The Dublin Sketchers use of blogging and social networking technologies

Marianne Hennessy 11271973

Introduction

• Dublin Sketchers (DS): ‘An informal amateur sketchers group set up to allow fellow artists to share ideas about their work and to meet new people.’

Introduction (continued)

• Group was set up in 2008 by Sarah O’Reilly• Started as a small group of friends, now grown

to over 400 members• Multicultural or migrant element• Regular meetings on Sundays: sketch from 2-

4pm, then meet for coffee

Their Blog:• http://dublinsketchers.blogspot.com/• Open access• Photos of sketches uploaded weekly• Information about next location is posted• Maintains an archive of drawings and a record

of group activities • Comments facility• Hosts members’ individual art blogs

Their Facebook Page:• Set up after the blog • Accessible to members using Facebook• Weekly meetings announced as status update• Photos of sketches uploaded on ad hoc basis• Cannot host members’ art blogs

Research Question

• With regard to the popularity of social-networking sites today, is the group’s use of Facebook impacting negatively upon their use of the blog?

• In comparison to the Facebook page, has the DS blog become less relevant to the group?

Methodology

• Case study using survey methods• Questionnaire: hard-copy and online formats• Online questionnaire distributed through

Facebook – excluded non-users of Facebook• 22 responses, 21 fully-completed• Whole population=400+ Sample pop=22• Not sure if sample population is large enough

to be representative

Results

Background Information:• 59% female; 68% age 21-29 or 30-39• 41% non-Irish members• 62% have been a member for one year or less• 33% have been a member for 3 or 4 years• 81% reported attending once a month or

more• 27% have professional drawing skills

Use of Blog vs Facebook page• 100% used/visited the DS Blog• 91% had a Facebook profile, of whom only one did not

use/visit the DS Facebook page

Q. How do you find blog/Facebook page useful? Answer had multiple options - respondents asked to tick all relevant boxes

• Blog outperformed Facebook Page, except for ‘Professional Networking’ and ‘Keeping in contact with other members’.

• Top two uses of blog and Facebook were the same: ‘To find information regarding Sunday meetings’ and ‘To browse recent drawings’

Q. How do you find the DS blog useful?

Q. How do you find the DS Facebook page useful?

Respondents found blog more useful for:• ‘Commenting on other members sketches and

posts’ (48%)• ‘Browsing older drawings’ (38%)• ‘Getting feedback on [their] own work (33%)• 43% use blog to browse other members’

personal blogs• 79% find it easier to view weekly sketches on

the blog

Use of the Blog male=orange female=blue

Use of the Facebook page:male=orange female=blue

Which do you find more useful?

Optional Open-ended Questions:• Majority of respondents used positive or neutral

terms to describe the blog e.g. “information-sharing site”, “artistic window”

• Regarding the blog’s cultural significance, written responses again are positive e.g. “it’s a magnifying lens on Dublin’s heritage & history”

• Regarding the Facebook pages’ cultural significance, responses were neutral or negative e.g. “Don’t put your stuff on Facebook – they will own copyright”.

Discussion of Results

• Both the blog and Facebook page are used significantly by the group

• Group’s use of social-networking is part of a wider trend (Dutton and Blank, 2011)

• Pew Internet study reports SNS use among 18-29 year olds at 83%

• Facebook page a significant tool for accessing and sharing information between members

Discussion of Results

The blog:• Easier usability• The “main focus” of the group• Social-networking has not become a

substitute for the blog• ‘Creative expression’ is the most common

reason to blog (Lenhart & Fox, 2006)

Discussion of Results

Gender differences regarding Facebook:• Perhaps reflected in wider trends• Women ‘maintaining a foothold on social-

networking sites’ (SNS) (Madden & Zickurh, 2011)

• 69% ‘online women’ and 60% ‘online men’• On top of this, women more active in their use

of SNS

Discussion of Results

• Migration and technology – not explored here• 41% members non-Irish• Online technologies probably help with the

task of integrating into Irish society

Concluding Points

Exploration of this group has revealed:• The blog has maintained its relevance to the DS

group• Both the blog and Facebook page are used

significantly by the group• Social-networking has not become a substitute

for the blog• More female than male respondents find the

Facebook page useful

Group Discussion

• Content versus Connection• ‘Phatic’ information - ‘Interactions and gestures

that basically convey no information’ (Miller, 2011)

• Real-life phatic communication - nods, winks, waves, small talk, idle chit chat.

• SNS and phatic communication – pokes, likes, brief status updates, comments on status updates

Group Discussion

• Phatic communication is about connection rather than content

• Social-networking contrasts to ‘a content-laden practice such as blogging’

• With rise of SNS and microblogging, will personalised blogs become old-fashioned?

• Has internet use become more about connection than content?