A JupiterResearch study sponsored by BuzzLogic, a social media analysis company and ad network, found that half of blog readers (defined as consumers who have read a blog in the past 12 months) find blogs useful for purchase information. Of those readers, 56 percent said that blogs with niche focus and topical expertise were “key sources.” The top categories that those readers founder were useful for purchase information include technology at 31 percent, media and entertainment at 15 percent, games/toys and/or sporting goods at 14 percent, travel at 12 percent, automotive at 11 percent, and health at 10 percent.
The study also found that same percentage of frequent blog readers (defined as consumers who read blogs more than once per month) said that they trusted blog advertising as paid search advertising. The percentage, 25, was six points higher that their trust of advertising on social networking sites. The study also found that 40 percent of blog readers and 50 percent of frequent blog readers had taken an action as the result of viewing an advertisement on an blog.