Blogging practices in the German-speaking blogosphere

Abstract

This working paper presents findings from a large-scale survey (N=5,246) of the german-speaking blogosphere, focusing on the sociodemographic characteristics and motivations of active bloggers as well as on routines for presenting oneself, dealing with social relationships, and using the blogosphere as a source of information. In general, the majority of bloggers records episodes and events of their private lives, while keeping contact with other readers and authors through comments and (to a lesser extent) a blogroll. However, there are some significant differences among blogging practices: Routines of identity management differ significantly among bloggers of different age, while routines of relationship management and information management depend rather on the blog's age, pointing to the influence of experience with the new online format.