A Systematic Literature Review of Predictors of Social Media Popularity

Abstract

A growing area of research has examined the individual behaviors and social antecedents that enable and constrain the popularity of social media users. This systematic review gathers and summarizes 68 naturalistic studies that measure popularity based on users’ reach (e.g., followers, fans and subscribers) or engagement (e.g., likes, comments and shares) on multiple platforms. It draws on Barnlund’s (2008) transactional model of communication to organize the literature and provides a roadmap for future research by identifying areas of the research that are characterized by consensus and disagreement. It also reveals a gap in the literature. Previous research focuses on communication strategies that maximize reach and engagement and provides less evidence of social structural influences on popularity. More research is needed to understand how the social, economic, and cultural characteristics of users affect their success.