Consumer Behavior

Sponsored Posts from Instagram Influencers and Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of the Perceived Value of Sponsored Posts

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Abstract

examine the impact of the Instagram users' attitudes towards influencers on their attitudes towards sponsored posts on Instagram. This study further explores the mediating effects of the perceived value of sponsored posts on the relationship between attitudes towards influencers and attitudes towards sponsored posts, which in turn affects purchase intention.

A structured online questionnaire was developed using Qualtrics and distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (M-Turk). A regression-based mediation analysis using the PROCESS macro and simple linear regression analysis were used to test hypotheses.

The results of the study revealed that Instagram users' attitudes towards influencers had a significant and positive impact on their attitudes towards sponsored posts on Instagram, which in turn affected purchase intention. The mediation analysis showed that the perceived value of a sponsored post - entertainment, credibility, or irritation - had significant mediating impact on the relationship between the user's attitude towards the influencer and the users' attitude towards the sponsored post. However, the perceived value of the informativeness of a sponsored post was not a significant mediator.

The findings of this study provide real-world applications and guidelines for influencer marketing when advertising through sponsored posts on Instagram. The results of this study suggest that marketers and advertisers need to develop enjoyable, trustworthy, and non-irritating sponsored posts on Instagram that can generate a positive attitude towards the influencer and the sponsored posts, further positively affecting customers' purchase intentions.

Keywords: purchase intention, attitude towards sponsored post, Instagram, Perceived value of sponsored post

How to Cite:

Ishani, I. & Seock, Y., (2020) “Sponsored Posts from Instagram Influencers and Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of the Perceived Value of Sponsored Posts”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 77(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.12151