Media-Generating Activities and Follower Growth within Social Networks

ABSTRACT

Social network followers represent a valuable asset for any organization. Followers improve the diffusion of information, enhance customer engagement opportunities and allow for observation of competitor actions. Yet, despite their practical value, our understanding of how one gains followers online remains varied and fragmented. New functionality for the display and management of rich media such as pictures, videos and various popularity metrics provide opportunities for studying follower acquisition because these media are traceable and quantifiable. This study investigates the impact of several types of media on the growth of social network followers. Analysis of data involving 1,755 diverse business and individual users suggests that follower growth is not dependent on one type of media, but rather an optimal mix. Results show that some media types significantly outperform others in terms of follower generation. Additionally, new and original media may not be worth the investment for some user segments.

KEYWORDS:

• Online Social Networks
• social network advertising
• rich media
• digital content curation
• social-earned media
• econometric analysis

Notes

¹ http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/224286 Accessed Aug 13^th, 2019.

Additional information

Funding

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.