What Makes an Influencer? Comparing U.S. and Chinese Millennial Perceptions of Brand Communication from the Most-Followed Influencers on TikTok and Douyin

Abstract

ABSTRACT Millennials have become the most sought-after generation for online brand communications, which have leveraged social media influencers (SMI) as spokespeople. As communication becomes more instantaneous and global, we examine how SMIs function in two different cultures: the United States and China. Specifically, we use mixed methods to examine the content, source, and user motivations from the top 5 most-followed SMIs on TikTok and Douyin, adding to the literature on these increasingly relevant platforms. We find that SMIs incorporate brand content with personal content, and Douyin SMIs seem to have more brand communication on their pages. Additionally, through interviews with millennial-age followers, we find that SMIs have strong influence over purchasing behavior of millennials in both countries, motivating impulse buying behavior. Douyin users are drawn to live streaming and attractive visuals while TikTok users seek information and entertainment. Implications for brand communication with SMIs across cultures is discussed.