AMPLIFYING BRAND REACH THROUGH YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS
Keywords:
YouTube, Homophily, Sponsored Advertisement, Likability, Influencer Marketing, Purchase Intention.
Abstract
Social media platforms in the digital age have revolutionized how brands engage with consumers, with YouTube standing out as a potent tool for influencer marketing. Influencers on YouTube engage audiences through diverse content formats, including vlogs, reviews, tutorials, and sponsored advertisements, making it an ideal platform for promoting products. Influencers play a pivotal role in modern marketing strategies due to their ability to build genuine relationships with their target audiences. The paper investigates the impact of YouTube influencers on consumers' buying intentions. Primary data was collected through a structured questionnaire to achieve the above goal. The study considered Tamil YouTube Influencers and their impact on Tamil audiences. This study considered the role of Homophily, Sponsored Advertisements, and the Likability of influencers on purchase intentions. The researcher used purposive sampling to collect the data from 201 Tamil audiences who follow Tamil YouTube influencers. The statistical tools used to attain the objectives of this study are frequency analysis, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and multiple regression analysis. The study results revealed that both Homophily and Sponsored Advertisements significantly impact purchase intentions. Moreover, the likability of an influencer varies across different occupational backgrounds, suggesting that the professions of the influencers influence consumer perceptions. The study also highlights how customer perceptions are shaped by the frequency and types of content influencers share. The researcher suggests to marketers the necessity for personalized marketing strategies that cater to diverse consumer preferences for successful campaigns. Ultimately, the study encourages marketers to effectively utilise YouTube influencers to capture consumer engagement to drive maximum impact on revenue within the Tamil audience segment.
JEL Classification Codes: M30, M31, M37.
References
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AlFarraj, O., Alalwan, A. A., Obeidat, Z. M., Baabdullah, A., Aldmour, R., & Al-Haddad, S. (2021). Examining the impact of influencers' credibility dimensions: attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise on the purchase intention in the aesthetic dermatology industry. Review of International Business and Strategy, 31(3), 355-374. https://doi.org/10.1108/RIBS-07-2020-0089
Andersson, A., Baksås Martinsson, E., & Kopakkala, J. (2020). An investigation of online branding strategies in D2C firms: with an emphasis on social media. (Dissertation). Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-48969
Atiq, M., Abid, G., Anwar, A., & Ijaz, M. F. (2022). Influencer marketing on instagram: A sequential mediation model of storytelling content and audience engagement via relatability and trust. Information, 13(7), 345. https://doi.org/10.3390/info13070345
Bu, Y., Parkinson, J., & Thaichon, P. (2022). Influencer marketing: Homophily, customer value co-creation behaviour and purchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66, 102904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102904
Battaglia, M. P. (2008). Nonprobability sampling. Encyclopedia of survey research methods, 1, 523-526.
Campbell, C., & Farrell, J. R. (2020). More than meets the eye: The functional components underlying influencer marketing. Business horizons, 63(4), 469–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.03.003
Chen, N., & Yang, Y. (2023). The role of influencers in live streaming e-commerce: influencer trust, attachment, and consumer purchase intention. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 18(3), 1601-1618. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer18030081
Chopra, A., Avhad, V., & Jaju, A. S. (2021). Influencer marketing: An exploratory study to identify antecedents of consumer behavior of millennial. Business Perspectives and Research, 9(1), 77-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/2278533720923486
Delbaere, M., Michael, B., & Phillips, B. J. (2021). Social media influencers: A route to brand engagement for their followers. Psychology & Marketing, 38(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21419
Duh, H. I., & Thabethe, T. (2021). Attributes of Instagram influencers impacting consumer brand engagement. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 15(5-6), 477-497. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIMA.2021.118261
Fan, F., Chan, K., Wang, Y., Li, Y., & Prieler, M. (2023). How influencers’ social media posts have an influence on audience engagement among young consumers. Young Consumers, 24(4), 427-444. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-08-2022-1588
Farivar, S., & Wang, F. (2022). Effective influencer marketing: A social identity perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 67, 103026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103026
Gupta, P., Burton, J. L., & Costa Barros, L. (2023). Gender of the online influencer and follower: the differential persuasive impact of homophily, attractiveness, and product-match. Internet Research, 33(2), 720–740. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-04-2021-0229
Giuffredi-Kähr, A., Petrova, A., & Malär, L. (2022). Sponsorship disclosure of influencers–a curse or a blessing?. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(1), 18-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968221075686
Hazari, S., & Sethna, B. N. (2023). A comparison of lifestyle marketing and brand influencer advertising for Generation Z Instagram users. Journal of Promotion Management, 29(4), 491–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2022.2163033
Hossain, S. A., & Alam, M. S. (2022). Students’ Attitude towards Online Shopping & the Possibility to Facilitate Its Growth: A Study in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 6(1), 8-14. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v6i1.1875
Hudders, L., & De Jans, S. (2022). Gender effects in influencer marketing: an experimental study on the efficacy of endorsements by same-vs. other-gender social media influencers on Instagram. International Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 128-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2021.1997455
Huttula, T., & Karjaluoto, H. (2023). The Process of Selecting Influencers for Marketing Purposes in an Organisation. In Industry 5.0: Creative and Innovative Organizations (pp. 27-53). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26232-6_2
Huynh, T., Nguyen, H. D., Zelinka, I., Pham, X. H., Pham, V. T., Selamat, A., & Krejcar, O. (2022). A method to detect influencers in social networks based on the combination of amplification factors and content creation. Plos one, 17(10), e0274596. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274596
Jaiswal, A. K., Vemireddy, V., & Angeli, F. (2024). Social media “stars” vs “the ordinary” me: influencer marketing and the role of self-discrepancies, perceived homophily, authenticity, self-acceptance and mindfulness. European Journal of Marketing, 58(2), 590–631. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-02-2023-0141
Jun, S., & Yi, J. (2020). What makes followers loyal? The role of influencer interactivity in building influencer brand equity. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(6), 803-814. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-02-2019-2280
Kapitan, S., Van Esch, P., Soma, V., & Kietzmann, J. (2022). Influencer marketing and authenticity in content creation. Australasian Marketing Journal, 30(4), 342-351. https://doi.org/10.1177/18393349211011171
Karagür, Z., Becker, J. M., Klein, K., & Edeling, A. (2022). How, why, and when disclosure type matters for influencer marketing. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(2), 313-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2021.09.006
Kay, S., Mulcahy, R., & Parkinson, J. (2020). When less is more: the impact of macro and micro social media influencers’ disclosure. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(3-4), 248–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1718740
Khan, S. (2023). The role of digital influencer credibility on purchase intention and the mediating effect of customer trust and engagement. Global Journal for Management and Administrative Sciences, 4(1), 19–45. https://doi.org/10.46568/gjmas.v4i1.177
Kim, D. Y., & Kim, H. Y. (2021). Trust me, trust me not: A nuanced view of influencer marketing on social media. Journal of Business Research, 134, 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.05.024
Lin, C. A., Crowe, J., Pierre, L., & Lee, Y. (2021). Effects of parasocial interaction with an instafamous influencer on brand attitudes and purchase intentions. The Journal of Social Media in Society, 10(1), 55–78. Retrieved from https://thejsms.org/index.php/JSMS/article/view/811
Masuda, H., Han, S. H., & Lee, J. (2022). Impacts of influencer attributes on purchase intentions in social media influencer marketing: Mediating roles of characterizations. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 174, 121246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121246
Myers, S. (2021). Instagram source effects: The impact of familiarity and likeability on influencer outcomes. Journal of marketing development and competitiveness, 15(3), 50–55. Retrieved from https://articlearchives.co/index.php/JMDC/article/view/4688
Nadanyiova, M., Gajanova, L., Majerova, J., & Lizbetinova, L. (2020). Influencer marketing and its impact on consumer lifestyles. In Forum Scientiae Oeconomia, 8(2), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.23762/FSO_VOL8_NO2_7
Oliver, P. (2015). Sociology: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself. Hachette UK.
Ozuem, W., & Willis, M. (2022). Influencer marketing. In Digital Marketing Strategies for Value Co-creation: Models and Approaches for Online Brand Communities (pp. 209-242). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Pop, R. A., Săplăcan, Z., Dabija, D. C., & Alt, M. A. (2022). The impact of social media influencers on travel decisions: The role of trust in consumer decision journey. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(5), 823-843. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2021.1895729
Prasanthi, P., Kaur, M. R., Ilyas, M. M., & Sundarapandiyan Natarajan, D. S. N. (2024). The Role of Social Media Influencers in Shaping E-Commerce Trends and Consumer Behavior. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Forum, 34(3s), 2278-2286. Retrieved from https://www.obstetricsandgynaecologyforum.com/index.php/ogf/article/view/684
Ramasamy, M., Subbiah, J., Bordoloi, D., & Ramalingam, P. (2024). Bankers’ Perspective on Social Media Banking: A Study with Special Reference to Select Indian Banks. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 9(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i2.2210
Ramadan, Z. B., & Farah, M. F. (2020). Influencing the influencers: the case of retailers' social shopping platforms. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 16(3), 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJWBC.2020.108626
Saima, & Khan, M. A. (2020). Effect of social media influencer marketing on consumers’ purchase intention and the mediating role of credibility. Journal of Promotion Management, 27(4), 503-523. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2020.1851847
Shoenberger, H., & Kim, E. (2023). Explaining purchase intent via expressed reasons to follow an influencer, perceived homophily, and perceived authenticity. International Journal of Advertising, 42(2), 368-383. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2022.2075636
Srivastava, M. (2021). Mapping the influence of influencer marketing: a bibliometric analysis. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 39(7), 979-1003. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-03-2021-0085
Taillon, B. J., Mueller, S. M., Kowalczyk, C. M., & Jones, D. N. (2020). Understanding the relationships between social media influencers and their followers: the moderating role of closeness. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(6), 767-782. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2019-2292
Tsen, W. S., & Cheng, B. K. L. (2021). Who to find to endorse? Evaluation of online influencers among young consumers and its implications for effective influencer marketing. Young Consumers, 22(2), 237–253. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-10-2020-1226
Vrontis, D., Makrides, A., Christofi, M., & Thrassou, A. (2021). Social media influencer marketing: A systematic review, integrative framework and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(4), 617-644. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12647
Ye, G., Hudders, L., De Jans, S., & De Veirman, M. (2021). The value of influencer marketing for business: A bibliometric analysis and managerial implications. Journal of advertising, 50(2), 160–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2020.1857888
AlFarraj, O., Alalwan, A. A., Obeidat, Z. M., Baabdullah, A., Aldmour, R., & Al-Haddad, S. (2021). Examining the impact of influencers' credibility dimensions: attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise on the purchase intention in the aesthetic dermatology industry. Review of International Business and Strategy, 31(3), 355-374. https://doi.org/10.1108/RIBS-07-2020-0089
Andersson, A., Baksås Martinsson, E., & Kopakkala, J. (2020). An investigation of online branding strategies in D2C firms: with an emphasis on social media. (Dissertation). Retrieved from https://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:hj:diva-48969
Atiq, M., Abid, G., Anwar, A., & Ijaz, M. F. (2022). Influencer marketing on instagram: A sequential mediation model of storytelling content and audience engagement via relatability and trust. Information, 13(7), 345. https://doi.org/10.3390/info13070345
Bu, Y., Parkinson, J., & Thaichon, P. (2022). Influencer marketing: Homophily, customer value co-creation behaviour and purchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 66, 102904. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102904
Battaglia, M. P. (2008). Nonprobability sampling. Encyclopedia of survey research methods, 1, 523-526.
Campbell, C., & Farrell, J. R. (2020). More than meets the eye: The functional components underlying influencer marketing. Business horizons, 63(4), 469–479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2020.03.003
Chen, N., & Yang, Y. (2023). The role of influencers in live streaming e-commerce: influencer trust, attachment, and consumer purchase intention. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 18(3), 1601-1618. https://doi.org/10.3390/jtaer18030081
Chopra, A., Avhad, V., & Jaju, A. S. (2021). Influencer marketing: An exploratory study to identify antecedents of consumer behavior of millennial. Business Perspectives and Research, 9(1), 77-91. https://doi.org/10.1177/2278533720923486
Delbaere, M., Michael, B., & Phillips, B. J. (2021). Social media influencers: A route to brand engagement for their followers. Psychology & Marketing, 38(1), 101-112. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21419
Duh, H. I., & Thabethe, T. (2021). Attributes of Instagram influencers impacting consumer brand engagement. International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 15(5-6), 477-497. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJIMA.2021.118261
Fan, F., Chan, K., Wang, Y., Li, Y., & Prieler, M. (2023). How influencers’ social media posts have an influence on audience engagement among young consumers. Young Consumers, 24(4), 427-444. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-08-2022-1588
Farivar, S., & Wang, F. (2022). Effective influencer marketing: A social identity perspective. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 67, 103026. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2022.103026
Gupta, P., Burton, J. L., & Costa Barros, L. (2023). Gender of the online influencer and follower: the differential persuasive impact of homophily, attractiveness, and product-match. Internet Research, 33(2), 720–740. https://doi.org/10.1108/INTR-04-2021-0229
Giuffredi-Kähr, A., Petrova, A., & Malär, L. (2022). Sponsorship disclosure of influencers–a curse or a blessing?. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 57(1), 18-34. https://doi.org/10.1177/10949968221075686
Hazari, S., & Sethna, B. N. (2023). A comparison of lifestyle marketing and brand influencer advertising for Generation Z Instagram users. Journal of Promotion Management, 29(4), 491–534. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2022.2163033
Hossain, S. A., & Alam, M. S. (2022). Students’ Attitude towards Online Shopping & the Possibility to Facilitate Its Growth: A Study in Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 6(1), 8-14. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v6i1.1875
Hudders, L., & De Jans, S. (2022). Gender effects in influencer marketing: an experimental study on the efficacy of endorsements by same-vs. other-gender social media influencers on Instagram. International Journal of Advertising, 41(1), 128-149. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2021.1997455
Huttula, T., & Karjaluoto, H. (2023). The Process of Selecting Influencers for Marketing Purposes in an Organisation. In Industry 5.0: Creative and Innovative Organizations (pp. 27-53). Cham: Springer International Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-26232-6_2
Huynh, T., Nguyen, H. D., Zelinka, I., Pham, X. H., Pham, V. T., Selamat, A., & Krejcar, O. (2022). A method to detect influencers in social networks based on the combination of amplification factors and content creation. Plos one, 17(10), e0274596. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0274596
Jaiswal, A. K., Vemireddy, V., & Angeli, F. (2024). Social media “stars” vs “the ordinary” me: influencer marketing and the role of self-discrepancies, perceived homophily, authenticity, self-acceptance and mindfulness. European Journal of Marketing, 58(2), 590–631. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-02-2023-0141
Jun, S., & Yi, J. (2020). What makes followers loyal? The role of influencer interactivity in building influencer brand equity. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(6), 803-814. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-02-2019-2280
Kapitan, S., Van Esch, P., Soma, V., & Kietzmann, J. (2022). Influencer marketing and authenticity in content creation. Australasian Marketing Journal, 30(4), 342-351. https://doi.org/10.1177/18393349211011171
Karagür, Z., Becker, J. M., Klein, K., & Edeling, A. (2022). How, why, and when disclosure type matters for influencer marketing. International Journal of Research in Marketing, 39(2), 313-335. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijresmar.2021.09.006
Kay, S., Mulcahy, R., & Parkinson, J. (2020). When less is more: the impact of macro and micro social media influencers’ disclosure. Journal of Marketing Management, 36(3-4), 248–278. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2020.1718740
Khan, S. (2023). The role of digital influencer credibility on purchase intention and the mediating effect of customer trust and engagement. Global Journal for Management and Administrative Sciences, 4(1), 19–45. https://doi.org/10.46568/gjmas.v4i1.177
Kim, D. Y., & Kim, H. Y. (2021). Trust me, trust me not: A nuanced view of influencer marketing on social media. Journal of Business Research, 134, 223-232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.05.024
Lin, C. A., Crowe, J., Pierre, L., & Lee, Y. (2021). Effects of parasocial interaction with an instafamous influencer on brand attitudes and purchase intentions. The Journal of Social Media in Society, 10(1), 55–78. Retrieved from https://thejsms.org/index.php/JSMS/article/view/811
Masuda, H., Han, S. H., & Lee, J. (2022). Impacts of influencer attributes on purchase intentions in social media influencer marketing: Mediating roles of characterizations. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 174, 121246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.121246
Myers, S. (2021). Instagram source effects: The impact of familiarity and likeability on influencer outcomes. Journal of marketing development and competitiveness, 15(3), 50–55. Retrieved from https://articlearchives.co/index.php/JMDC/article/view/4688
Nadanyiova, M., Gajanova, L., Majerova, J., & Lizbetinova, L. (2020). Influencer marketing and its impact on consumer lifestyles. In Forum Scientiae Oeconomia, 8(2), 109-120. https://doi.org/10.23762/FSO_VOL8_NO2_7
Oliver, P. (2015). Sociology: A Complete Introduction: Teach Yourself. Hachette UK.
Ozuem, W., & Willis, M. (2022). Influencer marketing. In Digital Marketing Strategies for Value Co-creation: Models and Approaches for Online Brand Communities (pp. 209-242). Cham: Springer International Publishing.
Pop, R. A., Săplăcan, Z., Dabija, D. C., & Alt, M. A. (2022). The impact of social media influencers on travel decisions: The role of trust in consumer decision journey. Current Issues in Tourism, 25(5), 823-843. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2021.1895729
Prasanthi, P., Kaur, M. R., Ilyas, M. M., & Sundarapandiyan Natarajan, D. S. N. (2024). The Role of Social Media Influencers in Shaping E-Commerce Trends and Consumer Behavior. Obstetrics and Gynaecology Forum, 34(3s), 2278-2286. Retrieved from https://www.obstetricsandgynaecologyforum.com/index.php/ogf/article/view/684
Ramasamy, M., Subbiah, J., Bordoloi, D., & Ramalingam, P. (2024). Bankers’ Perspective on Social Media Banking: A Study with Special Reference to Select Indian Banks. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 9(2), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i2.2210
Ramadan, Z. B., & Farah, M. F. (2020). Influencing the influencers: the case of retailers' social shopping platforms. International Journal of Web Based Communities, 16(3), 279-295. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJWBC.2020.108626
Saima, & Khan, M. A. (2020). Effect of social media influencer marketing on consumers’ purchase intention and the mediating role of credibility. Journal of Promotion Management, 27(4), 503-523. https://doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2020.1851847
Shoenberger, H., & Kim, E. (2023). Explaining purchase intent via expressed reasons to follow an influencer, perceived homophily, and perceived authenticity. International Journal of Advertising, 42(2), 368-383. https://doi.org/10.1080/02650487.2022.2075636
Srivastava, M. (2021). Mapping the influence of influencer marketing: a bibliometric analysis. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 39(7), 979-1003. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-03-2021-0085
Taillon, B. J., Mueller, S. M., Kowalczyk, C. M., & Jones, D. N. (2020). Understanding the relationships between social media influencers and their followers: the moderating role of closeness. Journal of Product & Brand Management, 29(6), 767-782. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-03-2019-2292
Tsen, W. S., & Cheng, B. K. L. (2021). Who to find to endorse? Evaluation of online influencers among young consumers and its implications for effective influencer marketing. Young Consumers, 22(2), 237–253. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-10-2020-1226
Vrontis, D., Makrides, A., Christofi, M., & Thrassou, A. (2021). Social media influencer marketing: A systematic review, integrative framework and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 45(4), 617-644. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12647
Ye, G., Hudders, L., De Jans, S., & De Veirman, M. (2021). The value of influencer marketing for business: A bibliometric analysis and managerial implications. Journal of advertising, 50(2), 160–178. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913367.2020.1857888
Published
2024-08-01
How to Cite
Rose, M. P., & Shanthi, R. (2024). AMPLIFYING BRAND REACH THROUGH YOUTUBE INFLUENCERS. Bangladesh Journal of Multidisciplinary Scientific Research, 9(3), 12-20. https://doi.org/10.46281/bjmsr.v9i3.2228
Section
Research Paper/Theoretical Paper/Review Paper/Short Communication Paper
Copyright (c) 2024 Martin Preethy Rose, Ravikumar Shanthi
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
