Influencer trends shift
The psychological predictors of influencer engagement on Instagram
Keywords:
Social media engagement, Influencer, Authenticity, Envy, Upward social comparison, NarcissismAbstract
As advancements in technology continue to rise, consumers are constantly distracted, leaving advertisers to find creative ways to break through this barrier. Partnering with popular influencers on social media platforms has proven successful in reaching consumers where they are. As trends in influencer marketing continue to shift, it is important to understand the antecedents to engagement with influencers. The current research examines the concept of influencer engagement on Instagram and its proposed psychological predictors: authenticity, envy, upward social comparison, and narcissism. Results indicate that influencer authenticity, envy towards the influencer, and the personality trait narcissism positively impact influencer engagement on Instagram, while upward social comparisons to the influencer negatively impact influencer engagement. Recent research on influencers has focused on outcomes such as attitudes, trust, and purchase intentions, while this study focuses on behavioral engagement, a more accurate measurement within the context of Instagram. Managerial and theoretical implications are discussed.
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