Using Stickers and Gif On Social Network Communication: Users’ Experience And Preference

Abstract

Owing to the technological advancement and innovation, communication nowadays can be done digitally, through a range of social network platform such as Whatsapp, Wechat, Telegram and so on. Apart from offering cost saving and convenient communication medium to the users, these platforms are built of interesting features and useful functions that will transform users’ communication into an effective and meaningful one. Stickers and GIF are two brilliant thus popular features that are available in most of the social network applications. As such, the present study wished to investigate users’ experience in using these two features particularly relating to their purpose and frequency of usage. To this end, 10 users were interviewed in the study. Most of the informants indicate very frequent use of these features where some of them have a higher preference for stickers over GIF. As far as the purpose of usage is concerned, the informants most of the time send stickers or GIF to emphasise meaning of messages they intend to send via communication done. They added that these features are practically useful in getting their messages cconveyed much clearer. Nonetheless, the informants informed they only use stickers and GIF with family and close friends and avoid using it when formal matter is subjected in the communication.