Analysis of consumer response to promotional posts by influencers

Abstract: In recent years, an increasing number of companies have been utilizing social media marketing, a marketing activity that makes use of social media. Among them, “influencer marketing,” which utilizes influencers who have great influence over other users on social media to promote their products, has been attracting attention. On the other hand, there are studies that point out the risk that PR using influencers may be counterproductive in some cases, and the effects given by influencers may vary depending on the subject influencer (sender) and the user (receiver). Therefore, there is a need for more detailed research on the reactions of consumers when they encounter PR postings. This study aims to clarify the effects of influencer attributes and posted content on consumer behaviour based on an evaluation using conjoint analysis and eye-tracking data. First, we examined eight attributes related to the scale of influencers' follower counts and the content of their posts and generated multiple scenario posts based on an orthogonal array. We also generated fictitious influencer account profiles for each scale of influencers' follower counts. These scenario posts and account profiles were combined to generate a total of 16 conjoint cards, which were then used in an experimental study. Furthermore, an eye-tracking experiment was conducted to validate the effects of the factors identified through conjoint analysis. The analysis reveals that the size of the influencer is the most important factor influencing consumer preference. In addition, we found that PR posts by mega-influencers contribute to consumers' impressions of PR posts. Furthermore, the eye tracking data collected in the experiment revealed that the number of followers and self-introductions in the influencer's profile account tended to be watched closely, with minor differences depending on the size of the influencer.

Keywords: Influencer Marketing, Conjoint Analysis, Eye-Tracking Data

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1006178

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