YouTube stickiness: the needs, personal, and environmental perspective

Hsiu-Sen Chiang and Kuo-Lun Hsiao

Department of Information Management,

National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose – Many video sharing sites (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, and Break) host user-generated video content in the hopes of attracting viewers and thus profits. Therefore, continuous use and video sharing behavior on the part of site users is critical to the continue enjoyment of other users and to the video service providers business. The purpose of this paper is to provide an improved understanding of what motivates internet users to share videos and spend more time on video sharing web sites.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors propose a research model based on Uses and Gratification Theory and on Social Cognitive Theory, incorporating key determinants of web site stickiness. An online survey instrument was developed to gather data, and 265 questionnaires were used to test the relationships in the model.

Findings – The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 2.0, and 14 out of 18 study hypotheses were supported. The results indicated that continuance motivation and sharing behavior were important antecedents of YouTube stickiness and mediated the influence of need, personal, and environmental factors.

Practical implications – The proposed framework can be used by online video service providers to develop a platform that satisfies user needs and to enhance sharing intention.

Originality/value – The study provides a comprehensive framework of the antecedents and effects of continuance motivation and sharing behavior on video sharing web sites.

Keywords Web sites, Social networks

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

Increased bandwidth and reduced access costs have established the internet as an important global communications platform. The development of new internet technologies have expanded the scope of such communications beyond text to include images, music, and video.

In 2013, nearly 85 percent of Americans watched videos online (comScore, 2013), and YouTube, the most popular video sharing web site, had more than 154 million unique viewers in the USA. This rise in online video watching has driven the emergence of online video as an important channel for advertising. For instance, in 2005 a two-minute, 46-second Nike advertisement featuring the Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho gathered more than 17 million views (Story, 2007). Since then, businesses have become increasingly aware of the potential advertising revenue and promotional effect of videos shared on YouTube, thus highlighting the need to understand factors which encourage people to share videos and to remain on video sharing web sites for longer durations.

The behavior of YouTube users has been extensively studied. Lange (2007) analyzed how YouTube users develop and maintain their social networks by sharing videos, finding that that teenagers share videos that tend to reflect their social relationships. Yang et al. (2010) explored the behavioral intention of YouTube video sharers based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Social Influences Theory, finding that positive attitudes and social influence had a strong direct effect on the intention to share videos. Video sharing web sites are also a form of entertainment media. Kim and Arnett (2012) indicated that user satisfaction for portal usage is significantly influenced by online content such as video, music, games, and news. Davis et al. (2013) demonstrated that hedonic rather than utilitarian consumption positively impacts online game usage. In a study on online games, Wu et al. (2010) found that web site usage behavior (including motivation and intention) was influenced by the individual userrsquo;s personal needs. Yee (2006) stated that user needs such as social interaction and achievement had an influence on the usage and sharing of entertainment media.

Other prior research has shown that usersrsquo; needs and sharing behaviors are very important to the growth of entertainment media such as online video web sites (Yang et al., 2010; Park et al., 2011). However, few studies have investigated video sharing behavior and web site stickiness from the view point of user needs, abilities, and motivation for continuous usage. Most previous studies on YouTube user behavior focussed on user attitudes, intention, and satisfaction using TAM and Theory of Reasoned Action. Moreover, they usually investigated video sharing web sites from the perspective of social influence or self-disclosure (Yang et al., 2010; Park et al., 2011). Other researchers have explored video sharing on YouTube from the perspective of system design.

Although TAM is a general model for examining YouTube usage patterns, previous studies have indicated that TAM cannot fully explain intrinsic motivation for media usage (Cha, 2014; Hsu and Lin, 2008; Ji and Fu, 2013). Thus, to better understand usersrsquo; intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and characteristics, Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) could be used to explore the usage of video media and is especially applicable to studies of internet usage (Cha, 2014; Ji and Fu, 2013). In addition, YouTube is a type of IT service. In the context of IT usage, peoplersquo;s sharing behavior and motivation cannot be explained by UGT alone. Studies have demonstrated that individuals exhibit different levels of self-efficacy and creativity in using computer technology, and these differences influence motivation to continuously use IT and behavioral intention (Compeau and Higgins, 1995; Agarwal and Prasad, 1998; Marakas et al., 1998). Also, internet usersrsquo; sharing behaviors are i

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YouTube stickiness: the needs, personal, and environmental perspective

Hsiu-Sen Chiang and Kuo-Lun Hsiao

Department of Information Management,

National Taichung University of Science and Technology, Taichung, Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose – Many video sharing sites (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, and Break) host user-generated video content in the hopes of attracting viewers and thus profits. Therefore, continuous use and video sharing behavior on the part of site users is critical to the continue enjoyment of other users and to the video service providers business. The purpose of this paper is to provide an improved understanding of what motivates internet users to share videos and spend more time on video sharing web sites.

Design/methodology/approach – The authors propose a research model based on Uses and Gratification Theory and on Social Cognitive Theory, incorporating key determinants of web site stickiness. An online survey instrument was developed to gather data, and 265 questionnaires were used to test the relationships in the model.

Findings – The causal model was validated using SmartPLS 2.0, and 14 out of 18 study hypotheses were supported. The results indicated that continuance motivation and sharing behavior were important antecedents of YouTube stickiness and mediated the influence of need, personal, and environmental factors.

Practical implications – The proposed framework can be used by online video service providers to develop a platform that satisfies user needs and to enhance sharing intention.

Originality/value – The study provides a comprehensive framework of the antecedents and effects of continuance motivation and sharing behavior on video sharing web sites.

Keywords Web sites, Social networks

Paper type Research paper

Introduction

Increased bandwidth and reduced access costs have established the internet as an important global communications platform. The development of new internet technologies have expanded the scope of such communications beyond text to include images, music, and video.

In 2013, nearly 85 percent of Americans watched videos online (comScore, 2013), and YouTube, the most popular video sharing web site, had more than 154 million unique viewers in the USA. This rise in online video watching has driven the emergence of online video as an important channel for advertising. For instance, in 2005 a two-minute, 46-second Nike advertisement featuring the Brazilian soccer player Ronaldinho gathered more than 17 million views (Story, 2007). Since then, businesses have become increasingly aware of the potential advertising revenue and promotional effect of videos shared on YouTube, thus highlighting the need to understand factors which encourage people to share videos and to remain on video sharing web sites for longer durations.

The behavior of YouTube users has been extensively studied. Lange (2007) analyzed how YouTube users develop and maintain their social networks by sharing videos, finding that that teenagers share videos that tend to reflect their social relationships. Yang et al. (2010) explored the behavioral intention of YouTube video sharers based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Social Influences Theory, finding that positive attitudes and social influence had a strong direct effect on the intention to share videos. Video sharing web sites are also a form of entertainment media. Kim and Arnett (2012) indicated that user satisfaction for portal usage is significantly influenced by online content such as video, music, games, and news. Davis et al. (2013) demonstrated that hedonic rather than utilitarian consumption positively impacts online game usage. In a study on online games, Wu et al. (2010) found that web site usage behavior (including motivation and intention) was influenced by the individual userrsquo;s personal needs. Yee (2006) stated that user needs such as social interaction and achievement had an influence on the usage and sharing of entertainment media.

Other prior research has shown that usersrsquo; needs and sharing behaviors are very important to the growth of entertainment media such as online video web sites (Yang et al., 2010; Park et al., 2011). However, few studies have investigated video sharing behavior and web site stickiness from the view point of user needs, abilities, and motivation for continuous usage. Most previous studies on YouTube user behavior focussed on user attitudes, intention, and satisfaction using TAM and Theory of Reasoned Action. Moreover, they usually investigated video sharing web sites from the perspective of social influence or self-disclosure (Yang et al., 2010; Park et al., 2011). Other researchers have explored video sharing on YouTube from the perspective of system design.

Although TAM is a general model for examining YouTube usage patterns, previous studies have indicated that TAM cannot fully explain intrinsic motivation for media usage (Cha, 2014; Hsu and Lin, 2008; Ji and Fu, 2013). Thus, to better understand usersrsquo; intrinsic/extrinsic motivation and characteristics, Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) could be used to explore the usage of video media and is especially applicable to studies of internet usage (Cha, 2014; Ji and Fu, 2013). In addition, YouTube is a type of IT service. In the context of IT usage, peoplersquo;s sharing behavior and motivation cannot be explained by UGT alone. Studies have demonstrated that individuals exhibit different levels of self-efficacy and creativity in using computer technology, and these differences influence motivation to continuously use IT and behavioral intention (Compeau and Higgins, 1995; Agarwal and Prasad, 1998; Marakas et al., 1998). Also, internet usersrsquo; sharing behaviors are i

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