Research shows blogs more popular with LGBT community
According to a recent national survey conducted American research group Harris Interactive, gay and lesbian adults reading more blogs than their heterosexual counterparts.
In the recently conducted survey 51 percent of the gay and lesbian respondents reported reading some type of blog, compared to 36 percent of heterosexual adults.
A similar question on blog readership also was asked in November 2006, and at that time 32 percent of gay and lesbian adults reported reading blogs.
When asked to choose from a list of online activities, 27 percent of gay and lesbian adults reported posting a comment on a blog in the last month, compared to 13 percent of heterosexuals.
Also, more 21 percent gay and lesbian respondents said they had written a personal blog in the last month, compared to 7 percent of heterosexuals.
Social networking and online dating websites were also found to be more popular amongst the LGBT community. Over fifty percent of gay adult men online declare they are a member of a social networking web site, compared to 37 percent of heterosexual men.
Just over one-quarter of gay adult men reported visiting a dating or match-up site in the last month, compared to 9 percent of heterosexual male adults.
The rise in popularity of blogs and social networking sites is good news for advertisers who have been looking for new mediums after the decline in popularity of television.
The LGBT scene was changed forever after gay dating site Gaydar helped thousands of gay men get in contact with each other. The popularity of such sites has more recently transferred to the heterosexual community.
Websites such as Myspace and Facebook are now an important part of youth culture. There are over 200 mainstream social networking sites on the internet.
In July 2005 News Corporation bought MySpace, followed by ITV (UK) buying Friends Reunited in December 2005.
Facebook has over 69 million active users worldwide and has been valued as much as $8bn (£4bn.)
