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Article
Publication date: 30 October 2024

Souad Maghraoui and Lilia Khrouf

Influencer marketing is nowadays an essential practice for companies wishing to establish a rapprochement with its customers and gain their trust. Building close relationships can…

Abstract

Purpose

Influencer marketing is nowadays an essential practice for companies wishing to establish a rapprochement with its customers and gain their trust. Building close relationships can be fulfilled through Instagram live-streamings. Drawing upon equilibrium theory and brand extension theory, this paper aims to determine the effect of influencer–follower congruence on trust, attitudes and intentions in Instagram live-streamings.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was carried out on a sample of 330 Generation Z Instagram users exposed to a live-streaming of an influencer promoting a clothing brand on Instagram. A PLS analysis was performed to validate the proposed model.

Findings

Results revealed that influencer–follower congruence in a live-streaming promotes followers’ trust toward the brand. In addition, influencer reputation is found to reinforce this relationship. Moreover, results showed that brand trust mediates the effect of influencer–follower congruence on brand attitude. Besides, the latter turns out be a mediator of the relationship between brand trust and followers’ intentional reactions.

Research limitations/implications

The study has focused on one particular live-streaming as well as a particular influencer which reduces the generalizability of the results. Future research should therefore replicate the study with different stimuli. Furthermore, it would be interesting to manipulate influencer–follower congruence in an experiment to explore the effect of varying congruence levels on trust.

Practical implications

This paper highlights the importance of using live-streamings for brands, especially when Gen Z is targeted. This tool can be considered as very useful to establish a trust relationship with young consumers. Moreover, the study emphasizes on the importance of choosing influencers whose image is in line with that of their followers to establish close relationships with them and gain their trust. The findings also suggest that to further strengthen trust toward the influencer, the latter should benefit from a prior good reputation.

Originality/value

Despite abundance of research on communication strategies on Instagram, little has focused on live-streamings. Particularly, research on influencer–follower congruence is relatively rare. Thus, this study contributes to the understanding of the effects of influencer–follower congruence on followers of Instagram live-streamings and offers valuable theoretical and practical implications in this field.

Details

Young Consumers, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-3616

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 2 July 2024

Souad Maghraoui and Lilia Khrouf

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the determinants of TikTok cyberaddiction during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resulting attitudinal and intentional…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to shed light on the determinants of TikTok cyberaddiction during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the resulting attitudinal and intentional reactions of users.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey of 305 young TikTok users was conducted to test the research hypotheses. Data was analyzed through a partial least sqaures approach.

Findings

The results highlight the mediating role of cyberaddiction to TikTok in the relationship between psychological disorders (anxiety and loneliness) and attitude toward TikTok. Indeed, it was found that anxiety and loneliness contribute to TikTok cyberaddiction. The latter would have a positive effect on attitude toward TikTok, which decreases in the presence of fear of missing out (FOMO). It was also proven that attitude toward TikTok has a positive impact on attitude toward the brands promoted on this platform, resulting in an increase in purchasing intentions.

Research limitations/implications

This study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is therefore interesting to replicate it to see if the research model can be still validated in the absence of an emergency situation. Testing the model on a larger target, including older TikTok users, could also lead to interesting findings.

Practical implications

Knowledge of the psychological factors behind cyberaddiction should not be seen as an opportunity to take advantage from addicted shoppers’ vulnerability. Managers should rather limit communication campaigns on TikTok during crisis periods, undertake retargeting actions by sparing vulnerable TikTok users and avoid stimulating anxiety and loneliness which can lead to cyberaddiction and compulsive purchases.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the central role of cyberaddiction to TikTok in the relationship between psychological disorders and users’ reactions, during a pandemic. It focused on the moderating role of FOMO on the relationship between determinants of cyberaddiction and attitude toward TikTok. Escape theory and attachment theory were used and adapted to the context of social media.

Objetivo

El propósito de este estudio es arrojar luz sobre los determinantes de la ciberadicción a TikTok durante la pandemia de Covid-19, así como las reacciones actitudinales e intencionales resultantes de los usuarios.

Diseño/metodología/enfoque

Se realizó una encuesta en línea a 305 jóvenes usuarios de TikTok para probar las hipótesis de investigación. Los datos fueron analizados a través de un enfoque PLS.

Resultados

Los resultados destacan el papel mediador de la ciberadicción a TikTok en la relación entre trastornos psicológicos (ansiedad y soledad) y la actitud hacia TikTok. De hecho, se encontró que la ansiedad y la soledad contribuyen a la ciberadicción a TikTok. Esta última tendría un efecto positivo en la actitud hacia TikTok, que disminuye en presencia del miedo a perderse algo (FOMO, por sus siglas en inglés). También se demostró que la actitud hacia TikTok tiene un impacto positivo en la actitud hacia las marcas promocionadas en esta plataforma, lo que resulta en un aumento en las intenciones de compra.

Originalidad

Este estudio arroja luz sobre el papel central de la ciberadicción a TikTok en la relación entre trastornos psicológicos y reacciones de los usuarios, durante una pandemia. Se centró en el papel moderador del FOMO en la relación entre determinantes de la ciberadicción y la actitud hacia TikTok. Se utilizaron y adaptaron la Teoría del Escape y la Teoría del Apego al contexto de las redes sociales.

Limitaciones/implicaciones de la investigación

Este estudio se llevó a cabo durante la pandemia de Covid-19. Por lo tanto, sería interesante replicarlo para ver si el modelo de investigación aún puede ser validado en ausencia de una situación de emergencia. Probar el modelo en un público objetivo más amplio, que incluya a usuarios mayores de TikTok, también podría conducir a hallazgos interesantes.

Implicaciones prácticas

El conocimiento de los factores psicológicos detrás de la ciberadicción no debe verse como una oportunidad para aprovechar la vulnerabilidad de los compradores adictos. Los gerentes deberían más bien limitar las campañas de comunicación en TikTok durante los períodos de crisis, emprender acciones de retargeting evitando a los usuarios vulnerables de TikTok y evitar estimular la ansiedad y la soledad que pueden llevar a la ciberadicción y a compras compulsivas.

目的

本研究旨在探索COVID-19大流行期间TikTok网络成瘾的决定因素, 以及用户的态度和意图反馈。

设计/方法/途径

为了验证研究假设, 本研究对305位年轻的TikTok用户进行了在线调查, 并使用PLS方法对数据进行了分析。

发现

研究结果凸显了在COVID-19大流行期间, TikTok网络成瘾与心理障碍(焦虑和孤独)之间的中介作用。实际上, 研究发现焦虑和孤独可能会促成TikTok网络成瘾的发展。而TikTok网络成瘾则可能在一定程度上改善对TikTok的态度, 减轻错失恐惧。研究还表明, 对TikTok的态度对该平台推广的品牌态度产生积极影响, 进而增加了购买意图。

独创性

这项研究详细探讨了COVID-19大流行期间TikTok网络成瘾的核心作用, 特别关注了心理障碍与用户反应之间的关系。重点分析了逃避理论和依恋理论在社交媒体环境下的应用, 并对错失恐惧在网络成瘾和对TikTok态度之间的调节作用进行了调查和分析。

研究限制/意义

这项研究是在COVID-19大流行期间进行的, 因此复制它以验证研究模型在紧急情况缺失的情况下是否仍然有效是很有趣的。将这个模型应用于更广泛的对象, 包括年长的TikTok用户, 可能会带来一些有趣的发现。

实践意义

了解网络成瘾背后的心理因素是非常重要的, 但不应被视为利用沉迷购物者的脆弱性的机会。在危机期间, 管理者应该限制在TikTok上的传播活动, 以避免刺激焦虑和孤独, 保护那些脆弱的TikTok用户, 防止他们沉迷于平台并进行强迫性购物。

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