A study on consumers' motivation to share content online

Abstract

This paper aims to study the elements of online posts as seen on Social Networking Sites (SNS) and how it affects a viewers’ intention to share the post. The elements of the post evaluated are its Self-affirmative Value, Practical Utility, Emotional Motives, Message Credibility and Source Credibility. We further aim to establish how the relationship between these variables and Intention to Share is moderated by viewers’ personality.

Using sample online posts representing each studied elements, viewer’s intention to share is measured using self-administered online survey on 260 respondents in Singapore.

Correlation test, regression analysis and t-test showed that our entire hypotheses were supported except for the contingent effect of personality on the relationship between self-affirmative value of content and intention to share.

Limitations to the study were time and resource constraints which makes probability sampling impossible. Also, we were unable to get participant to have the feel of being logged into any SNS while doing the survey, as an accurate gauge on whether or not they will share the online post. Future research can be extended to explore what are the other elements of a post that will appeal to the Mavens, Connectors and Salespeople since they are more likely to share online posts.

Our study provides marketers an insight on the kind of posts that they should produce in order to increase their chances of being shared on SNS. With better understanding of consumers’ motivation behind sharing, they can spread brand awareness through SNS more effectively.