GNT #131: How often do you really need to publish to grow?

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read time: 5 minutes

I’m not everywhere online, and I don’t try to be.

This newsletter is my primary platform for long-form content, and it has been for 2.5 years.

It’s my weekly non-negotiable. It goes out every Thursday at 7:30am CST. I typically write it 2-3 weeks ahead, not because I’m Type A, but because I like having a buffer. For life and family stuff, but also for space and clarity to think. I treat it like my standing weekly coffee meeting with you (minus the misspelled name on your cup).

Beyond that, I post around 4x/week on LinkedIn. Instagram gets some love during sauna season or with our latest build project. And that’s about it.

I skip days. I took the whole month of July off for our family motorhome adventure sabbatical to the Pacific Northwest. Because sometimes we all need a break. Sometimes my business needs a break from my content.

Believe it or not, it’s the breaks, not the hustle, that bring the clarity and quality.

That’s what works for me.

So… how often do you really need to publish?

This is a question I hear constantly. And it's not just from beginners, even experienced founders, consultants, and creators wrestle with it.

So today we’re unpacking:

• How to pick a publishing rhythm that aligns with your business (not someone else’s content hamster wheel)
• The one metric that matters more than frequency
• A 4-step system to help you show up consistently, without burning out
• A dead-simple self-audit to help you figure out what to cut, keep, or double down on next week

Whether you're just getting started or rethinking your strategy mid-year, this will help you get focused, fast.

Let’s dig in. 

The real question isn’t “how often”, it’s “why?”

We’re trained to think frequency = growth.

But when you zoom out, posting more doesn’t always lead to better results, especially if your content isn’t aligned with your business goals.

Before we talk about how often to publish, we need to get clear on this:

What role does content actually play in your business right now?

Is it your main growth engine?
Is it supporting your sales process?
Is it a trust-builder, nurture channel, or thought leadership tool?

If you don’t know the job your content is supposed to do, publishing more won’t fix that.

Let’s fix that first.
 

So how often should you publish?

Let’s get practical.

There’s no universal rule, but best practices and some helpful data can give us a smart starting point.

First, think in terms of your funnel, not the feed.

Content does different jobs at different stages:

Quick recap:
Top (discovery) 2–5x/week: social posts, reels, search-friendly articles
Middle (nurture) weekly or biweekly: newsletters, podcasts, webinars, blog posts
Bottom (conversion) seasonal or campaign-based: offers, CTAs, testimonials, sales pages

Most founders try to do all three on every platform and burn out fast. A better way is to pick your focus based on your business model and current goals. 

What the data says:

According to HubSpot’s 2024 Marketing Trends Report:

• LinkedIn: 3–5x per week performs best for B2B growth
• Instagram: B2C brands see best results at 3–7x per week
• Newsletters: Weekly is the sweet spot for audience growth and retention
• Blogs/SEO: 1–4x per month is enough if optimized well
• YouTube: 1x per week is considered ideal for engagement + algorithm

But keep in mind, these numbers assume a team. If you’re a founder, consultant, or small business owner, your publishing schedule needs to support you, not a corporate content machine.

So here’s a better question:

How often can you create strategic content that actually supports your business?

The only metric that matters more than frequency = whether your content is doing the specific job you need it to do for the stage your business is in right now.

Here’s how I help clients answer that with a simple framework:
 

➽ A 4-part system to create your rhythm

1. Choose your core platform

Pick one main place to show up. Prioritize where your ideal clients spend time and where you can create with ease.

Examples:

• LinkedIn for B2B authority
• Instagram for lifestyle/visual brands
• Substack newsletter for depth + trust
• YouTube for long-term discoverability
  
  

2. Set your minimum cadence

Don’t commit to what you wish you could do, commit to what you can reliably do.

Guidelines:

• Growth channel: 2–4x/week
• Depth channel: 1x/week or every other week (or even monthly if that's realistic right now)
• Conversion content: as needed, tied to launches or offers
  
  

3. Build your system with buffer

Publishing gets easier and better when you stop relying on daily willpower and start building a system that doesn't stress you out.

Here’s what that can look like:

• 📅 Schedule your publishing slots
  Pick a consistent day and time to publish. It builds trust with your audience and with yourself. Your audience needs to know when they can count on you. Example: I send this newsletter every Thursday at 7:30am CST. It’s locked in. You know I'll be in your inbox.

• 💡 Keep a rolling idea bank
  Use something simple: Notes app, Notion, Trello, pen and paper, doesn’t matter as long as you use it. I use Notion because it's so easy to capture quick thoughts on my phone and go back to them later. Or I'll capture ideas from the news, email, social posts, etc. Capture ideas when you have them, so you’re never starting from zero.

• ✏️ Batch and block
  You don't have to write every day... unless you want to. Instead, try batching 1–2 pieces per session, and block time for it. Even just one 90-minute content session per week can build you a steady rhythm.
• 🧰 Use templates + reusable formats
  Reuse what works. Repurpose across platforms. Have a few go-to structures: list, story-lesson, carousel, quote + insight. Make it easy to repeat without having to reinvent every time.
• 🛑 Build in margin
  Try to stay ahead. Even just 1-2 weeks makes a difference mentally. This gives you breathing room for sick days, busy days, and life. Buffer = better content and better boundaries.
  
  

4. Adjust by season

Some months you'll create more or experiment with new content, some months you'll pull back. No failure there, that's just rhythm and learning.

What matters most is you have a system you can repeat, not a schedule you resent.
 

👉 Try this: Your 5-minute publishing self-audit

If your content has felt inconsistent or chaotic lately, don’t build a whole new plan just yet.

Start here and keep it simple. 

Grab a pen and paper, open Notion, or paste these into a calendar invite. Whatever helps you reflect and act.

Ask yourself:

• What’s my main content platform right now?
• Am I showing up there consistently, or just reacting?
• Where am I posting out of guilt, not strategy?
• What content feels good and performs well?
• What’s one channel or task I could pause without losing momentum?

This clarity alone will save you hours of spinning next month. And if you’re already in a good flow? Use this to refine, not overhaul.

Takeaway

Most of us don’t need to publish every day to grow.

But if you're looking to scale, you do need to publish with purpose, in a rhythm that supports:

1. The business you’re building

2. The season you’re in

3. And the people you’re here to serve

Let the data and your systems support you, but let your strategy call the shots. 

Small steps, done consistently, always outperform the perfect plan you never execute.

I’m always rooting for you. See you next week.

📩 If you’ve found value in this newsletter, the greatest thank-you you could give me is to share it with a friend.

Whenever you're ready, there are 3 ways I can help you:

1. Need some team training and a plan to achieve purpose-driven growth? Let me lead a workshop for you. [Contact me here]

2. Want me to come speak at your event or meeting about one of my content topics? [Contact me here]

3. Want short, but meaty tips on growth systems for profit, purpose, and a meaningful life? [Follow me on LinkedIn]

If you liked this article, you might also like:

GNT #105: 3 Unexpected Choices to Build a Winning Business
GNT #093: Filling the Funnel with Purpose
GNT #073: My Case for Clickbait

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