Recently, we researched several articles to answer the question: “how many blog posts should I post per week?” We found conflicting answers. Some said once a week, whilst others pointed more towards 3-6 times per week. We figured it was time to really look into this.
1. Minimum Blogging Frequency
We went on a deep dive into the world of blogging in an attempt to answer how many blog posts should I post per week. There didn’t seem to be any common answer, however, from our research we were able to deduct this.
Firstly, the articles touched on the size of the blog posts. One article suggested that 3-4 smaller posts per week, or 4-5 larger posts per week is the norm. However, in my mind, that doesn’t quite sit right. Surely, the larger the blogs, the less you’d need to write? Perhaps not.
Another article said that regular blogs, or niche sites should be writing 3+ posts per week. If it’s an aggressive SEO strategy you want though, expect to be writing up to 6 posts per week. Neil Patel recommended that as a starting point you write 2-4 posts per week for gaining traction and visibility.
2. Quality Over Quantity
We all know that Google cares about quality information, right? After all, Google’s main job is being a search engine. They are consistently looking for fresh new content to answer the questions of billions of consumers.
So, that means you really want to be focusing on providing engaging and valuable content. So, what is this exactly? Engaging and valuable content is information that your ideal client wants to know. They might be questions being asked on Google, or some other platform, that they seek answers for. The better you can provide the answers to these questions, the more the consumer will come to see you as the authority in the industry.
So, you should always prioritise high-quality content over frequent low-quantity posts. Maybe this starts us understanding better how many blog posts should I post per week?
3. Competitive Niches Need More Frequent Posting
Another factor we must take into consideration when answering the question how many blog posts should I post a week is what niche you are in. If you are in a highly competitive niche, then posting more often is advisable. This is because many of your competitors either will, or will not be doing the same. If they are, then it’s your chance to start competing on a level playing field. If they are not, then it’s your chance to smoke them out!
Industries such as healthcare, personal finance, and YMYL categories (News and current events) need to post frequently to maintain their rankings. They also need to continually get engagement as well. That’s why the saying “If it bleeds, it leads” is commonly heard in conjunction with news articles.
4. Posting Cadence and SEO Impact
Having a schedule is also a really important idea when publishing blogs and articles. Not only can it help with SEO and help drive organic traffic, it can also keep you consistent. Showing up at the same time and in the same place regularly teaches your audience where to find you. This helps them see your blogs and articles sooner, and interact faster.
Google is also a huge fan of consistency. It prefers websites that publish more often, so the more you can publish what they are looking for, the better. For example, if you were publishing 5 times a week on subjects that required fresh timely content, you may find your site ranking higher, because you are seen regularly providing the information they need.
5. Update Older Content Regularly
Many people fail to update their old content and blog posts, however, this can be just as important as adding new content. Refreshing old blogs, updating the information so it’s relevant and no long outdated can help with your SEO and help maintain site relevance.
Just last week, I discovered a $50Million company who had 13 outdated blogs only on their website. The impact this will be having on their overall rankings would be huge. If they were to update those blogs, it could help them greatly, while they began planning and writing new content.
6. Posting All Content at Once Can Be Harmful
But here’s something to remember when asking how many blog posts should I post per week? If you were to write 10 posts and post them all at the same time, this could have a detrimental effect on your SEO ranking. This could easily result in content being overlooked and also decrease your engagement.
A better idea is to schedule your content so that you only put one post up at a time. If you are posting 5 times a week, then do it once a day. If it’s less then perhaps consider leaving a day in between posts.
7. Adjust Frequency Based on Blog Maturity and Audience Size
It has been mentioned briefly above that newer blogs should post more frequently to start with to establish presence. Mature blogs can afford to post less often, however, they still want to ensure they are meeting their audiences needs.
So, the best practice here when answering how many blog posts should I post per week seems to be this. If you are new to the game, post up to 6 times per week, with a mixture of both short and longer posts. If you’ve been around longer and have an audience, you can post less often, but make sure you stay consistent. Spread them out over the week, so as to not have posts missed, or to damage your SEO.
8. Special Consideration for News and Event-Driven Content
News sites need to be updating their content continuously to maintain their rankings. This can mean having dedicated staff responsble for this. If it’s a trending topic, you may need to be updating it around the clock, so be sure you have the manpower to do that.
Content freshness is key in this situation.
9. Balance Posting Frequency with Resources
Blogging takes time. Time to research, time to write, time to post. ROI may not happen with your blogs for sometime, or maybe not at all. While it’s necessary for your rankings to ensure your content is up to date and freshly added, it’s not something that you can look to for instant gratification. However, here’s what happens if you don’t keep it updated.
- Your audience will forget you exist.
- Your ranking on Google could decrease.
- A competitor may steal the show and become the authority in your industry
- You may be seen as outdated and no longer relevant.
Naturally, these are all things you’ll want to avoid. So consider available resources when determining your posting frequency and be realistic about the time and resources you have available. Hiring a team of writers who will do the work for you and help you stay on top of this may be your best bet.
Conclusion
So, how many blog posts should I post per week? I’d go with 3-5 when starting out and bring it down to 2 a week once you are established. I’d also suggest perhaps updating an older blog per week as well, just to stay on top of things.
Is there an ideal blog post length? Some content marketing experts suggest that 1500-2000 words are the ideal length of a blog post. However, many companies and brands stick to shorter blog length guidelines.
It is said that longer articles have a better chance at ranking on SERPs so maybe you could start pushing out larger ones and then reduce the size later. This would be my advice to start. I hope this article has helped you reach an answer for the question how many blog posts should I post per week. If you want to know more about Google, check out this article on your google profile here.
