Consistency in Blogging: Yay or Nay?

Some of blogging gurus out there recommend maintaining a consistent schedule of your posts in order to gain bigger audience and build their trust. But on the other hand, other successful bloggers suggest not pressuring yourself with strict posting schedule which can lead to lower quality of your blog content. What is your take on this topic? Let's discuss.

PROS

In case of strict schedule (posting every week day, posting specific feature regularly on specific days) your followers are more likely co tome back to your blog when they know which day you have reserved for this or that feature that they enjoy. Keeping regular posting schedule also gives your blog more reliable and professional vibe.

CONS

Keeping strict posting schedule is a full time job that requires a lot of your time. Usually, following deadlines and being forced to do things under time pressure is no fun. And when you are not a happy blogger, you may lose motivation and your posts will suffer. Your followers will definitely notice the difference and with so many other blogs out there, they will move their attention elsewhere. Moreover, while you spend most of the time making sure that you provide your followers with regular quality posts, your interaction with followers will suffer because there is never enough hours in day to manage all of that every day (unless you are full time blogger and do not have to divide your time between job and blog).

HOW I DO IT

It took me over 2 years of blogging to finally find posting schedule that works the best for me. I decided for mixed posting schedule (regular and random posts). I picked one monthly feature and gave it solid posting date - you can read my Stacking the Shelves post every last Saturday of given month. Since it is only one post per month with deadline, I do not feel time pressured and find it manageable. Moreover, I have one more monthly feature (Two Quick Reviews) but with no solid posting date. Still, my readers know that they can expect new edition every month.

The rest of my posts are not so consistent. If idea strikes me, I will write a discussion post about it. If I find new author or book that impressed me, I will share my feelings in Life Changing Reads feature. If I stumble upon very intriguing new books, I will inform about them in my Blurb Love feature. Posts like these cannot be rushed or pre-scheduled because otherwise they would lose their authenticity.

Based on my blog statistics, mixed posting system seems to work pretty well for me. In last couple of months I finally reached all goals that I set for myself at the end of last year (received comments, unique visits per post) so I cannot complain!

As a blog reader, do you prefer blogs that keep strict posting schedule 
or is consistency not something that you require in blogs? 
If you are blogger, does maintaining a consistent schedule work for you or not? 

Let me know in the comments :)

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