Factors affecting YouTube influencer marketing credibility: a heuristic-systematic model

ABSTRACT

The rise of influencer marketing makes YouTube an ideal media platform to implement such marketing strategies. Many scholars consider the success of YouTube influencer marketing as a result of high consumer perception of information credibility. This study employs heuristic-systematic model to investigate how informational cues influence credibility evaluations of information posted by YouTube influencers. An online survey was conducted to investigate the factors, and a two-step, structural equation modelling data analysis approach was utilised to explore the correlation between variables. The results reveal that trustworthiness, social influence, argument quality, and information involvement are influential factors affecting consumer perceived information credibility on YouTube. The analytic results also reveal a strong and positive correlation between perceived information credibility and brand/video attitudes.

KEYWORDS:

• Heuristic-Systematic Model
• Information Credibility
• Source Credibility
• YouTube Influencers
• Influencer Marketing
• Social media

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Min Xiao

Min Xiao is a doctoral student in the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Florida. He earned his M.A. in Advertising at the University of Florida in 2014. His research focuses on investigating the motivators and outcomes of consumer usage of digital media technologies. His dissertation examines consumers’ perception of gamification in branded mobile apps. Min has received the 2017-2018 University of Florida Outstanding International Student Award for his work.

Rang Wang

Rang Wang is a doctoral student specialized in Advertising at the University of Florida, USA. She received her bachelor’s degree from Xiamen University in China, and master’s degree from University of Florida. Prior to graduate school, she worked as an Account Executive in advertising agencies in Shanghai, China. Her research interests include consumer engagement, branded content, influencer marketing, and brand-consumer relationship. She tries to make a bridge between the academia and the industry and to help brands communicate with their customers better in a way customers like.

Sylvia Chan-Olmsted

Sylvia Chan-Olmsted is the Director of Media Consumer Research at the University of Florida. Her research expertise includes digital/ mobile media consumption, branding, and strategic management in emerging media/communications industries. Her current studies involve audience engagement, development and marketing of mobile media content, cross-platform audience behavior, branded content, and branding via social/mobile media, especially in the context of young adult consumers.