Mobile connection: An examination of antecedents to engage consumer in social network app

With the popularity of mobile handset devices, such as smart phones or tablet computers, it is very convenient for consumers to access wireless service on the go and for service providers to offer very instant and location-based services (LBS) via mobile applications. Marketers prefer to adopt social network applications (SNAs) as a new customized marketing tool to connect with their consumers nowadays. As a result, consumers face a variety of choices in SNAs. How to engage consumers in one SNA should be important for the service providers and sponsoring brands of SNAs. This study intended to explore the motivation of consumer engagement in mobile SNAs by adopting the conceptual framework of content, process and social gratification in Uses and Gratification Theory. A questionnaire survey was designed to sampling the response of app users who reported to use any social network app on mobile devices. 543 valid questionnaires were reserved for further SEM analyses. Research findings provided the evidence that entertainment was the key content gratification that motivated more consumer engagement in SNAs. Process gratification of LBS and instant service were found to be critical to consumer engagement in SNAs. Lastly, socialization gratification of self-expression and social influence also enhanced consumer engagement in SNAs.