Modeling motivations for blogging: An expectancy theory analysis

Expectancy theory is applied to construct a conceptual framework and identify key factors that motivate bloggers to create and maintain a weblog. A questionnaire was distributed to 177 bloggers. Our research findings suggest that bloggers with high motivational rewards have the highest levels of blogging intention, and that a blogger with higher blogging intention is willing to invest more time in maintaining their blog and posts more articles on their blog. Pouring out feelings and regularly connecting with friends and acquaintances were the two most important motivational rewards. Unlike news reporters, intrinsic rewards are more important than extrinsic rewards for bloggers. For the bloggers studied here, blogging is a reliable tool to ensure that people they care about have an easy way of keeping in contact with them.