To blog or not to blog - A research looking into the contribution of blogs and social networking sites to the accessibility of archaeology - in particular in regard to young adults in the Netherlands

This research focuses on improving the accessibility of archaeology in the Netherlands. The motives for this research are both to create more awareness and support for archaeology and to meet the needs of people that are interested in archaeology. This topic is addressed by analysing blogs and social networking sites. Additionally, it is examined whether these digital communication methods can help reach non-traditional audiences, particularly to engage the more difficult to reach target group of young adults. To be able to answer the research questions, questionnaires were set up for three target groups: bloggers, blog readers and young adults. A total number of 1.174 respondents have provided for many new insights regarding the use of blogs and social networking sites in archaeology, which messages need to be communicated and in which ways they can be communicated. Among other things, it has appeared that there are still some significant differences in the preferences of blog...Show moreThis research focuses on improving the accessibility of archaeology in the Netherlands. The motives for this research are both to create more awareness and support for archaeology and to meet the needs of people that are interested in archaeology. This topic is addressed by analysing blogs and social networking sites. Additionally, it is examined whether these digital communication methods can help reach non-traditional audiences, particularly to engage the more difficult to reach target group of young adults. To be able to answer the research questions, questionnaires were set up for three target groups: bloggers, blog readers and young adults. A total number of 1.174 respondents have provided for many new insights regarding the use of blogs and social networking sites in archaeology, which messages need to be communicated and in which ways they can be communicated. Among other things, it has appeared that there are still some significant differences in the preferences of blog readers and the content that bloggers mainly blog about: most blog readers prefer to read about specific archaeological regions, excavations and sites, while most bloggers blog about personal opinions on archaeological matters. Blogs and social networking sites can contribute to making archaeology more accessible for a wider public and reaching out to young adults by incorporating and listening to the preferences, ideas, needs and wishes of the audiences they reach and of young adults themselves. Specifically regarding young adults, there are several approaches that can be applied in order to reach them. This requires depending less on the technology of blogs and social media and requires more of a focus on the content and message.Show less

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To blog or not to blog - A research looking into the contribution of blogs and social networking sites to the accessibility of archaeology - in particular in regard to young adults in the Netherlands