How multi-dimensional mobile social media characteristics promote user loyalty and positive word-of-mouth: the moderating role of functional value and experiential value

Existing literature primarily concentrates on the early stages of mobile device adoption, neglecting the investigation of how differentiated characteristics of mobile social media influence users’ perceived values and outcomes after acceptance. Consequently, the principal objective of this research is to empirically examine the associations among the fundamental characteristics of mobile social media (i.e., interactive characteristic, informational characteristic, and personalized characteristic), perceived values (i.e., functional value and experiential value), and final consequences, especially user loyalty and positive WOM. Using uses and gratifications theory as a foundation, the current research proposes a conceptual model that investigates the key factors that determine individuals’ loyalty and positive WOM on mobile social media by incorporating two perceived value variables. The research employed a quantitative methodology, which consisted of conducting a survey with a total of 826 participants in mainland China. The data was processed and analyzed using structural equation modeling 25.0 software and Amos 25.0 software. Obtained results of this research demonstrated that informational characteristic and personalized characteristic significantly influence mobile social media users’ perceived functional value and experiential value. This study also indicated that experiential value influence user loyalty and positive WOM. However, interactive characteristic exhibits insignificant impacts on functional value. This article provides an essential contribution to the existing body of literature on mobile applications by presenting a comprehensive theoretical underpinning and practical implications that illuminate the ongoing utilization of mobile devices.