Burst Media surveyed 1,453 U.S. online adults aged 18 or older to learn how independent web audiences interact with and use social media, how blogs and bloggers influence purchase decisions, and the impact of socially enabled display advertising. One of the key findings was that Bloggers cast an influential net with their audiences. Of respondents who visit or read blogs, 2-in-3 (65.5%) say a brand mention or promotion within context of the blog influences their purchasing decisions.
Overall, more than one-half (57.0%) of respondents say they read blogs. Moms are slightly more active blog consumers than both other women who are not moms and men—61.3% versus 55.0% and 56.1% respectively.
Their study clearly found that blogs influence purchase behavior: two-thirds (65.5%) of respondents who visit or read blogs say their purchasing decisions are influenced if the author or contributor mentions or promotes a brand within the blog’s content. The numbers spike dramatically with respondents aged 18-34, as four-fifths of men and women (81.2% and 79.8%, respectively) say bloggers can be very or somewhat influential in shaping product or service purchasing decisions.
Among the older respondents, women are more likely than men to have purchasing decisions influenced by bloggers. Compared to 52.9% of 35-54 year-old men, two-thirds (65.8%) of women aged 35-54 are influenced by bloggers. The contrast is greater among respondents aged 55 or older: 43.6% of women versus 28.8% of men say their purchasing decisions are influenced by bloggers.
Not surprisingly, 3-in-4 (74.4%) moms who follow blogs say the mention or promotion of a brand within the context of blog influences their purchasing decisions.
Women are more social than men
Three-quarters (76.3%) of survey respondents visit social media such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and foursquare. Two-fifths (41.7%) are “highly active” social media users and visit social sites at least a few times per day.
Women overwhelmingly take the lead with social media use: one-half (49.0%) of female respondents visit social media sites at least a few times per day, versus one-third (34.0%) of men. Not surprisingly, younger respondents are more likely than older respondents to be frequent social media users—though women 35-54 years have social media habits more similar in men and women aged 18-34 than men aged 35-54. With a substantial difference of 23.6%, it’s the 35-54 years segment that has the largest gap between the genders when it comes to being active social media users.
Moms especially are frequent social media users: 3-in-5 (58.6%) visit social media properties at least a few times per day (14% say they are connected “all day”). By contrast, 42.7% of women who are not moms and 34.0% of men go social at least a few times per day.
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