COVID-19 messages in sponsored social media posts: The positive impact of influencer-brand fit and prior parasocial interaction

Ágnes Buvár; Sára Franciska Szilágyi; Eszter Balogh; Ágnes Zsila

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0276143

COVID-19 messages in sponsored social media posts: The positive impact of influencer-brand fit and prior parasocial interaction

PLoS One. 2022 Oct 14;17(10):e0276143. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276143. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Ágnes Buvár¹, Sára Franciska Szilágyi², Eszter Balogh², Ágnes Zsila³

Affiliations

¹ Institute of People-Environment Transaction, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
² Institute of Psychology, ELTE Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary.
³ Institute of Psychology, Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest, Hungary.

Abstract

This study explores the dissemination potential of a COVID-19 message embedded in a sponsored social media post. The moderating role of prior parasocial interaction and influencer-brand fit were considered. 365 respondents participated in the study. A 3 (control, congruent, incongruent brand) × 2 (control, COVID-19 message) between-subject online experiment was designed and executed. Data were analyzed using a mediated moderation model. Results indicated that the three-way interaction of the COVID-19 message, brand presence and prior parasocial interaction affected the perceived influencer credibility, attitudes towards the social media post, and the behavioral engagement with the post. When the COVID-19 message was included in the post, increased prior parasocial interaction intensified the positive effect of influencer-brand fit on influencer credibility, which in turn resulted in a more positive attitude towards the post, and a higher behavioral engagement. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Attitude
COVID-19* / epidemiology
Humans
Social Media*

Grants and funding

ÁB was supported by ELTE Thematic Excellence Programme 2020, Supported by National Research - Development and Innovation Office - TKP2020-IKA-05. ÁZ was supported by the ÚNKP-22-4 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.