The mechanism by which social media influencers persuade consumers: The role of consumers’ desire to mimic

Abstract

We explore the mechanism through which social media influencers (SMIs) persuade consumers to adopt brands. Guided by the influence framework, we propose and test empirically SMIs' influence mechanism, which occurs in four principal stages: (a) a SMI's influence attempts (showcasing H1: attractive; H2: prestigious; H3 and H4: expert; H5: informative; and H6: interactive Instagram contents); (b) target consumers' attitudinal response to the influence exercised (evaluating the SMI as a H7: taste and H8: opinion leader); which, in turn, affects (c) the targets' desire to comply (the desire to mimic); and ultimately (d) their favorable behavioral outcomes (H9: social media word-of-mouth and H10: purchase intentions). On the basis of the survey data from 395 respondents, we used structural equation modeling to test our hypotheses and proposed model. We verified the robustness of our results using an ordered probit regression model and analyzed the mediating role of consumers' desire to mimic SMIs in the influence mechanism. Our results confirm that the five aspects of influencing posts affect consumers' attitudes positively and significantly, which in turn leads to positive behavioral outcomes through their desire to mimic SMIs. We discuss the results' important implications for both scholars and practitioners. K E Y W O R D Sdesire to mimic, influence mechanism, influencer marketing, instagram, purchase intentions, social media, social media influencers

Social media influencers: A route to brand engagement for their followers

“…A new type of celebrity that involves the practice of self-presentation. Ki and Kim (2019) Independent, third-party endorsers who have developed large social networks by publically sharing their opinions. They have established credibility with their audiences because of knowledge and expertize on a particular topic.…”

“…30). Although marketers have myriad different options in implementing DCM, they often turn to SMIs to build brand engagement (Ki & Kim, 2019; Torres et al, 2019; Voorveld, 2019). Because “DCM is based on the premise of a genuine, sincere desire to add value to the consumer's life in some relevant way (e.g,.…”

“…Voorveld (2019, pp. 21) asserts that “academic research is scant” and many important questions about the effectiveness of SMIs remain (Ki & Kim, 2019; Torres et al, 2019). In terms of methodological issues, Eigenraam et al (2018) note that few studies on digital engagement practices take a consumer perspective, and Voorveld (2019, pp.…”

The role of influencers in the consumer decision-making process

“…Influencer marketing is prevalent in firm strategies, yet little is known about the factors that drive success of online brand engagement at different stages of the consumer purchase funnel [10]. That's the way marketing practitioners may consider partnering with different influencer depending on their influencer marketing campaigns' specific goals and take advantage of different influencer depending on whether marketers want to create more buzz about corporate initiatives or publicize products just launched [11].…”

Influencers as a segment of digital marketing communication: Generation Y attitudes

“…Researchers (Ki, Kim, 2019) emphasize the role and significance of social media influencers within marketing and promotion strategies. These authors argue that customers perceive brands as more relevant when endorsed by influencers rather than celebrities.…”