Why travellers Share Their Experiences on Social Media: A Uses and Gratifications Approach for Profile-Based Versus Content-Based Social Media Sites

Catalán, Sara (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Marchan, Júlia (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Oliveira, Tiago

Resumen: Prior research on motivations for sharing travel experiences on social media offers fragmented and inconsistent findings due to the ad-hoc selection of constructs, the use of diverse terminologies for the same motivations, the combination of different motivations into single constructs, and the lack of distinction between different social media platforms. To address these limitations, we review existing literature and categorise the motivations for sharing based on two dimensions: the orientation of the motive (i.e. functional, affective and expressive) and the sphere of action (i.e. self-sphere and social-sphere). Then, based on Uses and Gratifications (U&G;) theory, we empirically examine the effect of these motivations on actual travel experience sharing. The results identify four key motivations (gratifications) for travellers in profile-based social media (i.e. enjoyment, expressing positive feelings, documentation of experiences, and helping the service provider) and three in content-based social media (i.e. helping the service providers, helping other travellers, and enjoyment). Finally, the implications for encouraging travel experience sharing behaviours in social media are discussed.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.1515/roms-2024-0093

Año: 2025

Publicado en: Review of Marketing Science
ISSN: 2194-5985

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/DGA/S54-23R

Tipo y forma: Article (PostPrint)

Área (Departamento): Área Comerci.Investig.Mercados (Dpto. Direc.Mark.Inves.Mercad.)