Do followers buy products that influencers endorse online?
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2020-06-23
Language
en
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Abstract
The use of social media increased among followers, social media influencers, and brands using social media to promote their products. Social media influencers are an essential part of their followers' social lives and increasingly collaborate with brands to endorse products online.
The goal of the present study is to examine if there is a difference in content's effectiveness with an informative value and content with an entertainment value in persuading a follower to purchase products an influencer endorses online. Therefore, this study aims first to assess what the effect is of informative and entertaining content on the purchase intention of the follower mediated by the strength of the PSR between a follower and an influencer. Secondly, to find out if the naïve theory of followers moderates this effect and if a negative naïve theory will influence the purchase intention of a follower.
The research design of this study is quantitative and based on primary data. The data is collected via a survey and respondents have been recruited via a combination of convenience sampling and a snowball sampling method.
The outcomes of this study indicate that the entertaining value of the content of an influencer positively affects the strength of the PSR between the follower and the influencer. Subsequently, the informative value of the content and the strength of the PSR are positively related to the purchase intention of the follower. Furthermore, there is no difference between followers with a negative or positive naïve theory in establishing a PSR between a follower and an influencer or the follower's purchase intention.
This research adds to the existing knowledge on how to use user-generated content of influencers effectively and the knowledge that content with both an informative and entertainment value as perceived by the follower leads to a higher purchase intention of the follower is essential for brands to market their products.
Keywords: influencer marketing, value of content, PSR, purchase intention, naïve theory.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen