How Much Content is Too Much?

Every content marketing strategy is unique. No two businesses post identical content on identical schedules. At the same time, some brands have scant social media presences, while it seems like others do nothing but post content. Neither strategy is optimal. Businesses who post too little run the risk of becoming irrelevant, overlooked, or forgotten while those who post “too much” run the risk of getting muted. But in the age of hyper-targeted ads and social media overconsumption, are these alleged transgressors guilty of posting too often, or have they perhaps zeroed in on the wrong target customer? More importantly, is there such thing as posting too much content?

Is There Such Thing as Too Much or Too Little Content? 

While your audience wants to be entertained, they don’t want to be overwhelmed. According to the Bureau of Labor, the average American had 5.5 hours of leisure time per day in 2020. Of that time, the average American spends roughly two hours a day on social media. If you’re posting too many long-form blogs, long-videos, or any time-consuming content, you’re cutting into that free time and forcing them to make a choice. That can be a great way to measure brand loyalty, but it’s not as effective in building a base of loyal customers. 

Instead, do some research on the behaviors and customs of your audience. When are they likely to be on social media? What state of mind are they likely to be in when they’re surfing the web? The more you can understand your target audience, the better you can shape your content to align with their real needs. For example, ads for a pizza shop might perform better around dinner time compared to early in the morning. A sports equipment provider who understands its customers like variety might do better emphasizing its inventory compared to its prices. 

Once you know what to post, you need a solid schedule. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as posting too much content on social media. If you’re bombarding your audience’s newsfeed with irrelevant or repetitive content, they’re going to either unfollow or mute you. Use your understanding of your target audience to establish a consistent posting schedule across a variety of media, including your website, social media, and search engines.

Is Too Much Content Bad?

As established, posting too much content can get you tuned out and forgotten. That means if and when you post something that might appeal to your audience, they’re no longer looking-or even interested. Put simply, posting too much content is essentially the same thing as posting the wrong kind of content. The goal of marketing is to build your audience and establish your brand. If anything you’re thinking of publishing or posting doesn’t align with those goals, reconsider it. 

At the same time, posting too much actually hurts your SEO scores. If you overuse your keywords or lack any variety, your business will actually be competing with itself-not your competitors. In other words, a blog post with a repetitive keyword won’t supplement a past post with the same keyword, it will replace it-or even worse, render them both obsolete. Google ranks web pages, not websites, so posting repetitive content will hurt you more than help you-no matter where you post it on your site. 

The important takeaway is to remember to utilize a creative mix of variety and consistency. Post relevant, insightful, helpful content on a regular schedule without being overwhelming. That means you don’t need to post three times a day, seven days a week. Try picking the days your competitors don’t post or days business might be slow otherwise. The goal of your content is to provide a call-to-action; whether that means getting people to buy your product, subscribe to a service, or learn more information, the principle is the same.