BlogHer just released the fourth annual Social Media study, providing a definitive view of how women are using blogs, social networks and technology in 2011.  As with past studies, this analysis compares media usage patterns and purchasing influence among social media users.  It also explores the level of relevance and passion among different types of media, to help us understand user engagement.  Finally, we looked at various social, cultural and political issues to see which were of greatest concern to women, and how different types of media could empower and inform about those issues.

Everyone is An Early Adopter

We’re seeing a sharp increase in the speed of adoption of mobile apps, online coupon sites and mobile gaming.  Just like last year’s social media games (Zynga’s Farmville in particular) came out of nowhere to achieve enormous usage patterns, 2011’s hot app includes mobile games like “Angry Birds”. Women have an appetite for the latest gadgets and apps, especially if they all serve different needs (fun…useful…saves money).

Women Trust Blog Recommendations:

Women who read blogs routinely trust implicitly the advice and recommendations they receive, especially if it is from a blogger that they follow on a regular basis. We find this is true in every study conducted over the past four years and the effect never diminishes.  In this year’s Social Media study, 88% of the active blog readers in the total U.S. general population trust the information they get from familiar blogs. Asked why they have this level of trust, nearly half (48%) say it’s because they had made purchases in the past based on blog recommendations and were satisfied with the results. Over 50% of the active blog readers in the general U.S. online population have made a purchase based on a blog recommendation.  That number jumps to 80% in the BlogHer network community. The top categories where BlogHer users turn to Blogs for reviews include Food/Beverage (67%), Clothing/Shoes (67%) Movies (62%), and Cosmetics (59%).  In the general online population, the #1 vertical for Blog reviews is Consumer Electronics.

“How often do you trust the information and advice of blogs you are familiar with?”

Familiar Bloggers Are Preferred Over Celebrities

In order to gauge the relative effectiveness of various online ad formats, the 2011 Social Media study asked which type of ad content would entice readers to want to learn more about or purchase a particular product.  Sweepstakes topped the list (58%), not surprising in a struggling economy.  A special blog promotion or familiar blogger also came in at a higher level than an ad featuring a celebrity, adding additional confirmation to the elevated trust readers bestow upon blogs.  However, regardless of what usage patterns might show, there is not a wide range of preference for any ad format.  From static to video, they all rate about the same.

“What kinds of online advertising formats entice you to want to learn more or purchase a product?”

Passion and Purpose: What We Love vs. What We Do With Media

Past BlogHer social media studies have shown that we bucket different types of activities according to the content source. Among blog readers in the general population, blogs are preferred for variety of purposes, including finding out about new products, ideas or trends as well as help for making a purchase decision.  As always, Facebook is the go-to destination for entertainment and connecting with friends/family. For the second year in a row, Twitter did not score particularly high in the general population for any usage behavior.  Its acceptance as a valued tool for product information is much lower than blogs or social media, although it is still seems to be appreciated as an entertainment device for following celebrity tweets.

Blog Reader Preferences:

Across the media spectrum, there are varying degrees of passion and engagement. Social media translates into the highest engagement levels compared to other forms of traditional and online media.  Both usage and passion levels are high for blogs and Facebook.  Television and radio both show high use, but they are often on in the background