How often have you heard people talk about the importance of consistency? Whether you’re trying to get into shape or would like to learn a new skill, showing up each day matters. The same could be said of your website’s blog posts. When you’re trying to build an audience and develop a following for your brand, putting out quality content is crucial, but so is consistency. Here’s why being consistent with your blogging efforts matters:

You need to teach people how to use your site

When you’re building a following, you need to teach these new visitors what they can expect from your site. If they see a new blog post every Friday, soon it will become habit to check back for that fresh piece of content when Friday morning rolls around. But if you’re posting on Friday one week, then taking a month off, and then returning with a post on Tuesday, it’s hard for your audience to understand what to expect.

Give them a reason to visit

Not only do you need to teach users what they can expect from your site, but you also need to give them a reason to keep checking back. If your posts are sporadic at best, don’t be shocked when they forget to return to your site. When new content fails to pop up, they’ll find other sites to browse as they’re doing their morning or lunchtime reading.

Let’s face it: we’re all busy. If blogging consistently is something you struggle with, you’re not the only one. Here are some tips for keeping your content on track as you continue to build your audience:

• Create a content calendar – You know you need to post, but you’re having writer’s block. A content calendar can help resolve this issue. Take a look at the year as a whole, and map out appropriate blog posts according to each month. Are there holidays or events that are pertinent in your industry? Plan to write about them! When you have some sense of where your blog posts are going and can sit down and write without having to worry about what to discuss, it makes the process much easier.
• Know that you don’t need to write the next Great American Novel – Some business owners are intimidated by blogging, believing that if they aren’t able to write thousands of words on a topic then they’re better off not posting at all. In reality, quite the opposite is true. Even a few hundred words can become a worthwhile post.

Even if you don’t consider yourself a writer at your core, dedication and careful planning can turn you into a regular poster. Need some help beefing up your blogging? I’ve got even more tips! E-mail me at Keith@BuckleUpStudios.com and let’s chat!