A Study on the Influence of Informativeness and Entertainment on Social Media User Attitudes of Embedded Ads

Abstract

This study user attitudes on social media platforms in China, with a focus on the moderating effects of demographic factors. Grounded in advertising effectiveness theory and media richness theory, the research surveyed 400 Chinese social media users aged 20–50 through a structured questionnaire. Data were analyzed using multiple regression, t-tests, and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results reveal that both informativeness and entertainment significantly enhance users’’ attitudes toward embedded ads, with informativeness exerting a stronger influence. Furthermore, demographic variables such as age, education level, and occupation user attitudes, whereas gender does not show a notable impact. Specifically, users aged 31–40, those with a bachelor’’s degree or above, and non-student participants exhibited more favorable responses to embedded advertising. The study concludes that effective embedded ads must entertainment to maximize engagement. These findings offer practical implications for advertisers and platform designers, suggesting that ad strategies should be tailored to demographic characteristics—emphasizing informational clarity for professionals and enhancing entertainment elements for younger audiences.