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Prior research examines how social media use in general affects experiences of loneliness, but few studies have investigated the specific effects of interaction with social media influencers on loneliness and well-being. The study investigates how followers' interaction with social media influencers affects loneliness through mediation mechanisms underlying this process. An online survey was adopted using Qualtrics, and participants were U.S. residents recruited through Dynata, a professional sampling corporation. Results suggested that interaction with influencers was positively associated with loneliness through parasocial relationships and perceived social support. In addition, a sense of belonging and perceived social support significantly mediate the relationship between interaction with influencers and loneliness. Our study suggests that while interactions with SMIs may foster parasocial relationships, a sense of belonging, and social support, they can paradoxically also increase feelings of loneliness. This indicates that SMIs can act as a double-edged sword, namely providing social bonds but simultaneously amplifying loneliness. Thus, it is critical for followers to be aware of their emotional attachment to SMIs and the potential adverse effects on their well-being. Our study has important implications for how we conceptualize the role of social media influencers in the modern information environment. The study provides empirical support and is a starting point for future research on SMIs' impacts on emotional, social, and psychological well-being. Findings from the study contribute to the scholarly works investigating the adverse effects of following and interacting with SMIs. Our finding differs from previous research suggesting active social media use helps reduce loneliness through enhanced social support. Such contradictions may be attributed to the nature of interacting with SMIs, which affects loneliness through serial mediators. The study contributes to the scholarly works investigating the adverse effects of following and interacting with SMIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis study explores how social media influencers (SMIs), acting as digital entrepreneurs, shape followers’ parasocial relationships, flow, and attachment. It also examines how the perceived authenticity of SMIs moderates these effects. The research involved 749 participants from India who interacted with or followed SMIs on social media. Using AMOS 26 for data analysis, the findings reveal a strong positive link between source credibility and attachment, especially for non-authenticated SMIs. These influencers build trust and emotional connections through transparent collaborations. The study also highlights the role of parasocial relationships and homophily in driving attachment. As the digital landscape evolves, this research offers key insights into the dynamics of influencer-follower relationships, providing a foundation for future studies on digital entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental influencers have gained immense popularity on social media, promoting a sustainable lifestyle by interweaving environmental topics with their everyday content. Drawing from the theoretical approach of parasocial opinion leaders, we investigate, for the first time, the implications of environmental influencers for different dimensions of youth's participation behavior, and whether parasocial relationships (PSRs) with influencers moderate these associations. We used data from a cross-sectional (N = 576) and a two-wave panel survey (N T2 = 496) among German 16- to 25-year-olds. Findings across both studies showed that following influencers who address green topics was related to higher engagement in political sphere-oriented participation (e.g. signing a petition) as well as cause-oriented participation (e.g. politically motivated consumerism). In the long term, low to moderate PSR increased the impact of environmental content on cause-oriented participation, while high PSRs seem to overshadow the environmental content directing more attention to relational rather than informational content aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst social media influencers (SMIs) excel at establishing positive parasocial relationships with their followers, they can also provoke intense negative responses, as evidenced by the prevalence of SMI-focused anti-fan communities. Prior research does not explain how consumers' parasocial relationships with SMIs become negatively charged, nor does it explain why this shift may fuel anti-fan community participation. Drawing from a netnographic study of two SMI anti-fan communities, we reveal that eroded reciprocal and disclosive intimacies, as well as exploitative commercial intimacies, can lead consumers' positive parasocial relationships with SMIs to become negatively charged. We demonstrate that anti-fan communities provide opportunities for consumers reluctant to sever ties with the SMI to sustain their negative parasocial relationship by rebuilding eroded intimacies whilst avoiding and/or retaliating against their exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Few studies have focused on how source credibility and fairness influence parasocial relationships and product interest, and how product interest impacts consumers' purchase intentions towards new products. But few have examined how these factors can influence purchase intention and eWOM, so this study aims to fill the gap, focusing on Indonesian beauty influencers on Instagram. With 501 respondents, this study used SPSS 26 (pre-test) and SmartPLS for data analysis. The results show that: the variables of attractiveness, similarity, and trustworthiness have a significant and positive effect on parasocial relationships; similarity has a significant and positive effect on product interest. Interpersonal fairness and informational fairness have a positive and significant effect on parasocial relationships; and distributive fairness has a positive and significant effect on product interest. Parasocial relationship has a significant and positive effect on product interest, purchase intention, and eWOM. Product interest has a significant and positive effect on purchase intention and eWOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relationship between social media influencers (SMIs) and followers' engagement, social attractiveness, and establishing brand loyalty. The study seeks to redefine current theoretical frameworks and provide practical insights for marketers by investigating the mediating role of followers' engagement (FE) and social attractiveness (SA) and the moderating influence of parasocial interactions. The present study utilized a quantitative research methodology. The researchers employed the Smart PLS 4 structural equation modeling (SEM) technique to analyze the data. The data was obtained from the participants using the convenience sampling technique. This study's findings reveal that the sole influence of social media influencers' homophily on brand loyalty was insignificant; the presence of a substantial mediator, namely consumer engagement, suggests that engagement plays a role in channeling the impact of homophily on brand loyalty. Furthermore, the SA played a crucial role in mediating, emphasizing the significance of aesthetic and emotional appeal. The study revealed that parasocial relationships did not have a significant moderating effect on FE. However, they significantly modified the association between SMIs' homophily and brand loyalty. These study findings highlight that marketers operating within the laptop industry specifically utilize engagement activities, emphasize visual harmony, and foster parasocial relationships to maximize the influence of influencers on brand loyalty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumers' dependence on product reviews provided by other consumers makes consumers make social media influencers (SMI) a source of information and reference before purchasing products. The influence of SMI on their followers has led many beauty marketers to use social media influencers to communicate their products. However, the increasing use of influencer marketing by marketers has led to consumer suspicion of the authenticity of influencers. Therefore, based on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, this study analyzes consumer behavior through the content attributes and interaction strategies exposed by social media influencers to followers, leading to consumers' internal perceptions of parasocial interaction, hedonic value, and utilitarian, and ultimately influencing consumers' response of purchase intention. This study used PLS-SEM as a data analysis technique using a sample of 363 respondents. The PLS-SEM results revealed that content attributes (i.e., attractiveness and prestige) and interaction strategies (i.e., interactivity) positively influence parasocial interaction and, in turn, lead to purchase intention. The results also show that parasocial interaction has a significant effect on hedonic (perceived transparency and perceived enjoyment) and utilitarian (informativeness and credibility) responses. It was also found that hedonic (perceived enjoyment) and utilitarian (credibility) responses significantly influenced purchase intention. Meanwhile, the hedonic response (perceived transparency) and utilitarian response (informativeness) did not significantly affect followers' purchase intention. This research demonstrates the role of content attributes and interaction strategies in creating parasocial interactions and the effects of parasocial interactions on hedonic, utilitarian and purchase intention responses. Based on the results of this study, marketers and influencers are advised to build intimate relationships with the audience to increase purchase intention. This relationship-building can be created through high interactive power, attractiveness, and prestige content. Then, it is also recommended to pay attention to aspects of audience comfort and maintain the credibility of influencers to shape the buying interest of the audience of social media influencer content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we aim to explore the effectiveness of influencer advertising in the realm of public policy. More specifically, we will be examining key factors that can potentially increase psychological reactance among individuals belonging to Generation Z when they are processing anti-binge drinking Public Service Announcements. We then discuss how collaboration between federal agencies and social media influencers can overcome the hurdles posed by psychological reactance. By drawing upon the existing research on persuasive messages, psychological reactance, influencer advertising, and parasocial relationships, our findings will hold significant value for policymakers in disseminating impactful Public Service Announcements that resonate with Generation Z. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This meta‐analytic review offers a comprehensive framework for studying social media influencers by integrating multiple theoretical perspectives and measures. It analyzes 250 effect sizes from 53 studies, highlighting the significance of credibility, trustworthiness, and perceived expertise of social media influencers in shaping attitudinal outcomes. Source Credibility Theory emerges as the most robust explanatory framework, while Parasocial Interaction Theory and Congruity Theory also play essential roles. For behavioral outcomes, Source Credibility Theory and Congruity Theory remain influential, with moderate effects observed for homophily and variables from the two‐step flow model. Methodological diversity, geographical context, platform context, product context, and influencer type contribute to variations in effect sizes. These findings provide insights into social media influencer influence dynamics and guide future research. Moreover, they contribute to theory development by shedding light on the mechanisms and conditions underlying social media influencer influence on consumer attitudes and behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the role of trust/reputation and parasocial influence in influencing purchase intention among consumers of baby products who frequent Polish parenting blogs. Empirical data was collected by survey (n-1050) of blog readers to construct a model to assess the impact of trust/reputation and parasocial influence. Factor analysis was used to create scores which were then tested using a multiple binary logistic regression model. The research found that while both trust/reputation and parasocial influence were important determinants of consumer purchase intention, trust was significantly more important to baby product consumers than parasocial influence. Additionally, parasocial influence was a more important indicator of purchase intention among younger respondents (under 23 years of age) than those 23 years and older. Additionally, readers who have read blogs for longer are more likely to trust these sources, perceiving them to be reputable. Hence, bloggers should aim to foster long-term relationships with consumers when endorsing products that demand higher trust, such as baby products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influencers serve as crucial role models, influencing the behavior, aesthetics, and ideologies of their followers. This cross-sectional study aims to explore the perspectives of Portuguese social media users toward influencers. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from 759 participants obtained through snowball sampling. The majority (75.5%) were female, averaging 26 years in age. Descriptive statistics, mean comparisons, and correlations were utilized for analysis. Portuguese followers of social media influencers, primarily consisting of young women with lower formal education, are active on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Youtube. They spend considerable time on social media, engaging with influencers through actions such as liking or tagging friends. Fashion and beauty influencers are particularly favored. Followers value influencers who interact with them, appreciate personal posts and disclosures, and form parasocial relationships with influencers. While many express a willingness to purchase products promoted by influencers, a noteworthy portion hasn't made such purchases. Participants express uncertainty about the guaranteed quality of products endorsed by influencers, yet 36.5% acknowledge the significance of influencers in discovering new products or trends.This study provides valuable insights for influencers and brands targeting a specific audience. It also underscores potential concerns for followers, emphasizing the link between excessive social media use and problematic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the moderating role of audience comments in influencer marketing. A YouTube vlog entry by a social media influencer featuring the endorsement of a brand was studied, and an experimental design featuring two conditions related to audience comments was created. The results indicate that a parasocial relationship with the influencer builds the perceived credibility of the influencer, while comments by other audience members moderate the effect. Influencer credibility positively affects brand trust and purchase intention. The findings enhance the understanding of the role of an active audience in influencer marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine how "homefluencers" sponsored posts on millennial consumers' purchase intention in the international marketing sphere can be impacted in the new normal by drawing on source credibility, parasocial interaction (PSI) and persuasion knowledge model (PKM) theory. Design/methodology/approach: This research applies structural equation modeling (SEM) and mediation analysis as the data analysis method using non-probability purposive sampling of a total of 217 local millennial Instagram and Facebook users, who have followed homefluencers sponsored posts in fashion-beauty, yoga-fitness and food sectors. Findings: Based on hypothesis testing, advertising recognition strongly mediates purchase intention with the indirect effects of expertise and trustworthiness than attractiveness. Research limitations/implications: This research extends the international marketing literature on source credibility, PSI, PKM and purchase intention theory in the new normal by proposing "Homefluencer's Endorsement Model for Purchase Intention" (HEMPI). Specifically, the mediating role of ad recognition of homefluencers sponsorship disclosure (#paidad, #sponsored), positively affects "change-of-persuasion meaning" on Instagram and Facebook, where research is rare. Practical implications: This research provides valuable suggestions for global brand owners, consumers and authorities of Instagram and Facebook to consider post-COVID consumer behavior highlighting homefluencers sponsored collaboration. Originality/value: The authors have contributed to the use of the source credibility model and PSI to identify the antecedents in determining how the homefluencer's effective sponsorship disclosure can positively activate ad recognition on millennial consumers' purchase intention in a crisis period from an international standpoint with the practical implications in post-COVID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, social media influencers (SMIs) have become part of the strategic communication of firms because the traditional form of mass media communication is losing its effectiveness. Thus, it is imperative to study the effects of communication through SMIs on marketing outcomes, such as purchase intentions. Based on the fairness dimensions, that is, information, distributive, interpersonal, and procedural, and dimensions of source credibility, that is, attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness, and similarity, this research investigated how technology‐oriented SMIs (T‐SMIs) foster parasocial relationships (PSRs) with followers. Purposive sampling was employed to collect data from 506 active social media users. Data were analysed through IBM AMOS and SPSS 26. The results of the study suggested that attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness, similarity, interpersonal, procedural, and information fairness are positively related to fostering PSR with followers. In contrast, distributive fairness does not strengthen PSR with followers; furthermore, the study findings suggested an indirect positive influence of attractiveness, expertise, trustworthiness, similarity, interpersonal, procedural, and information fairness on the purchase intentions of consumers via PSR. This study is useful for academia and industry since it fills important gaps in the literature and provides recommendations to brand managers of technology companies about selecting appropriate SMIs for the endorsement of their brands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media influencers have received significant recognition for their marketing capabilities but are also identified as contributing to several negative societal consequences. This commentary explores social media influencers' emergent role and associated practices in the spread of kindness to benefit the larger society. Informed by parasocial and construal level theories, we introduce the concept of kindness contagion and conceptualize social media influencers' kindness contagion cycle. The framework includes six authentic kindness practice forms in which influencers are most likely to reinforce their kindness-embedded relationship (e.g., posts of encouragement to be kind and kindness meditations). By integrating parasocial and construal level theories we go beyond the commonly discussed marketization capabilities for this actor to help generate insights into how a social media influencer can build an intimate, trusting relationship with their followers, to spread kindness among consumers. Practical and theoretical implications are also discussed in addition to future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media influencers promote not only products and brands but also their opinions on serious topics like party politics or climate change. These so-called digital opinion leaders may exert a powerful impact on their followers' political attitudes. Accordingly, we explore new directions to explain how influencers' communication is related to political outcomes by proposing the concept of perceived simplification of politics (PSP). We argue that PSP may fuel political cynicism but also stimulate youth's interest in politics. We also explore important boundary conditions of these associations. We use data from three studies, a two-wave panel survey of adolescents (N T2 = 294), a cross-sectional survey of young adults (N = 632), and a two-wave panel survey of young adults (N T2 = 496) in Germany between 2019 and 2020. Findings of all three studies show that the frequency of exposure to social media influencers' content increases PSP. In Studies 1 and 2, PSP is related to higher political cynicism, while in Study 3, this relationship is restricted to influencers' communication about environmental topics and gender equality. Furthermore, Studies 2 and 3 suggest that PSP also increases political interest—yet this association requires a certain level of parasocial interaction (PSI) with the influencer and is contingent on specific political topics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Via the unprecedented interactivity of social media, social media personae can build strong relationships with followers. Such relationships, which carry great marketing potential, appeal to corporations and brands. Based on the literature of source credibility and communication justice, this study investigated the determinants of the parasocial relationship between social media influencers and their followers, as well as their effects on followers' interests in the products advertised by influencers. The results of an online survey showed that followers' perceived attractiveness of influencers, similarity to influencers, procedural fairness, and interpersonal fairness of their interactions with influencers are positively related to the strength of their parasocial relationship with influencers, which further mediates the effect of the aforementioned factors on followers' interests in influencer-promoted products. The findings of this study explicate the mechanism through which influencers foster relationships with followers and also provide practitioners with insights on orchestrating strategic influencer campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While social media influencers are gleaning increasing trust and investment from brands, advertisers, and followers, insights on the role of influencers in adolescents' relationship formation and consumption behaviors are still rare. Drawing on the literatures of influencer content value, influencer credibility, parental mediation, and parasocial relationship (PSR), this study proposed a conceptual model that expounds the appeal of influencers among adolescents. To test the model, we administered an online survey – recruited in proportion to demographic quotas (i.e., age, gender and ethnicity) – among 500 United States adolescents (aged 10- to 19-years old) via Qualtrics panel. Results revealed that, the entertainment value of influencer-generated content, influencer expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, and followers' perceived similarity to their favorite influencers, are positively related to the perceived PSR between adolescent followers and their favorite influencers, which in turn, are associated with adolescents' materialistic views and purchase intentions. We also explored the role of parental mediation of adolescents' social media use in their PSR with influencers. Results indicate that, neither active mediation nor restrictive mediation is related to the PSR between adolescents and influencers. Active mediation is negatively associated with adolescents' materialism, whereas restrictive mediation is positively related to adolescents' purchase intentions toward influencer-promoted products. This study proposed and tested a comprehensive conceptual model that accounts for the role of influencers in adolescent followers' materialism and purchase intentions. This study yields three major theoretical contributions. First, it adopts and applies the concept of PSR from the literature of media psychology to explicate influencers' appeal among adolescents, which lays a theoretical foundation for future research on the impact of influencers. Second, it advances the current literature on social media influencers by specifying key contributing factors for the development of adolescents' PSR with influencers. Lastly, it explores the roles of the two facets of parental mediation – active and restrictive mediation – in the appeal of influencers among adolescents, which offers directions for future research of parental mediation in the influencer context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An online experiment examined the effects of Instagram posts' source types and product-placement types on brand attitude and credibility perception. A 2 (source: brand versus Instagram influencer) × 2 (product placement: product-only [explicit product placement] versus influencer-with-product [moderate product placement]) between-subjects factorial experiment (N = 304) tested the effects of the two manipulated factors on source credibility, corporate credibility, and attitude toward brand posts. Two-way ANOVAs indicate a main effect of source types on perceived trustworthiness and interaction effects of product-placement and source types on perceived expertise, corporate credibility, and attitude toward brand posts. Consumers exposed to brand as the source conditions indicated no difference in corporate credibility and brand attitude regardless of product-placement types. In contrast, consumers exposed to Instagram influencer as the source conditions indicated higher corporate credibility and more positive attitude toward brand posts when exposed to the influencer-with-product conditions than when exposed to the product-only conditions. Consumers differently react to product placement on Instagram influencers' accounts depending on whether the influencers are present versus absent. Consumers react negatively to influencers' posts when they do not appear with the products they endorse. Parasocial interaction mediates the relationship between product/brand placement types and corporate credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study helps in understanding brand and social media influencer transgressions. • A brand betrayal can deteriorate the coolness of the influencer endorsing the brand. • An influencer betrayal can deteriorate purchase intentions toward the endorsed brand. • Both social media influencers and brands should carry a collaboration responsibility. This study considers how the relationships between social media influencers, brands and individuals are intertwined on social media and analyses the spill-over effects of feelings of betrayal. An experimental design with two transgression scenarios (influencer vs. brand) was created, and 250 individuals were recruited to participate in the study. The results show that a perceived betrayal by a brand can negatively affect the perceived coolness of the social media influencer that has endorsed the brand, as well as the parasocial relationships that followers have with the influencer. Accordingly, a perceived betrayal by a social media influencer can negatively affect attitudes, trust and purchase intentions toward a brand that the influencer has endorsed. The current research helps in understanding brand and influencer transgressions and highlights the fact that both influencers and brands should have a sense of collaboration responsibility. It also introduces the concept of influencer coolness, understood here as a desirable success factor for social media influencers, which partly explains their desirability and influence, and a feature that can be endangered through both influencer and brand betrayals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]