It’s official. Americans love blogs. According to a new Synovate/Marketing Daily survey out today, 8 out of 10 Americans know what a blog is–and just about half of us have visited a blog.
This new study polled 1000 U.S. adults using Synovate eNation and took place between July 30, 2007 and August 1, 2007. The survey’s results prove that blogging has now officially entered the mainstream.
Not only do Americans know what blogs are and have visited a blog in the past, blog loyalty is strong–46 percent of those who read blogs said that they visit the same blogs on a regular basis–versus 54 percent who surf the internet for new and different blogs.
What’s interesting to note, also, is that the awareness and usage of blogs, (along with people who have their own blog) “strongly correlates to age, with younger people being much more active. About 90 percent of people aged 25-34 know what a blog is. Only 65 percent of those aged 65 or over know what a blog is. Further more, 78 percent of the respondents aged 18 to 24 who are aware of blogs said that they have visited a blog, compared to only 45 percent of older Americans.
More Women are Bloggers
According to the results of the survey, more women than men are bloggers. 20 percent of American women who have visited blogs have their own blog. 14 percent of American men who have visited blogs have their own blog.
Blog Popularity
Over the years, as blogs have become more popular, the frequency with which blogs are being read is growing. According to Synovate, “Though the majority of blog readers (39%) view them less than once a month, another 28% visit them monthly, 15% visit them daily and 5% read them several times a day.”
Blogs as a Marketing Tool
As blogs have continued to grow and more and more people are using them, visiting them, and reading them, the atractiveness of blogs as a marketing tool is rising. The survey results show that 43 percent of blog visitors indicated that they have seen ads on blog. This has been steadily rising, 61 percent among those aged 18 to 24 have said that they notice ads on blogs. “Almost one-third of consumers have clicked on an ad while reading a blog”, according to the survey results.
Blogs Not Replacing Other Media
Apparently blogs are not replacing other media, though. Only thirteen percent of those who read blogs on a regular basis say that they spend less time with other forms of media (newspapers, television, radio) since they’ve started reading blogs.
“Because anyone can start one anytime, blogs are not necessarily seen as legitimate information sources despite the fact that some bloggers are experts in their area,” said Mularz. “However, as their prominence and influence continues to rise, this could certainly change.”
When asked about the types of information they get from blogs, sixty five percent of survey respondents said that they get opinions from blogs–39 percent get news and 38 percent get entertainment from blogs that they read. About one third read gossip on blogs. Only 2 percent use blogs to keep up with news about their family members and their friends.
Why Do We Read Blogs?
According to the blog survey, half of read blogs because it’s entertaining. 26 percent read them to find out more about our hobbies or other topics we’re interested in. But only 15 percent say that we read blogs for the news–which means that other forms of media are still popular for news.
Why Don’t We Read Blogs?
Of the survey respondents to said that they have never read a blog, the biggest reason was that they’re “just not interested”. 15 percent reported that they just don’t care about the ideas and opinions of bloggers.
Synovate, the company that performed the survey, is the market research arm of Aegis Group plc. Synovate generates consumer insights that drive competitive marketing solutions. The network provides clients with cohesive global support and a comprehensive suite of research solutions. Synovate employs over 5,700 staff in 118 cities across 52 countries.
