Understanding WeChat users' liking behavior: An empirical study in China

Liking behavior in social media is growing in popularity. Yet there has been a lack of research and understanding of the factors that motivate users to click "like" in social media. In this study, based on the uses and gratifications theory, a research model is developed to examine what factors affecting users' liking behavior in WeChat. And gender is considered as the moderating factor in the model. Using 215 valid data from the WeChat users in China, the model is empirically assessed by PLS-SEM. Results show that three types of gratifications positively affect WeChat users' liking behavior: hedonic gratification (enjoyment), social gratification (social support) and utilitarian gratification (information seeking). In particular, enjoyment plays the most important role in determining the liking behavior, followed by social support and information seeking. In addition, gender acts as the moderator on the relationship between each gratification and liking behavior. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.