Help Us Understand Wine Blogs

What makes a wine blog credible? What give a wine blog an authoritative voice? Does it matter? Can it be measured?

These questions and other similar to them have been bandied about the wine industry of late in a variety of forums. I think the issues are under greater scrutiny for a number of reasons, not the least of which are 1) the fact that there are more wine bloggers than ever and the issue of credibility and authority is one way of dividing them up, 2) the fact that more members of the wine industry feel forced to better understand wine blogging and, again, the issue of credibility and authority is one way of doing that and 3) these questions arise only when a maturing process gets underway and I think we are seeing that in the wine blogosphere.

But, this issue of what makes for a credible and authoritative blog has never been studied thoroughly in an academic fashion.

Now it is and if you are a regular reader of wine blogs your input is currently be sought by one person researching wine blogs and what they mean to their readers.

Tracy Rickman is a PhD candidate at Auburn University carrying out a research project on the nature and extent of credibility and authority of wine blogs. She would like to speak with you if you are a regular reader of blogs.

She's likely going to want to ask you questions about your experience with wine blogs. She's likely going to want to urge you to give her honest assessments of your relationship with wine blogs.

PLEASE HELP HER! My sense is that her's could be a fascinating and important study of this new medium.

If you are willing to take part in her research project EMAIL HER and let her know you'd be willing to talk to her.

Comments

[1WineDude]

Those interested should also check out the video of the Wine Bloggers Conference breakout sessions on the same topics:

http://cavemanwines.com/blog/2008/10/27/wine-bloggers-conference-breakout-sessions/

Cheers.

[Dale Cruse]

I just contacted Tracy. Thank for turning us on to this, Tom.

[dhonig]

Done.

[Heloisa Fialho]

Tom, I'd like to help, but my pc hasn't got outlook installed. Could you possibly spell her email? Or send it to mine?

Thanks.

[susannah]

Will do. Thanks. SG

[Dylan]

Heloisa, it's rickmta@auburn.edu. Thanks Tom for the reference. I really want to help with this, but I'm traveling around the next four days, and am checking the internet only so often. Is this possible to participant in next week?

[KenPayton]

Done.

[Kathy]

Coincidentally, I was talking with a nephew in Iraq yesterday about what he wants from wine blogs and sent him your URL. And, today, voila!

If y'all don’t have a soldier on your Christmas or Hanukkah list, find one and send good coffee (it's a downtime/no alcohol tasting event).

And then send him/her a good bottle of wine when he/she returns safely. (Tom, how about a direct shipping military exemption...)

[WineDiverGirl]

Fantastic. Looking forward to the research.