The Arousal Effect: How Influencers’ High-Arousal Language Boosts Purchase Intention for Self-Improvement Products

The accelerated growth of the self-improvement product market has precipitated various challenges. Against the backdrop of influencer marketing, this study investigated the effect of the arousal level of influencers’ language on consumers’ willingness to buy such products, from the perspective of influencers’ language characteristics. Through four online studies, we demonstrated that influencers’ high-arousal language increases consumers’ purchase intention for self-improvement products by heightening their self-focus. We also showed that this effect is weakened for consumers with higher levels of self-acceptance. This study advances the understanding of influencer language arousal and offers guidance for marketing self-improvement products.