From the most mundane observations on food, family and etiquette to fervid rants about riding the subway and buying underwear, Asian bloggers are making their mark in cyberspace. They're also using these opinions to shape their purchasing choices. According to a recent survey by researcher the Nielsen Company, nearly three in 10 Hong Kong people will check out a product review on the internet before making a purchase.
Six per cent will base their purchase on what they've read on a blog, a personal diary or particular view on popular culture and issues - the modern soapbox of the internet. The writings vary vastly from lucid thoughts to manic scribblings, but in their midst are a range of product reviews, consumer insights and personal tips.
Skin care and makeup issues are popular topics: entire blogs have been devoted to buying and applying products that work well on Asian skin.
Blog-ranking service Technorati lists nearly 1,000 beauty blogs alone. Popular blogs such as Beauty Addict (beautyaddict.blogspot.com) attract more than 40,000 visitors a month.
Teenagers such as Maggie Wong (not her real name) are addicted.
'I rarely post blogs, but I do read what others have to say,' Wong says. 'I like the information I can get because I'm a student. I don't have much cash to spend on products, and don't want to be ripped off.'
