What drives consumers to post more photos in online reviews? A trait activation theory perspective
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 3 April 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the influence of the reviewed establishment’s price level and the user’s social network size and reputation status on consumers’ tendency to post more visual imagery content. Furthermore, it explores the moderating effects of user experiences and geographic distance on these dynamics.
Design/methodology/approach
This study adopts a multi-method approach to explore both the determinants behind the sharing of user-generated photos in online reviews and their internal mechanisms. Using a comprehensive secondary data set from Yelp.com, the authors focused on restaurant reviews from a prominent tourist destination to construct econometric models incorporating time-fixed effects. To enhance the robustness of the authors’ findings, the authors complemented the big data analysis with a series of controlled experiments.
Findings
The reviewed establishments price level and the users reputation status and social network size incite corresponding motivations conspicuous display “reputation seeking” and social approval motivating users to incorporate more images in reviews. “User experiences can amplify the influence of these factors on image sharing.” An increase in the users geographical distance lessens the impact of the price level on image sharing, but it heightens the influence of the users reputation and social network size on the number of shared images.
Practical implications
As a result of this study, high-end establishments can increase their online visibility by leveraging user-generated visual content. A structured rewards program could significantly boost engagement by incentivizing photo sharing, particularly among users with elite status and extensive social networks. Additionally, online review platforms can enhance users’ experiences and foster more dynamic interactions by developing personalized features that encourage visual content production.
Originality/value
This research, anchored in trait activation theory, offers an innovative examination of the determinants of photo-posting behavior in online reviews by enriching the understanding of how the intricate interplay between users’ characteristics and situational cues can shape online review practices.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors acknowledge the support of research funds from The Hong Kong Polytechnic University’s Departmental General Research Fund (Project No. G-UALR). The authors also greatly acknowledge Ms Linyan Zhang’s assistance and contribution to the initial work on the literature search as a Research Assistant. In the course of crafting this manuscript, the authors used the use of ChatGPT primarily for linguistic precision and enhancement of legibility. Subsequent to the application of this AI tool, the authors undertook a comprehensive review and editing process.
Declaration of competing interest: None.
Citation
Cai, D., Li, H., Law, R., Ji, H. and Gao, H. (2024), "What drives consumers to post more photos in online reviews? A trait activation theory perspective", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-08-2023-1138
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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