The effects of social media influencers’ self-disclosure on behavioral intentions: The role of source credibility, parasocial relationships, and brand trust

ABSTRACT

We investigate the effects of social media influencers’ (SMIs) intimate self-disclosure (ISD) on consumers’ intent to purchase products from an endorsed brand through the underlying mechanisms of source credibility, parasocial relationships, and brand trust. The results of a survey with 433 participants indicated that high levels of ISD by SMIs can enhance consumers’ intention to purchase the products of an endorsed brand and that a parasocial relationship with an SMI has a stronger effect on consumers’ behavioral intentions than source credibility. The findings suggest that marketing managers should consider SMIs’ ISD and their relationship with their followers to develop consistent marketing strategies.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge the research support accorded by the Brazilian Government Agency Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior.