Communications of Frequent Flyer Programs on Weibo and WeChat: Examining Social Media in China's Commercial Sphere

In my thesis I set out to explore communications of Frequent Flyer Programs (FFPs) on Chinese social media, particularly Weibo and WeChat, to examine social media’s effects on China’s commercial sphere. My research and scholarly debates reflect that social media affects China’s commercial sphere in three distinct forms. Social media as a cost-effective platform facilitates communications between organizations, and current and potential customers. In addition, it tends to be a catalyst to stimulate the development of citizen journalism, which largely encourages public participation in commercial activities. Finally, the future of social media will be more concentrated on building strong relationships and increasing communication efficiency. Mobile social media will draw considerable attention in this process, and both organizations and individuals value mobile social media to strengthen the importance of brand identity and marketing communications. Consequently, social media will be more significant in affecting China’s commercial sphere in the future.