Blog - Derived from "web log" is an online journal for posting diary entries or sharing of personal experiences and thoughts. In the recent years, blogging has became increasingly popular in Singapore.
It was reported in The Straits Times (17 July 2007) that there were approximately 862,000 bloggers in Singapore. This means that on an average, almost one in five are bloggers.
So what are the profiles of the bloggers in Singapore? What caused the increasing trend of blogging in Singapore?
It seems that bloggers in Singapore are curious and adaptable. They are on constant look out for self-expression outlets and they socialise online through social media platforms. They like to receive information instantaneously. These digital natives value high levels of interactivity. They often distrust corporate marketing and demand open, honest interaction.
I reckon there are several reasons for blogging. Blogs tend to be a powerful platform for Word-of-Mouth marketing. Blogs reach to the web-savvy and largely young audiences. The digital natives can gain 'street credibility' through blogs by having various independent voices championing their cause. Moreover blogging is instantaneous, immediate and most importantly low cost or no cost.
Though blogging is an excellent platform for self-expression and a good information source, we must still exercise caution towards blogs. We must set our expectations right and not to bet the house on the information presented in the blogs. This is because everyone and anyone can be 'journalists' online. Thus, credibility is an issue.
Reference : The Straits Times 17 July 2007, 'Digital Life'.
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