Key highlights
- Social media posts that evoke strong emotions or spark controversy tend to attract high numbers of comments.
- People who frequently comment on social media are often active users, opinionated, socially connected, and emotionally responsive.
- Social media platforms trigger dopamine release in the brain, which can create a feedback loop of seeking social validation and dopamine release through commenting.
A recent Instagram post by Nigeria’s Afrobeat Super Star, Davido, attracted over 65,000 comments. The superstar has stayed out of social media for weeks due to personal reasons. So, the flurry of comments on his page was somewhat expected.
There is also the billionaire Chairman of UBA Group, Tony Elumelu, who recently found himself in hot water with the Obidients over an Instagram post of himself welcoming the president-elect, Bola Tinubu, to his home. That post also attracted thousands of comments, ostensibly from young Nigerians who were still reeling from what they perceived was an ‘unfortunate outcome’ of the 2023 presidential election.
A recent Kanye West post about the remake of the film 21 jump street also garnered over 90k comments on Instagram. Tweets from the world’s richest man, Elon Musk also attract thousands of comments no matter what he says.
Social media comments can be an addictive aspect of social media engagement, with some comments being entertaining, informative, or thought-provoking, while others can be negative, irrelevant, or spammy. What you can’t doubt is the entertainment value that is associated with comments. But if comments are this entertaining who are the people who write these comments and why?
We all have that one friend who seems to have a talent for commenting on every social media post, from pictures of cats to political rants. Their witty and insightful comments can keep us entertained and engaged on the platform, making them a valuable part of our social media experience.
It’s like they have a secret feed that no one else knows about or a team of social media minions working around the clock to keep them up to date on the latest memes and trends. While we may never know the secret to their commenting prowess, we can always count on them to make us laugh and think, one post at a time.
But have you ever wondered why these friends of ours always appear in the comment section of nearly most posts social media algorithms feed us? Is there a science behind it? Well, guess what? Science suggests people who often comment on social media posts all have unique traits.
But first, let’s talk about Dopamine
According to research, social media addiction is linked to dopamine, a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in regulating the brain’s reward and pleasure centres.
The researchers observed that social media platforms like Instagram, and Twitter, are designed to trigger dopamine release in the brain, which can create a sense of pleasure or reward when we receive likes, comments, or other forms of social validation.
By the same token, people who comment frequently on Instagram or other social media platforms may be more likely to experience dopamine release in response to these interactions. This can create a feedback loop where the individual becomes more and more engaged with the platform, seeking out more opportunities for social validation and dopamine release.
Post that attracts comments
Research also suggests, there is also a science behind the types of posts that tend to attract a high number of comments on social media platforms like Instagram. Research has shown that certain types of content tend to be more engaging and create a greater sense of social connection, which can lead to increased commenting activity.
For example, posts that evoke strong emotions, such as humour, awe, anger, or sadness, tend to generate more engagement and comments from users. Posts that spark debate or controversy are also more likely to elicit comments as people express their opinions and engage in discussion with others.
Some posts are personally relevant to the viewer, such as posts that reflect their interests, experiences, or beliefs and are more likely to generate comments as people share their thoughts and experiences. Posts that include interactive elements, such as quizzes, polls, or challenges, can also generate high levels of engagement and comments as people participate in the activity.
Despite these examples, we still have several people who do not bother to comment on social media. What about those who love to comment? Do they have unique traits? Science suggests
the type of people who tend to react to social media posts that attract a high number of comments can vary widely depending on the content and the audience of the social media platform in question.
Traits associated with comment section protagonist
There are a few general patterns that can help us understand who might be more likely to engage with highly commented posts These include,
Active social media users: People who are highly active on social media platforms are more likely to engage with highly commented posts. These individuals are likely to be frequent users of the platform and may have a strong interest in the content or topic being discussed.
Opinionated individuals: People who have strong opinions or beliefs about a particular topic are more likely to engage with highly commented posts that relate to that topic. These individuals may be more likely to share their thoughts and engage in debate or discussion with others in the comments section.
Socially connected individuals: People who are highly connected to their social networks are more likely to engage with highly commented posts. These individuals may have a large number of followers or friends on the platform and may feel a sense of social pressure to engage with popular content.
Emotionally responsive individuals: People who are highly responsive to emotional content, such as posts that elicit humour, awe, anger, or sadness, are more likely to engage with highly commented posts.
Highly engaged individuals: People who are highly engaged with a particular brand or topic are more likely to comment frequently on related social media posts. These individuals may be loyal customers, fans, or advocates who want to share their opinions and experiences with others.
Attention seekers: Some people comment frequently on social media posts as a way of seeking attention or validation from others. These individuals may be motivated by a desire to be noticed or recognized by others on the platform.
Information seekers: People who are looking for information or answers to their questions may be more likely to comment frequently on social media posts related to their queries. These individuals may be seeking advice, recommendations, or insights from others in the community.
Collaborative individuals: Some people comment frequently on social media posts as a way of collaborating or working with others on a particular project or initiative. These individuals may be seeking input or feedback from others or may be interested in contributing their ideas or expertise to a larger effort.
Critical thinkers: People who are critical thinkers and enjoy analyzing and debating ideas are more likely to comment frequently on social media posts. These individuals may be motivated by a desire to challenge others’ opinions or to engage in thoughtful discussion and debate with like-minded individuals.
The decision to comment or not on social media posts can be influenced by a wide range of individual, scientific, and social factors. These factors include the content of the post, the audience of the platform, and individual differences in personality and behaviour. Therefore, the most important factor for content creators is to create content that resonates with their audience and elicits an emotional response or sense of connection.
