OMG. It’s Friday and I’ve managed to publish a new post three days in a row on this site. Yesterday was all about writing for your audience (or lack thereof). Today we’re (hopefully) continuing a discussion about 3 Very Important Rules for Successful Blogging (and How I Break Them). There might have been three new posts in a row, here, this week, but that’s not exactly par for the course.
Image courtesy: frielp's photostream on Flickr.
Rule No. 3: Be consistent!
This is pretty much the core of any successful blog – Regular, reliable content. Beyond making sure there’s a steady supply of things to read on the site, it’s important to stay focused (a la Rule No.1). What happens when I publish a new article Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, but then take a three day weekend? People forget (unless they subscribe to the RSS) and move on to other sites. At the same time, what happens when I rant and rave about Cash for Clunkers three weeks in a row, only to then follow it up with a post about how websites are like trees? What kind of message am I selling?
I can see the value in consistent posting. In one month, readership on Mitsubishi Gearbox Magazine has jumped to almost double the traffic this site gets. A big part of that is because I make a point of publishing a new interview every Monday like clockwork. I will block out hours on the weekend to polish up and produce a quality product for the magazine. They (the community) deserve that much. Meanwhile, Tarmac & Gravel, which only gets updated when I have time, energy or money to work on one of the Galants gets updated the least and has the least traffic to show for it.
The case for consistency is pretty cut and dry. I mean, if I didn’t think it was that important, I wouldn’t have scheduled these three posts over the course of three successive days! I would have spread them out over a couple weeks to alleviate my guilt at not writing anything.
Is it possible to be consistently inconsistent? Is it better that I should try coming up with regular posts, even if I’m not particularly passionate about them purely for the sake of consistency? To the handful of people who subscribe to this site (the likes of which I very sincerely appreciate), what do you think of the way I mix things up? Is there anything you’d like me to try to cover?
Should I share more about how Mitsubishi Gearbox Magazine is doing as it grows and how I’m trying to grow with it? Should I try my hand at reviewing new cars (0r maybe test driving Craigslist beaters)? Let me know! Leave me a comment or say something on Twitter. I’d really appreciate it.
I’d like to get this site squared away with a game plan for 2010 and I’ve got some ideas, but I want to be consistently focused on my audience. Thanks for reading. Now go make someone’s day by commenting on their blog.
In the glovebox:
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