Research: One in three American bloggers writes specifically about health

Nearly half of all US bloggers have written about a health-related topic at least once, and three in five of those write primarily on the subject, according to new research by Envision Solutions, a healthcare marketing communications consultant. According to my math, that’s almost one in three bloggers that claim health topics as a niche for their blog.

A few interesting statistics to come out of the report:

  • Numbers: Over 13 million Americans wrote at least one health-related post in the seven months between February and August 2008.
  • Diversity: Nearly three in five health bloggers are female, and nearly two in five are either African-American or Hispanic.
  • Age: Half of all health bloggers are aged between 18 and 34.
  • Motivation: A third of those surveyed said that they blogged to educate others, while one in five did so primarily to market themselves or their services. 10% were trying to advance a cause, and 7% were using the blog as some kind of self-help for their medical condition.

There seemed to be an increase in the commercialization of blogs, with 46% of healthcare marketing professionals claiming to have been contacted by the PR company for a product or service, up from 29% in 2006, while over a third said they had placed ads on their site, up from just over a quarter two years ago.

When it comes to the credibility of bloggers, which is arguably more important in a field such as health than some other niches, four out of five bloggers said that a person’s background was more important than what advertising they had on their site. Three-quarters said that they believed other bloggers disclosed any conflicts of interest.

See Also
"Era-Specific Cooking"

Do you blog on a health-related subject? Are you a health professional or is it more of a hobby, or a subject you have some personal involvement with? How much trust would you put in those blogging about health, and how do you assess their credibility? Does it differ from someone blogging about technology, or cooking, or knitting, or… Share you thoughts below.

(Via Media Post’s Marketing Daily)

Picture of Andy Merrett

Andy Merrett

Andy Merrett is a London-based full-time blogger writing for several Shiny Media technology blogs and various other projects. Find him on Facebook and Twitter.

RECENT ARTICLES

TRENDING AROUND THE WEB

7 signs you’re in a relationship with someone who lacks emotional depth

7 signs you’re in a relationship with someone who lacks emotional depth

Baseline

10 personality traits of men who show true loyalty in a relationship

10 personality traits of men who show true loyalty in a relationship

Global English Editing

10 signs you’re giving way too much and your partner is taking advantage of it

10 signs you’re giving way too much and your partner is taking advantage of it

Small Business Bonfire

4 zodiac signs who are definitely on the right path in life

4 zodiac signs who are definitely on the right path in life

Baseline

7 clever ways to show a master manipulator you won’t play their games

7 clever ways to show a master manipulator you won’t play their games

Small Business Bonfire

10 subtle signs you are actually an extremely likable person

10 subtle signs you are actually an extremely likable person

Global English Editing