Understanding Social Media Adoption: the Role of Perceived Media Needs and Technology Characteristics

Evidence exists that consumer’s needs for traditional media is an essential determinant in consumer media adoption. However, studies on the need for non-traditional media still remain scarce. It continues questionable whether consumer media needs would have the same significant impact on social media, since its nature is highly interactive and user controlled. Drawing upon the Uses and Gratification Theory and Diffusion of Innovation Theory, this paper aims to understand the adoption of Social Media among Internet users. A proposed model is developed by integrating the dimensions of consumer perceived media needs and perceived characteristics of social media technology as the drivers for adoption behaviour. The model will be able to better enhance researchers’ and practitioners’ understanding of consumer predictive needs and its relation to the speed of consumer adoption behaviour in social media.