Web Dev Notes

Last week I posted about How to Keep Yourself Organized and linked to an article which had 27 great tips. I mentioned applying those tips to blogging as well because having a GOOD system is important…

The most important thing you need manage when writing a blog is TIME. Having a regular posting schedule is the best way to get regular readers instead of casual readers. People have habits and routines and your goal is to ensure that people make browsing your website part of their routine. The ideal posting time and frequency depends on how much time you have available for blogging and the audience you are hoping to attract. If your blog appeals to teenagers, you’ll probably want to make sure new posts are up by 3PM when they start getting online after school. However, if a large part of your audience are working folks, you’ll find that many of them spend some time browsing the internet as soon as they get in the office! In that case, you’ll want new posts up by 7AM!

Once you decide on an ideal posting time, try to stick to it. You want your regular readers to have their dose of content when they come to get it! If you only have time to blog once every week, try and do it on the same day so readers know when to stop by! If they know when they should come back, they are more likely to do so. If you are using Wordpress, take advantage of the ability to schedule when your posts appear.

If you have decided to post daily or weekly, try and get ahead of yourself if ever time permits. By this I mean, if you are posting weekly but have some free time to write a few extra posts one day, write them but do NOT post them! Keep them saved and ready to post on a future date. It is MUCH better for your blog to continue posting on a regular schedule rather than posting a lot one week and nothing the next. If the following week you experience writers block or just don’t have the time to write, you can use your stash of extra posts to keep on schedule!

Finally, get in the habit of writing down ideas. I’ve started carrying around an agenda with me and scribbling little notes down in it has done wonder for my blogging! When I’m not sure what to write about I just open up the agenda and read the little notes I’ve scribbled down to find topics which would make good blog posts. Also take advantage of tools like Google Reader and subscribe to the feeds of websites you enjoy. Use Google Reader to “star” posts you have really enjoyed and use them as inspiration for your own posts in the future!