The impact of employees’ social media advocacy on attitudes toward the brand: the mediating role of parasocial relationships

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to examine how employee advocacy, via the value and credibility of their professional social media content, affects their followers’ attitudes toward the brand through the mediating role of parasocial relationships. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative research was used, and questionnaires were answered by LinkedIn users who follow at least one person they consider to be an employee advocate. A total of 390 responses were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Findings The results suggest that the credibility of an employee advocate positively impacts the parasocial relationship between the user and the employee, which, in turn, impacts the user’s attitude toward the brand represented by the employee advocate. Practical implications The results of this study suggest that employee advocacy on LinkedIn can shape positive attitudes toward the advocate’s brand. These findings suggest that organizations should consider employee content and credibility as strategic tools in marketing communications. Originality/value This study delineates the linkages between the credibility and content value of the employee advocate, the parasocial relationship they have with followers and their attitude toward the brand. This research contributes to the literature on employee advocacy and studies on the concepts of parasocial interactions and relationships.

The Effect of Trustworthiness to Increase Brand Trust and Purchase Intention on Social Media Promotion based on Theory of Persuasion in Generation Z

“…Parasocial relationships refer to intimate relationships between actors and audiences (C. L. . Parasocial relationships are relationships formed between individuals engaged in one-way interactions, such as between employees and their social media followers (Venciute et al, 2023). Parasocial relationships are defined as "interactions between mass media users and human representations that appear in the media (e.g.…”

From friends to enemies and vice versa

“…Therefore, it is important that consumer rely on a more trustworthy source. The work by Venciute et al (2023) seeks to identify the impact that employees can have on consumer brand perceptions.…”