Digital Influencers and Their Effect on Brand Perception and Loyalty
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56209/jommerce.v3i4.132Keywords:
Digital Influencers, Brand Image, Brand Association, Influencer AuthenticityAbstract
This quantitative research examines the impact of digital influencers on brand image and brand attitude, with particular focus on influencer credibility. Based on a survey of 500 respondents, the study uses correlation analysis, regression analysis, analysis of variance and covariance analysis to determine the effects of influencer credibility, perceived brand image, and brand loyalty. This research shows that perception of brands has significant positive relationship with influencer credibility and credibility alone can be used to predict brand perception. Further, the proposed influencer credibility-have a direct effect on brand loyalty,which is over and above the effect through brand perception, which in turn has a proposed positive and significant mediating effect between credibility and loyalty. The study also establishes that, there is a disparity in the impact of different influence towards brand loyalty. The study minimizes the threat of confounding variables such as the frequency of social media usage thereby providing a clear idea of the factors that affect brand results. These research endeavors add further knowledge to the already existent literature on influencer marketing based on the details that denote the way through which influencer credibility influences the consumer behaviors in addition to offering some real-life strategies for marketers.
References
Abidin, C. (2016). Aren’t these just young, rich women doing vain things online? Influencer selfies as subversive frivolity. Social Media + Society, 2(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305116641342
Akar, E., & Topçu, Y. I. (2011). An examination of the factors influencing the effectiveness of social media marketing on brand perception. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 11(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2011.10722190
Alalwan, A. A. (2018). Investigating the impact of social media advertising features on customer purchase intention. International Journal of Information Management, 42, 65-77. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.06.001
Casaló, L. V., Flavián, C., & Guinalíu, M. (2018). Influencers' credibility and consumer purchase intention. Journal of Business Research, 91, 155-164. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.06.009
Cheung, M. L., Pires, G. D., Rosenberger III, P. J., & De Oliveira, M. J. (2017). Driving consumer–brand engagement and co-creation by brand interactivity. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 35(5), 768-781. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-12-2016-0220
Choi, S. M., & Rifon, N. J. (2012). It's not just what you say, but when you say it! Influencer credibility and the timing of online endorsements. Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 25-39. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2011.650827
De Veirman, M., Cauberghe, V., & Hudders, L. (2017). Marketing through Instagram influencers: The impact of influencer type, expertise, and product type on the effectiveness of influencer marketing. International Journal of Advertising, 36(5), 798-828. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2017.1348035
De Veirman, M., Hudders, L., & Nelson, M. R. (2019). What is influencer marketing and how does it target children? A review and direction for future research. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2685. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02685
de Vries, L., Gensler, S., & Leeflang, P. S. H. (2017). Effects of traditional advertising and social messages on brand-building metrics and customer acquisition. Journal of Marketing, 81(5), 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1509/jm.15.0178
Delbaere, M., Michael, B., & Phillips, B. J. (2021). Social media influencers: A route to brand engagement for their followers. Psychology & Marketing, 38(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21419
Djafarova, E., & Trofimenko, O. (2019). Exploring the relationship between Instagram influencers’ credibility and consumers’ brand perceptions. Journal of Marketing Management, 35(13-14), 1241-1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2019.1674180
Eisend, M. (2010). Source credibility dimensions in marketing communication – A generalization and meta-analysis. Journal of Advertising, 39(2), 63-81. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367390205
Erdogan, B. Z. (1999). Celebrity endorsement: A literature review. Journal of Marketing Management, 15(4), 291-314. https://doi.org/10.1362/026725799784870379
Erkan, I., & Evans, C. (2018). Social media or shopping websites? The influence of eWOM on consumers' online purchase intentions. Journal of Marketing Communications, 24(6), 617-632. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2016.1184706
Freberg, K., Graham, K., McGaughey, K., & Freberg, L. (2011). Who are the social media influencers? A study of public perceptions of personality. Public Relations Review, 37(1), 90-92. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pubrev.2010.11.001
Hwang, J. S., & Zhang, Q. (2018). The influence of online consumer reviews on consumers' purchase intention: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Information Management, 40, 60-68. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2018.01.009
Hwang, K., & Zhang, Q. (2020). Influence of parasocial relationship between digital celebrities and their followers on followers’ purchase and electronic word-of-mouth intentions, and persuasion knowledge. Computers in Human Behavior, 105, 106194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106194
Jiménez-Castillo, D., & Sánchez-Fernández, R. (2019). The role of digital influencers in brand recommendation: Examining their impact on engagement, expected value, and purchase intention. International Journal of Information Management, 49, 366-376. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.06.001
Jin, S. V., & Muqaddam, A. (2019). Product placement 2.0: "Do brands need influencers, or do influencers need brands?" An exploratory study of the role of social media influencers in product placement. Journal of Brand Management, 26(5), 522-537. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-019-00151-z
Jin, S. V., Muqaddam, A., & Ryu, E. (2019). Instafamous and social media influencer marketing. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 37(5), 567-579. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-09-2018-0375
Kapitan, S., & Silvera, D. H. (2016). From digital to physical: The impact of social media influencers on consumer behavior. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 35, 18-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intmar.2016.01.002
Kay, S., Almarzeedi, B., & Kim, C. (2020). A comparison of micro and macro influencers: Understanding the distinct impact of influencer size on brand engagement. Journal of Marketing Communications, 26(3), 212-223. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2018.1497681
Keller, K. L. (1993). Conceptualizing, measuring, and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1-22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700101
Khamis, S., Ang, L., & Hochschild, A. (2017). Self-branding and social media influencers: A case study of Instagram influencers and brand loyalty. Journal of Media and Communication Studies, 29(4), 235-245. https://doi.org/10.1080/02673843.2017.1337263
Ki, C. W. C., Cuevas, L. M., Chong, S. M., & Lim, H. J. (2020). Influencer marketing: Social media influencers as human brands attaching to followers and yielding positive marketing results. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 20(2), 141-162. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2020.1769518
Kim, A. J., & Ko, E. (2012). Do social media marketing activities enhance customer equity? An empirical study of luxury fashion brands. Journal of Business Research, 65(10), 1480-1486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2011.10.014
Kim, J., & Kim, S. (2021). Instagram brand community practices: Moderating effects of influencer engagement and perceived credibility. Journal of Business Research, 132, 473-483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.11.046
Ladhari, R., Massa, E., & Skandrani, H. (2020). YouTube vloggers' credibility and brand trust: The influence of authenticity and viewer involvement. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 54, 102045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.102045
Lee, J. E., & Kim, S. (2020). The effects of influencer type, brand type, and influencer-brand fit on brand attitude and purchase intentions. International Journal of Advertising, 39(5), 746-768. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2020.1718652
Lee, J. E., & Watkins, B. (2016). YouTube vloggers’ influence on consumer luxury brand perceptions and intentions. Journal of Business Research, 69(12), 5753-5760. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.04.171
Lim, X. J., Radzol, A. M., Cheah, J.-H., & Wong, M. W. (2017). The impact of social media influencers on purchase intention and the mediation effect of customer attitude. Asian Journal of Business Research, 7(2), 19-36. https://doi.org/10.14707/ajbr.170035
Liu, S. S. (2022). The influence of social media influencers on consumer brand perception: An empirical analysis. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 46(2), 423-436. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12740
Lou, C., & Yuan, S. (2019). Influencer marketing: How message source and credibility affect consumer trust and purchase intentions. Journal of Interactive Advertising, 19(1), 58-73. https://doi.org/10.1080/15252019.2018.1533501
Martínez-López, F. J., Anaya-Sánchez, R., Aguilar-Illescas, R., & Molinillo, S. (2020). An approach to digital influencer marketing, added value, and the impact on customer engagement. Journal of Business Research, 119, 407-418. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2020.03.011
Marwick, A. E. (2015). Instafame: Luxury selfies in the age of social media. Public Culture, 27(2), 137-160. https://doi.org/10.1215/08992363-2849828
Oliver, R. L. (1999). Whence consumer loyalty?. Journal of Marketing, 63(Special Issue), 33-44. https://doi.org/10.2307/1252099
Pinto, P. A., & Paramita, E. L. (2021). Social media influencer and brand loyalty on generation Z: the mediating effect of purchase intention. Diponegoro International Journal of Business, 4(2), 105-115. https://doi.org/10.14710/dijb.4.2.2021.105-115
Pöyry, E., Pelkonen, M., Naumanen, E., & Laaksonen, S. M. (2019). A call for authenticity: Audience responses to social media influencer endorsements in strategic communication. International Journal of Strategic Communication, 13(4), 321-336. https://doi.org/10.1080/1553118X.2019.1609965
Schouten, A. P., Janssen, L., & Verspaget, M. (2020). Celebrity vs. Influencer endorsements in advertising: The role of identification, credibility, and Product-Endorser fit. International Journal of Advertising, 39(2), 258-281. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2019.1634898
Sharma, B. (2016). A focus on reliability in developmental research through Cronbach’s Alpha among medical, dental and paramedical professionals. Asian Pacific Journal of Health Sciences, 3(4), 271-278. https://doi.org/10.21276/apjhs.2016.3.4.43
Sokolova, K., & Kefi, H. (2020). Instagram and YouTube bloggers promote it, why should I buy? How credibility and parasocial interaction influence purchase intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 53, 101742. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2019.01.011
Stubb, C., Nyström, A. G., & Colliander, J. (2019). Influencer marketing: The impact of disclosing sponsorship compensation justification on sponsored content effectiveness. Journal of Communication Management, 23(2), 109-122. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-11-2018-0119
Tafesse, W., & Wood, B. P. (2021). Followers’ engagement with Instagram influencers: The role of influencers’ content and engagement strategy. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 58, 102303. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2020.102303
Wielki, J. (2020). Analysis of the role of digital influencers and their impact on the functioning of the contemporary on-line promotional system and its sustainable development. Sustainability, 12(17), 7138. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12177138
Wiesel, T., Skiera, B., & Schweidel, D. A. (2011). Consumer retention and loyalty in social media. Journal of Marketing, 75(6), 95-110. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.75.6.95
Xiao, M., Wang, R., & Chan-Olmsted, S. (2018). Factors affecting YouTube influencer marketing credibility: A heuristic-systematic model. Journal of Media Business Studies, 15(3), 188-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/16522354.2018.1501146
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Journal of Social Commerce
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
