Key traits of top answerers on Korean Social Q&A platforms: insights into user performance and entrepreneurial potential

Despite the proliferation of tools available to search for information online, such as search engines and generative artificial intelligence (AI), many people still actively use social question-and-answer (Q&A) platforms. This study examines the best answerers on Korean social Q&A platforms as key content producers and potential entrepreneurs. The characteristics of the best answerers, who are the core contributors to social Q&A platforms, were analysed based on the 903 best answerers from the social Q&A platform Naver Knowledge-iN, a leading social Q&A platform in South Korea. Research hypotheses were formulated based on three key dimensions: the intrinsic characteristics of the answers (length, immediacy, and similarity with the question), attributes of the answerer (self-introduction, credentials beyond the social Q&A platform), and level of engagement of the answerer on the platform (variety in the field of answers, diversity in role activities on the platform). An in-depth analysis using a multiple regression model was conducted to test the hypotheses. The findings of the analysis results indicate that enhanced user performance is positively correlated with several factors. Specifically, longer answers, high similarity between questions and answers, additional credentials beyond the social Q&A platform, a broader range of fields answered, and active participation as both asker and answerer all contribute to improved user performance. These findings highlight what sets social Q&A platforms apart from other search tools such as search engines or generative AI chatbots. This study has practical implications for social Q&A platforms seeking to identify the best contributors who are likely to produce quality content and are potential entrepreneurs.