The impact of Persuasion knowledge cues on social media engagement: a look at pet influencer marketing

With influencer marketing expenditures set to exceed $16 billion in 2022, pet influencers are leveraging their entertaining content to capitalize on this growing market. Utilizing a dataset of 557 posts from 37 pet influencers, we apply Uses and Gratifications Theory and Persuasion Knowledge to suggest textual and visual cues within sponsored posts are capable of disrupting engagement behaviors when consumers are seeking entertainment. We find evidence that sponsorship disclosures, mentions of money, brand logos, and overall saturation of sponsorship content reduce engagement. Our findings offer insights for brands seeking to create content that generates higher levels of engagement.