How influential vloggers affect the product choice of their followers in China: a study of the relationship between vlog features and purchase intention of followers

Abstract

With the emergence and rapid growth of social media, the Internet celebrity economy has become an unstoppable trend that swept all over the world. In China, influencers interact with their followers on social media through various forms, among which vlog (video blog) is the most representative way. Through observation, the content forms of most promotional vlogs are basically the same. However, the page views and sales of products recommended have a tremendous difference. To figure out what elements will affect follower’s attitudes and purchase intention, this study takes vlog as the research object and divided vlog features into five categories: expertise, trustworthiness, attractiveness, reliability of reviews, and timeliness. Based on the AIDA model that elucidates steps in consumer’s purchasing behavior, a conceptual model is established, including five vlog features as the dependent variables and followers’ purchase intention as the independent variable. Drawing from the analysis result, all five vlog features have a positive relationship with followers’ purchase intention. The result of this study will help marketers to make proper online marketing strategies regarding promotional vlog to maximize product sales.