Good for Use, but Better for Choice: A Relative Model of Competing Social Networking Services

Abstract Users of social networking service (SNS) are presented with a large number of competing products. As a result, their decisions to use one specific SNS may be affected by their relative usage experiences with other SNSs. However, previous studies have largely focused on the adoption and usage of one focal SNS, while ignoring the influence from similar alternatives. To address this gap and understand the importance of users' relative perceptions toward different SNSs, this study builds on media richness theory, social identity theory, and we-intention literature to develop a relative model. Two similar but highly competing blogging services under the SNS category are chosen as the research context, and users who have used both services are recruited to test the proposed relative model. The empirical results indicate that relative immediate feedback and relative personal focus exert positive effects on relative social identity, which in turn, has a positive impact on relative we-intention to use SNSs. Implications for both research and practice are also discussed.