Starting next week, I’m only going to be posting on this blog here twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (instead of the Monday, Wednesday, Friday schedule I’ve been on for the past 4 months).
This is something I’ve been thinking a lot about for the past month or so, and there are a number of reasons behind it that will lead to a better blogging experience both for me as a blogger and you as a reader.
Oh, and it’s something you should seriously consider doing, too.
I'll be here instead of blogging. Oh wait, no I won't. I'll still be slaving away on my laptop in my dark little room.
Up until I started Blogging Bookshelf, I ran a few blogs that I posted to every day. It was a pain and I eventually burned out. It wasn’t that I couldn’t think of things to say (that’s never really been a problem of mine!), but I didn’t like HAVING to say something every day. I didn’t have time to do the necessary blog promotion as much as I wanted to, and I wasn’t able to read and comment on other blogs as much.
Then I started Blogging Bookshelf, and that’s when I quit those other blogs. I told myself, “Ok, I’m not going to make that mistake again; I’m going to blog three times a week and no more.” And it’s been great. I love posting three times a week. It’s often enough to keep me on my toes, but not so often that I feel like I’m rushed to force out content.
But then I ran into something that I hadn’t really counted on. The blog was more successful than I thought it would be and grew faster than I thought it would. Now don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic “problem” to have. But it took more and more of my time to respond to comments and comment the blogs of everyone that commented on mine.
It started taking up so much time, in fact, that I didn’t have a lot of time for much else. I stopped writing guest posts. My massive blog posts (which I love writing) were getting shorter. It took me longer and longer to get back to the blogs of those people that commented here.
This in and of itself wasn’t the problem. I’m fine with devoting most of my time to things related to this blog. The problem was the money. Or more specifically, the lack thereof.
A blog is not a business. A blog is a marketing tool, and right now I’m not marketing anything because I haven’t had time to create a product to market.
Sure, you can make some money with AdSense and affiliate ads on a blog (though that is really hard unless you have a TON of traffic). But as you can probably tell by the lack of ads on the blog here, I have no interest in ads or affiliate marketing. The planned business model for Blogging Bookshelf was always to create my own products and use the blog to drive people to those products.
Ok, so now to tie this all together. Because of the time commitment that writing content, replying to comments, and commenting have required, I haven’t been able to spend much time on product creation. Therein lies the problem.
I need to create products in order to make money with this blog in the way I want to do it.
So I’m going to start blogging twice a week (as opposed to three times a week) so that I can work more on product creation.
The moral of the story?
I guess the point of all of what I’m saying here is to just be aware of where your time is going and keep that end goal in mind.
Why are you blogging? If you’ve just got the vague goal of “making money blogging,” I think it’s time to step back and reassess your plan of attack. Are your actions today directly correlating to a guaranteed outcome in the future? Or is it all just busy work? Are you making the best use of your time?
There is way too much busy work going on in the blogosphere.
And are your actions congruent with your goals? For example, if you’ve got a blog and you’ve put AdSense on it, that’s probably not enough to get you to the point where you can quit your job. Either quit blogging or start ramping up your efforts. Make a long-term plan.
And then get to work :)
- What’s your goal for your blog?
- Do you have a plan of how to reach your goal?
- Be realistic. Are the things you’re doing now n your blog going going to lead you to your goal?
- What changes are you going to make to bring your blog line with your goals.
- How often do you blog, and why do you blog that often?
{ 126 comments… read them below or add one }
I don’t get much traffic so I don’t have your problem (which is a good one to have). My problem is I have a full time 9-5 and wifey is starting to moan I’m always in front of the PC.
LOL, I can ditto this comment except that I don’t work 9-5 and I have a hubby that moans I’m always in front of the PC :)
Yeah, but having a wife isn’t a bad problem to have either, is it :D
Thanks for commenting!
I’m in the same situation, I have a lot of work to do which isn’t blogging and this means that I don’t have anywhere as much time as I need to do everything I would like to.
I’m not one to complain though, we solider on!
I’ve been considering for a while to change my schedule, like you my posts are gradually getting shorter and I’m rushing to get them up. I’ll sleep on it!
Well, you’ve had time to sleep on it, Simon. What’s the verdict? :)
My traffic might dip down a bit, but that’s fine with me. I need to get this product out! The traffic will go back up again, anyway.
Hey Tristan…this is a timely post for me as well because Ive been encountering the same exact issues. I decided to approach it the way you did and test to see how everything works out. We can compare notes one of these days :-)
Sounds good, man :) I’m sure traffic is going to decrease in the short term, but I’m OK with that. I just need to get this product out. I’m ready to start making money :) Once the thing is out, then I can come back to focusing more time to blog marketing.
Hi Tristan .. Good for you – another great post and learning curve for us followers. I have your previous posts to read .. and will .. just had family issues that take priority.
I really appreciate all the effort you’ve put into the posts you’ve given us – and the links .. and the tab additions – so helpful .. I will learn even more when I can concentrate on reading your posts and then applying the advice.
Good for you – look after yourself and have a wonderful year & I look forward to seeing your products .. cheers enjoy the weekend .. Hilary
Hilary, thanks so much for the extremely kind words! Your comments always make me smile, and it’s always great to see you here.
I hope you’re having a great week so far!
Hey Tristan
I think that’s a sound approach – the blog must serve the blogger, not the other way around. And most of your audience will be interested in the products that you produce – I’m looking forward to the Infographic eBook!
Commenting on other people’s blogs IS time consuming – but for my own blog it’s a necessary stage in its early growth.
To answer one of the questions at the end of your post – I blog three times a week. BUT – one of those posts is my weekly newsletter post, and is password protected. Only those that subscribe to my list get the password. Those that don’t are missing out on some great posts!
Three times a week is plenty. Although I’m also going to be throwing a video article a week into the mix starting next week….
Paul
Oooo, I really like this, Paul: “the blog must serve the blogger, not the other way around.” Well said, my friend. Well said.
I like your idea of having password protected posts that only your newsletter subscribers can read. How has the feedback been on that?
It is, indeed, a great problem to be having: the blog is too popular to get around to everyone else’s blogs.
Before January, I was spending too much time reading other blogs, and not enough time was put on what I was doing – blogging or otherwise. I was a consumer, not a creator. I’ve started to turn it around in January by cutting down on the blog reading, more focus on the writing, and starting a freelance career. After hiring my first client, I have been trying to maintain everything still, but I may have to cut back on one or two things (but definitely not on the client work).
Out of curiousity, are you cutting back on the writing on your other blogs now?
Dude, that’s awesome that you’re getting into the freelancing thing. I think it would be really interesting to hear about how you got your first client.
Yes, I am cutting back the writing on my other blogs. I recently quite a couple of them entirely. Now the ones I have are this one, Declutterings.com (essentially an online journal for my own benefit more than anything that I spend zero time promoting), and my personal blog at tristanhigbee.com (which I only update a couple times a month and that I also spend zero time promoting).
I have slowly started up my rock climbing blog again, but I’ll only be posting there once a week. I essentially quit that blog when I started Blogging Bookshelf, but I don’t want to be one of those “blogging gurus” who does nothing but blog about blogging. I want to show people that it’s possible to have a successful blog about something other than internet marketing. But since I’m only posting there once a week and not spending more than a couple hours a week promoting it, its growth will be more along the lines of what a normal “part time” blogger can expect.
I also wanted to start up the climbing blog again so that I can experiment and fine tune the promotional techniques that I’m not using on Blogging Bookshelf. For example, I’ll do a lot of video marketing for that blog because rock climbing lend itself very well to video tutorials, video gear reviews, etc.
@Tristan I think people are starving for exactly what you said here:
“I want to show people that it’s possible to have a successful blog about something other than internet marketing.”
The blogosphere has been feeding on itself for long enough, we really do need to focus more on innovative ways to leverage the power of online marketing. People need to be shown the dexterity of internet marketing and that it doesn’t have to refer strictly to selling the concepts of internet marketing, “make money online” tactics or blogging about blogging.
It’s all about using your blog as a fulcrum to bring attention to you as a person. Shining the light on your services, other communities you engage, and even other people’s services. It really is possible to build sustainable businesses online that can mirror many businesses offline.
Exactly, John. I hate how cannibalistic the blogosphere is (like you said, it’s been feeding on itself for too long). It’s boring to read the same stuff over and over. And it’s depressing, too, when you’re a blogger who blogs about, say, comic books, when nothing you’re reading about seems to be working for you.
That’s why I started my climbing blog back up again (well that and because I miss writing about climbing!). Climbing is just about as far away from internet marketing as you can get. Most climbers are EXTREMELY frugal with their money and would much, much rather spend it on climbing gear than some $27 ebook. So yeah, like I said, it’ll be fun, and hopefully it’ll inspire other bloggers out there.
Thanks Jon!
You’ll get one more benefit too, your each post will get more exposure and more comments as well.
Exactly! I think it’s just the right thing for me to do on this blog right now.
Thanks Priya!
Hi Tristan, good to see you’ve ‘seen the light’ and realised that something needs to change! I used to think I could write a post every day, whether for my own website or as a guest post, but I burned out because I couldn’t keep it up. I also ran out of time to do ‘proper’ posts. In the end, I now post once every three days on Unlock The Door, and guest post when I’ve got the time.
Same with blog comments, I used to leave 15-16 comments a day, and this also got too time-consuming. Remember, always go for quality over quantity :-)
Yeah man, I just do not think it’s wise for one person to blog every single day. I mean, if you’ve got a bunch of people writing for one blog, go for it. But I think it’s just way too much for one person to handle.
Thanks Stuart!
I made the same exact choice a while back when I decided to switch to bi-weekly schedule as well. It honestly didn’t impact my traffic much, on the contrary, it allowed more time for the post to “sink in”, using a thu-fri schedule.
It’s kinda easy for me though as my blog isn’t a source of income in any way and it’s just there to support my business (which is also the reason I can’t allow myself to post more than a certain bit).
Yes! Exactly, Gabriele.
You said that it’s easy for you to do that schedule because your blog isn’t a source of income; it’s just there to support your business. That’s what I’m thinking with my blog, too. At least that’s where I’d LIKE it to be, with my different products being my business, but the blog serving just to funnel people to the products.
Hi Tristan,
You have certainly come to a stage where you are to take your blog to the next level. In order to do that, you need to focus on the most important task in front. That to say, create your own product is your main task.
Can’t wait to see what you’re up to. All the best for the upcoming product.
Lye
Thanks, Lye! You’re awesome, and I always really appreciate your comments and support.
I hope you’re having a great week so far!
I can totally understand this Tristan and think it’s a great move. Now to answer your questions:
What’s your goal for your blog?
- Build authority and credibility, and to market my products and services. The blog in of itself isn’t the business; as you said it’s a multi-purpose marketing tool.
Do you have a plan of how to reach your goal?
- It’s already in progress and being revised on an on-going basis.
Be realistic. Are the things you’re doing now in your blog going going to lead you to your goal?
- Yes and it’s already working nicely.
What changes are you going to make to bring your blog line with your goals.
- Currently none. Until the current strategy stops working I’m sticking with what I’ve got going on.
How often do you blog, and why do you blog that often?
- I blog 3x per week. I had another blog I where I posted 5x per week and that was tiring, though I didn’t have to answer any comments as no one left any, though they did read the posts.
Aside from that, I’m running multiple sites, creating my own products, and I provide marketing services to businesses. That means no daily blogging, and I like to focus more on creating posts with high value.
Thanks for the support and words of encouragement, Robert.
“I didn’t have to answer any comments as no one left any, though they did read the posts.”
Hahah yeah, I definitely experienced that, too. It’s kind of depressing, but it’s also nice in that it doesn’t take up all your time :)
You’ve got an awesome blog, Robert. I think it’s one of the best done of those that I look at on a regular basis. Keep up the great work!
Hi Tristan, I totally agree. I started off with 3 posts a week but when I started developing my products I dropped it down to 2. And recently, when I was putting final touches to my book I even went to posting one, massive post (around 1500 – 2k words) a week to make the time to work on the book. Now I am going back to posting twice a week but there is an interesting observation I made. Since I went down to two posts a week, and then even one my traffic hasn’t stopped growing.
Naturally my blog gets less comments (less posts to comment on I suppose) but my traffic is increasing at a steady rate. Which leads to conclusion that it is the quality not quantity after all ha ha.
Good post buddy and am glad that you voiced what many bloggers feel :)
Cheers
Pawel
Pawel, thanks for the awesome comment!
Your observations about traffic not decreasing even when you post less often are something I’ve heard a lot of people mention. This is still the first week of my new posting schedule so I don’t know what the numbers look like yet, but I’m not too worried about it. Even if there IS a decrease in visits, I don’t care! I can focus more on getting traffic back here when I’ve got a product to promote.
Thanks again for the comment and the words of support. I really appreciate it!
Hi Tristan,
I only publish one or two posts in a week but I have not a schedule to do it. It might be on any two days of week when I have something to write about. But I like your view point.
Regards
I’m glad to hear that that’s working out well for you, Nazim. Every blogger’s approach and schedule is different, of course.
Thanks for commenting!
I don’t pressure myself to write just for the sake of writing (know you don’t too.) But I don’t force myself into writing, if really can’t think of a good topic. But I always make sure to post at least once a week. :D
I think once a week is about as low as I’d go, too. I think any less often than that and it’s hard to hold readers’ attentions week after week, you know?
Hi Tristan,
I think you’re making a wise move! I’m looking forward to seeing you make the shift and seeing where that takes you. It’s good that you’re keeping your goals in mind.
For me, blogging is fun and a chance for me to express myself creatively as well as meet other great bloggers, but it’s also one of my platforms that make me money. I’m not hiding it; my goal is to have fun, build relationships and make money while I recommend my favorite tools, product that have really helped me, or my own products.
Good luck with phase 2. You’ve built an awesome platform here!
Peggy
Thanks, Peggy! I’m also looking forward to the shift :D
There’s nothing wrong with making money blogging, especially if you’re having fun and helping people along the way!
Tristan, I think you’re making a wise move. I write a blog post for sure every Monday. I frequently add a post on Thursdays also, but not always.
It’s important to pay attention to the best investment of your time. I see a lot of people online who likely spend the entire day writing blog posts, answering comments, and interacting on Twitter and other social networks. Perhaps they should be creating products to sell, or working on selling their services.
Thanks for the kind words and encouragement, John.
I think that one of the main reason most bloggers quit is that if they ever get a somewhat successful blog (in terms of traffic, etc.), they’re frustrated that they’re not making money. Well, it’s their own fault they’re not making money! Like you said, they’re spending all their time writing blog posts and messing around on Twitter.
Those are important, but it’s even more important to keep the big picture in mind.
Hi Tristan,
My blog is like my new born baby. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about how often I should post. You’re right, posting less allows for more free time for all the other blogging responsibilities because I’m still working on the appearance of my blog.
Yep, if you’re starting out, I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing to only blog a couple times a week. People need time to find and read your stuff, and you need time to work on everything else you’ve got to do!
Good luck Chelsea, and thanks for taking the time to comment!
You know, I have stopped writing posts on a daily basis, but there are some days that I am in the mood to publish at least 3 articles. However, I am not too pressured to write because now that I have sufficient articles on my blog, the next move for me is to market my articles. True you can’t rely too much on ads but they are good residual income so I still have them. I do not think of producing my own products real soon because I am against it as I mentioned in my very recent articles. In any case, we all have different reasons why we blog but the only moral thing to say is that we all want to earn a living out of it, sort of. :)
I’m with you, Rian. There are days that I want to publish 3 articles, too. But I just keep telling myself that that’s not good either for me or my readers.
You’re against producing your own products?? Pardon my candor, but that’s stupid. I agree with you about not buying or selling ebooks about blogging (none of my products are going to be about blogging itself; my first product, for example, will be a course on how to create infographics), but there are a bazillion other products/courses/tutorials/ebooks/whatever that don’t have to do directly with blogging that you could create.
Anyway, thanks for taking the time to comment, Rian!
Tristan, not to make myself sound smart (because I’m not) but I had a feeling you’d make this switch. It just makes sense. You can’t be a great ‘communitizer’ (as I’ve dubbed you) and manage to keep up the pace with 3 articles a week and still find ways to monetize. It’s too tough.
I’m glad you’re focusing now on monetization. You deserve it and it’s the natural next step. I’m curious, have you ever considered consulting/coaching? Especially for newer bloggers? You’ve got to much experience and there are so many people doing this the wrong way, I think that could provide a steady cash-influx until your products roll out and you then start making money while resting on your beach hammock.
Anyway, just my thoughts. I’m glad you’re moving to 2x a week and look forward to the difference it will make for you.
Later bud,
Marcus
You’ve touched on some interesting points, Marcus. It all comes down to the lifestyle that I’m trying to create for myself. I don’t mind working hard and spending a lot of hours on what I’m doing, but I need 1) to enjoy it, 2) find it fulfilling, and 3) make money.
Being a great “communitizer” (love it!) and posting 3x a week meets the first two but leaves something to be desired for #3.
Yes, I have considered coaching/consulting. In fact, I spent last Saturday writing the copy for my “Consulting” page, but I didn’t go through with it. Why? Because 1) it would take time away from what I REALLY want to be doing, which is product creation, and 2) my goal with Blogging Bookshelf has always been to provide as much blogging information as I can for free. I don’t mind spending an hour or so reviewing someone’s blog and writing it up if they ask me for it. Because I find that extremely rewarding and fulfilling. I love helping people have better blogs.
At some point in the future I’ll likely do consulting, but I don’t know when or how I’ll approach it. I just remember having a few questions before starting blogs in the past, and I remember looking at how much it cost to talk to the “gurus” for an hour. Like $200-$300. I love blogging because it gives everyone a voice and allows everyone to be heard. I don’t think that only those people who have $300 to burn should be able to have their specific questions answered by someone who knows what he’s talking about.
Something I’ve been thinking about for those people who ask me to give them advice on their blogs is to create an ebook that pretty much just goes over everything that I look at when I’m critiquing someone’s blog. A sort of self-audit. And maybe if they paid a certain price for the ebook, they could have more interacting with me and I could provide them with more customized feedback.
I dunno. I’m just thinking out loud here. Ultimately, I want to create multiple specialized products while continuing to offer all of this “blogging tips” stuff on the blog here for free. And that includes me answering any questions people have about blogging.
Tristan, aloha. Thx once again for your insights and candor. On more than one occasion I wondered how you made money with your blogging efforts. With the amount of time I figured you spent creating content and commenting on the posts of others, I thought you must have a speaking business which your blog fed. Look forward to the products you create. Enjoy a fabulous weekend. Aloha. Janet
Thanks for the kind words, Janet :) Yeah, up till now I’ve just been working on the blog without worrying about making money from it. Well, that’s changed now :)
I did have a great weekend (went skiing yesterday!), and I hope you’re having a great week!
I started my blog the first of Nov. of last year. I knew I wouldn’t survive if I tried to post every day. I went for the 3 times a week schedule like you had. Then I decided to do one extra post each week that would always be in series. No a bad idea but I think I need to get rid of one of my other day now. The promotion end is weak. I really need to MAKE time to work on it.
Thank you for saying it out loud. It helped me listen to me.
Awesome, Glynis. I’m glad the post helped! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment, and I hope your week is going great so far.
Tristan,
I am with you. I have experienced the same thing….no time to produce product. That has shifted and now I am more in target with the original goal of my blog. I am on a Monday and Thursday schedule and every other weekend I do a post. This has worked well because I have time to market those posts and get product out.
Hope this works well for you.
Thanks for the encouragement, Sheila (I’m glad we’re in the same boat, here), and I hope it’s working out well for you, too!
Hi Tristan,
I agree in principle about not being obsessive or held hostage by arbitrary rules which conflict with what makes sense and is right for you. I would however say to newcomers that you might want to build up a body of work and blog more frequently in the beginning. And then decide what frequency is right for you after you have gained some experience and credentials.I think you touch on two other topics of importance that everyone:has to sort out: what’s the real purpose/objective of your blog and the substantial time/effort devoted to commenting. A great post Tristan – thanks
Riley
Riley, I used to hold your same opinion — that it’s best for bloggers to build up a body of work at the beginning — but now I honestly don’t think it matters. What’s the point? It’s so that people coming to your blog can see your older posts and think, “Wow, this guy really knows what he’s talking about!”, right? But honestly I don’t think that happens too often. The VAST majority of people visiting your blog aren’t going to dive into your archives or even go very far down on your first page of posts.
If people like what they see in your first few posts, they’ll subscribe or come back. Sure, the “Popular Posts” in the sidebar and other things can help, but I think that having a lot of content built up quickly is overrated.
Thanks as always for the great comment, Riley! I really appreciate your opinions and insights, even if I don’t agree with them :)
i will be on the lookout for the product(s) you bring to market tristan
i found that running multiple blogs detered me from my original goals and only maintain one nw!
Yep, having too many blogs can definitely be a pain. But dangit, it’s a lot of fun :)
Thanks Greg!
Hey Tristan – I tell you, I respect your adjustment. And for my own selfish reason I’m glad you’re cutting back a bit because it’ll help me keep up with your work. I hate coming in two days late…I want to read it when it fresh off the press, and 3x per week made that a challenge for me at times.
I think what you have happening here is wonderful – reducing your time on posts and comments will allow you to bring the next best part of you. I’m a fan – so I’m purchasing whatever you come up with…my loyalty intact.
Best of Luck
PEACE
Jk, you touched on the reason that I don’t like it when other bloggers blog daily… It’s hard to read that much stuff! So I’m glad you mentioned that :)
Thanks as always for the kind words and the encouragement… and also for saying that you’ll buy whatever I come up with :D
Man we think alike Tristan. That is the exact publishing schedule I’ve decided to incorporate. However, for different reasons … I work a (more than) full-time job that I enjoy very much, so I don’t have much time left for my blogging activities. Therefore, a 2-days-per-week publishing schedule will allow me the time needed to properly research my post topics, which are geared toward problem solving for my readers. Looking forward to your upcoming posts — I’m sure the quality will rock! And when can we expect a new product???
Best,
Scott
You can expect a new product in about 2 weeks. I’m still working on it, and it’ll be freaking awesome, if I do say so myself! It’ll be a course about how anyone can create infographics. It’s taking a fair amount of time because there will be instructional videos, tutorials, etc.
Thanks, Scott!
Tristan;
This post is very timely my man. I am always thinking about utilizing more of my available time into something that is going to be very beneficial – regarding the lifestyle I want to create through my online endeavors.
I was posting 3-4 times a week when I first started blogging but due to the lack of time, I was unable to fully promote my posts. So, in January of this year, I lowered my posting schedule to 2-3 posts a week so that I can also focus on the things that is going to help me pay my bills (O:
YES! Adam, you touched on something that I’ve been thinking about for a while. I started this blog so that I can create the kind of lifestyle that I want. And it turns out that my blogging was getting to the point where it was going against that lifestyle.
I’m glad we’re both on the same page here. Let’s drink to our continued success :D
Hello Tristan!
I can relate to your point about making your blog a marketing tool in order to promote a product. This is something that I too am trying to do right now. Still in the learning process, but we’ll see what happens.
I look forward to seeing what you come up with.
My first product is going to be a course on how anyone can create infographics for their blogs. It should be out within a couple weeks. And… it’ll be awesome :)
Thanks Cosmin!
I think it’s a great idea Tristan because you are putting soooo much time into the blog that it doesn’t seem that you have enough time to work on other project. I remember in the one post with your GF that you say you often put in 16 hours; that’s crazy when you think about it because just think what 3 of those type of days could be toward product or business development ya know?
I think it’s beneficial to the community overall because we can definitely expect some really great stuff coming from ya when you get that extra time :)
Yes, exactly! 16 hours can go a long way when it comes to product creation.
And yeah, hopefully other people will think my products are really great… I definitely think they’re going to be pretty freaking awesome!
Thanks as always for the encouragement and kind words, Murray.
Hey Tristan,
This is great dude!
I only post once a week. Same day, same time, and never miss a beat. I have been doing this since the creation of my site. That is how I wanted to have ran. I guess in a way like a tv show haha. I focus hard on never missing the day and time that I normally post. My hopes are that in the future many people will eventually start realizing when I’m going to post and try to be the first ones to read it.
So far consistancy has been working out really well for me. The first blog I started I tried to publish blog post every other day and eventually got burnt out also. I was able to maintain the workload for a good while, but thin it just became too difficult.
It’s funny that now even though I only publish one article a week I easily write enough articles to publish every other day.
Just my 2 cents.
God bless,
William Veasley
Like a TV show… That’s awesome! :D
Yeah, I *could* publish stuff on my blog every day… But it’s just not fun then! Twice a week is fun and lets me work on other stuff.
Thanks William!
I Set a goal to have a new post every fortnight! They may not be as long or detailed as yours, but I think it works well for me. As I then can use that time to (comment luv) promote those posts, Work my FT / Volunteer job and continue work on launching my Niche sites. Throw in time to watch some TV/ Go out and do a few other hobbies. ahh balance :D
Yeah, balance is key! I went skiing yesterday, and it was awesome. I mean I had to. Balance, right? :D
Thanks Don!
I started blogging last August just for the love for writing. Though I don’t have immediate plans out of my blog, I plan to start a blog on a serious issue / topic/ realm sometime soon.
Someone suggested that you become a blogging coach or something of that sort, you should definitely do that…your tips do work!
Yeah, I’ve definitely thought of doing the whole blogging coach thing… But it’s not something I’d like to do right away. Product creation is what I’d really like to do, and even though I could start making money immediately by offering services, I think that it would also take time away from me working on the products.
Thanks Hajra!
Hi Tristan!
I’m only publishing once a week and currently that’s all I can do. Maybe if I stretched myself, I could do two posts per week. Only now I realize how much work there is to producing even one blog post on weekly basis – not mention 2-3 per week (or even more like some people do)!
I guess it’s all about finding the balance – you should have a regular posting schedule but at the same time able to create reports, e-books and other stuff to keep readers engaged to your blog.
Exactly, Timo. Sure, I *could* post more often, but for what purpose? I don’t want more visitors just for the sake of more visitors. I want to be able to make money from more visitors! And in order to do that, I need to create a product. THEN I can focusing on getting more readers.
Thanks for the great comment, Timo!
I think this is great, and exactly what I have been experiencing lately. I started out with your plan and published three articles a week. But I soon realized that I had to cut down in order to survive (with quality posts, and time to write on my novel, and comment on other blogs) as a blogger.
At the moment, I am only publishing one post a week. That’s because I am spending a lot of time finishing my novel. And I am also thinking about monetizing my blog.
It’s very interesting to follow your online adventure and it’s great that you are sharing everything. I need to learn from someone that can inspire me, and that’s especially you and Marcus (the sales lion).
Keep your thoughts coming, and I am very interested to follow you when it comes to monetizing. So far, I have only been earning money by recommending other people’s products (affiliate marketing). I want my own products as well, but it will have to wait until I finish my novel (that’s my own product, but different).
Yeah, Marcus is a great one to follow, too :)
I’ll definitely be sharing what I learn as I launch my products. It should be really interesting. Blog monetization is not something I talk about on the blog now, because I frankly just don’t have that much experience in it. But hopefully that will all change :)
Thanks for the continued support, Jens! I really appreciate it.
I too have thought about changing my posting schedule. I just stick to writing whenever I want. I dont want to force inspiration but let it flow, if you know what I mean
Yeah, I know what you mean. My problem is that I get lazy and I think, “Meh, I’m too tired to blog tonight. I can just put it off till tomorrow.” And then I end up not posting at all. That’s why I’ve set a firm schedule for myself.
You are right that keeping up daily with content on a number of sites can become a pain. I have also heard that getting backlinks is more important than updating your own site. So guest blogging is something everyone should do.
Yep, for sure guest blogging is awesome. I’ve done a lot of guest posting and it’s definitely helped me grow my blog.
Thanks Steve!
Tristan,
It’s kind of funny, but I actually came to the same realization about my own blog about a month ago and decided to make it official in a letter to my e-mail subscribers just this afternoon before reading your post. (And it’s even funnier because about three months ago you commented on my blog that you “hated you daily posters because I can’t keep up reading all your stuff.” I guess you’ll be able to keep up now! :))
But seriously, I also found quality slipping because I needed to get the next post done, or else I’d split up one great post into four mediocre posts so I could string it out over four days.
Either way, the reader got shafted in the deal, and that’s the exact opposite of what I want.
btw, I’m looking forward to what you come out with for products. I have several in the works that are currently available for pre-order for only $1. I figure one pre-order guarantees I finish the damn thing fast! :)
Great minds think alike, eh Justin? :D That’s awesome, though. Good luck to us with our new posting schedules!
And I like how you mentioned the 4 mediocre posts vs. 1 awesome post thing. That definitely illustrates how much better it can be to NOT post every day.
Pre-ordering for $1? Hahaha. That’s actually a great idea, like you said, for making sure you finish the thing!
Thanks Justin!
To be quite honest, I blog as a hobby. It’s too hard to try and do it everyday because it ends up burning you out (as you said). I personally write on my blog when I feel like it. If that pisses folks off, too bad.
I doubt that posting whenever you feel like it really pisses anyone off :) That’s awesome though. I have a couple blogs that I blog on whenever I feel like it, and it’s a lot more relaxing than having to stick to a schedule!
I really think it’s the right decision you’re making. You need to pay attention to your readers too like listening to them and interacting with them.
Exactly, Anne. Blogging is a two-way street, and if my readers aren’t happy, I’m not happy! And if I’m not happy with what I’m doing, that will come through in my writing and my readers will take notice.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, Anne!
I’m not as strict with my time and really only post on my blog when I have time or when I have something to say. If anything I should probably post more often. I don’t have traffic coming to my blog either so I guess my problem is the opposite. Perhaps if I had traffic and interaction I would post more often. But I also know that is a cycle – I need to post more to get that traffic!
I can certainly understand what you’re saying though and you want quality over quantity so if you’re time allows you to post 2 quality posts a week rather than 3 posts of less quality, then that’s the best thing to do. Although I don’t think any of you’re posts are ‘less quality’ they are all great!
Sheryl, I don’t think that you necessarily need to post more in order to get more traffic (though that definitely can help). Do you spend much time promoting your blog posts?
Thanks for the kind words about my posts! I wouldn’t say that my recent posts are ‘less quality,’ they’re just not as, well… long as my older posts! I like really sinking my teeth into a topic and writing a lot about it, but that definitely does take time.
Thanks Sheryl!
Good choice man. Remember back when I was posting 7 articles a day? Now I post maybe once a week, which I have done unintentionally. But there are advantages. Your articles get more exposure for instance, because not everyone can be on your blog checking out the latest and greatest on the same day. You want them to see your article though too, so you leave it up there longer. Of course, there are other advantages. Just be careful not to allow echoes to appear :)
Yeah, there are both advantages and disadvantages to posting more or less often. It’s something that every blogger needs to assess and figure out what works best for them. For me right now, this is the best step for me to take.
Thanks man! Let’s both continue rocking this blogging thing.
Tristan,
I think this is a great idea. I totally understand you. When I started posting regularly, I did it twice a week. Then I decided to step it up and post 4 times a week. Now that I do, I see a jump in traffic and I am loving it. But with the blog and several niche sites, I just find myself not doing everything I planned to.
I was thinking of doing the same thing soon since I have started working on my first ever product :) I will keep up this pace a little bit more, and then probably cut out one post a week and stay with 3. Although I didn’t get my blog this high as yours is, I think getting so much traffic lately and moving up to Alexa < 65.000 is a great result. Especially considering that I started the blog for different goal than the one I have now (I am sure you remember my annoying e-mails).
Anyway, I just wanna say that I and obviously everyone else are still gonna visit and comment. I won't expect a reply to the comment cause I know you are busy. And we are all behind you to help if we can.
I am the first to offer to promote your product as soon as you make it :)
P.S.If you actually manage to save an extra hour a day by posting less, you might want to consider spending it with your GF and the PC turned off :)
There are definitely good reasons to post more and more often. Like you said, you can get more traffic by doing that. But does that really matter? If I have ten bazillion readers a day but have no product to sell (my preferred business model for my blog), then all that traffic is doing me no good.
Yes, I do remember your “annoying” emails that I really didn’t mind at all. In fact, I talk about your blog’s early stages in my latest post here :)
Oh, and my girlfriend and I are no longer together, so I can spend that extra hour on my blog more :)
Thanks for the offer of promoting my product :) You’ll definitely be one of the first to know when it’s done!
Thanks Brankica!
I can’t wait until the day when I can post one to two posts per week and still have a successful blog. As a newbie blogger, I am trying to fill my blog with as much information as possible. However, I can understand what you mean about having to post something every day. After a while that can begin to become mundane especially if you’re only posting just to post.
Sabrina, TODAY can be the day that you only blog once or twice a week! This will let you focus more time on actually getting people to your blog. Because THAT is the point, right?
Good luck, Diana!
It is funny because I am seeing a lot of this happening now. I stopped in 2009 and assessed my results. then stopped in 2010 and also did the same. This year i blog roughly ONCE a week maybe 2 times. I have done this since mid 2010.
But here is the point I really wanted to share with you T (may I DARE to call you T for short? LOL)
IF and I mean only IF YOU GET A SPURT go for it more often! For me certain months I am ON FIRE! Others I am only a small campfire (laughing)
Understand your cycle of creativity. Also another suggestion (DARE I do that as the idea generating guy?) Tristan began to re-purpose your massive blog content by adding more detail for premium products. AND use to make REMIXES of your future posts.
EXAMPLE below
You could use your > How to come up with How to articles >The Easiest and Most Powerful Way to Reach Your Blogging Goals<>6 ways to get your readers to BUY NOW and not wait<<
To create a post called "33 Easy Ways to Create How to Articles That Gets your Readers to BUY NOW<<
That could be both a blog post and a product you sell.
Dude, feel free to call me T or whatever else you want :)
You know Darren, I see what you’re saying, but I’m still not a huge fan of the idea. Even if you’ve got a lot to say one month, why not ration it in case you’ve got writer’s block next month?
All of that aside, I personally don’t like it even when my favorite bloggers blog too often. And I’ve heard several people say the same thing; not everyone wants to have to read a blog every single day or even multiple times a week. Just another things to think about.
As far as repurposing posts and turning them into products, it’s really not something I’m too interested in. My goal has always been to provide as much blogging tips and blogging content as possible for free. I have about 20 bazillion product ideas that don’t relate directly to “how to blog,” but that I can market on this blog. But there just hasn’t been time to work on them when I have so much blog maintenance to do. THAT is why I’ve decided to tone down the blogging from 3 times to 2 times a week. It’s not for lack of ideas. Blogging is great, but I don’t want to just be blogging for the sake of blogging. I’m not running a freaking charity here :)
I do like your idea of combining blog posts to come up with new post ideas. That’s something I’ll have to play around with for sure.
Thanks Darren! I really appreciate the feedback and suggestions. You’re a stud.
Great article with lot of inspiration…Even I am going to do the way you do but I’ll update my blog every alternate day
Awesome, Salman. I’m glad you liked the post. I hope your new posting schedule works out for you!
There is also some detail that tells daily publishing of articles is actually good for you, it likes Google. I am not sure about this. However, it also increases your chances of hitting a searcher.
Sure, there are definitely benefits that come from posting every day, but I think for most bloggers, the cons outweigh the pros. But as with all blogging advice, you just need to see what works best for you and your blog.
Thanks Ian!
Sounds like you are making the right choice Tristan! Funny you should write about this now -I have been blogging less lately and doing more work offline, editing and formatting my book for print.
I think it is very true that we often have to sit back and reasses where how we are spending our time. Although I still love to blog and to read others blogs, for now, I will be blogging less and focussing more on other tasks. I still think the blogosphere is such a valuable place to learn from and to connect with, others, that I will still keep blogging as well, as time permits (which is usually once a week now). Too much good stuff here in the blogosphere to miss!
Good luck with your product creation. Sounds interesting!
Mon
I love this: “Too much good stuff here in the blogosphere to miss!” Hahah so true!
Thanks for the encouragement and kind words, Mon. Good luck to you, too, with your new and improved blogging schedule!
I like what Dino Dogan said: “Make a posting schedule and DON’T stick to it!”. I really don’t have a blogging schedule – I try to write stuff that is born from my very own problems/issues that I think others may have as well.
Actually AdSense works pretty well for me and it’s only placed on 15 posts – that get most traffic from search. The rest of my blog revenue comes from direct sponsorships (cash + gear), selling T-shirts and affiliate sales.
I’m a reactionary blogger – I have no plans and whatever I do has an experimental touch to it. I’m sure the best part is yet to be discovered but I really have no clue what it is (just as I had no clue companies will reach me to offer almost 4 figure sums of cash for product placement in YouTube videos, etc.).
Yes I wanna make money with my blog (now that I do I can’t say I don’t like it) but I don’t have concrete plans for that.
PS – most of my personal revenue comes from consulting about stuff I learned as a blogger and internet marketer. So my best selling product is my knowledge in one to one consulting work. :-)
You’re true about busy working – let’s solve some real problems, let’s deliver products people really need and if that means writing less then let’s just write less.
I think the problem is that most people (including me) need more discipline than just writing “whenever we feel like it.” It’s easy to brush that aside by saying, “Oh, I’m too busy/tired/hungry to blog tonight. I’ll do it tomorrow.”
I think it’s awesome that you’re making money with your outdoors blog. That’s freaking awesome, man. BTW, I just started Daily Climbing Tips back up again! I’ve got plans on how to monetize that blog, but for now I’m just focusing more on this blog.
Thanks Constantin!
Thanks for the thought-provoking post and permission to blog less. I was already doing so but now I can quit stressing about it:)
Yes Crystal, you have my blessing to blog less :D
How’s it working out for you? Are you enjoying it more? Are you seeing a difference in traffic or comments or anything?
I guess I’m the dissenter here, not that you shouldn’t write as much or as little as you want to, but that I won’t be going that route. I’ve always written a lot and have never burned out, but when I made a conscious effort to make sure I wrote a post almost every single day my rankings and traffic jumped drastically. I’m kind of enjoying that, and until I get to a ranking I really enjoy (heck, I’m going to shoot for yours :-)) I’m going to continue this push.
But congrats to you for making such an important decision.
More power to ya, Mitch! If blogging consistently every day is your cup of tea and if you’re seeing the results you want from it, that’s awesome. It’s not for me, and I think it’s probably not for most people. You’re the exception, my friend :)
Thanks Mitch!
Yeah, exception seems to be my middle name. :-)
“A blog is not a business. A blog is a marketing tool”. This is so true it hits you right between the eyes. Do not have any ads at all on my blog, but it is driving traffic to my website and bringing it up in the search engines. So true.
Awesome, glad you agree, Matt. Your blog really is a PERFECT example and illustration of that point.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, man. I really do appreciate it!
Hey, Tristan:
I was wondering how on Earth you were able to keep up this blog at the pace you were, it was absolutely amazing to me. One of the reasons I come by, to check on you and make sure all is well. lol.
Glad to hear you’re gonna choose a more (doable) path and create some products as well. I too am in the process of creating a series of books aimed at bloggers, just neet to finish up a few loose ends.
I look forward to what you have in store for us, your humble and loyal followers.
Cheers,
Missy
Posting three times a week has been great for me up till now, but moving to twice a week is just the next necessary step in the evolution of this blog. I might go back to 3 posts in the future, or I might drop it down to 1. I think that trying new things on your blog is always really important, plus it’s something that I just enjoy doing!
Thanks for the support and encouragement, Missy :)
Hey Tristan, I think this is a pretty smart decision you’re making here. Even 3 blog posts a week is a lot, and yours are very long and thorough with good quality, so that can suck up a lot of time.
I remember I had the goal to do blog posts 3 times a week. Now, it’s two. And I’m thinking of dropping it to 1. With all the other crap I have going on, plus finding time to comment on other blogs, and spending like 2 hours per week editing some video content… it just adds up and there’s not much time to do anything else.
I’ve also noticed a few others scaling things down on their blogging routines. I think this is a good thing. We all need to pace ourselves, that’s for sure.
Keep up the great work Tristan!
You know, I’ve thought that at some point in the future I might drop it to one post a week, especially if I start up a new blog or two.
Yeah, I’ve noticed that others are doing this, too. I think it’s great. It means that the content that does get published is really well thought out, plus it allows all of us more time for working on other projects. I’m a fan :)
Oh, and I’ve been meaning to ask you… What software do you use for your video editing?
Hey Tristan,
Glad to hear that you are just cutting back and not cutting out! I definitely can relate to the time issues.
I have 2 blogs at the moment. I blog 3 times a week on my main blog and it’s mostly informational and helpful posts for people interested in affiliate marketing, internet marketing and social media marketing. I have been faithful to that blog for a couple of years now. I just created a new blog that just celebrated it’s 3 month anniversary. I only blog once a week because it’s my journey of how I’m building my affiliate marketing business. I definitely created it to help drive traffic to my product.
I have had to limit myself to how many blogs I visit and comment on mainly because I’m doing it for 2 separate blogs which means twice the work. But I love it, love what I do and won’t be stopping any time in the near future. I may eventually have to cut back on my main blog posting as well but for now, I’m able to accomplish everything that I need to. Luckily, I have my main product in place but there will eventually be more to come.
Thanks for this post and again, just glad you are not leaving us for good.
Adrienne :-)
Hey Tristan,
You have covered a nice topic here. New bloggers like me who are in a dilemma about the frequency of blogging will get a nice idea from here. It sure gives more exposure when blogs come after an interval. Thanks a ton for the post. :)
I always look forward to your blogs however i do believe in the saying that less is more.
your posts are always top notch and always give me a better perception on blogging.
Some of my blogs goals are obviously to get more traffic and readers but to also create awareness for CO domains in general. I have been trying hard to attract traffic by giving away free backlinks and also showcase co domains – it is slowly coming along and has been gaining popularity. Everything takes time and I am fine with waiting – it just stinks! haha
Hi Tristan
Very interesting subject you bring up here. I would never blog on the same days on a week. The only rule I have is blog at least once a week. Sometimes more, but only if I have something on my mind or a story I need to tell. I want to have time to visit other blogs, use time on twitter and to write comments. I am often working on a couple of drafts all the time and can then publish them when I think it is time for a new post on my blog.
Great read. Perhaps one day I’ll get there but as for now I’m blogging full time. Glad I came across your blog…you got one more RSS subscriber!
Man, I feel you! I just came of a month-long posting spree. Everyday posting is painful unless you’re one of those people who just HAS to write every day (like my sister).
Good luck with your product, I know it will be kick-ass. If you need any artistic help then just let me know. As they say in the hip-hop world, we can do a “collabo”. Good luck!
Hi Tristan – Short and sweet . . . Good for you!! Glad to hear someone shout these words aloud: “A blog is not a business. A blog is a marketing tool …” Give a hollar if you need a hand.
Well, well. One of my blogging heroes gets my attention with an announcement that I have been seeing echoed throughout our circle. Tristan, you have the right idea!
I had to come to the same conclusion before I realized why it was taking so long to get where I need to be. That’s what my Brainquake post is about.
Good luck with all the time you’ve freed up.
Cheers,
Mitch
Hi Tristan,
I don’t really know how to react to this post. It is great because now you can come up with better posts, products etc. It is sad that now we can’t read your post three times a week. Anyway, it is ok.
I think that the two day schedule will only work for big bloggers like you (I don’t think that it will work for newbie bloggers like me).
But from another perspective, it is great to post less because you get more time to promote and network with other bloggers. And networking can be very powerful.
Thank you for the post, Tristan,
Jeevan Jacob John
Tristan,
You make some great points. You are echoing many of the things I have been thinking about. I am glad I have been posting regularly for a while, but it has been a black hole of time, energy and money for me. I am glad I posted regularly to build up the nice backlog of material, but it is certainly time to try to do a little bit more. Particularly since my actual money making niche has take a little hit with the recent Google “Ezine” changes.
I look forward to reading your quality stuff when you have the time to get it out. Waiting just builds anticipation for the good stuff.
Hey Tristan,
I agree with you 100%. I’m experiencing the same thing right now. I’m posting daily as I’m participating in a challenge until mid-April.
I don’t think I’ll maintain that routine as I find that I don’t have time for anything else. I need to pay more attention to money-producing activities.
It’s also my goal to create my own product(s).
Thanks for sharing. All the best with your new posting frequency.
Mavis
Not only will blogging less often stop you from burning out as fast and as certainly as many other bloggers, but it should also help you get more links to each one of your latest posts – improving their rankings and overall traffic numbers.
It’s about finding the right balance – frequent enough to keep your information-hungry visitors happy and give you enough time to work on stuff that bring in the bacon.
This is a very good point overlooked by most bloggers, we are so focused on building content we don’t spend much time promoting them and building back links and getting them ranked in search engine.
I blog because I love blogging and I am a student so don’t have that much of tension..
And I blog daily, as I told love blogging so i blog daily.. ;) :)
I’m much the same as you, Tristan. I never run out of things to write about, but I hate that feeling of having to post something on a daily basis. I’d much rather be visiting other sites and building relationships. I’m starting to think that resuming my 90 challenge may not have been such a great move after all. I’m going to stick with it a while longer, but I may be making one of these posts myself soon. ;)
Tristan,
You’re spot on about keeping the goal in front of you. I can identify with your blogging taking up time you needed to spend on other marketing tasks. I have to keep reminding myself about the purpose for each task, and how it supports my business. Thanks for the important reminder to keep the purpose in view and maintain control behind the wheel.