The way of the social media: focused on the needs for social-connection

Facebook recently changed its name to META to focus on the Metaverse virtual world where people can game, work, and communicate using VR headsets. Defining a role of social media is significant, because it demonstrates where social media will be headed in the future. It is time to consider how social media—which uses technology such as Metaverse, AI and VR—can play a role in communication. Social media engagement is one of the most important marketing elements that must be handled to extend a brand in the era of the Metaverse. In general, brand engagement is created by establishing strong consumer-brand ties. Therefore, it is necessary to identify social media experiences that facilitate the development of positive customer relationships. Until now, social media has been examined mainly in line with the nature of information-sharing platforms. Therefore, it was focused on people's motivations when sharing information and the types of shared information. However, many people are establishing networks through virtual space and the space to work and communicate will be created in the social media in the near future. Considering the facts, social media is expected to provide social connection to users. Social-connection, the desire of feeling connected to society is one of the most fundamental human needs. What actions will consumers take on social media if they don't feel connected to others in the context of the recent COVID-19—that people have to work from home and had hard time building intimate relationships? This research aims to examine individuals—who experience a lack of social-connection—consumption behavior by focusing on their communication experience on social media. In this study, the compensatory consumer behavior model is applied to explain consumption behavior (information sharing or self-promotion) of consumers on social media who feel socially isolated in a real life. In addition, we would like to confirm the role of communication experience (experience through the actual self vs. experience through the virtual self) on social media, considering social media consumption behavior. This research analyzes communication experiences that might enhance the self and the relationship between experience and brand involvement. It will be able to identify consumer experiences that can strengthen the self-enhancement of customers who feel self-discrepancy resulting in increasing brand engagement. The study explained the direction of social media should take, including several new technologies and the way to advance sustainable growth of social media.