The Social Technographics Ladder

Published Date: 02 Nov 2017

Source: Forrester Research, Inc., 2010

Forester Research, 2010, proposed "The Social Technographics Ladder" which looked into the habit of a user in terms of their participation in an online environment. This study found that the largest amount of users (68%) were labelled as "Spectators" who read blogs, listen to podcasts, watch videos from other users, read online forums and customer ratings/ review. Whereas the lowest amount were of inactive (19%) whereby they did not use any social media applications.

Social networks are websites which allow users to communicate, share knowledge about similar interests, discuss favourite topics, review and rate products/services, etc. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

The online social networks are favourable places for executing a purpose to reach groups of consumers who share common interests and comments on the same viral messages that can be spread quickly by consumers who truly share preferences. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010) Members of all social networks serve two roles, to both supply and consume content. Websites that contain user generated contents help to create a perfect forum which motivates and enhances the customers with positive power.

It is definitely an activity that is based on the notion of influence. Social media can be used to gather valuable information about how a product, service or brand is perceived in the marketplace.

The basic application of these media is a consideration phase tool that connects post-purchase experiences with potential customers progressing from awareness to purchase (Evans, 2008).

Websites such as travelpod.com and Tripadvisor.com allow consumers to exchange recommendations and opinions about various destinations and tourism products. (Schmallegger and Carson, 2008) These sites takes the forms of diaries or "blogs" about travel experiences while others may be short entries rating a particular aspect of the travel. Below we look at some demographic factors that may affect an individual in their social media use:

2.6.2.1. Gender

There are no current studies that provide a clear idea on differences in gender.

2.6.2.2. Nationality

Each type of conversation platform brings a different group of audience and appeals to varied nationalities. Some countries provide their own form of social media and sites that would appeal and are more preferable as it provides information designated for a particular country instead. For example, in China Facebook is officially banned from use but platforms such as Ren Ren or Sina Weibo (twitter’s replacement) is used instead.

2.6.2.3. Age

It is believed that the younger a tourist may be the more likely they would use technology in the planning of their trip.

2.6.2.4. Internet Knowledge

As a result of this revolutionary transformation towards the modern technology, social networking on the World Wide Web has become an integral part of a large number of people’s lives. (Abedniya & Mahmouei, 2010) With an increase in internet knowledge consumers would find it easier to know of a location through the internet than any other forms of media.

The internet can be seen as one of the most influential technologies that change the traveller’s behaviour. (Steinbauer, 2007) The more internet knowledge a consumer has the more likely they would use it as a primary form of research in their travel planning.

2.6.3. Types of Social Media Platforms

Throughout the last few years, the overall trend in businesses worldwide has been the adoption of new marketing strategies that utilize the ever-advancing technology applications available today. One of the foremost technology applications used in business promotion has been the use of social media.

There are many various platforms where users can interact and share information with other users, starting from blogs, forums, wikis, video and photo sharing to social networks, virtual communities, chat rooms and podcast.

From the presented diagram below (Diagram 3.3(a)), it can be analysed that the main platforms (blogs, micro blogs, social networks, chat rooms, forums, video sharing and photo sharing) as chosen by the author implies a major source of information and participation for tourists.

Video Sharing

Photo

Sharing

Social Networking Sites

Chat Rooms

Key Social Platforms

In Tourism

Micro

Blogging

Blogs

Message Boards

Diagram 2.6.3.(a): Key Social Platforms in Tourism

Source: Researcher’s Own Diagram

2.6.3.1. Blogs

Blogging is an activity whereby website formed by entries or posts which may include text accompanied by photos, links or even videos usually as a platform for expression of thoughts and feelings on various topics of interest or experience by the author. Popular blogging platforms include Blogger, Wordpress and Live Journal. Blogs became an important medium as it empowered people to share their ideas and influence one another by exchanging information.

In relative terms, travel blogs area accountable as a form of eWOM and can influence travel decisions due to its nature of intangibility of tourism products and difficulty of evaluating before consumed. Many believe that such online travel reviews are perceived to provide more up-to-date and reliable information, but it was seen that an individual with greater level of prior knowledge (e.g. experience and familiarity with a destination) would less likely use or trust the internet as a source of their information.

Travel blogs qualitatively cover every aspect of a visitor’s trip. (Pan, Maclaurin and Crotts, 2007) Tourism marketers can turn to many of the readily available consumer-generated contents, for example, blogs and reviews, to learn about the language travellers use to describe travel products and their experiences. (Gretzel, 2006)

Prominent examples include travelblog.org, travelpod.com, blog.realtravel.com, yourtraveljournal.com or travelpost.com. A considerable number of travel blogs are published on virtual travel communities (e.g realtravel.com, igougo.com, travelpod.com or virtualtourist.com) or on specialized customer review sites (tripadvisor.com, holidaycheck.com or cosmotourist.de). Other travel related companies such as travel agencies, (statravelblogs.com, tui.com) or well-known travel guides (lonelyplanet.com, community.roughguides.com, frommers.com) provide free webspace to tourists to publish their travel stories.

Another popular category of travel blogs are personal blogs. Blogs have to provide some added value to the visitor, either in the form of interesting stories, unique insider information, good networking opportunities or even time and cost saving opportunities, to make them visit and contribute the blog. Therefore some companies may invite bloggers to e.g. a free stay at their hotel in order to provide a positive review on their blog in exchange.

Hotels have also started to encourage visitors to write positive comments on their hotel blogs. Rewards mostly include vouchers and special treatment. Some hotels run specific blogging contests where the best blogs (or holiday photos) can win a prize.

An increasing number of tourism organizations are now launching travel blogs to create a communication platform for their visitor. Several countries including New Zealand, Canada, Sweden and Austria have already implemented blogs for tourists to share the experiences on their official destination websites.

Blogs have a number of advantages over other forms of content, even web-based content. They are relatively easily updated, relatively flexible in structure, encourage interaction between authors and readers, and allow people to participate in information exchange who might not otherwise have the opportunity. (Schmallegger and Carson, 2008)

Where blogs are maintained, there are still the issues of generating sufficiently interesting content and then managing responses which may be negative or may demand further attention. (Schmallegger and Carson, 2008)

2.6.3.2. Micro Blogging

With the fast paced lifestyles of modern day people and technological advances of hand phones, a different way of blogging was introduced known as micro blogging. This provided a limitation on the self-expression of the author by allowing short updates. Its purpose is to discover what's happening at a given time, share information with other users or offer links to other websites. (Twitter, 2010)

Well known platforms include Twitter and Tumblr where short updates of around 140 maximum are expected or one pictures with short captions are shared with a closed network. These micro-blogging tools became an instant hit as compared to the full scale internet based publishing platforms.

Such short updates provide consumers to connect to their network easily, at any one place due to its ease of access and the limited time required to provide an update. This also provides easy access to real time information, weather it is a question to be asked or updating their own network of what service was provided to them.

2.6.3.3. Social Networking

As explained by Ling, 2009 since the introduction of Social Networking Sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, Myspace and WAYN in the early 2000s, millions of people have taken to them as SNSs’ users can introduce themselves, set their own social networks and establish or maintain connections with others.

Marketers believe that members of social sites who share information with other members and friends are best target for participation in viral marketing. (Abedniya and Mahmouei, 2010)

They have introduced a wide range of new advanced technology applications which include, among other, media content syndication, tagging, customer ratings and podcasting (Xiang and Gretzel, 2009). These OSNs applications allow travellers or potential ones to search, update, organize, comment or share travel information with friends, family, colleagues – or even strangers – in a collaborative way. (Ling, 2009)

Social media are deeply embedded in the lives of their users as they manage a wide range of social activities (Bruns and Bahnisch, 2009).

Numerous studies show that Facebook is the sixth most trafficked website in the United States (Abram, 2007), as a million new users establish accounts each week (Levy, 2007). Users can create profiles that describe various attributes about themselves such as their hometown, birthday, preferred activities, etc (TongHeide and Langwell, 2008). They can expand their social networks by requesting another person’s friendship. In line with this, Newton (1999) defines that through Facebook, users may learn that their contacts possess attributes that make them less attractive, which may lead to mistrust.

Therefore, the more we know about others, the more we may trust or distrust them (Valenzuela et al., 2003). Consequently, it is expected that social trust and Facebook use may have a reciprocal relationship (Valenzuela, Park and Kee, 2009).

Location based platforms assists in promoting your location. Individual’s uses location based social media platforms in order to share with their peers a travel experience. (e.g. Foursquare) This grown in popularity with the increase of smart phones whereby users could "check-in" at any one place, if wanted users could add comment, pictures as a small review. Used on a large scale this affects online reputation and as customers are much more likely to trust peers instead of company advertising – a good reputation has a positive impact on the company’s success.

2.6.3.4. Chat Rooms

A Chartroom is a virtual space where two or more internet users establish a connection in real time, usually in writing form. When one user types and sends information the other party would be able to receive it instantly. Examples of such platforms include ICQ and MSN Chat rooms.

2.6.3.5. Message Boards

Also known as forums or discussion groups, users are able to write a message regarding a certain topic of interest and wait for users of similar interest with their opinions and views. Though it is not necessary to participate many partake on the role of readers. This method is a great source of specific information especially in the case where a topic is unknown for a person. Examples include TripAdvisor, Globetripper and I Wanna Go There.

The provisions of forums that capture consumer comments potentially allow a business to receive genuine feedback on their products or services. It also provides them with another avenue in which to provide their own feedback and/or reassurance to those costumers. (Burgess et al, n.d)

The increasing dependence on technology for basic communication also highlights the importance of analysing how SNS are affecting daily processes. Sites like Facebook, Friendster and LinkedIn are influencing the way users establish, maintain and cultivate a range of social relationships, from close friendships to casual acquaintances.

2.6.3.6. Photo Sharing

Taking photographs is one of the most common practices in tourism; tourists want to leave a memorable experience when they visit a location through photographs. Photographs serve as a good method to construct memories into travel narratives. In the past travel photographs were only shared between a closed network, with the evolution of the internet and Web 2.0, photographs can now be shared through a large network.

Photographic images of destinations were traditionally in the hands of destination marketers aiming to create iconic images for promotion; the most explicit example is the traditional postcard (Markwick, 2001). Now, image creation and dissemination are also up to the travellers themselves.

There are many platforms which allow users to upload videos or photos to store and share them with other users. Examples of photo sharing platforms are Picasa and Flickr.

2.6.3.7. Video Sharing

Videos have exploded onto the web via Web 2.0 video-sharing platforms such as YouTube and Vimeo (Cha et al., 2007) with this modern technology, people are able to travel mentally and emotionally and experience tourist activities without moving from their homes. Video as opposed to photographs as it incorporates other elements such as sound and motion.

All forms of social media platforms allow users to upload interact and share information with one another. However it can be further discussed quality, as well as its’ reliability, security and privacy of the information. With the introduction of social media optimization, users are able to implement changes to their site or blog where it becomes easier to link to it, tag it, post a comment and submit it to a social bookmarking website making it "social media friendly".

2.6.4. Factors to Use Social Media Platforms

Online travel is an increasingly popular tool as it responds primarily to the consumer’s desire to have more control over the products and services purchased. By making their bookings, purchasing the services online, printing the vouchers and getting the information, photographs about the place, hotel and restaurant this offers an advantage to companies as it provides them a lowered cost and resources as consumers are doing the task themselves.

The rapidly growing importance of the Internet in e-commerce as a source of information demands a greater understanding of users’ acceptance of electronic tourism. (Aziz, Musa, Sulaiman, 2010)

Schmallegger and Carson, 2008 found that UGC had already influenced about US $10 billion users a year in online travel bookings and that over 20 per cent of consumers rely on UGC when planning their trips in years 2007 – 2008.

In Table 2.6.4(a) it shows the general motivation in participating in Electronic Word-of-Mouth Channels. The main groups include personal, social benefits, social concern, functional, quality assurance, economic incentives, entertainment and helping the company. In comparison of this set of motivations with "a typology of motivators in tourism" by Swarbrooke and Horner (1999) we can see a great similarities.

Though, this table does not provide statistics on which one factor provides the greatest influence, it can be understood that each factor interlinks with one another in providing a basis of motivation for the use of social media platforms.

Table 2.6.4(a): Classification of Consumers’ Motivations for Participating in Electronic Word-of-Mouth Channels

Source: Bronner and de Hoog, 2011

2.6.4.1. Functional Factors (Information, Efficiency, Convenience)

Functional needs are met when community members go online to fulfil specific activities. These needs may include transactions, in which members buy and sell products or services (Armstrong and Hagel, 1996), with the ease of geographical limits, users are also to gather needed information for learning and to support their decision-making purposes easing conveniences and efficiency without concerns of time.

Perhaps most important, virtual travel communities enable the sharing of information between participants (Hagel and Armstrong, 1997) Members with an interest in certain travel products and services can gather and exchange information and experiences online in an effective manner.

They believe that community driven provides the best opportunity for social network website Internet users with non-stop access to any kind of information from multiple domains. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

Perceived ease of use is related to user extent to which people find using a new technology will be comfortable and perceived usefulness is identified with a person who believes that using of a new technology will increase their productivity or performance. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

Perceive usefulness with a significant positive path coefficient of 0.29 showed when users find these websites as usefulness technology will increase their productivity or performance, they will do more activity in these websites and lead to more share and diffusion viral contents. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

With the improvements of internet technologies, the number of travelers who seek travel and tourism information on the internet has increased. (Alikilic, n.d)

Not only do potential travelers and experienced travelers seek travel information, but residents of the destination engage in travel-related discussions in online travel communities. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Ridings and Gefen (2004) indicate that one of the main incentives for joining online communities is information exchange. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Exchanging information and reading online reviews, travellers will likely save time in decision making while making more informed buying decisions (Gretzel, Yuan, and Fesenmaier 2000). (Arsal et al, 2009)

Both travelers and travel suppliers are generating content for the Internet that is used as an information source by other potential travelers. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Ultimately, posts in online communities can provide a wealth of knowledge through stories, unique insider information, and even time- and cost-saving opportunities. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Users are exposed to the same travel information provided in the postings, and they need not be a member to find an answer to their questions. Their questions may have been addressed in the postings already available. (Arsal et al, 2009) investigated the relationship of involvement to opinion leadership in tourism and concluded that highly involved nature-oriented travellers tended to be more receptive to information about the travel products or destinations and spread that information willingly. Jamrozy et al, 1996. in Cai, Feng, Breiter, 2004)

2.6.4.2. Psychological Factors (Belonging, Identification, Affiliation)

Besides fulfilling functional needs, it is argued that online travel communities can meet basic psychological needs of its members and thus make the community a part of their lives. This includes a sense of belonging, identity expression, and a sense of affiliation. (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004)

Eventually, what begins primarily as a search for information transforms into a source of community and understanding. Online groups’ cultural norms, specialized language and concepts that the identity of other group members enhances a sense of belonging among them.

Consumers who actively post reviews may enjoy giving information and advice to other customers. (Xia & Bechwati, 2008) Many users feel that through posting reviews and sharing the information and knowledge that they have with others, they may be able to help others and give them a higher status in online communities or a status of "guru" among other users.

Source credibility is an important aspect used by consumes to judge whether they should take advice from others. Expertise is one of those source characteristics that can give credibility to an online review. Virtual tourism communities currently assign "expert" labels to users who post a lot of contributions to the community.

In the context of Social network websites, this subject refer to user perceives this website to have a significant number of users that they can associate with them due to friendship, common interests, and share content for example. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

The main reason for travellers engaging in online travel communities is to get first-hand information from experienced travellers who have already been to the destination. (Arsal et al, 2009)

These experienced travellers can also be destination residents who provide information in the online travel community. (Arsal et al, 2009)

In this case the residents and experienced travellers are travel information sources because they can answer potential travellers’ questions. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Results revealed that experienced travellers and residents can influence different types of travel decisions within a particular travel community, the Thorn Tree Forum. (Arsal et al, 2009)

As vacationers contribute more and more to this information pool, using in particular Internet sites where they can post their experiences with a"holiday product," an interesting question is whether one can find some kind of profile of these posters. (Bronner and de Hoog, 2011)

As frequent posters on the subject of vacations can be seen as the e-fluentials for vacations and tourism, knowing more about their characteristics can contribute to better-targeted marketing messages. (Bronner and de Hoog, 2011)

A desire for support and a sense of community is another motivation, and consumers motivated by this desire often appear to rely on discussion forums and seem to value dialog. (Bronner and de Hoog, 2011)

It has often been argued that a main issue in tourism is the lack of direct experience with a tourism product, meaning that its quality and benefits can hardly be evaluated before the product is consumed. Rabanser and Ricci, 2005; Senecal and Nantal, 2004; Dallaert, 2000 in Schmallegger, Carson, 2008)

2.6.4.3. Hedonic Factors (Enjoyment, Entertainment, Amusement, Fun)

Members join online travel communities not only to meet their functional and social needs but also for their own enjoyment and entertainment purposes. The hedonic perspective views consumers as pleasure seekers engaged in activities which elicit enjoyment, entertainment, amusement, and fun. (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004)

This type of need has proven to be important in consumer information searching behaviour if one focuses entirely on consumers as information processors and ignore the recreationist readers and observers one may neglect.

Thus, hedonic consumption on the internet is a form of emotive stimulation, positive emotions that are closely affiliated with feeling good, enjoyment, excitement, happiness and enthusiasm (Hoffman and Novak, 1996)

Perceived playfulness is defined as intrinsically enjoyable or interesting. They found that perceived playfulness has a direct effect on extent viral marketing content. (Moon, and Kim, 2001 and Lin and Yu, 2006 in Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

The expectation is, for example, that in virtual communities the relaxation motivation to escape from daily responsibilities and the need for entertainment and having fun will be more important than on review sites, which are more linked to actual choices (a Harley-Davidson virtual community site will not often be visited by people who want to buy a motorcycle). (Bronner and de Hoog, 2011)

2.6.4.4. Social Factors (Communication, Relationship, Involvement, Trust)

Cognitive aspects can be described as buying intention and preferences, activating constructs include emotions, attitudes and motivations. (Steinbauer, 2007)

Online travel communities are socially structured, convey social meaning, and meet social needs (Wang, Yu and Fesenmaier, 2002). The social needs of online community members are defined by the purposes of online communities based on the tasks members are involved in, such as providing help and support, socializing informally through synchronous and asynchronous communication, discussing and exchanging ideas, forming relationships and getting involved with other members (Preece, 2000).

All these activities are built on a sense of trust to the community. (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004) Preece (2000) argues that when there is trust among people, relationship flourish; without them, they wither. For example, sharing their own personal travel stories with other members, finding a travel companion for a more memorable experience, or to purchase a travel product online all require a certain extent of trust.

One of the most important factors for online communities is the sharing of information - communication. Specifically, these social needs may include relationship and interactivity among members since virtual travel communities provide people with similar experiences the opportunity to come together and communicate with each other. (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004)

An internet user will browse for information sources for their interest. However, as the online consumer becomes more sophisticated in his or her internet use, he or she begins to visit sites that have third-party information, and eventually may make online contacts with consumers of that product. (Wang & Fesenmaier, 2004)

The pattern of relationships developed in virtual travel communities of consumption is one in which consumption knowledge is developed in concert with social relations. Consequently, the mode of interaction may evolve from information to relational, then recreational and finally transformational (Kozinets, 1999).

We argue that community driven in social network website can influence between members to transfer and share content in internet. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

Actually it has been shown that many consumer attempt to know another persons’ opinion in the social network websites when considering the purchase of products and services because they belief and trust on their friends opinion. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

Many members believe that their friends in these sites are better resources than companies advertising for buy products or services. (Abedniya and Mohmouei, 2010)

In addition, the interaction occurs before the traveller arrives at the destination and may influence where travellers visit and their choice of accommodation and restaurants. (Arsal et al, 2009)

Ridings and Gefen (2004), reasons for getting involved in online communities include social support, entertainment, and social relations (e.g., making new friends). (Arsal et al, 2009)

The most frequently mentioned motivations are the ones related to helping other vacationers (Bronner, de Hoog, 2011)

Information about goods with experience qualities cannot easily be determined before purchase, and it is for these types of goods that consumers will often rely heavily on product recommendations from others. (Burgess et al, n.d)

High credibility is often placed on word-of-mouth (WOM) information as it is believed that the person providing the WOM information has nothing to lose and is therefore more likely to offer honest advice (Chatterjee, 2001 in Burgess et al, n.d).

In a travel sense, consumers often spread WOM due to extreme feelings associated with a product ‘experience’, such as pleasure or sadness. In some instances, sharing the pleasure of the travel experience is seen as being part of the positive experience (Litvin, Goldsmith & Pan, 2008 in Burgess et al, n.d).

Research indicates that, due to the lack of commercial self-interest associated with WOM recommendations consumers tend to trust and be more influenced by this type of information than by more commercial sources such as travel agents or accommodation operators. (Burgess et al, n.d)

Criticism regarding the power of UGC to persuade travellers about travel related decisions is based on the potential for "fake" content to be posted by travel operators posing as independent reviewers. (Burgess et al, n.d)

One of the concerns raised about the use of UGC sites when planning travel is how the consumer can be assured that the reviews they are viewing are in fact independent and hence trustworthy (Gretzel, 2006 in Burgess et al, n.d)

The results of the study suggest that the most notable of these is the level of trustworthiness and reliability that can be associated with the postings – they can be trusted because they are real experiences by real people who are independent – but can also be seen as untrustworthy because the content that is posted may be faked by someone with a vested interest. (Burgess et al, n.d)

2.6.4.5. Motivations to Share

Their participation in online social networks allows members to be more open to word of mouth marketing messages from their online community, and they naturally want to share information with other members (Dwyer, 2007 in Cao et al, 2009).

The opportunity of online social networks is that the reach of groups of consumers who share common interests is no longer limited geographically and that word of mouth messages can be spread quickly by consumers who truly share common interests and preferences. (Cao et al, 2009).

Influencers are members from whom other members ask for information. Influencer members are often seen as opinion leaders. Thus, other members tend to give the opinions of influencer members more weight than the opinions of non-influencer members. (Cao et al, 2009).

A consumer is more likely to be open to a word of mouth message from another consumer and is less likely to be open to a product advertisement from a party that is paid a commission. (Cao et al, 2009).

According to O’Connor (2008), the intangibility and rigidity of the travel product intensify the consumers’ information needs by nature. The rise of SM gives customers the types of information that they have long aspired, which is unfiltered information (O’Connor in Chan and Guillet, 2011)

Customer brand perceptions and purchasing decisions appear increasingly influenced by web communications and social networking services, as consumers increasingly use these communication technologies for trusted sources of information, insights, and opinions. (Yayli, Bayram, Bayram, n.d)

Social media and the Internet have fundamentally reshaped the way tourism-related information is distributed and the way people plan for and consume travel (Buhalis & Law, 2008 in Yayli, Bayram, Bayram, n.d)

Online social networking is also changing the way tourists plan their trips. These websites allow users to interact and provide reviews on local tourist attractions, hotels, and other travel related business. (Yayli, Bayram, Bayram, n.d)

It is of vital importance that tourism organization managers and destination policy makers understand the antecedents of the tourists’ use and adoption of social media before, during and after their trips due to the impact of these collaborative behaviours on tourists’ decisions about the choice of all the elements of the trip (destination, accommodation, activities and restaurants etc.) (Parra-López, E., et al., 2010 in Yayli, Bayram, Bayram, n.d).

Essentially a personal form of online diary, travel blogs are primarily used to publish personal travel stories and experiences online and to keep in touch with friends and relatives at home.

Further motivations to write blogs include a need for self-expression, social interaction with like-minded people and a desire to share positive and negative experiences with other travellers.

Apart from negative word of mouth, however, it has been argued that most of the content in travel blogs does not have a big impact on tourism businesses or destinations. (Schmallegger and Carson, 2008)

In addition, it was found that travel dairies in the form of personal blogs provide more general descriptions about the destination, attractions or activities about the destination, attractions or activities, whereas blogs found in travel communities, travel forums or on review sites mainly discuss specific items, such as accommodation, restaurants or service quality. (Waldhor, 2007 in Schmallegger and Carson, 2008)

Consumers perceive personalized offers as more relevant to their needs and better aligned with their preferences, which in turn enhances their purchase intentions. (Xia and Bechwati, 2008)

Psychologists believe these customer behaviours may arise through ownership or a need to share their purchase experiences in order to help others. (Abedniya and Mahmouei, 2010)

2.6.5. Current Online Marketing Strategies of Malaysia

Malaysia has carried out various destination marketing strategies in order to boost tourist arrivals to Malaysia. The country’s most notable slogan "Malaysia Truly Asia" since 1999 had boosts Malaysia’s effort to become one of the top destinations in Asia. This slogan has also won numerous awards such as "Best Long Term Marketing and Branding Campaign Gold Awards" at the Asian Marketing Effectiveness Awards 2008. (Tourism Malaysia, 2010)

In June 2011, the Star reported, Ng said the RM1, 758,432 allocations by the ministry to develop its Facebook page professionally was part of its social media campaign. (Source: thestar.com.my)

A summary of main official social media platforms of Malaysia are shown below in Table 2.6.5(a), this table only lists those that are affiliated to the Tourism Malaysia Board and do not include those that are created by "fans" or residences of Malaysia:

Platform

Link

Fans

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/CutiCuti1Malaysia

1.3m

Twitter

https://twitter.com/tourismmalaysia

161,817

Weibo

http://e.weibo.com/1743474514/app_3613985702

124997

Video

http://trulyasia.tv/

N/A

Instagram

http://instagram.com/mytrulyasia

25

Table 2.6.5(a): Official Tourism Malaysia social media platforms

Source: Researcher’s own Table

The marketing strategies on Social Media platforms in Malaysia have been strongly focused on creation of contest platforms to encourage fan participation, though this has only been focused mainly on Facebook and Weibo, there are still room for growth on social media.

2.6.7. Summary

"Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint. Social media isn’t like old media. You don’t buy a newspaper ad and wait for the phone to ring. It takes time, persistence and the creation of real value for others in order for the system to provide value back to you. This doesn’t come over night." - P Morgan Brown

The principle lines of literature required for the later analysis of the results of the research have been exposed. Consumer behaviour theories and models have illustrated the great information requirements which tourists have, as well as the important that information sources can have upon decisions. Information sources for instances social media platforms which are based on UCC and non-marketed dominated sources which are eventually perceived as more reliable and trustworthy therefore more impact can cause upon tourists purchasing decisions.

Marketing and promotions are changing the dynamics of tourism marketing, moving from passive advertisements on televisions to new horizons of online social media. Consumers are becoming more mobile and are becoming more active in on-going relations with the media. Participation of consumers is resulting in user generated content tapping into different marketing dimensions.

In the current technology generation, everything has become with a single touch enabling users to tap into information whenever or wherever they want. The tourism behaviour relation between E-WOM can be crucial in bringing tourist to visit particular country. For example, if a famous celebrity visits a country for vacation or relaxation, through the E-WOM which enable he/she to share the direct feeling to all the followers which indirectly affect the psychology for those that read the message being shared depending it is positive or negative.

With a huge database of statistics and figures, do the social media seem like a hype that will end soon? Social media is here to stay and will continue to boom. Though social media is hard to measure with numbers, but are sure to impact a business and the tourism of a country altogether. Social media greatly influence reputation – to either improve or damage.