Uses and gratifications of social media: a comparison of microblog and WeChat

TLDR

Existing research has largely examined gratifications of a single social media platform, leaving a gap in comparative studies of motivations and component effects across platforms. This study aims to investigate the general and specific gratifications derived from using microblog and WeChat, addressing these comparative gaps. The authors conducted 18 in‑depth interviews with Chinese social media users to compare gratification patterns between microblog and WeChat. Results show three gratification types—content, social, and hedonic—varying by platform: content gratification dominates microblog use (linked to information seeking/sharing), social gratification dominates WeChat use (linked to private networking and convenient communication), and hedonic gratification appears in both but differs in focus (entertainment and passing time for microblog, entertainment for WeChat).

Abstract

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to explore the general and specific gratifications obtained from using microblog and WeChat. Design/methodology/approach – To shed light on the difference of gratifications to use microblog and WeChat, 18 interviews with social media users in China were conducted. Findings – Results reveal that three types of gratifications were obtained from using both microblog and WeChat: content gratification, social gratification and hedonic gratification. Also, the strength and components of each gratification for microblog and WeChat were different. Content gratification plays the most salient role in using microblog, while social gratification is the most important for WeChat usage. In addition, content gratification of microblog usage is related to information seeking and information sharing, while social gratification of WeChat usage is constituted by private social networking and convenient communication. Furthermore, content gratification of WeChat usage refers to high-quality information provided and information sharing, and entertainment and passing time develop hedonic gratification of microblog usage, while that of WeChat usage refers to entertainment. Originality/value – Extant research has mainly focused on the gratifications of one social media and lacks studies comparing the motivations in using different social media. Also, only little research has identified the components of different gratifications and how they affect the adoption of different social media. The current study attempts to fill these research gaps.