The Impact of Social Features and Application Design on User Behavior and Long-Term Engagement of Strava Users

The growth of the health and fitness industry, simultaneously with the emergence of platform-based technology, has led to the incorporation of social features into fitness applications. This study uses the UTAUT2 framework as a theoretical lens to explore the ways in which Strava users interact with the social features embedded into the user experience, as well as how application design affects user engagement. Sixteen semi-structured interviews were conducted to obtain user insights into why and how application design and social features drive user behavior on Strava. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data, and the findings show the role of application design in driving sustained long-term use. Furthermore, this research offers an adapted version of the UTAUT2 model that better suits the study of platform-based technology use in consumer contexts. This study also highlights the role of social sharing in positively impacting user motivation.