for some time. I don't recommend this!

Other Things to Consider
Realistically most of us don't know what to expect when we first start blogging. We may think we will have more time or lots of great ideas to write about and then find out - we don't! That's ok - it happens to most people.

Going from a schedule of less frequent posts to more frequent posting is probably easier on your readers than in the other direction. If they are used to you posting 7 days a week and you suddenly cut down to once a week they may think you've lost interest or something.

I used to think 5 or more posts a week was the best way to go. Lately, I noticed some really successful blogs that post once or twice a week and do quite well! I kind of wish I would have done that when I relaunched my main blog a while back. Less frequent posting gives you more time to spend on quality - and on promoting and marketing your blog!

How often do you post? What do you think is the best frequency rate?