The Impact of Social Media Influencers and Followers' Attributes on WOM and Patronage: A Lesson From Qatari Market

Abstract

With the rise of social media and the increase in the amount of time individuals spend online, firms need to know how to incorporate social media in their marketing to maximize their brand reach and engage with the right customer. In this context, social media influencers and the parasocial relationship became important elements. This study investigates which attributes possessed by the followers themselves or the social media influencer can impact the followers' parasocial relationship with the influencers and lead to behavioural intention, WOM and purchase intention, and actual behaviour. It also investigates the mediating role of parasocial relationship between the followers' attributes and social media influencers attributes and behavioural intentions. An online survey was conducted among 691 Instagram users in Qatar. The findings show that followers and social media influencers attributes have a positive impact of the parasocial relationship with the social media influencers, and parasocial relationship with the social media influencers has a significant and positive impact on the followers behavioural intentions. However, the result didn't show a significant impact of parasocial relationship on the followers' actual purchase behaviour. In addition, results also show that parasocial relationship mediates the relationship between the followers' and social media influencers attributes and behavioural intentions. The managerial and theoretical implication is discussed.