Appearances can (not) be deceiving: purchase of hotel services endorsed by Instagram digital influencers

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Adrielly Souza
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Costa, Marconi Freitas da
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: REMark - Revista Brasileira de Marketing
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.uninove.br/remark/article/view/17309
• topic: Endorsement; Digital influencers; Source credibility; Parasocial relationship; Use of social media.; Endosso; Influenciadores digitais; Credibilidade da fonte; Relação parassocial; Uso das mídias sociais.

Objective: The study aims to investigate how the source credibility (SC), the parasocial relationship (PR) and the use of social media (USM) are related to the intention to buy hotel services endorsed by Instagram digital influencers.Method: Based on a sample of 660 respondents, Multiple Linear Regression and the Moderation Test by Hayes Macro PROCESS were performed.Originality/Relevance: Although the constructs have already been studied from other perspectives, especially the SC and the PR, they have not been investigated together, nor did they deal with the purchase of hotel services. In addition, the research emphasizes the conceptual solidification of the USM.Results: The results indicate that influencers are more persuasive when assessed as reliable and physically attractive sources. The same occurs when there is a unilateral relationship of affection between endorser and spectator. However, the more frequent use of social media mitigates and negates these inferences.Theoretical/methodological contributions: It is believed that attractiveness may not be a dimension of the credibility of the source when it comes to digital influencers. In addition, in an online communication context, the feeling of affinity of the parasocial relationship may not be enough to make endorsers persuasive. Finally, it presents discussions adjacent to the use of social media that contribute to its theoretical maturity.Management contributions: The main managerial revelation of this study is the finding that individuals with greater use of social media may appear more skeptical, critical and indifferent about the digital influencers' announcements.Keywords: Endorsement; Digital influencers; Source credibility; Parasocial relationship; Use of social media.