Impact of blog design features on blogging satisfaction

an impression management perspective

Wee-Kek Tan

Hock-Hai Teo

pp. 130-139

in: A. Ant Ozok, Panayiotis Zaphiris (eds), Online communities and social computing, Berlin, Springer, 2011

Abstract

Trends observed among bloggers worldwide suggest that self-presentation is a main motivation to blog and a greater majority of bloggers do so with the aid of third party hosting services and tools. Thus, providing tools that are designed to meet the usability requirement of bloggers with respect to self-presentation may increase blogging satisfaction. Grounded on the theory of impression management, we propose that a blogger actively engages in impression management with content, functional and aesthetic blog design features. This can lead the blogger to obtain a perceived confirmation from the readers of his or her identity, i.e., perceived identity verification. Perceived identity verification may heighten blogging satisfaction since it helps the blogger to achieve the goal of self-presentation. Results obtained from an online survey, which was preceded by a focus group discussion, provide support for our conjecture. Theoretical and practical implications are also discussed.