How To Establish a Regular Posting Pattern Using ‘Filler Posts’
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Bloggers often have a hard time maintaining a regular posting pattern. For one, they need to research properly before publishing a post, and researching takes up quite a lot of time. Also, they need to take time off for family, friends and self, which becomes a further burden on the posting pattern. As a result, the posting pattern suffers, and posts become irregular.
I used to have the same problem, but now, with a little bit of work, I’ve got an easy posting pattern that allows me to properly research, as well as post daily, or even twice a day.
Use ‘Filler’ Posts
Use what I call filler posts. These can easily be created on-the-fly, and also often attract traffic and appreciation from readers. In an earlier post of mine, 5 *Instant* Post Ideas You Can Use Today!, I identified five (and one bonus) kinds of ‘filler’ posts.
These filler posts are often very easy to create(think ‘link roundups’). ‘Top Ten’ lists are the best, in the sense that they’re perfect bait for StumbleUpon, Digg and other social media traffic, and search engine traffic too.
One More ‘Filler’ Post Idea: Write A Tutorial
Writing tutorials is great, not only because they are evergreen, but because they fulfil a need. Readers have a problem with something, or want to know how to install and use a particular service. If you write up a tutorial on that, you’re bound to get massive amounts of gratitude and appreciation, because you just helped the reader solve a problem they were having.
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Writing Tutorials is Easy
Really, writing a tutorial is easy, especially for something you’ve had experience with. Don’t choose something you know little or nothing about, for you’ll make a mess of the tutorial and simply waste time. Choose something you enjoy doing. 
Making a Plan
As you know, readers like it a lot better if they know what to expect from you and when. For that reason, it pays to develop a posting plan for your blog. Make a plan, and give it a try for, say, a month. If it doesn’t work out, make changes, and then try again.
Choose Your Filler Posts and Assign Each A day
Choose what kinds of filler posts you are going to do on your blog. Don’t choose too many, because that will only increase the burden on you. Choose ones which interest you, and you can write up easily.
Once you’ve chosen your filler posts, assign each a day of the week. For example, here’s my strategy:
- Monday - Monday Questions
- Tuesday - Regular Post
- Wednesday - Regular Post
- Thursday - Links Roundup
- Friday - Top Ten Lists
I take the usually take weekends off, but since I’ve initiated my filler posts campaign, I often get ideas for weekend posts too. For example, I initiated the Smashing WordPress Tutorials series on Sunday (a tutorial type post).
This Won’t Happen…
…unless you commit yourself to it. It’s not like you do it for one week and then let it go. I’ve been doing the Thursday Link Roundups religiously for like two months now.
Commit yourself, and do it every week. To make things a little easier on yourself, why not take recommendations from readers? That’s a great way to make the feel important and involved, something many bloggers don’t do.
My Experience
My experience with these filler posts has been quite good. For one, I can say 80% of the traffic to my blog comes from these filler posts. For two, I get them over with within an hour, and so can develop quite a few, and schedule them for the future, thus protecting myself from content drought.
For three, and the biggest possible advantage, it is these filler posts which often give me ideas and content for the real posts. When I link to blogs in the link roundups, by reading their content, I get ideas and inspiration for my own posts. When I do top ten lists, I often get inspiration and new ideas, for even more top ten lists. So you see, you cannot go wrong with these filler posts.
A Last Note
This post is part of the ProBlogger group writing project. It isn’ about the prize, it’s about the community. That is the reason I request you to head over and enjoy the other submissions! 
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I’m not a giant fan of “filler” content. However, being regular is definitely a must if you want to succeed at blogging. I’d say that attempting to establish any kind of pattern/system would be a good idea. For example, I don’t post on weekends. I believe I’m going to stop posting on Wednesdays as well just to give myself time to prepare for the days I’m not around to write posts “on the fly.”
Interesting ideas, however. Nice post.
Corey, :D. You don’t need to be a ‘giant fan’ of filler content. You could simply only utilize one or two concepts like a link roundups. But, everyone has their viewpoints.
Thanks for sharing yours!
Nice — I create a quarterly plan for my post topics for this very reason — but I like the idea of mixing it up a bit — I don’t necessarily consider the “how to” or link round-ups — “filler” per se, because they require thought and input as much as my “original” posts, but I like the way you’ve presented your experience!
I found you because of the ProBlogger Community!
Peggie
Peggie, thanks for dropping by!
And I know, how to and tutorial posts might not be ‘filler’ but if you know something from the inside out, you can write up a tutorial in seconds
Great ideas, Muhammad.
These “filler” posts as you define them sound more like “pillar” posts ala ProBlogger. I also like your idea of making a plan for when to post and what types of posts. That will help me a great deal!
Joan
This is a great post, and I’ll tell you why I think so - because I’m relatively new to blogging but I already do this! Yay for me!
Seriously though - to the poster above that said “I’m not a giant fan of ‘filler’ content,” I think it’s fair to say that the filler had better be good. For me (on my personal finance blog) my filler is either “Glossary” or “Frugal Living” stuff - the whole point of the blog is to help people learn finance in baby steps, so having quick posts that aren’t overwhelming is kind of essential. It’s a win/win, I think. Sure, I don’t get any comments on the Glossary posts but that’s OK, they’re not meant to spark debate (if I wrote them correctly).
If it’s relevant, go for the filler. If not … well … don’t.
(from ProBlogger) - Good title - not a fan of “filler” but your fillers have substance…nicely written!
Deidre, thanks for dropping by
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