Facebook Social Networking

In September 2006, Facebook is just a new born social networking site which has approximately 9.5 million users (Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008). In November 2013, the users of Facebook have increased to 1,278 million (Facebook, 2013). Based on user number and traffic research, Facebook has already become the world biggest social networking sites. The dramatic development of Facebook brings a series at changes in people’s everyday life. There are a number of functions to satisfy different demand of their audience. For example, Facebook allow users to build up a personal profile and post their information on it. In addition, they can find some entertainment functions, Game apps and supply thousands of games. Many researches begin to focus their attention on the relationship between Facebook and its audiences. These researches mainly use college students as survey subject. As one of the biggest user group, more than 90% college students have a Facebook account (Wiley and Sisson, 2006; Ellison and Steinfield, 2007; Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008). Some researches showed college students spent time on Facebook per day is about 30 minutes (Ellison and Steinfield, 2007; Valenzuela and Park 2009; Pempek and Yermolayeva, 2009). However, these researches have just evaluated the impact of Facebook on users, and no research analyses how the audience demand affect Facebook service. As one of the Facebook users, it is important to know the relationship between Facebook and I. In this study, the relationship between Facebook and its audience will be analysing. At the beginning, we will apply use and gratification theory to dissect how Facebook satisfy users’ demand. Next it is to find how audience demand and behavior affect Facebook. Finally, based on all these result, the interactive relationship will be concluded.

The users of internet are relatively active. They can active choose and use different media product to satisfy their social and psychological needs. Use and gratification theory is a significant way to explore the need individuals are meeting by using Facebook (Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008). Although there are some criticism of the use and gratification theory, such as does not predict media exposure very well and failure to integrate different research finding (Larose and Eastin, 2004, Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008), this approach is still a significant tool to understand Facebook usage and users’ need. Mcquail (2005:425) points four types media-person interactions: diversion, personal relationships, personal identity and surveillance. Park and Kee (2009) transfer these four interactions into four primary needs of Facebook usage in his research: socializing, entertainment, self-status seeking and information. Based on these two researches, in present study, these four demands will be analyzed: socializing, diversion, self-status seeking and information.

There are a lot of researches about the reason why people use Facebook. Socializing is the most important cause. Pempek and Yermolayeva (2009) founded 84.78% students in their research use Facebook to contact old friends. Another research covered 1,200 internet users also found the 76% sample regard socializing is the most important reason to use social networking sites such as Facebook (Brandtzæg and Heim, 2009). Facebook has many function’s to satisfy users’ socializing demand. The users can create their personal profile. These profiles use the users’ real name, and include some personal information such as gender, life events, addresses, contact information and interest. The people who are allowed could access this information which enhances mutual understanding with each other. The audience can also post status on their page to show their current condition or share some links with their friends, and their friends can also comment, like or share these statuses. It is a useful way to promote users communication. Facebook also has the function to recommend friends who have the same friends network. The users’ demand to meet new friends could be satisfied.

In addition, Facebook has various entertainment functions. The user can play thousands of games by Game app functions. Different kinds of public page provide large number music and video links. According to view these pages, people can satisfy their entertainment demand. Another demand belongs to diversion is time-killing. Brandtzæg and Heim (2009) found 3.5% users are mainly use social networking sites to pass their time. Both these two methods can help people distract their attention form stress. The audience members get gratification of diversion by Facebook usage.

Furthermore, self-status seeking is an important demand for