The role of social media followers’ agency in influencer marketing: a study based on the heuristic–systematic model of information processing

AbstractAbstractAn increasing number of social media influencers have incorporated product recommendations into the online curation of their daily lifestyles through intimate self-disclosures (ISDs). While greater attention has been paid to the marketing potential of influencers, how social media followers respond to influencers' ISDs remains understudied. This study examines the psychosocial mechanisms underlying the effect of influencers' ISDs on followers' purchase intentions by integrating the relational communication perspective and the heuristic–systematic model of information processing. Data were collected through an online survey service in China, and hypotheses were tested through structural equation modelling and conditional process analysis. The statistical results indicated that the effect of influencers' ISDs on followers' purchase intentions is sequentially mediated by perceived altruistic motives behind influencers' products recommendation and followers' attitudes toward recommended products. Further, this serial mediation effect is moderated by followers' message involvement and product knowledge. The managerial and theoretical implications of the above findings are discussed.Keywords: Social media influencerssocial media followersinfluencer marketingrelational communicationheuristic–systematic modelintimate self-disclosure AcknowledgementsThe authors thank three anonymous referees for their valuable comments. Thanks also go to Shubing Wu, Xuyang Liu, Wenjing Bao, and Professor Fei Wang at Xiamen University for their assistance in data collection or analysis.Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Data availability statementThe data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.Additional informationFundingThis study was supported by the corresponding author's grant from the Fujian Social Sciences Fund (grant number FJ2022B131).Notes on contributorsLongzhao ZhengLongzhao Zheng is a PhD candidate at the School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University. His main research interests are consumer behavior, brand marketing, and social media influencers. He can be contacted via zhenglongzhao@stu.xmu.edu.cn.Bingrui HuangBingrui Huang is a postgraduate student at the School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University. His main research interest is new media and society. He can be contacted via huangbingrui@stu.xmu.edu.cn.Hongfeng QiuHongfeng Qiu is a professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University. His research interests include media psychology, persuasion effect, and social marketing. He can be contacted via joyjohn2002@xmu.edu.cn.Haiqing BaiHaiqing Bai is an associate professor at the School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University. His research interests include consumer behavior and brand marketing. He can be contacted via haiqing.bai@xmu.edu.cn.