How does electronic word of mouth on Instagram affect travel behaviour in Indonesia: A perspective of the information adoption model

Abstract

Today, electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) is considered one of tourism businesses’ most effective forms of communication. Using eWOM on social media as an alternative decision aid can benefit consumers. This study examines the information adoption model to determine how consumers adopt eWOM on Instagram, and the subsequent influence on their travel behaviour. This study identifies the need for information as a predictor of information usefulness, converted to adoption and visit intentions. To test the research hypotheses, 263 respondents who had visited destinations based on eWOM recommendations on Instagram participated in the experiment. The data were analysed using a structural equation modelling approach using Smart-PLS 3.0. The findings indicate that the need for information is the most significant factor affecting the usefulness of the information. Furthermore, source credibility and argument quality are critical factors in enhancing the information’s usefulness. Thus, this study has significantly contributed to the theory by adding the need of information to predict visit intentions in the IAM model. Consumers are more likely to adopt high-quality information and convert it into a visit intention. This study provides practical guidelines for tourism managers who wish to utilise social media platforms (e.g., Instagram) as marketing communication tools to encourage eWOM about their destinations.

Keywords:

• information adoption model
• electronic word of mouth
• travel behaviour
• visit intention
• need for information
• Instagram

Keywords:

• marketing communications
• consumer behaviour
• internet/digital marketing/e-marketing

1. Introduction

Instagram is one of the most popular social media platforms, allowing users to share and modify photos and videos using filters (Hu et al., 2014). Due to its ever-increasing user base and the impacts of comments and hashtags, there is an increasing trend among marketers to use Instagram (Lee et al., 2020). Depending on their personality and self-percentage on Instagram, users post emotional comments, (Jackson & Luchner, 2018). A growing number of consumers are also utilising Instagram to research destinations. Further, Instagram enables consumers to share their tourism experiences (Samarakoon & Mihindukulasooriya, 2018). Indeed, it is becoming increasingly common for users to share images and reviews via Instagram, which others then peruse to find information (Lee et al., 2021).

Instagram posts can profoundly affect perception, purchase intentions, and electronic word of mouth (eWOM). According to Hennig-Thurau et al. (2004), eWOM is the exchange of comments about products or services on social networking sites to express support or disapproval. Marketers use eWOM to connect directly with consumers; therefore, it is critical to use it as a form of promotion (Cheung & Thadani, 2012). In addition to being one of the most powerful sources of eWOM, Instagram serves as a tool for consumers to evaluate and select products and services (Kwaja et al., 2020). Consumer opinions and comments are considered more accurate because they are derived from their personal experiences, which reduces uncertainty (Filieri et al., 2015; Hussain et al., 2018). Thus, consumers should carefully utilise information to reduce uncertainty about services that may affect their purchase decisions.

The Statista forecasting report indicates that Indonesia has over 200 million social media users (Statista, 2022). Instagram is one of the most frequently used platforms, accounting for more than 62% of the total population (Digital Marketing for Asia, 2022). Thus, using Instagram as a marketing medium will enable businesses to influence consumer purchasing decisions more effectively. This study examines how the tourism industry utilises social media to market its destinations and argues that it must leverage social media to manage and leverage information about destinations to influence consumer behaviour. Interestingly, stories about the experience of visiting a destination built and published by social media users can affect other social media users’ decisions (Lund et al., 2018). Therefore, it is highly relevant to study how consumers adopt information and how it influences their decisions on whether to travel to a particular destination. Since so many Instagram users use social media as a source of information when making purchasing decisions, Instagram can be a valuable marketing tool for tourism businesses (Silaban, Chen, et al., 2022a).

Previous research has examined the impact of eWOM on information adoption, purchase intentions, and attitudes towards destinations (Erkan & Evans, 2016; Tapanainen et al., 2012). Wang (2015) showed that the quality of eWOM arguments influences consumers’ attitudes toward destinations and their intentions to recommend destinations are influenced by their attitudes toward destinations and the credibility of the eWOM sources they trust. Erkan and Evans (2016) examined the impact of social media conversations on consumer purchase intentions. Khwaja et al. (2020) explored which factors contribute to the adoption of information and consistently lead consumers to purchase products and services. In addition, Leong et al. (2021) investigated the relationship between information characteristics and consumer behaviour in eWOM. However, despite extensive research on eWOM adoption, few studies have examined eWOM adoption in the tourism industry. Meanwhile, in practice, consumers have been employing social media as their primary communication channel and even as a form of travel preference. It is, therefore, vital to investigate how eWOM adoption through social media is carried out, especially in the tourism industry, to fill the research gap in the literature and practice. The interactive nature of social media information makes it easy to understand and can encourage consumers to visit specific destinations.

This study aims to fill the research gap by developing a research model based on the information adoption model (IAM). It begins with consumers searching for information that will meet their specific needs on social media (Erkan & Evans, 2016) and assumes that information use serves as a motivation. This study examines how eWOM influences information adoption and visit intention and considers that the argument quality, source credibility, need for information, usefulness, and adoption of eWOM information on Instagram impact the intention to visit a particular destination. A structural equation model (SEM) was used to assess the research model. This study aims to analyse how social media platforms such as Instagram contribute to sustainable tourism growth by influencing the adoption of eWOM information to form visit intention.

The structure of the paper is as follows: The second section is a literature review, which establishes a brief theoretical basis based on the existing research. The third section consists of the research hypotheses and model. The fourth section presents the research methodology, the fifth section provides the analysis results, and the final section contains the conclusion and discussion.

2. Literature review

2.1. Electronic Word-of-Mouth (eWOM) on Instagram

Social media has been identified as a powerful tool in creating word of mouth and influencing consumers in the business environment (Huete-Alcocer, 2017). In particular, it is a valuable source because it makes vast information quickly available, thus making it possible for users to share, discuss, and voice opinions about products and services based on their personal experiences (Hussain et al., 2018). Marketing communications view eWOM as more credible because consumers obtain information directly (Song et al., 2021). Instagram is one social media site that allows users to convey ideas and opinions by sharing images, videos, and texts (Erkan & Evans, 2016). A popular photo-sharing platform such as Instagram can create eWOM, which is widely used for visual marketing owing to its unique features and easy accessibility (Lee et al., 2021). In addition, Instagram users can become reliable sources of information when they can understand and provide favourable reviews (Djafarova & Trofimenko, 2019).

A driving force for tourism marketing today is e-WOM communication by consumers through social media. In addition, the effectiveness of e-WOM messages conveyed through social media is extremely high because it can reach many users (Teng et al., 2014). For this reason, tourism businesses are motivated to manage e-WOM communication on social media to create a positive impression for potential visitors (Lin & Rasoolimanesh, 2022). Several factors can encourage the use of eWOM, including evaluating and selecting products or services (Roy et al., 2019), reducing risk (Lee, 2014), and helping to make decisions (song et al., 2021). As a consequence of eWOM, the exchange of information in the form of reviews and comments can build trust, which will ultimately assist in decision-making (Matute et al., 2016; Song et al., 2021). eWOM provides several benefits to the tourism industry since it allows consumers to communicate and share their experiences with destination experiences, thereby influencing their intentions to visit in the future (Tapanainan et al., 2020).

2.2. Information adoption model (IAM)

The IAM model represents how individuals need and adopt messages to form intentions based on the information they consume (Sussman & Siegal, 2003). This model illustrates how individuals receive messages after assessing the accuracy of the information that can support or not support decision-making (Khwaja et al., 2020). In the context of eWOM, there is an increasing opportunity to share information. Consequently, even when the same information is presented, recipients will interpret and understand it differently (Erkan & Evans, 2016). IAM aims to understand how individuals are affected by information through specific platforms (Susman & Siegal, 2003). An information adoption process is based on two sources of information with different characteristics, which affects the information’s usefulness for individuals. The central route is the message itself. Second, there are peripheral routes, such as information embedded in information through attractiveness, credibility, and other criteria (Shu & Scott, 2014).

Sussman and Siegal (2003) identified four components of the IAM: argument quality (central route), source credibility (peripheral route), information usefulness, and information adoption. According to C. C. Chen and Chang (2018), argument quality is determined by the accuracy, completeness, clarity, usefulness, and output of information. Information that is considered to be of high quality indicates that it is inevitable and suitable for use in decision-making (Mohammadi et al., 2015). The source credibility is determined by the expertise, reputation, trustworthiness, and credibility of the message’s author (Savolainen, 2011). Accordingly, information usefulness is the perception that user information will improve the consumer’s performance (Cheung et al., 2008). According to Sussman and Siegal (2003), users tend to engage with information when they perceive it as useful, with perceived usefulness being the primary predictor of adoption (Sussman & Siegal, 2003).

The IAM model facilitates the understanding and identification of consumer preferences through the use of information that influences their purchase decisions (Huang et al., 2022). Furthermore, tourism marketers should be aware of how consumers adopt eWOM regarding a destination. In practice, some consumers view the information in terms of its content. For example, in a destination review on social media, consumers are more likely to pay attention to the specific information conveyed (Huang et al., 2022). This is commonly referred to as a consumer concerned with the quality of the argument (Kapoor et al., 2022). Since reviews are used as a marketing communication tool, the information contained in them is extremely important for tourism marketers to manage. In addition, consumers may view other social media users’ comments about a particular destination when researching online information to obtain a more comprehensive view (González-Rodríguez et al., 2022). Thus, tourism marketers must know how to manage comments and destination ratings on social media as this can impact consumer adoption of information (Onofrei et al., 2022). Accordingly, this study examines the behaviour of adopting and influencing information related to purchase decisions.

2.3. Visit intention

During the last few years, there has been a significant increase in research on consumer purchase decisions through social media. For destination marketing purposes, the tourism industry relies heavily on social media (Kumar et al., 2022; Chen et al., 2022) Consequently, social media adoption of eWOM must be thoroughly examined to understand consumers’ behaviour when making decisions to visit a destination as a result of a destination’s information on social media. Consumers can explore many tourism attributes at destinations, including service, culture, attractions, and facilities (Simeon et al., 2017). Therefore, it is essential to promote disseminating information about destinations to consumers. By sharing content related to tourism, social media can be used as a source of information that can influence consumers. Information and content created by social media users have influenced consumers’ decisions (J. Chen & Shen, 2015). In addition, transparent and credible information can increase the attractiveness of a destination (Shu & Scott, 2014; Silaban et al., 2022b). As a result of eWOM obtained through social media, consumers have higher expectations about destinations (Chang & Wang, 2019). Information from previous visitors is more likely to be trusted and used if the information is high quality, credible, practical, and relevant (Filieri et al., 2015). Ultimately, consumers are willing to adopt eWOM information in travel planning and decisions (Chong et al., 2018).

3. Hypothesis development and research model

3.1. Hypothesis development

3.1.1. Argument quality and information usefulness

Since eWOM provides various information and conveniences, it is essential to consider its quality (Leong et al., 2021). Argument quality refers to the significance of a message in terms of its perceived usefulness (Yeap, 2014). In this case, information that can be trusted has value (Tapanainen et al., 2021). The correct argument will have the ability to influence consumer attitudes and influence their behaviour (Park et al., 2007). According to Erkan and Evans (2016), the quality of an argument is one of the determinants of consumer purchase intentions. In general, the higher the argument quality of the information, the greater its perceived benefits. In the context of destination eWOM on social media, the quality of the argument plays an influential role in conveying information. Consumers who focus on eWOM containing detailed information about destinations on Instagram are concerned about the argument quality (central route; Huang et al., 2022). When consumers perceive that eWOM contains detailed destination information, they will find it valuable (Jamil & Qayyum, 2021). As a result, we hypothesise the following:

H1: eWOM argument quality significantly contributes to information usefulness.

3.1.2. Source credibility and information usefulness

Source credibility is defined as the extent to which the recipient of the information believes the source of information to be competent and trustworthy (Yeap, 2014). The credibility of eWOM refers to the trustworthiness, expertise, reputation, and honesty of a message (Savolainen, 2011). Credible and valuable information is used to influence and persuade others (Erkan & Evans, 2016). Indeed, the source’s credibility determines whether the recipient of the message will support or oppose the message. The strength of an argument and the suitability of the information will influence how users adopt information on social media (Li & Suh, 2015). Instagram can be used to find information about destinations from a variety of sources. There are consumers who pay attention to ratings, comments, and other information in this context. Consumers will find the information useful if they believe that the ratings and comments of social media users satisfy their information needs. In addition, Abedi et al. (2019) argue that the credibility of eWOM information is positively correlated with its usefulness. Therefore, we propose the following hypothesis:

H2: eWOM source credibility significantly contributes to information usefulness.

3.1.3. Need for information and information usefulness

Identifying information needs can be interpreted as the motivation that drives eWOM participation, which is then processed and used to create consumer behaviour (Erkan & Evans, 2016). Information-seeking behaviour is influenced by the perception of needing information—either to find an answer to a question or to learn more about a specific subject area (Campbell, 1995). Individuals search for information on social media to find the information they need to adapt the information, which then influences their behaviour. As a result of the need for information, searching for information via social media has become more beneficial. Erkan and Evans (2016) suggest that information usefulness and the need for information have a positive relationship that indirectly influences consumer purchase intentions. Therefore, we hypothesise the following:

H3: The need for information of eWOM significantly contributes to information usefulness.

3.1.4. Information usefulness on eWOM adoption

Information usefulness refers to how an individual believes that using the information will improve their understanding (Cheung et al., 2008). Social media users are more likely to engage with information when they believe it is valid (Tapanainen et al., 2021). Additionally, it is imperative to understand the impact information usefulness has on the decision-making process and the perceived benefits of eWOM (Erkan & Evans, 2016). Considering eWOM recommendations based on the benefits provided is one strategy to determine the credibility of information concerning products or services. There is evidence that information usefulness is a predictor of eWOM information adoption (Sussman & Siegal, 2003). Accordingly, we propose the following:

H4: Perceived information usefulness significantly contributes to eWOM adoption.

4. 3.1.5. eWOM adoption and visit intention

Adopting information is the first step in understanding how intentions are formed. Cheung et al. (2008) define information adoption as a process of engaging with information, either intentionally or unintentionally. The impact of eWOM information on purchase intentions has been examined in a previous study (Erkan & Evans, 2016). Furthermore, the adoption of eWOM information can influence consumer travel intentions and decisions (Tapanainen et al., 2020). Using eWOM to provide destination information will increase the likelihood of information adoption to form a visit intention. That is, if the information is communicated clearly and produces a positive impression, it will influence the destination’s attractiveness (Shu & Scott, 2014). With the adoption of eWOM, travellers will be able to form a visit intention and recommend destinations based on the information they have acquired beforehand (Tapanainen et al., 2021; Wang, 2015). Therefore, the following hypothesis is proposed:

H5: eWOM adoption contributes to visit intention.

4.1. Research model

This study aims to understand how social media influences visit intention through eWOM. We use argument quality, source credibility, and information needs to explain the usefulness of the information and encourage its adoption. As a result, information usefulness is a predictor of information adoption, and then adoption leads to behaviour (visit intention). Figure 1 presents the conceptual framework for the study.

Figure 1. Research framework.

5. Methods

5.1. Measurement items

The measurement items in this study were adapted from previous research. Items were collected, selected, and modified following a research contest. Each construct comprises four items and is measured by a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). The following Table 1 lists all measurement items:

Table 1. Measurement Items

Construct	Measurement Items
Argument Quality (Erkan & Evans, 2016; Leong et al., 2021)	I believe there is enough information to support that opinion. The information provided seems to be objective. It seems to me that the information is understandable. The information is clear to me.
Source Credibility (Prendergast et al., 2010; Erkan & Evans, 2016)	The information presented here is convincing to me. In my opinion, the information is very influential. This information appears to be reliable. I believe the information is accurate.
Need of Information (Erkan & Evans, 2016; Leong et al., 2021)	Whenever I plan a trip to a destination, I use information on Instagram. I frequently use information on Instagram when I have little experience traveling to a destination. I usually refer to information on Instagram to find out which alternative is the most suitable for me. In order to prepare for a trip, I often collect information from Instagram.
Information Usefulness (Abedi et al., 2019; Khwaja et al., 2020)	The information on Instagram is useful to me. The information on Instagram was useful to me. In terms of my decision to visit, I found the information on Instagram useful. The information on Instagram is valuable to me.
Information Adoption (Abedi et al., 2019; Khwaja et al., 2020)	My knowledge of destinations was enhanced by the information provided on Instagram. I was able to make a better decision after reviewing the information on Instagram. I was able to make better decisions when it came to visiting. I was inspired by the information on Instagram to make the decision to visit.
Visit Intention (Abedi et al., 2019; Tapanainen et al., 2020)	As soon as I learned about the destination, I decided to visit it. I will most likely visit the destination. Whenever I plan to travel, I will choose a recommended destination on Instagram. I will recommend destinations shared on Instagram to my friends.

5.2. Sampling method, data collection, and analysis techniques

This study employed non-probability sampling with purposive sampling to select respondents. Participants were selected based on their experience of visiting destinations as shared on Instagram. As a result, consumers who have visited destinations based on information shared on Instagram in Indonesia were eligible to participate in the study. Data was collected through the distribution of online questionnaires through Google Forms. Google Forms were also distributed via Instagram, Facebook, and WhatsApp to social media users in Indonesia. This study conducted a data collection period of four months to gather 263 valid responses.

This study analyses the data using structural equation modelling with SmartPLS 3.0 software. Initially, the validity of the measurement model with construct validity and internal consistency was assessed, along with the validity of the correlation matrix using the Fornell-Larcker Criterion (Fornell & Larcker, 1981) and Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT; Henseler et al., 2015) approaches for discriminant validity. Following the validity test, further hypothesis testing was conducted to determine whether the described significance affects the construct relationships.

6. Results

6.1. Sample demographics

A total of 263 Indonesian participants were collected from the survey. Most respondents (63.5%) were female. In terms of age, 64.6% of respondents were between 20 and 29 years of age. In terms of marital status, 85.5% of respondents were single. In terms of educational background, 70.4% of respondents were undergraduates. In terms of occupation, 69.6% of respondents were students. A total of 46.6% of respondents reported spending less than two hours a day using social media (Instagram). As much as 40.3% of eWOM information obtained by respondents on Instagram pertained to natural scenery.

6.2. Validity and reliability assessment

We tested the validity and reliability of the study at several stages. The construct validity test evaluated each factor loading value as 0.7 (Hair et al., 2017), which indicated that construct validity had been achieved. Secondly, the convergent validity was evaluated based on the average variance extracted with a value of greater than 0.5 (Hair et al., 2017). Table 2 indicates that convergent validity is achieved when AVE is more significant than 0.5. Third, the internal consistency of each construct was measured using Cronbach’s alpha value of 0.7 and composite reliability of 0.7 (Hair et al., 2017), and the results obtained were satisfactory. The details of the test results are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Results for validity and reliability assessment

Construct	Items	FL	CA	CR	AVE
Argument Quality (AQ)	AQ-1	0.915	0.936	0.954	0.840
	AQ-2	0.924
	AQ-3	0.914
	AQ-4	0.913
Source Credibility (SC)	SC-1	0.883	0.922	0.945	0.810
	SC-2	0.894
	SC-3	0.918
	SC-4	0.905
Need for Information (NOI)	NOI-1	0.904	0.933	0.952	0.833
	NOI-2	0.934
	NOI-3	0.916
	NOI-4	0.897
Information Usefulness (IU)	IU-1	0.920	0.936	0.954	0.840
	IU-2	0.923
	IU-3	0.920
	IU-4	0.902
Information Adoption (IA)	IA-1	0.908	0.946	0.961	0.860
	IA-2	0.948
	IA-3	0.938
	IA-4	0.914
Visit Intention (VI)	VI-1	0.906	0.940	0.957	0.847
	VI-2	0.934
	VI-3	0.930
	VI-4	0.911

Note: FL (Factor Loading) ≥ 0.7; CA (Cronbach’s Alpha) ≥ 0.7; CR (Composite Reliability) ≥ 0.7; AVE(Average Variance Extracted) ≥ 0.5.

In addition, three different approaches were used to test discriminant validity. In this first step, we evaluated the Fornell-Lacker Criterion by comparing the square roots of the AVE with the correlation of the constructs. As presented in Table 3, the results show that the square roots of AVE are more significant than the correlation between the constructs; thus, discriminant validity can be achieved (Fornell & Larcker, 1981). Table 4 presents the results of the discriminant validity test.

Table 3. Fornell-larcker criterion

Construct	AQ	SC	NOI	IU	IA	VI
Argument Quality (AQ)	0.916
Source Credibility (SC)	0.654	0.900
Need for Information (NOI)	0.632	0.689	0.913
Information Usefulness (IU)	0.630	0.638	0.689	0.916
Information Adoption (IA)	0.609	0.654	0.722	0.756	0.927
Visit Intention (VI)	0.584	0.589	0.738	0.647	0.720	0.920

Note: The diagonal and bold values are the square roots of AVE.

Table 4. Heterotrait-Monotrait Ration

Construct	AQ	SC	NOI	IU	IA	VI
Argument Quality (AQ)	-
Source Credibility (SC)	0.701	-
Need for Information (NOI)	0.675	0.742	-
Information Usefulness (IU)	0.672	0.683	0.736	-
Information Adoption (IA)	0.647	0.699	0.769	0.804	-
Visit Intention (VI)	0.621	0.631	0.788	0.689	0.763	-

Note: HTMT, ≤ 0.85, strong; ≤ 0.90, weak.

Second, we used the heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT). A recent study by Henseler et al. (2015) indicates that HTMT is a new comprehensive approach to evaluating discriminant validity with an HTMT value of 0.85. As shown in Table 5, all HTMT values were 0.85, which indicates that the study has strong discriminant validity.

Table 5. Cross Loadings Matrix

Construct	AQ	SC	NOI	IU	IA	VI
AQ1	0.915	0.635	0.617	0.613	0.578	0.582
AQ2	0.924	0.596	0.568	0.551	0.538	0.544
AQ3	0.914	0.584	0.559	0.568	0.560	0.513
AQ4	0.913	0.580	0.570	0.575	0.555	0.497
SC1	0.549	0.883	0.611	0.509	0.562	0.508
SC2	0.569	0.894	0.618	0.564	0.582	0.518
SC3	0.608	0.918	0.621	0.594	0.597	0.515
SC4	0.623	0.905	0.630	0.620	0.610	0.573
NOI1	0.579	0.638	0.904	0.615	0.632	0.671
NOI2	0.569	0.624	0.934	0.622	0.669	0.689
NOI3	0.567	0.623	0.916	0.646	0.650	0.666
NOI4	0.592	0.628	0.897	0.630	0.685	0.668
IU1	0.587	0.571	0.627	0.920	0.684	0.584
IU2	0.607	0.612	0.649	0.923	0.709	0.615
IU3	0.567	0.590	0.642	0.920	0.701	0.594
IU4	0.549	0.564	0.605	0.902	0.678	0.578
IA1	0.558	0.592	0.674	0.689	0.908	0.649
IA2	0.580	0.634	0.700	0.729	0.948	0.689
IA3	0.575	0.592	0.659	0.684	0.938	0.675
IA4	0.546	0.606	0.645	0.702	0.914	0.656
VI1	0.523	0.530	0.650	0.564	0.631	0.906
VI2	0.540	0.560	0.692	0.603	0.688	0.934
VI3	0.553	0.532	0.684	0.617	0.677	0.930
VI4	0.532	0.544	0.691	0.596	0.651	0.911

Note: The bolded value indicated construct cross loading.

The third approach is based on the cross-loading matrix approach, as shown in Table 6. Discriminant validity is considered to exist if the item value of the factor loading is greater than the correlation coefficient with other constructs. We found that the factor loading value was greater than the correlation coefficient of other constructs, thus demonstrating good discriminant validity.

Table 6. Hypothesis Results

Hypothesis	Path Coefficient	T-Value	Conclusion
H1 Argument Quality → Information Usefulness	0.249**	2.601	Supported
H2 Source Credibility → Information Usefulness	0.208*	1.985	Supported
H3 Need for Information → Information Usefulness	0.388***	4.428	Supported
H4 Information Usefulness → Information Adoption	0.756***	16.789	Supported
H5 Information Adoption → Visit Intention	0.720***	14.533	Supported

Note: * P < 0.1; ** P < 0.01; *** P < 0.001.

6.3. Structural model and hypothesis testing

The study employed Smart-PLS 3.0 software to perform a structural analysis. There are several steps involved in evaluating the structural model. The first is to determine the R² values of each research endogenous construct. Falk and Miller (1992) concluded that a structural model is considered viable if the R² value is greater than 0.1 or is closer to 1. The information usefulness construct has a value of R² = 0.557 and is explained by the path coefficients of argument quality, source credibility, and information need. Through the path coefficient of information usefulness, the information adoption construct has an R² of 0.572. The information adoption path coefficient of the visit intention construct has a value of R² = 0.518. Thus, the model is viable, with the endogenous construct having an R² value greater than 0.01. Second, an evaluation of the research model’s fit was conducted. The results obtained indicate that each of the model fits the criteria: SRMR = 0.034; d_ULS = 0.345; d_G = 0.498; and NFI = 0.881, are met as suggested (Hair et al., 2017). Figure 2 illustrates the results of the structural modelling.

Figure 2. Results of structural model.

Figure 2 and Table 6 present the results of the hypothesis testing. Argument quality, source credibility, and need for information had significant effects on information usefulness; thus, H1, H2, and H3 are supported (β = 0.249 and t = 2.601; = 0.208 and t = 1.985; = 0.388 and t = 4.428, respectively). In addition, the effect of information usefulness on information adoption is significant, which supports H4 (β = 0.756 and t = 16,789). Additionally, information adoption was found to influence visiting intentions significantly and indicates that H5 is supported (β = 0.720 and t = 14,533).

7. Discussion and conclusions

7.1. Main findings

The perceived usefulness of information is determined by the credibility of the source, the quality of the argument, and the need for information. The usefulness of information explains information adoption, which in turn explains behavioural intentions, such as visits. The following are some of the points derived from the research results.

First, the results of hypothesis testing showed that argument quality (H1) significantly influences information usefulness. This perception of the usefulness of information can be influenced by the quality of arguments that are accurate, objective, clear, and easy to understand. When consumers read comments or opinions about a product or service, the message conveyed is accurate, objective, and indicates that the information is valuable. In the tourism industry, social media (e.g., Instagram) have become the primary means of finding information about destinations and defining preferences before deciding to travel. Consumers will likely perceive information usefulness when they find destination reviews on social media in details (Chung et al., 2015). In this manner, when previous consumers share eWOM based on their experiences with destinations, it may influence the behaviour of potential consumers when they find the destination information on social media. The result is consistent with findings of previous research (Hussain et al., 2018) that demonstrate that argument quality plays a significant role in information usefulness.

Second, source credibility—referring to sources that provide reliable, accurate, and persuasive information that consumers can trust and believe—is used to determine how eWOM sources can be trusted. According to the hypothesis test, source credibility (H2) significantly impacts information usefulness. It highlights the importance of the source credibility of information found on social media (e.g., Instagram) since it can affect the perceived usefulness of e-wom. Several factors can influence the interpretation of the source credibility for e-wom found on social media. In Sotiriadis and Van Zyl (2013), source credibility is an essential factor consumers should consider when making decisions about visiting specific destinations because consumers can determine the reputation of eWOM envoys and understand their expertise. As a result, when adopting e-wom from Instagram to visit a destination, consumers will understand the accuracy of the information conveyed. Previous studies have confirmed these findings (Leong et al., 2021).

Third, the need for information (H3) was found to substantially affect the usefulness of information, indicating that Instagram users find a great deal of helpful information on the platform. Consumers require information that can answer their questions and improve their understanding to utilise the information effectively. These findings are supported by previous research (Erkan & Evans, 2016). It is imperative for consumers when seeking information about a particular destination and finding it on Instagram. Therefore, consumers will feel highly useful when they receive destination information from eWOM on Instagram when they need it. Conversely, consumers are more likely to make a purchase decision faster when their information about a particular destination is provided in sufficient quantity and time in a sufficient timeframe (Tsao & Hsieh, 2015).

Fourth, this study indicates that the usefulness of information (H4) is a significant predictor of the adoption of information on Instagram. Information is useful when it can assist and aid in making decisions. The more useful the information, the more likely consumers are to apply and adopt information that will indirectly affect their behaviour. Consequently, eWOM on Instagram can increase the perceived usefulness and adoption of information in the tourism industry through recommendations, comments, reviews, and expertise of previous consumers (Filieri & McLeay, 2014). Likewise, the result is consistent with previous findings (Abedi et al., 2019). Consumers are more likely to engage with and adopt eWOM information that is useful (Erkan & Evans, 2016). Furthermore, the study results reveal that information adoption (H5) is significantly associated with visit intention. As a result, consumers are more likely to visit a destination after adopting eWOM obtained on Instagram, where the information obtained can support their decision. Erkan and Evans (2016) report that eWOM is exchanged between friends of Instagram users. According to findings in this study, the adoption of eWOM is a critical factor in influencing the intention to select a destination (Tapanainen et al., 2021).

7.2. Implications for research

This study contributes to the development of research on eWOM as a marketing communication tool for tourism. In particular, eWOM on Instagram could enhance consumer awareness of products and services. According to the study, adopting eWOM information (quality of the argument, credibility of the source, and need for information) increases the likelihood of people visiting the site. These three characteristics will impact the perception of eWOM recipients depending on how they perceive the value of the information. Based on the research findings, all eWOM features are significantly correlated with information usefulness.

The usefulness of information is found to be a mechanism that can facilitate the adoption of eWOM information on Instagram. This study’s findings suggest that information needs are the most important factor shaping the usefulness of eWOM. In addition, argument quality and source credibility play an essential role in explaining the usefulness of the information. The study demonstrates that eWOM on Instagram will be useful if it meets the recipients’ need for information and is accompanied by good quality arguments and reliable sources of information. Further, it was found that eWOM adoption of information links the usefulness of the information and the intention to visit. This analysis confirms that information usefulness has a significant influence on the adoption of information. Thus, to increase visit intention, consumers should be encouraged to adopt information based on the perceived usefulness of the information obtained from Instagram.

7.3. Implications for tourism managers

Instagram users exchange information that contains essential recommendations for other users to consider when making decisions. Tourism marketers can gain insights and develop strategies that increase visit intention by studying how users consume information on Instagram. Managers should be aware of the impact of eWOM on information adoption to shape their visitors’ intentions. Furthermore, Instagram allows information on destinations to be shared widely and facilitates the spread of eWOM among users. If the destination information is clearly conveyed in eWOM, consumers are more likely to be interested and choose that destination. Therefore, tourism managers should enrich online reviews and encourage consumers to post quality information to increase the adoption of the information.

Likewise, consumers adopt eWOM based on whether the information is helpful to them. An explanation for the usefulness of information found in online media is provided by the eWOM perspective, which considers argument quality, source credibility, and the need for information. Therefore, consumers are likely to read various reviews on Instagram and determine the usefulness of the information based on the quality of the argument. When information is perceived as accurate, objective, and transparent, it affects eWOM adoption and influences behavioural intentions. Additionally, the study results confirm that source credibility is associated with information usefulness, information adoption, and behavioural intentions. As more people use social media, more sources must be considered when making decisions based on their influence.

The proliferation of information was also found to affect participation in eWOM, which suggests that consumers will find helpful information when they need it. Therefore, tourism managers should encourage reviewers to improve the quality of their reviews, control the spread of eWOM, and ensure that eWOM can meet consumers’ information needs. Accordingly, tourism managers will find it beneficial to improve marketing strategies using eWOM, a technique that is used to influence consumer choices based on helpful information.

7.4. Limitations and avenues for future research

This study has several limitations. First, it focuses only on some of the characteristics of eWOM related to perceptions of information adoption. It is anticipated that future studies will add new perspectives on eWOM that can influence behavioural intentions, including the quantity of eWOM information (Filieri & McLeay, 2014). Similarly, Sussman and Siegal (2003) suggest that the usefulness of information is an antecedent of information adoption. However, other variables can be used as antecedents of adoption in subsequent studies, such as trust (Filieri et al., 2015). In addition, this study focuses on identifying variables, so it is hoped that the dimensions of each variable can be examined in further detail. The dimensions of argument quality are information timeliness, information understandability, information relevance, and information accuracy (Filieri & McLeay, 2014). It is possible to examine further the credibility dimension of eWOM sources based on eWOM scepticism through three dimensions: motivational suspicion, truth suspicion, identity suspicion (Zhang et al., 2020), and information needs dimensions. In addition, this study only focuses on the factors that influence consumer behaviour by using eWOM information. Further studies are required to identify the actual behaviour and intention to spread eWOM due to adopting eWOM information by using various social media platforms (Abedi et al., 2019).

Authors Contributions

Conceptualisation: P.H.S.; W.K.C.; A.D.K.S.; Methodology: A.D.K.S.; S.S.; Software: A.D.K.S.; S.S.; Y.N.B.P.P.; Validation: W.K.C.; A.D.K.S.; Formal Analysis: A.D.K.S.; S.S.; Investigation: P.H.S.; S.S.; A.D.K.S.; Resource: P.H.S.; A.D.K.S.; Data Curation: P.H.S.; S.S.; Writing-Original Draft: A.D.K.S.; S.S.; Writing & Review Editing: A.D.K.S.; S.S.; W.K.C.; Visualisation: Y.N.B.P.P.; S.S.; Supervision: W.K.C.; P.H.S.; Project Administrator: P.H.S.; Funding Acquisition: P.H.S.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was not supported by external funding.

Notes on contributors

Pantas H. Silaban

Pantas H. Silaban is an associate professor and the Director of the Graduate School at the HKBP Nommensen University. He has been involved with academia since 1986, and his research focuses on marketing and tourism. His current research interests include green, viral, and tourism marketing.

Wen-Kuo Chen

Wen-Kuo Chen is an Associate Professor and a lecturer at the department of money and banking in National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. He received his Ph.D. degree in Information Management from the National Taiwan University, Taiwan. His research focuses on e-commerce, m-commerce, and omni-channel marketing. His work has been published in Psychology & Marketing, Behaviour & Information Technology, the Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanised Computing, the Journal of Economics and Management, etc.

Surmida Sormin

Surmida Sormin is a student at the Faculty of Economics and Business Management program at the University HKBP Nommensen in Medan, Indonesia.

Yehezkiel Natamatua B. P. Panjaitan

Yehezkiel Natamatua B. P. Panjaitan. is a graduate student at the Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan. His current research interests are e-commerce and live streaming commerce.

Andri Dayarana K. Silalahi

Andri Dayarana K Silalahi. is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Business Administration at the Chaoyang University of Technology, Taichung, Taiwan. Current research interests include online consumer behaviour, live streaming commerce, sensory marketing, human behaviour in emerging technologies, etc.