ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an empirical analysis of weblogs from a methodological perspective that demonstrates empirical advances in this research area. It presents a brief history of Weblogs and a summary of prior research. The chapter reviews variable definitions and data collection procedures. It discusses the implications of research findings. Owing to the large number of Weblogs in sample and the persistent use of certain technological features in some of these Weblogs, accounting for individual blog-specific effects through traditional dummy-variable regression is infeasible. By developing and testing a random effects model that accounts for mutual influences between blog visits and comments, we show that blogger visitor interactions play an important role in affecting blog popularity. A blog consists of multiple entries that are typically organized in reverse chronological order. It also differs from online communities such as discussion forums in that their exposition and content are primarily governed by the people who contribute content to them the bloggers.
