Abstract
The phenomenon of social media and consequent transformations of our life and work represent aresearch interest in the area of people’s online behavior, which increasingly impacts marketing scienceand practice. Prior studies investigated motivational factors of social media usage. This research aimsto reveal these factors’ antecedents such as different online content formats or virtual experience types.The study’s output contributes to the enhancement of social media theory. The sample includes 103KIMEP University’s bachelor students as representatives of generation Z in Kazakhstan. Factor analysisand structural equation modeling were performed to process the data with the application of SPSS 19.0and WarpPLS 6.0 programs. Based on the research’s results we suggest three modal antecedents includingverbal-based, pictorial-based, and animated-based virtual experience types, which affect socializing,entertainment and self-status seeking motivations to use social media. Application of the specific onlinecontent formats to the particular social media gratification is supposed to improve the effectiveness andefficiency of elaboration and implementation of consumer communication programs and customer relationshipstrategy in achieving marketing and sales targets.