They Blog, We Believe

By DAWN TAY

AS FAR as the Singaporean social-media consumer is concerned, blogs are just as important as traditional forms of media like television, radio and newspapers.

In fact, Google’s “Blogger” system, which lets people create blogs for free, has shot up to fifth among the top 100 most-visited sites in Singapore.

In a recent study conducted by marketing agency OgilvyOne Asia Pacific, more than one in two Singaporeans said they trust blogs as much as newspapers or TV news bulletins.

Commenting on the findings, Ms Debbie Swee, a market analyst with information-technology research firm IDC, told my paper that bloggers here have some influence over their readers.

"Blogging is pretty established in Singapore, especially in the younger community. Singaporean bloggers tend to write what they feel, whereas Malaysian bloggers tend to write what they think,” she said.

It also helps that bloggers here are seen to have integrity. “Unlike in China, notable Singaporean bloggers, who have been paid by advertisers to talk about
products and services, usually publish disclaimers before they blog about a product,” Ms Swee said.

"Because of that, Singaporeans will take them at their word.”

The OgilvyOne study also found that consumers from Japan and South Korea tend to upload content via their mobile phones or download music from legal websites.

In contrast, analysts said the personal computer is still tops with Singaporeans when it comes to surfing the Internet.

"Mobile Internet subscription is perceived to be more expensive by consumers,” Ms Swee said.


Source: My Paper, February 17, 2009
Photo: ISTOCKPHOTO