The structure of conversations on social networks: Between dialogic and dialectic threads

•Conversations on social media can be dialogic or dialectic.•In dialogic conversations, social media users interact among themselves.•In dialectic conversations, social media users interact with the company.•Modern social media are characterized by dialogic conversations.•Young users consider dialogic conversations more informative than dialectic ones.

The structure of conversations on social networks may affect the users' perceptions regarding the informative value of the conversations. Consequently, to draw the maximum benefit from social networks, companies should understand which form these online conversations take. The paper argues that the conversations on social networks can have two forms: (1) dialogic: users interacting among themselves; (2) dialectic: users interacting with the company. Through three empirical studies, the research suggests that users express some preference for dialogic conversations, and young users have a higher tendency than senior users to consider dialogic conversations more informative than the dialectic alternative. These results suggest that social media managers should shape the layout and design of social media platforms to support dialogic conversations, encouraging horizontal interactions among users.