Weblogs (or blogs) allow people to publish and exchange information, and to establish blog networks and relationships, known as the “blogosphere.” The authors of this paper found that highly successful (that is, widely read and contributed to) weblogs exhibit a focused information content, use authoring tools to create and manage the content, and provide a distinct social value. The success (that is, popularity rank and growth) of a weblog largely depends on the value that it provides to its users or readers. By using blogging technology, weblog authors can reduce Web publication and communication effort, and spend more time on the content, which is what the readers want.

The authors purposely omitted nontechnology factors, such as reader’s satisfaction rating, potential market value, and the actual nature of the blog’s content, in order to focus on the effect of technology on weblog success. They suggest that future research should consider such factors as part of a multivariate analysis.