The effect of social influence on bloggers' usage intention

Abstract

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to further explore relationships among social influence, blog platform qualities and usage intention for improving the understanding of the effect that social influence exerts on bloggers' usage intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the IS success model, the authors propose a conceptual framework incorporating information quality, system quality, blog function quality and social influence as key determinants of bloggers' usage intention. Empirical data from 613 participants were collected via a web survey.

Findings

The results show that information quality, system quality and blog function quality, i.e. the technical factors, positively influence bloggers' usage intention. Among these qualities, system quality is the most prominent. For social factors, social influence significantly affects bloggers' usage intention directly and indirectly through blog platform qualities. A multi‐group analysis revealed the differences between blog readers and writers in the perceptions of blog platform qualities and the intensity of path coefficients among factors in the conceptual model.

Practical implications

Results from this study can be used as guidance for blogging service providers to enhance and develop blog platform functions. Moreover, the differences between blog readers and writers revealed in the findings can help service providers to develop campaigns to strengthen their usage intention accordingly.

Originality/value

This paper advances the understanding of the effects of social influence on users' perception of information system qualities as well as usage intention. Social influence exhibits strong effects on users' perception of blog platform qualities. Specifically social influence not only directly affects bloggers' usage intention but also has an indirect effect on intention through the mediation of blog platform qualities.

Citation

Wang, S. and Chuan‐Chuan Lin, J. (2011), "The effect of social influence on bloggers' usage intention", Online Information Review, Vol. 35 No. 1, pp. 50-65. https://doi.org/10.1108/14684521111113588