The Dublin Sketchers use of blogging and social networking technologies Marianne Hennessy

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: 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 or % 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 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?