Exploring users’ migration from social media to the metaverse: A push-pull-mooring framework analysis

Frame of the research: The rise of the metaverses is transforming digital social interaction, offering both challenges and opportunities for digital marketing. While prior research has examined the adoption of metaverses for educational and shopping purposes, little attention has been paid to their emerging role as social platforms - and specifically to the factors that drive users to migrate from traditional social media, viewing metaverses as their potential next iteration. Purpose of the paper: To address the gap in current research, the present study combines the Push-Pull-Mooring (PPM) framework with Social Identity Theory to investigate the factors influencing users’ switching intentions from social media to the metaverses. Methodology: To test the proposed “Meta Switching Model,” a cross-sectional survey was conducted, collecting data from 151 meta-users of Fortnite. The data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings: Results indicate that perceived usefulness, ease of use, and social identity significantly influence switching intention, whereas - contrary to initial hypotheses - social media fatigue and dissatisfaction were found non-significant. Research limits: The study focuses on a single metaverse platform (Fortnite) and a relatively limited sample. Future research should compare behaviours across different metaverses and cultures, and explore avatar-based identity formation through mixed or neuromarketing methods. Practical implications: Managerially, the findings underscore the importance for marketers of designing immersive experiences that align with the identity dynamics, values, and cultural codes of the communities within the metaverses. Originality of the paper: Applying Social Identity Theory as a mooring factor for the first time, this study shows that migration to metaverses is driven more strongly by identity-based motivations than by dissatisfaction with existing social media. By framing metaverses as socially constructed rather than merely technological spaces, it offers an innovative perspective on digital migration and the evolution of online social interaction.