University of Twente Student Theses
Online consumer reviews of experience goods : The Impact of Transparency in Ad Promotion on the Credibility of Influencer Online Reviews
Lee, Sooah (2023) Online consumer reviews of experience goods : The Impact of Transparency in Ad Promotion on the Credibility of Influencer Online Reviews.
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| Abstract: | Objectives: The purpose of the study is to examine the impact of transparency in ad promotion on the credibility of influencer online reviews in the fashion industry. Prior research has contended that influencer online reviews, when perceived as advertisements by consumers, have the potential to erode the authenticity and credibility of information sharing. Furthermore, recent legislative amendments now require the labeling of all advertising posts on social media. Within these regulatory requirements, this research investigates the credibility of sponsored influencer online reviews, specifically examining whether such reviews can effectively maintain credibility. Thus, the hypothesis was formulated as “H1: The degree of credibility decreases if there has transparency of ad promotion on influencer's online reviews in the fashion industry”. Methods: In this study, a quantitative research approach was employed using an online survey to investigate the impact of ad transparency on credibility. The survey was distributed through various social media channels. The online questionnaire presented manipulated influencer online reviews, with one condition featuring ad presence and the other without ad presence. The credibility was assessed as the dependent variable, while ad transparency was treated as the independent variable. Over a span of 20 days, a total of 390 participants took part in the study. Results: The perceived credibility of influencer online reviews without ad transparency was found to be higher, whereas the perceived credibility of influencer online reviews with ad transparency decreased in comparison. The regression analysis and t-test yielded significant results, supporting the claim that influencer marketing has reached its culmination in relation to the newly revised laws. Conclusions: Amidst the establishment of influencer marketing as an effective digital strategy, this paper presents a forecast that envisions a demising negative future for influencer marketing. These findings suggest that the impact of ad transparency has a significant effect on the perceived credibility of influencer online reviews. Practical implications: The study contributes to the understanding of the social media influencer market and provides empirical evidence on the credibility variations resulting from sponsorship disclosure. Practical implications derived from the findings include targeting the younger generation, developing industry-specific strategies, and adopting a comprehensive evaluation of influencer impact. Moreover, it offers valuable insights for marketers/brands and challenges established perceptions of influencer marketing, calling for further exploration in this evolving landscape. Keywords: Influencer Online Reviews; Social Media; Influencer Marketing; Transparency of Ad Promotion; Disclosure; Sponsored posts; Credibility |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Programme: | Communication Studies BSc (56615) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/95637 |
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