69th International Atlantic Economic Conference

March 24 - 27, 2010 | Prague, Czech Republic

Perceptions towards Social Media:  A Study of 2.0 Users

Friday, 26 March 2010: 15:50
María-del-Carmen Alarcón-del-Amo, Graduate , University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
Carlota Lorenzo Romero, PhD , University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
Miguel Ángel Gómez Borja, PhD , University of Castilla-La Mancha, Albacete, Spain
Juan Antonio Mondéjar Jiménez, Ph.D. , University of Castilla-La Mancha, Cuenca, Spain
1. Title: “Perceptions towards Social Media: A study of 2.0 users”.

2. Objectives: Social Media, as a new technological 2.0 virtual era in which nowadays we are immersed, mean that the Internet is being established as a tool that encourages collaboration and exchange of information between the users. Basically, this tool is based on the apparition of online user communities and a range of special services such as social networks, blogs, wikis, RSS, podcasts, etc. The main goal of this research consist in analyzing the typology of 2.0 users according to their perceptions to the Internet (specifically, trust and satisfaction), in order to obtain different users profiles which allow to web entrepreneurial sector to know their current and potential markets.   3. Data/Methods: An online survey study to users familiarized with the Internet context was carried out in order to obtain a 2.0 users typology. So, a cluster analysis was used firstly to determine the specific segments of 2.0 users, examining secondly the existence of significant differences between the groups obtained through the ANOVA analysis and the study of reliability and validity of scales. For that, two types of dimensions were taken account: the level of 2.0 web participation and the level of trust and satisfaction of users to the Internet.

4. Results/Expected results: Three types of clusters have been obtained according to the degree of participation in the Web Social: “expert”, “amateur”, and “embryonic” users. The results of this research are similar to previous studies. A high familiarity with the use of the Internet increases the trust to the Social Media. Moreover, the satisfaction with the Internet is fundamental to achieve to establish collaborations with other people across the Internet. The knowledge of these 2.0 user typologies by online companies supposes relevant information to their entrepreneurship decisions.

5. Conclusion: The evolution of the Web called 1.0 towards the Web 2.0 or Social Media has caused the apparition of new typologies of users which demand other types of online activities within the Internet. Many variables influence on user profile such as socio-demographic characteristics, trust and satisfaction in the Internet, familiarity with the virtual context, etc. So, it is very important to study the new user profiles so that entrepreneurial sector can offer an adequate offer which cover their needs and desires and, in consequence, can face up to competitive environment. 

 Key words: Social Media, 2.0 users, socio-demographic profile, trust and satisfaction in the Internet