Blogging and The Internet User
According to a report in The Baltimore Sun a study done
on a wide-range of bloggers revealed that only 5% used news
as their primary topic – a figure at odds with perceptions
that bloggers are remaking journalism.
Note: We Do Not Endorse Any Off These Offerings As A “GET RICH
SCHEME.” Or Instant Earnings
They quoted a study released July 19,2006 by the Pew
Research Center and American Life Project, reporting that 37% of
those surveyed cited their own life and experiences as
primary fodder for their blogs. Eleven percent of respondents said they blog regularly
about politics and government, 7% bogged about the
entertainment world and 6% about sports. The report also
revealed a lesser fraction on business, technology and
faith.
Pew survey, one of several conducted by an Arm of Pew
Research Center in the last few years, to determine citizen
involvement in cyberspace, estimated that 12 million
American adults or 8% of Internet users keep a blog.
About 39% of Web users in the United States, or 57
million adults read them. More than half of all bloggers, 54
% responded that they are under the age of 30, the survey
said. Fifty-four percent of the bloggers said they have
never been published anywhere other than on their own blogs,
while 44% percent said their work has been seen elsewhere.
Pew researchers called 233 bloggers between July of 2005
and February of 2006 and undertook additional,
larger-scale telephone surveys through April. These
follow-up surveys yielded a sample of 7,012 adults, which
included 4,753 Internet users, 8% of whom bloggers, the
margin of error was 6.7%. This information shows the open
opportunity for Internet marketers to use blogging as a
means of reaching potential clients and to make money
blogging.
Adoption of high-speed internet at home grew twice as
fast in the year prior to March 2006 than in the same time
frame from 2004 to 2005. Middle-income Americans accounted
for much of the increase.
Some 17% of online American adults have used the Internet
to sell things. That amounts to approximately 25 million
Americans. In addition, internet traffic data show that
visits to classified ad web sites has grown 80% in the past
year.
Almost everything imaginable is currently for sale or has
been for sale by individuals on various auction or
classified ad sites. Here are some examples. Tangible items like
plastic Christmas trees
,
collectible coins,
wedding dresses,
automobiles,
books, or CDs,
or share web space with a myriad of
intangibles including game profiles from games like
guild wars, and characters from
online games (sold for real money) and services including
everything from finding a French tutor, a personal trainer
or someone to clean your aquarium.
Demographically, online sellers have an “early adopter”
profile and they are relatively intense users of the
Internet. Over time, Internet users have become more likely
to note big improvements in their ability to shop and the
way they pursue their hobbies and interests. A majority of
Internet users also consistently report that the Internet
helps them to do their job and improves the way the get
information about health care.
While the share of Internet users who report positive
impacts has grown, the sheer size of the Internet population
also continues to increase. Surveys fielded in 2006 show
that Internet penetration among adults in the U.S. has hit
an all-time high. While the percentage of Americans who say
they use the Internet has continued to fluctuate slightly,
our latest survey, fielded February 15 - April 6, 2006 shows
that fully 73% of respondents (about 147 million adults) are
Internet users, up from 66% (about 133 million adults) in
our January 2005 survey. And the share of Americans who have
broadband connections at home has now reached 42% (about 84
million), up from 29%
(about 59 million) in January 2005.
In a report by Mary Madden and Lee Rainie of the Pew
Research Center in December 2003 analyzed the responses of
more than 64,000 Americans to phone surveys in the past
three years, showing that 63 percent of U.S. adults now are
online and many of them - especially those with several
years of online experience - have built Internet use into
their lives in practical ways. Mary Madden in her research
done in April 2006 reported that Internet penetration has
now reached 73% for all American adults. Internet users
noted big improvements in their ability to shop, pursue
hobbies and personal interests online.
This has been enhanced by the use of high-speed Internet
and the number of home computers. Which has grown twice as
fast in the year prior to March 2006 than in the same time
frame from 2004 to 2005. Middle-income Americans accounted
for much of the increase according to a report by Lee Rainie.
In a report by Deborah Fallows in December of 2005 men
continued to pursue many Internet activities more
intensively than women. At the same time, trend data show
that women are catching up in overall use and are framing
their online experience with a greater emphasis on deepening
connections with people. This goes along with the trend
affiliate programs are experiencing in the number of stay at
home moms, wives working from home and women desiring to
earn extra and full time incomes on the Internet from the
comfort of their homes.
Another interesting report by Susannah Fox and Mary
Madden done in January 2006 showed Internet users ages 12 to
28 years old have embraced the online applications that
enable communicative, creative, and social uses. Also in the
report users ages 29 to 69 years old are more likely than
internet users in other age groups to engage in online
activities that require some capital: travel reservations
and online banking. Susannah Fox also pointed out in her
April 2006 Older internet users may be easy targets for
viruses, spyware, and the like. While the younger Internet
users take more chances online, they also take more
precautions using
anti virus, spyware, and other program to
protect their computers.
This information is valuable to anyone marketing Internet
affiliate programs. Marketers needs to take into
consideration marketing materials pointing to their target
market.
John Horrigan and Katherine Murray did one more report I
want to share with you. February 2006, they reported
that in December 2005 24% of adults in rural Americans went
online at home with high-speed internet connections compared
with 39% of adults in urban and suburban areas. This is
something Internet marketers need to take into consideration
while building web sites as down load times will be effected
and target markets may be missed.
To Your Financial Success
Nancy Nikolauson
Splendid to Home
