Digital marketers know that one of the most effective internet marketing strategies is that of web content. Content, whether it is posted to blogs, company websites, or social media profiles, has the potential to resonate with viewers. More importantly, content allows companies to tell their stories to others – perhaps showcasing a new product or service, providing a glimpse “behind the scenes”, or sharing a business milestone or news item with readers. With content so important in the online marketing landscape, many wonder when and how often content should be posted. To answer that question, it can be useful to gain an understanding of content types, audiences, and sharing platforms. This knowledge gives marketers the ability to tailor content publication to the specific desires and preferences of those who are most likely to be engaged by it.
Content Publishing Frequency: Traffic Advantage
There is no one “catch-all” answer to the question of how frequently one should post content on the web. That being said, there are advantages to more frequent posting. In a study conducted by HubSpot in 2016, it was found that companies posting more frequently saw far greater traffic than companies only publishing infrequently. In the study, companies that posted 16 or more times in a given month – on average, about once every other day or 2-4 times per week – saw 3.5 times the traffic volume as companies posting content 0-4 times per month. In the world of internet marketing strategies, more traffic equals more potential for growth and for brand awareness.
Leads generated by frequent content posting also saw significant increases as compared to companies choosing to publish only occasionally. The HubSpot study showed that companies posting 16 or more times per month generated 4.5 times as many leads as those publishing 0-4 times each month. While the size of the company has some bearing on posting frequency – the bigger the company, the less frequent content is required to produce favorable traffic and lead generation – the major takeaway is that keeping content flowing to readers is the key to success.
Content Publishing By Platform
Web content is a useful tool in creating brand awareness and to give readers the opportunity to learn about a company, its products, and its mission. Many companies choose to spread their online content publishing efforts across platforms, giving them a better chance to reach new audiences and to increase online search visibility. Because there are several different content-publishing platforms, publishing frequency can vary. In general, digital marketers recommend the following guidelines for publishing content:
- For smaller blogs/smaller companies, publishing at least 2-4 times per week, aiming for a goal of at least 16 new content pieces each month.
- For larger blogs/larger companies, six or more blogs per month should be the goal.
- For Facebook, daily posts should be the minimum. Social media followers generally expect a higher frequency of posts.
- For Facebook, some caution in posting frequency should be kept in mind. Posting more frequently than once or twice a day can be detrimental. Too many posts can reduce the overall impact and overwhelm followers.
- Twitter, on the other hand, time-stamps tweets; companies should aim to post at least 4 and as much as 15 times in a given day.
- For video-sharing platforms (YouTube, Vimeo, and others), once-per-week posts should satisfy all but the most dedicated followers.
Long-Term Traffic Benefits
By now, it should be clear that frequent posting of fresh content should be the goal of every business. With smaller teams of marketers, this can be difficult, but entirely doable. Larger companies and bigger digital marketing operations may have an easier time with frequent content publishing. As the blog or the social media profile grows over time, its impact on traffic can provide a substantial return on investment.
In another study conducted by HubSpot, 75 percent of blog views and up to 90 percent of leads came from older posts. In other words, the more content available to viewers, the better the overall picture. Provided the content remains relevant and informative, it can actually gain value over time.
Even better for the long term is that companies that reach the milestone of 400 or more blog posts see a substantial spike in traffic – about double that of companies with blogs in the 301-400 range. This effect is due to improved search visibility. Search engines tend to favor those blogs or sites with larger numbers of posts, and value sites with frequent publishing efforts.
Content stands at the top of impactful internet marketing strategies. With a bit of hard work and a steady stream of good blog and social media posts, companies will see improved traffic, increased brand awareness, and great search visibility.
About Neilson Marketing Services
Since 1988, Neilson Marketing has been implementing innovative marketing solutions and strategies for our clients in all areas of marketing. Contact us today at (866) 816-1849 to put our talent, expertise, and vast resources to work for you. Let’s make things happen, together!
