Beantin

Swedish blogging statistics

In November 2009, the World Internet Institute released their yearly report (in Swedish) about Swedish internet use. It covers a wide spectrum of internet use, from file-sharing through to communities, and of course - blogs.

Swedish Blogging

In the section entitled “Communication with blogs and communities” (Kommunikation med bloggar och communities) the report says that in 2009, 5% of the Swedish population (over the age of 16) are active bloggers (and just as many have at some point write a blog but aren’t currently active). Additionally, blogging is not an Internet activity that is evenly spread across the population. The most active age group is 16-25 year olds, and even more active are females within that age group.

Reading of blogs

37% of the population read blogs. 60% within the 16-25 age group. So even though a relatively small percentage are actively producing blog content, a much broader audience read (and respond) to that content. The most active group, women between 16-25, contains 39% who write or have written a blog, and 69% who read blogs. As a communication channel to that age group, blogs have an undeniable reach.

What do Swedes blog about?

The vast majority of blogs are about people’s daily lives - 64%. 26% of Swedish blogs have a specific theme, such as a hobby, photography, music, etc. A smaller percentage of blogs, 6%, are work related. Political blogs, or more specifically blogs where people express their opinions about current affairs or recent topics, similarly account for 6% of blogs.

Doubled in two years

Compared with the 2007 WII report, the percentage of the population blogging has doubled (from 3% to 6%). Whilst this percentage is still only small, blogs in Sweden hold an increasingly important position as a communication medium.

Buying online - a survey of Swedish consumers

The Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket) has published a report (in Swedish) into the experiences and attitudes of Swedish consumers with regard to using the Internet as part of their information gathering process for products and services.

“The development of the Internet has led to new possibilities for consumers. With help of the Internet it is possible to search for information about products and services, compare prices, and in a whole new way explore a range of offerings not limited to local shops”

Sweden is the second most connected country in the world. Scandinavia is often at the forefront of online-innovation. With that in mind, this report could signal future trends for many other countries.

The report shows how searching for information via search engines is the most important activity in online consumer behaviour - the information they are looking for isn’t always the manufacturer’s or service provider’s website.

During February and March 2009, 1500 random Swedes, both men and women, in the age group 18-85 were interviewed by telephone. The report contains a huge amount of fascinating information, but below follows a summary of some of the findings.

More than 50% of consumers use the Internet weekly, or even more frequently, for finding information regarding products or services.

two-thirds of respondents had the card of bank-services that were required for purchasing online.

28% said they didn’t know how Internet-shopping worked. A third also gave that as a reason for not purchasing online. Of the 28% who never searched online, 76% were over 60 years old.

two-thirds of respondents claimed that convenience was a major reason for purchasing online. Almost as many said that speed or delivery, price and broad selection were major reasons.

11% had difficulty sometimes seeing or reading what was published on websites.

90% of respondents had used a search engine to find information about products and services. This was the most common answer. The next most common search method, with 73%, was to visit the online store or company directly.

85% were searching for prices. 80% product specifications. 52% searched for reviews from someone who had used the product.

Of those who had made an online purchase, 46% had done so at some point from a non-Swedish company’s website.