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Social media influencers (SMIs) have become an important part of consumers' lives leading marketing research to extensively study their effectiveness as marketing tool. Unfortunately, SMI’s practice is often regarded negatively as SMIs tend to depict an idealized life that psycho-socially affects followers. Therefore, studies that analyse the factors that could reconcile social and commercial concerns are needed. This research investigates further SMIs’ impact on consumers’ well-being. Relying on two studies, we demonstrate that an SMI’s genuine visual presentation in posts may increase followers’ well-being more than a non-genuine presentation, without affecting SMI’s commercial influence. We then explain the process through social comparisons. Last, we investigate the role of gender in the process. As such, we offer theoretical, managerial, and societal contributions that could accord commercial and societal perspectives of the influencer marketing practice.

Based on four essays, this thesis aims at gaining a better understanding of the impact of social media influencers' (SMIs) content strategies on the perceptions, behaviors, and well-being of their followers. More specifically, with the first essay, we explore followers' consumption habits, as well as their perceptions of SMIs' partnerships and drivers of influence. In the second essay, we demonstrate the positive impact of parasocial interaction - an illusion of friendship between followers and SMIs - on attitude towards the SMI but also on purchase intentions and explain the underlying process through perceived intrinsic motivations. In the third essay, we show the limit of SMIs' influence by explaining the negative impact of frequent dissatisfaction with endorsed products on purchase intentions for future endorsed products. We also examine the role of credibility and parasocial interaction in the process. The last essay extends our knowledge on the SMIs’ influence incorporating an original psychosocial perspective. We demonstrate that maintaining SMIs’ genuineness positively impacts followers’ well-being and purchase intentions. We explain this process through upward comparison and self-esteem., (ECGE - Sciences économiques et de gestion) -- UCL, 2022

Social media influencers (SMIs), particularly effective at endorsing products and brands, have become an essential tool in many marketers’ strategy. This research investigates further the factors explaining their effectiveness. Relying on two experiments, we first study the special relationship SMIs develop with their followers, related to the concept of parasocial interaction (Sokolova & Kefi, 2019) and confirm that a high level of para-social interaction positively impacts attitude towards the SMI and purchase intentions of the endorsed product. Second, we study the role of consumers’ perceptions of SMIs’ motivations to endorse products (i.e., altruistic or individualistic) and demonstrate that perceived altruistic motivations positively mediate the relation between para-social interaction and consumers’ responses. Third, considering the emergence of virtual SMIs, we question further the role of para-social relationships and perceived motivations.

On social media, many users generate content and share opinions on brands. Some have managed to develop a strong influence on their followers and become “social media influencers” (SMI). They differ from traditional endorsers thanks to the special relationship they develop with their followers. This relationship is related to the concept of Parasocial Interaction (PSI). PSI refers to an illusion of friendship, particularly present among SMI due to their openness and interactivity. Moreover, based on a qualitative part, a potential factor that could explain consumers’ response to SMI recommendations is consumers’ perceptions about the motivations of SMI to make recommendations. These motivations can be perceived as altruistic: SMI recommend a product because they really appreciate it. Motivations can also be seen as individualistic: SMI recommend a product for financial reasons. Therefore, with this paper, we contribute to a better understanding of the persuasion process induced by PSI and perceived motivations. First, this paper studies followers’ responses to different levels of PSI. Second, it analyses the mediating role of followers’ attributions of SMIs perceived motivations on the relation between PSI and consumers’ responses. A first experiment provides evidence of the positive impact of PSI on attitude towards SMI and purchase intentions for the recommended product. Moreover, perceived altruistic motivations positively mediate this relation between PSI and consumer outcomes. Beyond theoretical contributions, evidence from this research offer implications for companies and SMI.

In the era of social media, many users generate contents and share opinions on brands with many other consumers. Some have managed to develop a strong influence on their followers and become ‘serial influencers’, or ‘e-fluencers’, recommending products from many different brands. This paper studies followers’ responses to subsequent recommendations after experiencing dissatisfaction with a recommended product of an unrelated brand. An experiment conducted among 85 respondents shows that dissatisfaction leads to lower purchase intentions of subsequent unrelated products. Interestingly, engagement in the e-fluencer, in following the e-fluencers’ contents, in the e-fluencers’ community, and in WOM is not negatively impacted. The mediating role of the e-fluencer’s credibility explains the process. Above theoretical contributions, this study offers counterintuitive implications for e-fluencers and brands, questioning the value of numbers of followers as cue to influence strength.

In the era of social media, many users generate contents and share opinions on brands with many other consumers. Some have managed to develop a strong influence on their followers and become ‘serial influencers’, or ‘e-fluencers’, recommending products from many different brands. This paper studies followers’ responses to subsequent recommendations after experiencing dissatisfaction with a recommended product of an unrelated brand. An experiment conducted among 85 respondents shows that dissatisfaction leads to lower purchase intentions of subsequent unrelated products. Interestingly, engagement in the e-fluencer, in following the e-fluencers’ contents, in the e-fluencers’ community, and in WOM is not negatively impacted. The mediating role of the e-fluencer’s credibility explains the process. Above theoretical contributions, this study offers counterintuitive implications for e-fluencers and brands, questioning the value of numbers of followers as cue to influence strength.