JOURNAL ARTICLE

I Really Know You: How Influencers Can Increase Audience Engagement by Referencing Their Close Social Ties.

  • Published In: Journal of Consumer Research, 2023, v. 50, n. 4. P. 683 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Chung, Jaeyeon (Jae); Ding, Yu; Kalra, Ajay 3 of 3

Abstract

This article investigates how social media influencers can enhance audience engagement on Instagram by referencing close social ties—such as family, friends, and romantic partners—in their posts. Analyzing 55,631 posts from 763 influencers and conducting three experiments, the study finds that posts mentioning close ties, either through text or images featuring a small group of people, receive significantly higher engagement measured by likes. The use of first-person pronouns (e.g., "I," "we") further strengthens this effect by increasing perceptions of authenticity, warmth, and similarity. Additionally, while sponsored posts generally elicit fewer likes, embedding close social ties in such posts mitigates negative consumer reactions, offering practical guidance for influencer marketing strategies.

Additional Information

  • Source:Journal of Consumer Research. 2023/12, Vol. 50, Issue 4, p683
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Business and Management
  • Publication Date:2023
  • ISSN:0093-5301
  • DOI:10.1093/jcr/ucad019
  • Accession Number:173720692
  • Copyright Statement:Copyright of Journal of Consumer Research is the property of Oxford University Press / USA and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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