Structural Understanding of Influencer Worship in Social Media: The Formation and Consequences of Influencer Power

Abstract

Purpose - Influencer marketing has emerged as a prominent trend in marketing, with marketers utilizing influencer endorsements to promote and sell products. The phenomenon of influencer worship has been identified as an individual’s obsession with social media influencers, who have become role models capable of influencing online consumer attitudes and behaviors. However, empirical research on influencer worship is still limited, with existing academic papers primarily focused on social media platforms rather than the evolving significance of influencers. Our study proposes a conceptual model and hypotheses to address this research gap.
 Design/Methodology/Approach - An online questionnaire was developed as the research instrument. Then, using an information acceleration method, samples were selected, and 570 respondents in Korea were included in the statistical analysis. Given the early stage of research on influencer worship, partial least squares (PLS) analysis was considered an appropriate statistical approach.
 Findings - Based on the result, the model suggests that perceived influencer utilitarian, hedonic, and social values were positively associated with trust and commitment, which in turn, influenced influencer worship. Ultimately, influencer worship affects endorsed brand attitude and willingness to share reviews.
 Research Implications - This study is among the initial attempts to investigate the significance of influencer worship, and it contributes to academic findings and practices by highlighting the role of influencers in online marketing.