Zhou HongFei, *Ng See Kee

Abstract:

Given the use of social media platforms that continues to rise worldwide, gratification is considered a key component for social media platforms to engage users. In this regard, social media platforms in China have rapidly increased their number of users and activities, allowing researchers to explore their unique characteristics. However, Weibo, one of China’s most popular social media platforms with millions of active users, has not been thoroughly researched in terms of user satisfaction and intention to continue using the platform. Drawing on the Uses and Gratifications Theory and the Stimulus-Organism-Response, this study investigated the effects of various types of gratification on user satisfaction and continuance usage intention of Weibo. This study recruited 414 Chinese Weibo users through an online survey using the snowball sampling technique. The results of the SmartPLS analysis indicate that different types of gratification—hedonic (entertainment value and passing time), social (social value), utilitarian (utilitarian value and information-seeking) and content gratification (information sharing)—positively influence user satisfaction.

Keywords: Weibo, gratification, continuance usage intention, uses and gratification theory, stimulus-organism-response theory