Understanding UGC popularity on social media: A grounded theory-based conceptual framework

In the digital age, the way we choose where to travel has shifted from guidebooks and travel agents to the endless scroll of social media. At the heart of this shift is user-generated content, a term that simply means photos, videos, and stories created by ordinary people rather than by companies or professional journalists. When a traveler posts a picture of a hidden beach or a detailed guide to a mountain hike, that post becomes a piece of information that others can read, trust, and act upon. For years, researchers and marketers have tried to understand what makes a specific post become "popular." The old way of thinking was straightforward: if a post has many likes, comments, and shares, it is popular, and that popularity proves the content is good. However, this simple count of numbers might miss the deeper reasons why people actually engage with a post. It treats popularity as a single number, ignoring the complex mix of emotions, trust, and platform rules that drive human behavior online. Understanding the true nature of this popularity is crucial for anyone trying to share a message, sell a destination, or simply find a reliable recommendation in a sea of digital noise.

A team of researchers from Macao Polytechnic University decided to look beneath the surface of these digital metrics. Instead of just counting likes, they wanted to understand what people actually feel and think when they see a popular travel post. To do this, they focused their study on RedNote, a popular Chinese social media platform known for its strong community of travel and lifestyle content. The researchers conducted in-depth conversations with seventeen active users of the platform. These participants included people who regularly create travel content, those who frequently share it, and marketing professionals who work with travel agencies. The interviews were designed to be open and conversational, asking the participants to describe how they judge a post's popularity, what factors they believe make a post stay popular, and how that popularity influences their own travel decisions. By listening carefully to these real-world experiences, the researchers used a method called grounded theory to build a new understanding of popularity from the ground up, rather than forcing the data into a pre-existing box.

The study revealed that popularity is not a single thing, but rather a complex system made of three main parts: what catches the eye, what keeps the content relevant, and how the user evaluates it. The first part, which the researchers call attractiveness, is how a user initially judges a post. They found that people look at two things simultaneously. First, they check the data indicators, such as the number of likes, saves, comments, and views. These numbers act as a quick signal that others have found the content valuable. But the researchers discovered that numbers alone are not enough. The second part of attractiveness is content value. Users look for posts that offer practical help, such as detailed itineraries or honest tips, and they crave authenticity. A post that feels like a genuine personal story, rather than a hidden advertisement, resonates much more deeply. One participant noted that a photo paired with a text expressing real feelings was more moving than a perfectly polished, AI-generated viral post. This suggests that while numbers grab attention, the true measure of a popular post is whether it feels real and useful.

The second part of the framework is relevance, which explains why a post stays popular over time. The researchers identified five different forces that work together to keep a post visible. The foundation is the content itself, including how attractive the cover image is, whether the title matches what people are currently searching for, and how timely the information is. If a post talks about a holiday destination right before the holiday season, it is more likely to succeed. The platform itself plays a huge role through its operation mechanisms. Algorithms on these platforms notice when a post gets likes and comments, and they automatically show it to more people. Users also noticed that they can sometimes edit a popular post to keep it fresh, tricking the algorithm into giving it a second wave of attention. Furthermore, the interaction between the creator and the audience matters; when an author replies to comments, the post stays alive. The reputation of the creator also counts; a user who consistently posts about travel is seen as more trustworthy than a general account. Finally, the outside world matters. If a local government is promoting a specific cultural event or if a major holiday is approaching, these external factors can boost a post's popularity significantly.

The final part of the framework is evaluation, which describes how this popularity changes a user's mind and actions. When a user sees a highly popular post, it often triggers an emotional response, making them feel a strong desire to visit that place. It also helps them save time, as they feel they can trust the information without needing to search for more. However, the study uncovered a surprising twist. While high popularity usually builds trust, some users actually avoid the most popular destinations. They fear that if a place is too crowded with tourists, the experience will be ruined. This "reverse selection" means that for some people, extreme popularity is a warning sign rather than a recommendation. Regarding trust, users do not blindly believe a popular post just because it has many likes. They look closely at the comments. If the comments seem genuine and positive, they trust the post more. But if they suspect the popularity is fake or bought, their trust collapses immediately. This shows that popularity acts as a seal of approval only when it is backed by perceived authenticity.

Based on these findings, the researchers proposed a new way to think about social media marketing, visualizing it as a triangle connecting companies, communities, and customers. In this model, companies create the initial content, but the community of users and fans is what amplifies it through sharing and discussion. The customers then interpret these signals to make their own decisions. The study suggests that for a travel destination or a brand to succeed, they cannot just chase high numbers. They must focus on creating content that feels authentic and provides real value. They need to work with creators who have a specific niche and a professional reputation, rather than just those with the most followers. Platforms, too, have a role to play. Instead of only promoting content that already has high numbers, algorithms should also prioritize content that is authentic and useful, ensuring that high-quality, niche information does not get buried.

The researchers are careful to note that their findings are based on the specific culture and rules of the RedNote platform, so the results might look different on other social media sites like TikTok or Instagram. They also acknowledge that their study relied on what people said in interviews, which is different from tracking their actual behavior over a long period. While they have built a strong conceptual framework, they suggest that future research should test these ideas with larger groups of people and across different types of content. Despite these limitations, the study offers a clear and practical shift in perspective. It moves the conversation away from simply counting likes and toward understanding the human logic behind why we share, trust, and act on the content we see online. For anyone trying to navigate the digital world, the lesson is clear: popularity is not just a number; it is a story about trust, value, and the complex relationship between a creator, a community, and a traveler.