It is most likely that your next consumer is navigating the blogsphere to get more information and make their purchase decision. A new study conducted by JupiterResearch, a Forrester Research company and Buzz Logic, a social media marketing and ad targeting company found that blogs are major influencers on consumers purchasing decisions compared to even social media websites.

The study noted that blog readership is on the rise, with almost 300 percent growth in monthly blog readership in the last four years. Frequent blog readers also use blogs as the prime tool to discover other blog content over general web search or blog search.

Links on blogs are also perceived by frequent blog readers as trustful and have a similar impact as a trusted recommendation from a individual.

Blogs influence users at a crucial moment when users are in the last stage of making a purchase decision.

The study also found that blog advertising is effective too. 40 percent of blog readers have taken action as a result of viewing an ad on a blog; 50 percent of frequent blog readers say this is the case.

It’s time advertisers start focusing on blog marketing and advertising apart from search and display advertising.