Advertising in Social Network Sites - Report Example

Student ID Word Count Advertising in Social Network Sites-Investigating the Social Influence of User Generated Content on Online Advertising Effects Tutorial group number: Tutor’s name: Advertising in social network sites has led to this research on the investigation of the social influence of user generated content (UGC) on online advertising effects. There are numerous platforms on the web that enable internet enthusiasts (users) to interact and share their views about various phenomena in life, particularly product that they use daily. This UGC is used professionally to come up with substantial information regarding products or services. Previous research show that subscribed users in a certain advertising forum are more influenced to the advertisement than non-members. To test this, researchers exposed 118 students to 4 face book profiles with difference in connection that was collective and another that was interpersonal. An impact that was significant was seen in the case of collective connection as compared to interpersonal connection. Participation and interconnection of the users to generate content evidence the character of social web (O’Reilly 2005). In the present day today, people want to share their take fully or in limited contents to the public through the web (Shao 2009). This willingness to share information results into a big UGC which can be found extensively in the internet especially the social network sites (SNS) (Baym 2011). This provides huge content of other people’s behaviors, feelings and opinions on certain issues. Organizations use this UGC to evaluate online information mostly information from advertising and media companies that is not user generated. (Metzger et al 2010). The UGC has become very extensive such that companies are finding it hard to track the comments and messages regarding their brands, for instance, millions of users like and comment on a brands face book page over a period of time. (Campbell et al 2011:88) This research entails on UGC, online advertisement, and the impact of UGC on internet enthusiasts. Better still, it focuses on the recent media influence on social character, how initiators and recipients of UGC relationships affect socially the recipients’ behaviors and attitudes. Further focus is particularly on online promotions and advertisements on SNS. User-generated content and online advertising. Online advertising is the act in which professionals pass information regarding a particular product or service to target market on third-party websites. Ha (2008). The main purpose of this communication is to enhance influence on the opinions, knowledge, behavior and attitudes towards a certain brand by using advertising tools like video ads with the internet as the means of communication. The attitudes of the user is the core point of focus to researchers but still evaluation of the internet effectiveness as an advertising platform calls for concern. The viability of internet audience as potential recipients also amazes researchers. The bottom-line remains, what is the impact of consumer generated content on effective online advertising. Steyn (2011). UGC is the general public’s opinion free from influence of professionals that are paid to generate content. (Daugherty et al 2008:16). Publicity instead of privacy for example by use of chat rooms, instant messages and emails is emphasized. (Kaplan et al 2008). UGC is mainly genuine information feedback from end-users. Video ads or banners with messages to targeted audience make up online advertisement whereas UGC consists of posts, ratings, and comments. Social influence as collective influence Most social influence research based on online advertisement aims at collective or group influence. Computer-mediated communications are used to pass social information regarding memberships of groups in SNSs. This passage of social information leads to users seeing themselves as a group and not individuals, and hence people blend with the norm of collectiveness. (Hogg 2006). To make users feel more important and as a family, the anonymity that is experienced on the internet is reduced by use of profile pictures by every individual to reduce the strangeness. This provision of photographs also helps to tell the gender and the age of the individual hence creating a much higher impact in the influence of the group. (Rains 2007) Social influence as interpersonal influence When anonymity is reduced, that is when social influence as interpersonal influence prevails. (Sassenberg and Jonas 2007). The fact that someone identifies with the other person, is enough reason for them to accept influence from the latter. Accepting to be influenced by someone else means that you relate to them in a special way. Kelman (1961). Group identification constitutes to collective influence whereas identification with a specific person constitutes to interpersonal influence. The message recipient accepts the message influence because they take the source as part of their self concept. When communicating online, interpersonal influence is evident when someone refers some information to someone else that they relate with, for example a friend. Collective influence occurs when someone receives a reference or information from a group of people that they relate with, for example a sports fan or puma fan. (Sassenberg and Jonas 2007). Hypotheses. Recommendations, comments and message posting shows that social information concerning a certain source accompanies UGC in SNS. The receivers of UGC can access more information concerning a user by navigating their profile, information like education, residential area, membership apart from just the photograph and name. (Kramar and Winter 2008). This simplifies identification and categorization of users. (Bayn et al 2011). The influence that comes with interpersonal and collective influence is said to further influence behavior and attitude. (Hogg and Smith 2007). Recommending attitude and attitude for purchasing in SNS (Fennis and Stroebe 2010). The following is my hypothesis: H1. Advertising information (UGC) to users of SNS from a person connected interpersonally show great attitude towards the product advertised, more willingness to purchase the product advertised, and more willingness to put the product advertised on recommendation than UGC received from people unrelated (interpersonal influence). H2. Advertising information (UGC) to users of SNS from a person connected collectively show great attitude towards the product advertised, more willingness to purchase the product advertised, and more willingness to put the product advertised on recommendation than UGC received from people unrelated (collective influence). In this hypothesis, I came up to the bottom-line that identification is the central mechanism of social influence in UGC and SNS. Method. Design We have two independent variables (collective connection to the source [existent and non-existent] and interpersonal connection to the source [non-existent and existent]). The design chosen is a 2 by 2 subject between. A creation of four different face book profiles was initiated, different profile owner (relationship that is interpersonal and not interpersonal to participants) and a social group (membership that is shared and another non-shared to participants). An advertisement video was published as the UGC influencer in all profiles. The main aim of these variables was to establish a realistic and controllable situation. Thus, a professor well known to the participants was asked to start an interpersonal relationship. The professor was young which made it easier for students to interact with him on social media. Another fictitious young professor was used for the role of interpersonal relationship that was non-existent. Manipulation of collective connection was enhanced by profile owners’ assignment to institutions that enrolled the participants and had no relation with. The profile picture and the name depicted interpersonal and collective self and perception. The wall of the users contained a video promoting Google glasses and posts from friends with greetings. The glasses connected smart phones straight to the eye which appealed to young students though they were not yet released. Participants and procedures The participants were 118 students. They were informed that the face book profiles represent the real profiles of the people. They were provided with the target profile links of which they clicked and looked at for five minutes before terminating the access. They were not allowed to discuss anything until the completion of the experiment. After the experiment, the results were sent to the participants via e-mail. 26 participants were eliminated for having knowledge about the product advertised. 92 participants remained (78% female; mean age 20.39 years, SD=1.62) Measures Likert scale was used to measure products attitude and behavior because it is a method of assessment that is standardized for evaluation of consumer products and brands (Ajzen 2008). A 6-point ranging scale with a five item mean was used “I disagree strongly”, “I entirely disagree” “I disagree entirely”, “Google Glasses are fascinating”, “Google Glasses are a cool invention”, “Google Glasses are just a toy”. Satisfactory was reliable using Cronbach’s Alpha a=.78 (M=3.91, SD=.94) Results This was seen (M=2.43, SD=.74) higher owner of the profile identification for profiles interpersonally connected than unrelated ones (M=1.68, SD=.50);F(1,90) =32.24, p Read More