Study on aspects that make social media content like dangerous online challenges go viral and trigger consumers

Abstract

Today, internet challenges are one of many fads and sensations that occur online. Because of their popularity and reach, brands and other interest groups gain awareness on the content they are promoting. This research was aimed to provide insights on various factors and other motivational aspects that attracts different demographics towards social media challenges. In qualitative study aspects about content, type of challenge, timespan, and factors influencing participation were brought out. The important factors that were highlighted were effort, social identity, FOMO, specialized and functional nature of challenges along with causes associated with them. These factors had various degree of influences according to gender, occupation and age. Content and type of challenge also influenced liking and participation. Based on this quantitative study was done to test the hypothesis on the importance of factors and how aspects like rewards and causes affect likings for the challenges. Social identity or comfort was the most powerful factor deciding participation. Challenges with lower social identity were more liked or shown more affinity towards. People in general are more hesitant to post pictures/videos about them or their friends. They are more likely to participate in content-oriented challenges. For the identified sets of challenges, the affinities for challenges were studied gender-wise and according to occupation also. Different demographics were interested in different topics and also rewards & causes associated with challenges influenced participation according to gender and occupation. The insights derived can be used to design challenges to engage with the required target segment to garner maximum reach.