Abstract
Abstract Objective: The increasing influence of YouTube vloggers on consumer purchase behaviour and the specificity of the vloggers _ viewers/subscribers relationship are under-researched. Addressing this gap in knowledge, this paper explores the role of vloggers as brand influencers on consumer (their viewers) purchase behaviour. It aims to investigate the interaction between vloggers and viewers/subscribers in terms of brand awareness and consumers’ purchase behaviour. Methodology: A mixed-method approach (often connected with netnography) incorporated non-participant observation of vloggers’ activities and vloggers-viewers interactions within selected popular vlogs, supported by an online survey with both vloggers and viewers. Findings: We have observed specific brand endorsements and experiences, depending on the vloggers’ context, leading to both positive and negative feedback. This interaction and the consistently positive perception of reasons behind the vloggers’ choice of the endorsed brands underpin the credibility of the vloggers – viewers/subscribers relationship. Value added: Our results show not only the significance of vloggers as brand influencers, providing their audiences information perceived as trustworthy and convincing in terms of purchase recommendations but also explore the factors affecting this process. Recommendations: This research directed our attention into the viewer-viewer interaction on the vlogs platforms. It is a very dynamic and challenging (difficult to control) part of vlog marketing activities (including various eWOM aspects) which can be very influential in the analysed context and stays a task for the future research.
Highlights
Social media has become a communication channel attracting advertising and product information by many organisations (Edosomwan et al, 2011; Leitch & Merlot, 2018; Zhang, Luo, & Boncella, 2020 ; Sułkowski & Kaczorowska-Spychalska, 2018)
Understanding the role of vloggers as brand influencers is important for marketers who wish to develop a relationship with consumers via social media
- applying make-up foundation on face while vlogging; - visiting different tourist sites and discovering the Egypt culture through food and interacting with local people; - providing a history of using Hello Fresh in their home and demonstrating - one recipe using the ingredients sent to them; - using the Magic eraser product around home; - unboxing several brands but spending more time on her favourite brands; - wearing Gym Shark clothing in the vlog and having more collections that she has reviewed, directing viewers to links on the description box
Summary
Social media has become a communication channel attracting advertising and product information by many organisations (Edosomwan et al, 2011; Leitch & Merlot, 2018; Zhang, Luo, & Boncella, 2020 ; Sułkowski & Kaczorowska-Spychalska, 2018). Some YouTube uploaders ( known as vloggers, YouTubers or content creators) interact in a structured way with their audiences becoming well known in the YouTube community. These vloggers (for video bloggers) influence their audience to engage with marketing activities, to promote themselves and the brands they endorse. Understanding the role of vloggers as brand influencers is important for marketers who wish to develop a relationship with consumers via social media (in this case YouTube). The role of vloggers as brand influencers from the perspective of consumer behaviour is an important academic endeavour and is the aim of this paper. We analyse the impact of the vloggers’ marketing activity supporting the endorsed brand/ product on their viewers’ brand awareness, purchase decisions and level of satisfaction after purchasing the recommended brands/products/services
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