Influencing factors of young people's short video switching behaviour based on grounded theory

Purpose This study aims to explore the switching behaviour of short video (SV) users and its influencing factors and promote the sustainable development of SV platforms (SVPs) and the marketing strategy formulation of library and information institutions. Design/methodology/approach Using the qualitative research method of semi-structured interviews and grounded theory, this study conducts an exploratory study on the user switching phenomenon of an SVP. The authors encoded the interview text at three levels, extracted the factors influencing user switching behaviour on an SVP and constructed the corresponding theoretical model. Findings This study identifies the following major internal and external factors influencing user switching behaviour of SVP: platform quality, social environment, individual characteristics and use needs. It also elaborates on the impact of these internal and external factors on user switching behaviour. Originality/value This study explored the factors influencing SV user switching behaviour and constructed corresponding theoretical models, enriching research in information technology and social media switching. In practice, this study helped the existing SVPs and library and information institutions establish a corresponding early warning mechanism to prevent the loss of existing users and attract new users.