How to Attract and Retain Readers in Enterprise Blogging?

40 Pages Posted: 28 May 2010 Last revised: 23 Oct 2014

See all articles by Param Vir Singh

Param Vir Singh

Carnegie Mellon University - David A. Tepper School of Business

Nachiketa Sahoo

Boston University - Questrom School of Business

Tridas Mukhopadhyay

Carnegie Mellon University - David A. Tepper School of Business

Date Written: May 28, 2010

Abstract

We investigate the dynamics of blog reading behavior of employees in an enterprise blogosphere. A dynamic model is developed and calibrated using longitudinal data from a Fortune 1000 IT services firm. We identify a variety-seeking behavior of blog readers where they frequently switch from reading on one set of topics to another dynamically. Our results indicate that this switching behavior is induced by the textual characteristics (sentiment and quality) of the posts read, reader characteristics (status, location, expertise), or a readers' inherent desire for variety. Our modeling framework allows us to segregate the impact of post-textual characteristics on attracting readers from retaining them. We find that the textual characteristics that appeal to the sentiment of the reader affect both reader attraction and retention. However, textual characteristics that reflect only the quality of the posts affect only reader retention. The modeling framework and findings of this study highlight opportunities for a firm to influence blog reading behavior of its employees to align it with its goals. We provide directions to improve the utility of blogs as a medium for knowledge sharing. Overall, the blog reading dynamics estimation of this study contributes to the development of theoretically grounded understanding of reading behavior of individuals in online settings and more specifically in communities formed around user generated content.

Keywords: Blogs, Employee Blogs, Enterprise 2.0, Blog Reading, Dynamic Models, User Generated Content, Latent Class Models, Hidden Markov Models, Regime Switching Models, Text mining

JEL Classification: D00, C22, C32

Suggested Citation

Singh, Param Vir and Sahoo, Nachiketa and Mukhopadhyay, Tridas, How to Attract and Retain Readers in Enterprise Blogging? (May 28, 2010). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1617405 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1617405

Param Vir Singh (Contact Author)

Carnegie Mellon University - David A. Tepper School of Business ( email )

5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
United States
412-268-3585 (Phone)

Nachiketa Sahoo

Boston University - Questrom School of Business ( email )

595 Commonwealth Avenue
Boston, MA MA 02215
United States

HOME PAGE: http://people.bu.edu/nachi/

Tridas Mukhopadhyay

Carnegie Mellon University - David A. Tepper School of Business ( email )

5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
United States
412-268-2307 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://web.gsia.cmu.edu/display_faculty.aspx?id=102

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