How Social Media Girl Influencers Shape Online Engagement

Influencer Characteristics & Strategies

Key Attributes

• Authenticity & Sincerity: Perceived genuineness impacts consumer trust and engagement (Abdullah et al., 2023).
• Attractiveness & Expertise: Influencer's perceived attractiveness and expertise influence brand recall (Abdullah et al., 2023).
• Credibility: Attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise affect purchase intention (Ao et al., 2023).
• Self-Influencer Congruence: Alignment between influencer's values and the brand's image (Ao et al., 2023).
• Cultural Proximity: Closeness between influencer and followers increases deep engagement (Bentley et al., 2021).

Content Strategies

• Timely, Entertaining, and Interesting Content: Content should be relevant and engaging for the target audience (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Visual Content: Single videos and images are most popular (Moreno et al., 2023).
• Personal Stories & Experiences: Sharing personal values, thoughts, and feelings (Moreno et al., 2023).
• Promotions & Incentives: Discount codes, free trials, raffles (Moreno et al., 2023).
• Hashtags & Mentions: Using relevant hashtags and tagging other accounts (Moreno et al., 2023).

Types of Engagement

Levels of Engagement

• Superficial Engagement: Light interactions, not affected by cultural distance (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Deep Engagement: Meaningful interactions, increased by cultural closeness (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Passive Engagement (Lurking): Observing content without direct interaction (Santos et al., 2023).
• Active Engagement: Commenting, publishing, and generating discussions (Santos et al., 2023).

Measuring Engagement

• Comments: Direct feedback and interaction with content (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Likes: A simple metric of approval or appreciation.
• Shares/Reposts: Indicates content resonance and willingness to disseminate (Ustin et al., 2024).
• Reach/Impressions: The number of unique users who have seen the content.
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): Percentage of users who click on a link in the content.

Factors Influencing Engagement

Influencer-Related Factors

• Credibility: Perceived trustworthiness and expertise (Ao et al., 2023).
• Attractiveness: Physical appeal and perceived likeability (Abdullah et al., 2023).
• Authenticity: Genuineness and transparency in their content (Abdullah et al., 2023).
• Interactivity: Engaging with followers through comments, Q&As, and live sessions (Ao et al., 2023).

Audience-Related Factors

• Demographics: Age, gender, location, and other demographic characteristics.
• Psychographics: Values, interests, lifestyle, and personality traits.
• Cultural Background: Cultural distance between influencer and followers (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Motivations: Social and hedonic motivations for engaging (Santos et al., 2023).

Platform & Content Factors

• Platform Algorithms: Algorithms that determine content visibility.
• Content Format: Videos, images, stories, live streams.
• Content Relevance: Alignment with audience interests and needs (Bentley et al., 2021).
• Content Tone: Positive, humorous, informative, or inspirational.

Impact on Consumer Behavior

Purchase Intention

• Influencers can significantly impact consumer purchase decisions (Ao et al., 2023).
• Trustworthiness mediates the relationship between influencer traits and purchase behavior (Abdullah et al., 2023).
• Hedonic motivations influence book purchase intention (Santos et al., 2023).

Brand Perception

• Influencers shape consumer perceptions of brands (Ao et al., 2023).
• Authenticity is crucial for building a positive brand image (Abdullah et al., 2023).

Brand Loyalty

• Influencer marketing can foster brand loyalty, especially among younger generations (Ao et al., 2023).

Ethical Considerations

Transparency & Disclosure

• Influencers should clearly disclose sponsored content and partnerships.
• Lack of transparency can erode trust and damage credibility.

Misleading Information

• Influencers should avoid promoting products or services with false or misleading claims.
• Consumers have expressed dissatisfaction with skincare products promoted by influencers that did not meet expectations (Kayode-Adedeji et al., 2024).

Impact on Body Image

• Unrealistic beauty standards promoted by influencers can negatively impact body image and self-esteem.