Another key concept supporting blogging as a social activity is how blogs may help individuals, or groups generate and maintain an identity. For individuals, identity portrayed in an online setting is traditionally in the form of a profile page. Profile pages often have data fields for basic information like name, and birth date, as well as allowing the user to display info like favourite books or films. This kind of identity can be problematic since the user writing their profile may just write an embellished portrayal of self. Also, unless a profile page is frequently updated, it will remain quite static, and can lose relevance to the individual over time. Many blogging sites allow users to display this type of profile as well, however a blogger’s identity is more shaped by their activities as a blogger. Since one may experience blogging as a completely free expression of thought, blogging can be portrayed as antiestablishment, and rebellious. One may demonstrate their identity through posts and comments that include disclosure of personal experiences and opinions. Through analysis of one’s blog, a dynamic identity that changes throughout time may be seen. Also, blogging may help to establish and maintain group identity. Since blogging is so accessible, it “[offers] direct benefits for traditionally disempowered and underprivileged groups in society (e.g., ethnic and sexual minorities, immigrants, etc.), by highlighting one freely available technology that they could use for deeper psychological empowerment” (Stavrositu, Sundar, 5). One documented example of group identity is Julie Rak’s The Digital Queer: Blogs and Internet Identity. A study was done of 40 GLBT related blogs to identify how bloggers create group identity. Some trends shown in the blogs were generally left biased politics, writers geographically located in urban centers with an existing GLBT identity (like NYC, or the San Francisco Bay Area), many posts addressing issues surrounding same sex marriage, and web design with gay pride inspired designs and slogans. Since all these blogs are readily searchable, and often link between each other, they create a network that can broadcast its own identity as a whole. Both of these individual and network identities also help bloggers to reach their target audience. A well established blog identity makes relevant content easier for readers to find.
