Interactive to me – interactive to you? A study of use and appreciation of interactivity on Swedish newspaper websites

Research has indicated that although online interactive features are not used by the visitors of different websites, such features might be appreciated by the visitors. This article examines the use and appreciation of interactive features by visitors on Swedish newspaper websites. Utilizing an online survey focusing on different traits and habits of newspaper website visitors, the study presents a typology of visitor types, characterized by the different ways they use and appreciate interactive features in the online news media context. Although certain types make extensive use of interactivity, the overall results of the survey points towards rather low levels of both use and appreciation. As such, newspaper website visitors might be characterized as ‘slow learners’, taking their time to adapt to the interactive capabilities offered by the online news media.