Table 3.

Emerging spectrum of types of dentists using social media

Category	Deleters (former users)	Avoiders	Secondary users	Occasional users	Followers, observers	Seekers	Cautious, limited, engaged users	Active users
Characteristics	Can't see benefits	May see benefits	Sees benefits	Sees benefits	Sees benefits	Sees benefits	Sees benefits	Sees benefits
	Risks > benefits	Aware of risks, risks > benefits	Aware of risks	Aware of risks	Aware of risks	Aware of risks	Aware of risks	Aware of some risks
	Seeks information through real life Lacks skills to join and will/desire to join Unaware of how it works Doesn't feel the need, not missing out		Lacks skills to join and will/desire to join	Does not feel the need to engage, does not understand the purpose of it	Filters information on social media Lacks confidence to post in forums	Filters information on social media	Filters information on social media Contributes depending on knowledge of area Conscious of posting information	Filters information on social media Contributes where possible
	Do it for self-protection No longer has will/need to utilise social media Could be afraid, had adverse experience, had enough	Do it for self-protection Do not want their life on show, want to be a gatekeeper of that information and choose who to share with	Gets things on social media signposted to them Sign-poster may/may not make comments, person posts on user's behalf Possibly for self-protection, lack of need, fear May get invited but doesn't join	Not a priority May require guidance or want to use more	Do it for self-protection Does not feel the need to Lacks confidence to post in forums Privately messages if wants to learn more	Intention to actively seek information Searching through forums Privately messages if wants to learn more May post in forums if have confidence May look through social media but not join	May or may not have necessary skills for self-protection Feels confident to be able to engage and post Conscious of impact of users around them, deliberates May use closed rather than open platforms	May or may not have necessary skills for self-protection Feels confident to be able to engage and post Impacts on others around them
Use in learning	Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Uses more professionally, to own benefit Place for online learning Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Uses more professionally, to own benefit Place for online learning Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Uses more professionally, to own benefit Place for online learning Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)	Uses more professionally, to own benefit Place for online learning Traditional methods of learning (eg face-to-face, hands-on courses, meetings, journals, professional societies)
Changing use	Might change if saw some benefit Might join if felt like missing out on information May require support	Might change if saw some benefit Might join if felt like missing out on information May require support	Chooses to be secondary user dependent on platform used	If become more engaged with platforms, or feeling of need increases	When moves up priority list Might post if felt more confident in an online environment	Might post if felt more confident in an online environment	Might post if felt more confident in an online environment	May change activity based on experience, or if sees risks more than benefits
Suggested user types are not mutually exclusive, and users may fit between different categories and will be constantly changing. These factors can be influenced by age, employment setting, job role, experiences of social media and the notion that different platforms are used with different intent. For example, blogs, Twitter and LinkedIn are all seen as professional platforms; Facebook and Instagram can mix between personal and professional