This is a pretty common question in the blogging world, but there is no easy answer. In fact, if you ask 10 different digital content marketers, you’ll probably get 10 different responses.
So, with that in mind, I will give you my opinion. This is purely based on my own professional preferences and practices as a blog writer. Also, in this article I am primarily talking about once-a-week business blogs, though I will touch on bi-weekly blogs a little later.
When I am running blog posts for my clients, I schedule them to post somewhere between 9:00-10:00am on either Tuesdays or Wednesdays. Why? Let me break down the thinking.
What Day is Best?
To me, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday are better than Monday or Friday if you are keeping the posts within normal weekday business hours. Unless you are a weekend-heavy business, you probably want to rule out Saturdays and Sundays because posts are more likely to get overlooked.
People are usually more preoccupied and stressed on Mondays as they start their work weeks. They may be less engaged on social media or whatever websites they follow, which may include yours. By Friday, they may be more checked out and I don’t think the blog will have quite the same impact. Therefore, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday would be my preference for a once-a-week blog post with social media sharing.
What Time is Best?
Again, this is easily debatable. I aim for 9:00 or 10:00 in the morning when scheduling out posts and social media links to the article. This is usually around when people are taking their mid-morning breaks and looking at phones/tablets/computers to get their online fix. To me, it’s a good time to catch their attention.
An argument could be made for a 2:00-3:00 afternoon post to catch them on the afternoon break. I prefer the morning because if the post gets some likes and shares, it will have more time throughout the rest of the day to gather exposure on social media channels. Then, other people may catch it later in addition to the morning crowd. A late-day post gives you less daily-news-cycle sharing opportunities, if you ask me.
Find What’s Right for You
It’s important to note that not every business is the same and it will depend somewhat on your consumer base. What are their habits and when will your blog be most likely to catch their attention? It’s never a bad idea to run some tests early on and see which posts get the most likes and shares. This may help you hone in on an ideal day/time, as well as get a better understanding of what article topics have the most appeal for your target audience.
Be Consistent
Once you feel good about your day and time for blog posts and social media shares, try an be consistent with it. Post on the same days and same times each week. If you do have regular fans and followers, you’ll keep them more engaged from week to week. I realize I myself do not always practice what I preach on the NextGear Marketing Blog. The truth is, my clients’ blogs always take priority each week. I end up writing and posting articles for my own business later in the week after I get through all those Tuesday/Wednesday posts. I probably should be more consistent, but clients always come first!
Bi-Weekly or Daily Blogs
If you are going the extra mile with a twice-a-week blog, then also be consistent with your posts while spacing out the days. In this case, I would recommend Tuesday/Thursday, Monday/Thursday, Tuesday/Friday and Wednesday/Friday as the most likely day combinations. If you have a daily blog, well, good for you. Run that sucker every day at the same time to appease your rabid followers.
This is one of those issues where there probably is no perfect answers. There are so many variables at play. Above all else, consistency is key. As long as you keep up the weekly (or more) frequency and post good content, you will see success with your business blog. When you post is ultimately less important. Still, it’s worth thinking about.
For more information about business blogging or to get started on your own custom content campaign with NextGear Marketing, contact us today.
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