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.

摘要

社交网络关注者代表任何组织的宝贵资产。追随者改善信息传播，增加客户参与机会并允许观察竞争对手的行为。然而，尽管它们具有实用价值，但我们对如何在网上获得追随者的理解仍然多种多样且支离破碎。显示和管理富媒体（如图片、视频和各种流行度指标）的新功能为研究粉丝获取提供了机会，因为这些媒体是可追溯和可量化的。本研究调查了几种类型的媒体对社交网络粉丝增长的影响。对涉及 1,755 个不同企业和个人用户的数据的分析表明，粉丝增长不依赖于一种媒体，而是一种最佳组合。结果表明，某些媒体类型在追随者生成方面的表现明显优于其他媒体类型。此外，对于某些用户群而言，新媒体和原创媒体可能不值得投资。