PARTICIPANT MOTIVATIONS IN A SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY PAGE

Shu-Hsun Ho, Yu-Ling Lin and Robert Carlson Patrick

Global Journal of Business Research, 2015, vol. 9, issue 4, 67-75

Abstract: Recently there has been explosive growth in both the global reach and easy access to online social media content. However, people’s motivations for using social media vary considerably from individual to individual. Attempting to gain a greater understanding of what motivates people to use social media is of interest to content providers and administrators of social media platforms such as online community pages, who wish to appeal to their current members and attract a wider audience. Means-end theory explores the abstract relationship between a product’s attributes, the consequences or benefits gained from that product, and personal values guiding individuals to use a particular product. This exploratory study uses softladdering interviews and a hard-laddering survey method to create means-end chains and a subsequent Hierarchical Value Map. We use this information to illustrate the shared values of a sample of group members of an online community page. The results of the study were used to understand individual’s motivations for joining the page. The study concludes with practical suggestions for marketing the community page to appeal to the current member’s shared values. We believe this approach will create a wider and more loyal group to the page

Keywords: Means-end Analysis; Social Media; Hierarchical Value Map; Laddering Theory; Marketing Strategy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Y90 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015
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