Bloggers who offer quality or clarity are most appealing to blog readers, according to the findings from a new blog readership study.
Of the readers polled, 51.5% said the quality of blog writing helps them determine which blogs are credible and high quality. But these same respondents were equally divided on the key determinants for choosing which blogs they read regularly - 43.9% opting for quality of writing, and 43.6% for topical focus.
Nearly forty per cent believe that an author’s reputation drives perceived credibility. Frequency of posting and site design also drive what is perceived as a high quality blog.
The study, conducted by online market research service Vizu Answers and Advertising Age, also found that 32.5% of blog readers read for education and information, and 12.3% for work. A huge 65.7% read for entertainment, and 42.5% for personal interest and hobbies. The majority of people who read blogs for professional purposes use them as tools to track information, while 27.3% use blogs to track trends.
Meanwhile, keeping all these info-hungry blog readers happy is busy work - bloggers rack up 1.6 million posts per day. Technorati says it’s tracking more than 70 million blogs, with more than 175,000 new blogs arriving on the scene every day.
Demand is clearly fuelling this frenzy. Just over 30 per cent of blog readers read more than three blogs regularly, and of the blogs they read most often, 68.3% said they read them daily.
So how do you get on a reader’s daily radar?
When asked how they find the blogs they read, 67.3% follow links from other blogs. And, not surprisingly, recommendations on blogs (22.9%) are ranked higher than finding links on search engines (19.6%).
So the message for bloggers is clear: offer quality writing, or make your point clearly. Do both and your readers will be in blog heaven!
Source: www.MediaPost.com
