Why blogs? - An exploratory study on blog reading among young women in Sweden

Abstract: Purpose: To explore why and how young women in Sweden are reading blogs. Background: Consumers are turning away from the traditional elements of the promotion mix; in particular, they are reducing their reliance on advertising. User-generated social media is on the rise, and interactivity inherit in blogs allows a high level of connectedness with the customer. Moreover, blogs are extending the word-of-mouth, and consumers in Sweden are increasingly turning to blogs before making a purchase. Reading blogs has become a popular activity among young women in Sweden. Nevertheless, no study has been carried out so far to explore why and how young women in Sweden are reading blogs. Methodology: A qualitative research design was chosen to reach the purpose of the study. To collect primary data semi-structured interviews were undertaken. Secondary data was collected from academic literature studies and online reports. Main findings: It was discovered that young women in Sweden are reading blogs because of following reasons: personal interest in the topic; seeking inspiration and knowledge; personality of the blogger; seeking information; seeking opinions and recommendations; affiliation; personal fulfillment; complement to traditional media and books; presentation of the blog; and specific features of the blog. The respondents reported reading blogs on many topics, but the two most popular categories were fashion blogs and friends' blogs. Mostly, they were reading several blogs every day or several times a week.