In my final blog post, I will be discussing motivations. What are some of peoples’ motivations in consuming digital media?
People use digital media for various reasons. Let’s take email as an example. These days, people use email on an extremely regular basis as part of work, where email is the main communication function. Emailing serves as a way to communicate with clients, colleagues, and people from not only within the company, but also external parties from anywhere in the world. In this sense, digital media serves a crucial role at the workplace. Let’s not forget about the other people who use email regularly, in institutions, schools, and even you and me.
There are many other digital media platforms like social networking sites, video sharing sites, photo sharing sites, and so on. Digital media is so embedded in the world we live in now, it is impossible for us to live without it.
What are some other motivations in consuming digital media? For me, I use digital media simply because it is so convenient and allows me to go about my daily life without any troubles. Digital media for me also serves as a way to connect easily with the people around me: my friends and family. A few seconds is all it takes to send a greeting to a friend.
The 2017 Social Media Report from Global Web Index shows the top 10 motivations for consuming social media:
My point is, there are many motivations involved in consuming digital media: it could be for convenience, superficial reasons, or a sheer need and necessity in our lives.
What are some of YOUR motivations in consuming digital media?
Reference:
https://blog.globalwebindex.com/chart-of-the-day/social-media/
You are right: it is impossible to think of a world without digital media. Regarding the Global Web Index report, I think my main motivations in using social media are: to communicate and stay in touch with friends and relatives; to read about news/events or randoms articles about different topics; to get distracted during my free time and also to engage with online communities.
I definitely recognize myself in these reasons for social media usage. To be honest, I think that there is not one category I could only fit in in this list of motivations. I use it to fill up spare time, while keeping up with what my friends are doing, as well as finding entertaining content and just network in general. I cannot imagine my life without it anymore, which is equally good as it is terrifying.