Mapping content-driven engagement and attitudinal spillover effect of influencer marketing

Purpose This study analyzes the indirect (i.e. through brand content engagement-BCE) and direct effects of informative, credible, novel, and aesthetically pleasing attributes of influencer-generated branded content on endorsed brand-related attitude and a subsequent attitudinal spillover effect on the followers' firm-generated endorsed brand-related ad click behavior. Design/methodology/approach Data for this study were collected from 300 users who follow the top 40 Pakistani social media macro-influencers using an online survey. The conceptual model and hypotheses were tested through process macro and structural equation modeling. Findings This study finds informative, credible, novel, and aesthetically pleasing factors vital attributes of influencer-generated branded content, which indirectly (i.e. via BCE) and directly affects followers’ endorsed brand-related attitude. This study also finds that these factors have a positive attitudinal spillover effect on followers’ firm-generated endorsed brand-related ad-click behavior on social media. Practical implications This study presents guidelines to firms and their partner influencers about designing and implementing follower-valued content-driven influencer marketing campaigns. Originality/value This study contributes to extant influencer marketing literature by integrating multiple attributes of influencer-generated branded content, which carry different values for followers, and using the Self-perception theory, the Multi-attribute attitude model, and the Spillover theory to explain their indirect and direct effects on endorsed brand-related attitude and a subsequent attitudinal spillover effect on firm-generated endorsed brand-related ads.