How Lack of Consistency Kills Online Content
Consistency is more than just how many times you post per week.
If you thought the failure rate for new restaurants was high, consider this: 80% of new blogs will fail within the first 18 months. One of the biggest reasons is a lack of consistency.
We’ve all been there.
We’re super excited to start a new blog or podcast or jump into a new social channel.
It goes great for the first couple of weeks, maybe longer.
Then something happens….
We start skipping days, weeks, or even months.
Crickets.
Our readers wonder where we went.
Are we trapped under something or did life get in the way?
Posting frequency is just one of the factors looked at when considering “consistency” for a blog, social channel, newsletter, or podcast.
As I continue this Substack newsletter and embark on a redesigned website with a newly planned blog, I’ve been doing my own research into this.
Why is consistent posting important?
Consistency is important because it helps to establish a sense of reliability and professionalism with your readers.
Alternatively, when you disappear for months at a time, readers wonder why they should invest in your business if you aren’t investing in it.
When you’re consistent, readers feel more confident in the information you’re presenting and can more easily understand your overall message.
Consistency also helps you to build a strong brand identity for your blog, newsletter, podcast, etc. By consistently using the same fonts, colors, and layout, readers will recognize your work and remember it in the future.
When you’re consistent, you also build trust and credibility, making it more likely that readers will stick around—and return.
Beyond picking a posting schedule that you can stick to (weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, etc.), here are a few tips for maintaining consistency across any platform you choose to interact with readers on.
6 Ways to Create Consistency Online
Formatting: Consistent formatting helps to make you look organized and professional. This includes things like using the same font and font size throughout, using headings and subheadings consistently, and using bullet points or numbered lists when needed.
Tone and style: Consistency in tone and style refers to the way you write. If you write in a casual tone, keep it that way throughout.
Layout: The layout of a blog or newsletter, including the placement of elements like the header, sidebar, and footer, should be consistent across pages or weeks.
Post frequency: If a blog is updated every Friday, readers will come to expect new content on that day, so don’t let them down.
Topics and categories: Make it easier for readers to find the content they want with consistent topics and categories that give your blog a focus.
Images and graphics: Use the same style and formatting of images and graphics to help create a consistent visual identity for your website, newsletter, or blog.
Are you currently blogging, interacting on social media, or pushing out a newsletter? How consistent are you? Let me know if you need help.
Until next week!
—Liz