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deal of concern about Web site content, with indications that users may be quite
motivated by content in their choice of specific sites to visit, as opposed to the
recreational act of browsing (Drèze & Zufryden, 1997; McDonald, 1997; Stafford
& Stafford, 1998). In short, it may be that what a site offers content-wise may be
the attraction, which serves to bring consumers to the site, so that commercial
transactions might take place.
Potential Factors Motivating Web Users
According to Stafford and Stafford (1998), Web site use might be character-
ized initially by process gratifications in recognition of the "Web surfing" phenom-
enon which has the potential to expose new users to site content. However, while
initial and accidental exposure could often be due to some random browsing effect,
content gratifications seem more likely to represent the reason for continued site
access, a perspective in line with McGuire's (1974) "holding power" arguments.
Aimless surfing is an apt Internet characterization of McGuire's process
gratification, but bookmarking a site might be more representative of motivations
arising from content gratifications. When a user finds a site compelling enough to
mark the return passage for a later visit, this is probably indicative of strong content
interest. Researchers have expressed concern about the ability to hold the attention
of Web site users (Barker & Groenne, 1997), and it appears that site designers
should be working on ways to increase a user’s involvement with Web sites--
motivating users to use sites actively and mark them for additional later use, rather
than working out ways to enhance the users’ browsing experience.
Researchers have already compared the Web to television in terms of
potential effects and uses (Eighmey, 1997b; McDonald, 1997), an ironic analogy,
since what is known about uses and gratifications theory comes from studies of
television in its infancy (Stafford & Stafford, 1996). In some cases, the television
metaphor is directly applicable, as in the case of Eighmey (1997a; 1997b), who
investigated corporate Web sites to determine user motivations with scales
developed in earlier U&G studies of television. Certainly, television research has