What’s a Blog? Most Americans Know

By John M Grohol PsyD

Well, of course we don’t have to tell you what a blog is, since you’re already reading one. But most Americans have also read a blog, and 8 out 10 claim to know what a blog is, according to a survey by research firm Synovate.

The research firm has a panel of 1,000 Americans it claims is representative of the general demographics of the American population. Given that the survey was conducted online, however, it does seem to suggest an online bias inherent in the survey’s design (not all Amercians are online, so how do you survey the disconnected population if your survey is only administered online?).

According to the survey, 8% of Americans (or, perhaps more accurately, 8% of Americans who are online) have their own blog. That’s nearly 1 in 10! Keep in mind that “having” your own blog (via MySpace or the like) and actually keeping it updated and active are two different things. Most blogs I’ve enjoyed most were small, personal blogs that have since stopped being updated.

Women outnumber men in writing their own blog, 3 to 2 (for every 3 women who write a blog, 2 men do), according to the survey.

You can read the full survey’s results here.

Dr. John Grohol is the CEO and founder of Psych Central. He has been writing about online behavior, mental health and psychology issues, and the intersection of technology and psychology since 1992.