Not including this question, we’ve had four new posts published today, two fewer than the six we more typically have, sometimes even more. Of course, some of those are Outtakes and other short posts; but we try to have at least two meaty articles per day, sometimes more. And we have a lot of superb content in the archives that is getting a second go-around, since so many of you weren’t here when they first ran.
Is there an optimum number per day? The more the merrier? Or less is more? Fewer longer and more in-depth posts, or more shorter, “bloggier” posts? Anything else you’d like to suggest or that we should know? It’s an open mike afternoon at CC.
Optimum = whatever you do.
I always read about 3/4 of the current posts, and usually end up pursuing one of the random Historical items and learning something worthwhile. Like why F-head engines persisted despite complexity of manufacture and repair, or how overdrive substituted for synchromesh.
While I check in at 0830 daily, I don’t expect new posts every day. As long as the quality is kept up, a good history of each car is done, and the information is correct; I’m not that worried about how many posts a day are done.
Quality, not quantitty.
6, 8, 10, 12, 2 (Central USA time) seems to make a nice cadence. Perhaps, given our increasing overseas readership, we should also try to schedule one or two about 12 hours off that schedule…
The amount we had today seemed to be just right, it depends whether they’re picture heavy or more verbose though.
I’d say six with at least one (maximum of two) of them being a “Classic” rerun being totally fine. And “Classic” reruns should be at least two years old. And yes, they should be staggered as they currently are, but the exact times can be different.
I feel like i have to quote the operating instructions for the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch from Monty Python and the Holy Grail:
“Three shall be the number thou shalt count, and the number of the counting shall be three. Four shalt thou not count, neither count thou two, excepting that thou then proceed to three. Five is right out.”
seriously 3 to 6 seems like a good number
I think that how many should depend on how much new stuff is waiting to get “published”. It is a good plan to have a pool of new stuff waiting so that you can keep things going when there is a slow down in new stuff coming in.
When I first found your site, I was very impressed, and somewhat surprised, by the frequency at which you ran fresh articles. Almost three years later, I remain impressed at the volume of high quality content you, and your contributors generate daily. I especially appreciate that you are so hands on and accessible. Plus the contributors field comments and add to the topic, in real time. Personally, I’d be content with one main event feature article a day. With two or three capsule articles. Or a vintage ad. And a photo post. I always enjoy at least one article that stimulates lively engaging comments. The weekends seem to be when you run some of the more offbeat and hard to categorize topics, but that makes for some interesting reads too.I can’t complain. Nothing but compliments really.
The quantity and mix over the previous 2 to 4 weeks has been great. Always one or two new things each day, with some tasty classics mixed in.
I describe this site to my friends by explaining the CCs, of course, but always mention the cordial atmosphere and amazing variety. Literally everything with wheels and/or an engine shows up eventually! No matter the subject, it’s always well presented. I always learn or am re- introduced to something cool with each visit.
Kudos to the staff and commentariat! Keep up the good work!
At least 4, maybe 6. Combining long articles with outakes and other shorter posts. Also, I like when those articles reborn from months or years ago have a little notice explaining that they are a repost.
I personally like 5 post daily. The featured long CC first thing in the morning, another CC, Classic CC, or CC Capsule as the 4th post of the day, and then shorter Outtakes, etc. for the other 3 posts. This doesn’t include CC Clues obviously. This creates enough variety of content to please most everybody without overdoing it and moving earlier articles from that day and the previous day too low on the home page.
One suggestion regardless of the number of posts: could we possibly schedule the first post of the day an hour earlier than current? 4am Pacific time translates to 7am Eastern time, which on many days I’m already out the door by. It would be nice to be able to read the first post of the day over my morning coffee 🙂
I like Brendan’s point about not moving articles down (and off of) the home page too quickly. I will add to that that I usually monitor what’s been posted here via RSS instead of browsing to the home page. I presume that I’m not alone in that regard. It seems that new comments to a post start to tail off once an article has dropped off of the RSS feed list.
The RSS feed for CC only shows the most recent 7 articles in the list. If you post more than 7 articles (of any kind) in a day, the oldest one will drop off the list before the end of the day. That means that people who use RSS but only check their feeds once per day will completely miss items that were posted early in the day if you post more than 7 articles in that day.
Yes, we’re going to schedule the first CC for 1AM Pacific/4AM East Coast time.
As many as you want to do. I enjoy reading what is posted, and I know that there is little monetary reward for what you are doing. Keep the quality up!
I second that emotion.
I think that there are too many posts per day currently. Not a major deal, but I am spending more time to keep up than I did a year ago. I personally would prefer about 3 posts per day, one in-depth article and a couple of re-runs and out-takes. The main thing, I would agree, is quality over quantity.
From my
Obsessive-Compulsive-Disorderuh I mean car-loving persepctive, I like to read everything that’s posted in depth. I love learning from all the knowledge/opinions that the other writers/readers have. Often recently there have been more posts than I can give my full attention to. This could be a negative, but I think it’s a positive as the variety is such that CC is covering a wonderfully-broad range of cars from all seven continents and the honorary eighth continent, New Zealand (hey, we think we’re big!).Some thoughts:
* Reducing the number of posts could potentially reduce the number of slots available for contributors.
* Posts being posted on the hour (but not necessarily every hour) is good.
* The actual time they’re posted doesn’t matter to me as here in the eighth continent we’re asleep when a lot of the rest of the world is awake.
* The organic way CC has grown, and the ebbs and flows in the number and types of posts, is part of the attraction of CC for me. It reinforces that this site isn’t a tightly-structured “you must have ‘x’ number of posts” site, but a place that’s by enthusiasts for enthusiasts.
Hey, at least you have followers! I think I have 8 people reading my blog (7 not counting me) 🙂 Welcome to BillHaven
more. more more more moooorrrrreeeeeeeee
I like 4, that’s enough to check on breaks but not so much that I feel rushed or that I’m falling behind.
Another one of my favourite sites is Tom Yang’s Ferrari Restoration site, and he can go weeks without an update but I’ll keep checking because the content is so interesting.
Also, I’ll mention again it’s a major concern to avoid PN burnout because if it becomes un-fun for him then we all lose.
Since I`m new to CC, I generally see the same names every time I look at the daily offerings.Some people-including myself seem to have too much time on their hands.
no. post when something is worth posting. doesn’t matter if it’s once a day, or 12 times a day.
2-4 new posts per day is probably adequate. I think the reruns are good and you should continue with them daily. Too many stories IMO can dilute the impact.
I am at a disadvantage when it comes to the newer classics and they don’t interest me the way the old ones do. Of course this is from the guy who thought a biturbo Maserati was a chrysler. One thing I am sure of, however. Your decision will be the right one and I will still be here clicking away.
Averaged out? I’d go around 3.5 per day.
Often wrong, never in doubt.
Quality > quantity. You guys have done a pretty good job of maintaining that balance. Id rather read fewer write-ups and actually LEARN a little something about a car, rather than have more entries that say lookie, sage green paint and wheelcovers from a ’76 on a ’79.
By the way, I submitted COAL #2 on my ’84 Power Ram a month or so back, so that one should be in the can…or did it get lost?
3-6 seems like a good range, but I agree that continuing to post good stuff is much more important that worrying about a specific number every day.
As a 3rd shifter, I’d like to vote with the non North American folks that an occasional overnight piece would be nice.
You’ve got a working formula, and it’s working just fine. There’s really no need to change the concept. Rather, I think the challenge is to maintain that level of quality and depth. I’ve said it before, I’m simply amazed you’ve been able to maintain this level for this long. And doing it with such good spirit. To me, the spirit is the most important thing, because that’s what keep people coming back. That good spirit is what makes people want to contribute and be a part of all this. The spirit is everything, the hows and whens may come as they fall.
There’s a sweet spot between merely blogging, and the type of in depth articles that Ate Up With Motor provides. The articles here are in depth enough to be interesting for people in the field. I think it’s important to keep the level higher than merely rehashing known knowledge. We’re car guys and girls here, we’ve heard it all before. Endlessly sometimes.
What this site does is providing new knowledge and forgotten knowledge and insights and perspectives that are actually a benefit for people in the field. And the sweet spot is between that and Aaron Severson, because there’s simply too much work in those to maintain a steady trickle for so long. Keep it high, but not so high that it becomes a burden to maintain and provide. There’s a sweet spot there, and CC has been able of being there for very very long. As long as we can keep it there, I’m happy…
If this is housekeeping, I’d like the archives updated continuously. The archives section is my Wikipedia, I go there very often to browse specific topics. The more it can be updated, the better. Perhaps every month at least, so the backlog won’t build up? Or at least twice a year.
I think about four per day, at least one of which is a 2 year old or so repeat. This isn’t a news site; it’s a discussion and entertainment site. I am concerned that the demand to churn out too many posts per day will dilute the quality of posts by burning up material and writers. I don’t want to see ‘Automotive news/ Union Bashing/ Automotive Political news because material is needed. I like cars.
Ideally, I like to have a post to read in the morning, one mid-afternoon for my break, and one evening to muse over. A fourth is just gravy….and there are lots of old cars worthy of more than a single look.
Hint: I’d love to see an article or a series on the ecstasy and agony of Lancia ownership.
I think the rate at which things have been moving lately is a good one–definitely doesn’t need to be any higher. I, too, am one of those web OCD types who likes to read every article, and every post on each one of those that I comment on, so maybe I create extra time needed for myself, but… Ideal in my mind might be an in-depth CC or COAL first thing in the morning and sometime in the afternoon, and a couple of capsules or similar interspersed throughout. Plus perhaps one CC classic per day for those of us who haven’t been around since the beginning (or just want to revisit a popular topic!)
Really though, it could be fewer or more, the main point is the quality of the articles and the quality of the comments, and both are very high. We have a wealth of personal experience here, and enough opinions to fight several wars, but things for the most part stay civil, apolitical, and the atmosphere is very friendly and welcoming. That can’t be said for so much of the web…keep up the great work!
I agree with the comments about quality over quantity and that you shouldn’t feel pressured to churn them out — it should be fun for you guys. That was a great point about CC being an entertainment site and not a news site.
When I’m busy like the last few weeks if there are too many, especially if they’re about my favorite cars, I feel they are wasted on me and guilty I can’t read or comment on them! I think 2-3 new ones a day is plenty. The Classics are fine.
I think I’d prefer fewer posts, but maybe not for the reasons cited so far. I often enjoy the comments as much as the posts, but the quality of the comments seems to go down as the number of posts go up. And often I can’t participate in the commentary until late in the day…by then, few others are checking in; they’ve all moved on to the newer posts. I’d like to see the posts and discussion last longer.
4 to 6 seems right. Rarely more, occasionally fewer if one post is particularly in depth or interesting, so it doesn’t overshadow that day’s other posts. Really, as long as the quality stays up and we don’t do too much navel gazing I’m happy.
Oh, and Paul, thanks for asking. That attitude part of what makes CC work well.
Whatever you feel comfortable doing. You don’t want to get tied down to a quota…that’s can lead to a feeling of being obligated to do it…a chore that’s not worth the reward. A few weeks ago you said you were considering selling the site. I think everybody here wants to never hear that again, and if you need to let up to recharge, then so be it…for the good of CC, I say.
6 a day seems optimal. If you can, please increase the number of posts available on your RSS feed to, say 20 posts. At present, it seems to be limited to 7.
I’d say that 4 a day is enough. It’s not a race. Too many posts means that interesting and in-depth articles are too old too soon. They’re at the bottom of the front page the very same day and on the second page the next day.
And what C says above: thank’s for asking.
High-quality articles and comments around here. By the way, there’s a whole bunch of commenters here who should write an article or story given their knowledge, skills and first-hand experience. Go ahead, it’s fun to do !
I’ll agree with quantity over quality. One of my other favorite car blogs is Ate Up With Motor. I’m glad that the author, Aaron Severson, is also a frequent commenter here!
Aaron writes well-researched, deep explorations of significant cars of the past. Because his articles are so in-depth, there are only 8-10 new posts a YEAR. Still, I check the website frequently, looking for new material. Then, I devour it voraciously!
Please do not get caught into a quantity trap. Even if there’s only one new post per day, I know it’s because you only had ONE good article to post.
Oh, and I’ve just submitted an article to the site. I hope it’s good enough to post!
As a newcomer to CC, I’m overjoyed with the site as it is. Often I don’t read everything, but I need time off now and then!
Just one problem – when you rerun an old feature, can it somehow be marked a bit more prominently that it’s a rerun? Sometimes I’ve found myself responding to a conversation that’s three years old!
Yeah, I’ve done that too.
If there’s a “Classic” as the first word in the title, it’s a re-run. That’s how we do it.
Paul, I think this is what can confuse people…i.e., the word “classic” is everywhere on the site, so one can easily overlook it in this context. Not sure what would be better, perhaps leading with “CC Rerun” or something like that?
And often folks get e-mail notifications when someone replies to a comment, even years later. Some old threads come alive again.
dont cut down on anything. I eat up whatever gets posted, and only wait a few hours so that most of the comments get read by me as well.
6 or more posts a day is ideal if there are plenty of cars spotted and written up by someone.
Its my favorite site and has been since Paul started it. Thank you. Love it. keep up all the great work. SO GRATEFUL and happy that you found a way to work it into your schedule even with whatever building or projects at home you have to attend to / each and every contributer and commenter adds a unique perspective and share your memories of these cars we were touched by growing up and yet still.
yes i’d vote for as billy idol would say more, more, more. thats how i like it.
I think I have been posting less in recent months for three reasons:
(1) I’m extremely busy at work – the workload has definitely ramped up;
(2) I’ve found less content that interests me;
(3) When I do get home, I have things to do, and the last thing I want to do is look at another computer screen!
Or maybe I’m just getting older and my stupid commute is taking its toll…
For that matter, I split my time between only two sites: Curbside Classic and TTAC. No time or interest in more. These two are the best, hands-down.
As usual, I didn’t address the main subject:
4 posts a day is about all I have time to check out for the reasons above, and perhaps one I’ll comment on.
Sorry I overlooked that little item!
I find that I can’t read every post every day – I don’t have time. So whatever you do, don’t increase the number of posts a day — because I hate to miss anything!
I like more “meat and potatoes”, which means pieces that are well-written with plenty of visual references.
I’m not fond of the shorter, bloggier posts that don’t really offer much.
I’d prefer one or two, maybe one “meaty” and another light. It seems that often discussions in the comments get buried too quickly. It would be nice for some discussions to go on longer.
But if things don’t change it will still remain one of my favorite sites. What you are doing seems to be working. Seems like there’s a little bit of something for everyone, and that’s OK.
Put me in the “QUALITY versus QUANTITY” camp. I completely understand how there may be times when there is only “X” amount to be posted and that there are times when “Y” amount can be posted.
BTW, I read almost all the comments on here and they can be as enlightening AND entertaining (?)as the posts.
I second that, on the comments. The comments are half the fun with this site. Very knowledgeble people, very well informed. And as said, it’s fun discussing on such a high level with none of the usual internet drama. I blame that on Pauls ex-hippie persona, but as I’ve said many times before, he just has that ability to keep a very good and friendly spirit. And people see that, and people want to maintain that, and above all, people want to be a part of that.
+1 on comment quality.
I don’t know how CC has managed to avoid the Attack Of The Trolls that’s rampant elsewhere. The graciousness of the host is certainly a major factor. Maybe that’s all it really takes.
Positive reinforcement. There’s a sense of tone and appropriate-ness. I mean, that kind of spirit is intrinsically self supportive. When people get the vibe, they understand to behave accordingly. And if there’s anything happening, other commentators moderate. There’s just a good community vibe going on, and when people see something good, they jump on it…
Would like to see blogs that cover more Contemporary car designs (i.e.: Ford Escape; new MINI; Jeep Cherokee (XJ series); Audi A4; Chrysler PT Cruiser). These have been around for awhile and have developed their own legacy.
Four. Two good-sized CCs, one outtake or cohort article, and one more- maybe a rerun. That would not include a CC Clue at the end of the day.
Seriously, I try to consume everything here. There have been some post-heavy days in the last few weeks where I just have to skip something, usually a Brougham.
The main thing is that we don’t want Paul and Perry to burn out. This is the only website I read every day, and wherever your comfort zone lies works for me.
Oh, and I do appreciate your asking.
Another vote for whatever works best for the editor and his contributors. I’m not able to really read and appreciate and comment on everything I’d like to read here, so my cup overfloweth.
As someone who works in the content creation business — and who therefore understands how much work goes into an endeavor like this — I’m astounded at the both the quantity and quality. I don’t think any of your readers want you to think we need more, more more, especially if it turns the work into a daily grind.
Have fun. Avoid burnout. Thanks for all you do.
I like 3-4. My problem is that I like to read everything and keep up on comments but it has become impossible lately. Of course, fewer posts and more comments makes for the same problem.
However, if there is a lot of new content coming, I would hate to see it throttled to where a new piece gets scheduled 3 months out. A balance. And another vote for quality over quantity.
However, if there is a lot of new content coming, I would hate to see it throttled to where a new piece gets scheduled 3 months out.
That’s very unlikely to happen. If we have fresh content coming in, we generally give it priority, and it means we have less to do to fill the schedule. 🙂
And I am going to target 4 posts; that might vacillate a bit, but it’ll be closer to that than not.
Like NZSkyliner, JPC, and I’m sure many others here, I like to read the posts and comments thoroughly, which, sadly, is not always possible. This site is such a smorgasbord of content that I feel it’s physically impossible to keep up with everything, even if the number of posts is reduced, because comments would still be time-sinks. The best (worst?) part is that the average article and comment quality here is so damned high that I feel compelled to read everything, often feeling difficulty in wrenching myself away from the screen!
In short, quantity here is sufficient, and provided quality does not suffer (which it apparently isn’t—new writers are just as good as the old favourites), it shouldn’t be throttled. Even if I miss (a lot) of articles now and then, catching up is what re-runs are for! Even the current rate is too much for me to keep up with…
I read/ look at CC every day and first! Three to four a day is fine. PN’s posts are great, especially todays re: the Sattelite Sebring Plus. the writing and pictures and ephemera are great!
Three a day is about right. Maybe label the reposts as reposts. People that have an interest in a particular model can find the threads. Looking for information on a particular model is how I found CC.
Since 42 is the answer, must be 6 a day.
On a more serious note, content and time available to write a quality piece are the most important factor.
I think it depends on 2 things 1 what interests you and the amount of time you and 2 how much time you can spend here at the site
Whatever is put up is good to me. I see no apparent changes in quality with changes in the number of articles. A balance seems like the best option. While quality is a high priority, I would not want to see a new article that has many topics relevant to the time being (Old GM articles with new GM recall references, unintended acceleration article, etc.) scheduled months after the spectacle has cleared from everyone’s heads. As such, I will echo these thoughts from our very own Jim Cavanaugh:
“However, if there is a lot of new content coming, I would hate to see it throttled to where a new piece gets scheduled 3 months out. A balance. And another vote for quality over quantity.”
Content comes faster than I can keep up. No complaints about sufficient content from me.
I check-in once every couple days, so sometimes I feel like I can’t keep up with the volume of posts. Not a big deal, but I’d probably comment more often if the post wasn’t already falling off the front page.
About 2-3 a day along with a CCC is more then enough. The main thing is to avoid burn out. If a day is busy and life is priority, just post a CCC or nothing until you don’t feel obligated to keep up a schedule or goal. Been following since 2010, was with you on CC opening day. And I find as long as I don’t post about putting VW engines in Corvairs my comments even don’t get deleted. The guest writers and regular contributors have done a great job maintaining high quality and still allow you to maintain your rentals and have a life. Thanks for keeping the site alive and take a break when you need it. The archives will keep me busy for a long time regardless if news posts arrive everyday or not.
I used to subscribe to around five “classic/old car” magazines, some of which don’t exist anymore. I’m down to two, Hemming’s Classic Car and Collectible Automobile. Until I found this site, I used to really look forward to the mags showing up in the mailbox. While I still do, this site is so dynamic and content rich that I sometimes find the mags a little thin by comparison. You can come here and find something new every day. So I’m fine with four postings or so a day – that is great. Given the interesting comments, I also sometimes spend as much time reading those as the post.
I’ve posted a fair number of pictures of some my old toys and models and would appreciate a follow-up to the idea of covering this topic in a post or two, something Dennis Doty does for CA. Paul, I think you just mentioned potentially covering tin toys, a really rich area for research and discussion.
I also want to thank so many of the younger writers here – Perry, Brendan, Laurence (though he appears to be kind of an old soul in his taste in cars:-), Keith, et al, for the perspectives of their generations. Although I don’t always care for some of the cars they enthuse about, that’s in good part because we tend to feel a fondness for cars we grew up with (no matter how bad some of them actually were!). And it’s great to have the cross-generational, research- vs. experience-based discussion generated by their postings about older cars. All fun and interesting.
Finally, Paul, thanks and congratulations for keeping this community of common interests so friendly. There are few blog/discussion forums on the internet where both posters and commenters do not seek to antagonize, insult, or condescend to one another. In the event of an occasional controversy, it’s often just a case of excessive brand partisanship and usually a lot of fun;-). Keep up the good work.
I would say 3-4. This is enough to keep things fresh, without newer posts dropping back too far before readers can contribute comments. I also worry about author burnout, or that we’ll eventually run through every CC too soon and end up with articles debating grille texture differences between the ’77 and ’78 Caprice 😉
One thing I forgot to add is that personally, I like the variety day by day. USUALLY its a good mashup: muscle car, euro car, brougham, shitbox 80s compact, pickup in one day. A-ok with me. Granted, my tastes would be about 75% Mopars, obscure and legendary but of course that’s unrealistic and not in CC spirit. A week of whatever theme is good, but Ive occasionally seen a day or two where all entries were duds for me. But Im sure we’ve ALL experienced that. Opinions being like A-holes and all….
Late to the party, but I will weigh in.
Three to four posts daily is plenty, especially if more than one is meaty. My goal of one post per week is difficult enough at times, so I know creating posts more frequently is going to be challenging (and tiring) especially with the research involved and then responding to various emails, submissions, proofreading, and other eruptions.
There is enough older content where it would be possible to do only two per day with a meatier re-run. I also seem to notice the hopper tends to be more full in the winter than in the summer; perhaps treating content like television could work with more new in the winter and more re-runs in the summer.
Like others have said, quality over quantity.
I set myself the goal of writing one post per week too, it’s not worked out so well so far this year! I have a dozen partially completed sitting on the ol’ laptop, but life keeps getting in the way…
That sounds so familiar! With the continual interruptions I experience, I discovered the “number of edits” portion on the right side of each draft resets itself after 50.
FWIW, that’s a bit of a recipe for…non completion. I always finish a post once I start it, with rare exception, and those inevitably languish then forever. Going back to something started months ago is very difficult and unappealing. When an impulse to write something arises, it should be satisfied, one way or another.
Better to limit the size and scope of your post, and just power through, otherwise it’s likely to never get done. 🙁
If big and ambitious posts are too much, try a short one. 🙂
Good advice, thanks Paul 🙂