“Are you doing this for good or bad reasons?” Consumers’ attributions of SMI’s motivations mediating the persuasion process

On social media, many users generate content and share opinions on brands. Some have managed to develop a strong influence on their followers and become “social media influencers” (SMI). They differ from traditional endorsers thanks to the special relationship they develop with their followers. This relationship is related to the concept of Parasocial Interaction (PSI). PSI refers to an illusion of friendship, particularly present among SMI due to their openness and interactivity. Moreover, based on a qualitative part, a potential factor that could explain consumers’ response to SMI recommendations is consumers’ perceptions about the motivations of SMI to make recommendations. These motivations can be perceived as altruistic: SMI recommend a product because they really appreciate it. Motivations can also be seen as individualistic: SMI recommend a product for financial reasons. Therefore, with this paper, we contribute to a better understanding of the persuasion process induced by PSI and perceived motivations. First, this paper studies followers’ responses to different levels of PSI. Second, it analyses the mediating role of followers’ attributions of SMIs perceived motivations on the relation between PSI and consumers’ responses. A first experiment provides evidence of the positive impact of PSI on attitude towards SMI and purchase intentions for the recommended product. Moreover, perceived altruistic motivations positively mediate this relation between PSI and consumer outcomes. Beyond theoretical contributions, evidence from this research offer implications for companies and SMI