What drives smartphone users to click on the in-app advertisements? An S-O-R model approach

In-app advertisements have emerged as the fastest-growing digital advertising platform due to the exponential rise of smartphone users and their engagement with mobile applications, prompting brands to increasingly shift towards this medium. Despite the importance of in-app advertisements, research has yet to comprehensively evaluate the driving forces behind users’ click-through intentions. Thus, this study examines drivers of smartphone users’ click-through intentions of in-app advertisements through the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S-O-R) framework. Data from 522 smartphone users was analyzed through Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings show that flow experience is the main predictor of click-through intentions, followed by advertising value. External stimuli factors such as ad congruity, credebility and incentives significantly influence advertising value and flow experience. Among internal stimuli, mobile self-efficacy enhances flow experience, while brand familiarity positively impacts advertising value. Notably, irritation exhibited negligible effects, suggesting user adaptability to in-app advertising. This study offers theoretical and practical implications for improving in-app advertising campaigns.