Determinants of attitudes towards social networking advertising: The role of habit, perceived ease of use and social media capital affinity

Abstract

There is an observed popularity in the use of social networking sites. The popularity of social networking sites appears to occupy a multi-layered utility depending on the needs of the end user. Calls exist within the literature for studies that explore understanding of determinants that influence attitudes towards advertising on social networks. The importance of this is that such factors influencing attitudes towards advertising on social networks can be useful pre-cursors to the formation of actual intentions. The objective of this study was to determine the role of habit, perceived ease of use and social media capital affinity on attitudes towards social network advertising amongst students at rural campus. A sample of 289 registered students were used as a sample for this study utilising a positivist research philosophy and a survey design approach. The findings of the research saliently show a positive relationship to exist a) perceived ease of use and habit; b) social capital affinity and attitudes towards social networking advertising. Based on the findings of the research some implications are made concerning possible responses from the youth market and attitudes towards social media advertising.