| dc.description.abstract | In the realm of product marketing, influencer marketing has emerged as a prominent channel that brands increasingly value. Consumers place great importance on influencers′ lifestyles and values, seeking objectivity and authenticity in influencer endorsements. For influencers, crafting an unique style within their community while maintaining a sense of genuine friendship is a key factor in maximizing the effectiveness of influencer marketing. This research aims to address the question, ＂Does the difference in influencer types and self-disclosure levels impact parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity between consumers and influencers, subsequently affecting the advertising effectiveness of influencer endorsements?＂
The study is divided into three parts: the first part investigates the influence of parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity on advertising effectiveness; the second part examines how influencer types (micro-influencers and macro-influencers) moderate the relationship between parasocial interaction, perceived authenticity, and advertising effectiveness, and the third part explores how self-disclosure levels (high and low) moderate the same relationships.
2 (Influencer Type: Macro-influencer vs. Micro-influencer) x 2 (Self-Disclosure Level: High vs. Low) between-group experimental design is employed in this study. Structural equation modeling is used for data analysis, and data are collected through online surveys. A total of 770 valid responses are collected and analyzed using SPSS 21 and AMOS 21 for hypothesis testing.
The findings of this study are as follows: (1) Parasocial interaction positively influences perceived authenticity. (2) Perceived authenticity positively affects advertising effectiveness. (3) Influencer type moderates the relationship between parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity. (4) Self-disclosure moderates the relationship between parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity. (5) Self-disclosure moderates the relationship between perceived authenticity and product attitudes as well as purchase intention.
The research contributions can be summarized in four aspects. Firstly, the study fills a gap in previous research by adopting a comprehensive perspective and addressing the current trends in influencer marketing, providing practical insights and recommendations for both brands and influencers. Secondly, it confirms that social media effectively facilitates parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity between influencers and consumers, positively impacting advertising effectiveness. Thirdly, by considering influencer type as a moderating variable, the research demonstrates that micro-influencers are more effective in promoting parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity, bridging the gap in understanding how influencer types influence consumer psychology, attitudes, and behaviors. Lastly, by examining self-disclosure as a moderating variable, the study confirms that higher levels of self-disclosure lead to stronger parasocial interaction and perceived authenticity with consumers, subsequently enhancing the positive impact of influencer endorsements on consumer product attitudes and purchase intentions. This not only expands the application of social penetration theory and social exchange theory in influencer marketing research but also explores the impact of different levels of self-disclosure, offering a novel perspective compared to previous studies. | en_US |