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Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach

Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach Purpose – This paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of uses and gratifications theory to social media. By applying uses and gratifications theory, this paper will explore and discuss the uses and gratifications that consumer receive from using social media. This paper seeks to provide a better and more comprehensive understanding of why consumers use social media. Design/methodology/approach – Exploratory study was conducted. 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted with individuals who use social media. Findings – This study identified ten uses and gratifications for using social media. The ten uses and gratifications are: social interaction, information seeking, pass time, entertainment, relaxation, communicatory utility, convenience utility, expression of opinion, information sharing, and surveillance/knowledge about others. Research limitations/implications – Limitations are small sample size. Research implications are that uses and gratifications theory has specific relevance to social media and should be given more prominence. Uses and gratifications theory helps explain the many and varied reasons why consumers use social media. Practical implications – This paper helps organizations to understand why consumers use social media and what gratifications they receive from social media. Originality/value – This paper makes the contribution that uses and gratifications theory has specific relevance and should be given more prominence within the area of social media. This paper also provides a rich and vivid understanding of why consumers use social media. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal Emerald Publishing

Why people use social media: a uses and gratifications approach

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Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2013 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1352-2752
DOI
10.1108/QMR-06-2013-0041
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Purpose – This paper seeks to demonstrate the importance of uses and gratifications theory to social media. By applying uses and gratifications theory, this paper will explore and discuss the uses and gratifications that consumer receive from using social media. This paper seeks to provide a better and more comprehensive understanding of why consumers use social media. Design/methodology/approach – Exploratory study was conducted. 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted with individuals who use social media. Findings – This study identified ten uses and gratifications for using social media. The ten uses and gratifications are: social interaction, information seeking, pass time, entertainment, relaxation, communicatory utility, convenience utility, expression of opinion, information sharing, and surveillance/knowledge about others. Research limitations/implications – Limitations are small sample size. Research implications are that uses and gratifications theory has specific relevance to social media and should be given more prominence. Uses and gratifications theory helps explain the many and varied reasons why consumers use social media. Practical implications – This paper helps organizations to understand why consumers use social media and what gratifications they receive from social media. Originality/value – This paper makes the contribution that uses and gratifications theory has specific relevance and should be given more prominence within the area of social media. This paper also provides a rich and vivid understanding of why consumers use social media.

Journal

Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal – Emerald Publishing

Published: Aug 30, 2013

Keywords: Social media; Web 2.0; Consumer generated media; Uses and gratifications theory; Uses of social media; Exploratory study; Qualitative study; In‐depth interviews

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