The antecedents of creative article diffusion on blogs: Integrating innovation diffusion theory and social network theory

Abstract

Purpose

Bloggers often create digital content. Diffusion of the creative articles can make many bloggers or readers visit blog platforms. Restated, diffusion of the creative articles can assist blog service providers (BSPs) to retain bloggers and attract new bloggers. Thus, the research is conducted on creative article diffusion on blogs based on innovation diffusion theory and social network theory. The paper aims to discuss this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, an information system was used to collect 250 creative articles and social network data of these creative articles. Validity of the specific study hypotheses is tested by using multi-regression analysis.

Findings

Analytical results indicate both observability and network density positively affect creative article diffusion, and ties-strength negatively affects creative article diffusion.

Research limitations/implications

Since the interpersonal interactive mechanism of blogs differs from that of social network websites, bloggers establish different social networks which may influence innovation diffusion. However, different websites may have different interpersonal interactive mechanisms. Therefore, the results of this study should not be over-generalized.

Practical implications

For diffusing information, BSPs may focus on blog articles with trackback rate below 10 percent among the friends-bloggers network and advertise these articles to make their trackback rate increase to 10-20 percent to reach the self-sustaining status. This strategy ensures the largest payoff from creative article diffusion.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the knowledge of social network and innovation diffusion on blog website and develops a model explaining how antecedents influence creative article diffusion.

Citation

Cheng, H.-H. (2017), "The antecedents of creative article diffusion on blogs: Integrating innovation diffusion theory and social network theory", Online Information Review, Vol. 41 No. 1, pp. 70-84. https://doi.org/10.1108/OIR-07-2015-0221