Too much information: An examination of the effects of social self-disclosure embedded within influencer eWOM campaigns

Abstract

Social media influencers (SMIs) offer a unique form of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM), disclosing personal information (e.g., daily routines, major life events) as part of their pitch when promoting products. To date, no research has explored if, and how, social self-disclosure impacts the way recipients respond to promotions and the influencer themselves. Through four studies deploying a mixed method design (total N = 888), we redress this knowledge gap. We find that increased depth and breadth in social self-disclosure is viewed as inappropriate, reducing trust and purchase intent. We further validate appropriateness as the critical mediator in understanding the impact of self-disclosure within this marketing context. We also establish that the context of the post (sponsored vs non-sponsored) and the audiences’ social media usage intensity together act as a boundary condition to the effects of high self-disclosure by SMI’s.