Adding Value in the Information Age: Uses and Gratifications of Sites on the World Wide Web

This study draws on the uses and gratifications perspective in mass communication research to examine the audience experience associated with websites. Research participants viewed five commercial websites and evaluated them using 80 rating scale items. The results show similarities to the types of uses and gratifications reported in studies of other media. New dimensions called personal involvement and continuing relationship were identified and found to be important factors when examining audience reactions to websites. The study also established the importance of website organizational concepts and considerations of design efficiency in the development of websites that attract repeat visits.