Pew Internet & American Life Project today published its latest blogging report called Bloggers: A portrait of the internet’s new storytellers.

In sum, the report says:

The ease and appeal of blogging is inspiring a new group of writers and creators to share their voices with the world.

A national phone survey of bloggers finds that most are focused on describing their personal experiences to a relatively small audience of readers and that only a small proportion focus their coverage on politics, media, government, or technology.

Blogs, the survey finds, are as individual as the people who keep them. However, most bloggers are primarily interested in creative, personal expression – documenting individual experiences, sharing practical knowledge, or just keeping in touch with friends and family.

Some of the findings that ContentRobot found interesting were:

  • 8% of internet users, or about 12 million American adults, keep a blog.
  • 39% of internet users, or about 57 million American adults, read blogs – a significant increase since the fall of 2005 (up from 17% from a Fall 2004 report).
  • The most distinguishing characteristic of bloggers is their youth. More than half (54%) of bloggers are under the age of 30.
  • The majority of bloggers cite an interest in sharing stories and expressing creativity. Just half say they are trying to influence the way other people think.
  • 79% of bloggers have a broadband connection at home, compared with 62% of all internet users. This high-speed access translates into heavy media consumption and creation.
  • Bloggers are among the most enthusiastic communicators of the modern age, taking advantage of nearly every opportunity to communicate.
  • 78% of bloggers say they send or receive instant messages. By comparison, 38% of all internet users send and receive instant messages.
  • Bloggers also like to create and share what they make. Forty-four percent of bloggers have taken material they find online – like songs, text, or images – and remixed it into their own artistic creation. By comparison, just 18% of all internet users have done this.
  • A whopping 77% of bloggers have shared something online that they created themselves, like their own artwork, photos, stories, or videos. By comparison, 26% of internet users have done this.
  • Bloggers are likely to have the gadgets to support their online proclivities for social interaction and creativity.
    1. 89% of bloggers have used a cell phone in the past month and 78% have used a digital camera during that time.
    2. 56% percent of bloggers have used a laptop computer equipped with a wireless modem in the past month.
    3. 47% have used an iPod or MP3 player.
  • Bloggers are also anxious to share what they know with others. Fully 64% of bloggers say that they blog to share practical knowledge or skills with others. Older bloggers (age 50-64) are the most likely group to say this is a reason to keep a blog.
  • More than six in ten bloggers (61%) say they blog to motivate other people to take action, and a similar percentage say they blog to entertain. Older, wealthier bloggers are more likely to list motivating others as a major reason to blog. Men are more likely than women (67% to 52%) to say that they blog to entertain people.
  • Another 60% of bloggers say they blog to keep in touch with family and friends. Women who blog and younger bloggers (age 18-29) are more likely than other groups to say that keeping in touch is a major reason for blogging.
  • About half of all bloggers say they blog to network or meet new people, and half say they blog to influence the way other people think.
  • The least common reason people blog is to make money. Only 15% of bloggers report this as a reason for their blog-keeping, and just 7% call making money a major reason. Bloggers over age 30 are more likely than younger bloggers to give making money as a reason to blog.

To read and download the entire PDF report, click here.