An Empirical Study about the Effect of Micro-Celebrities on Consumers' Purchase Intention

Year 2019, 18. UİK Özel Sayısı, 230 - 261, 31.08.2019

Ebru Tümer Kabadayı Alev Koçak Alan Nilşah Cavdar Aksoy Salih Can Sidar

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.583856

Cited By: 2

Abstract

The opportunity to reach thousands of people, arising from its dynamic nature, has enabled social media platforms to become an indispensable tool for both businesses and individual users. People who use social media have the opportunity to communicate with others, to introduce themselves to large masses, and promoting their name, to create their own environments with variables such as gaining followers, creating contents, gaining likes and comments. All of these things have brought our lives the term of “Micro-Celebrities”. In this study, a research was carried out on these micro celebrities, which have become as attractive as the traditional celebrities. The aim of the study is to examine the effect of the introductions of micro-celebrities, who have become an important source of communication in a developing country like Turkey as well as all over the world, on individuals’ purchase intention. To achieve this goal, a questionnaire was conducted with 390 people who are using social media and following micro-celebrities. Survey results were analyzed through structural equation modeling. According to the results, the attractiveness of micro-celebrities and the product matchup between the micro-celebrity and the product they introduce are positively related with consumer attitude, and consequently consumer attitude positively affects electronic word of mouth (eWOM), and finally, eWOM has a positive effect on purchase intention. On the other hand, the expertise of micro-celebrities and trustworthiness of them do not have any effect on consumer attitude. Based on findings, the limitations of the research and suggestions both for future studies and the businesses were given. 

Keywords

Social media, micro-celebrities, celebrity endorsement, electronic word of mouth, purchase intention

Mikro Ünlülerin Tüketicilerin Satın Alma Niyeti Üzerindeki Etkisini İncelemeye Yönelik Ampirik Bir Çalışma

Abstract

Sosyal medya platformlarının dinamik doğası gereği binlerce kişiye ulaşabilme imkânı sağlaması, bu platformların hem işletmeler için hem de kullanıcılar için vazgeçilemeyecek kadar değerli bir araç haline gelmelerini sağlamıştır. Sosyal medya kullanan kişiler; takipçi kazanma, paylaşım yapma, beğeni ve yorum alma gibi değişkenlerle kendilerine çevre oluşturma, kendilerini geniş kitlelere tanıtma, adlarını duyurma fırsatı bulmuş ve dijital dünyada yeni bir terim olan “Mikro Ünlüler” kavramının doğmasına neden olmuştur. Bu çalışmada, işletmeler için de geleneksel ünlüler gibi cazip hale gelen mikro ünlüler üzerine bir araştırma yürütülmüştür. Çalışmanın amacı, tüm dünyada olduğu gibi Türkiye gibi gelişmekte olan bir ülkede de giderek artan bir öneme sahip olan ve güçlü bir iletişim kaynağı haline gelen mikro ünlülerin sosyal medyada yaptıkları tanıtımların bireylerin satın alma niyetine etkisini incelemektir.  Bu doğrultuda sosyal medya kullanan ve mikro ünlü takip eden 390 kişiye anket uygulanmıştır. Sonuçlar yapısal eşitlik modellemesi ile test edilmiştir. Çalışmanın bulgularına göre, mikro ünlülerin çekiciliği ve ürün-ünlü uyumu tüketici tutumunu pozitif şekilde etkilemekte, neticesinde tüketici tutumu elektronik ortamda ağızdan ağıza iletişimi ve nihayetinde satın alma niyetini olumlu şekilde etkilemektedir. Diğer yandan, mikro ünlülerin uzmanlığı ve güvenilirliğinin tüketici tutumu üzerinde herhangi bir etkisine rastlanmamıştır. Bulgular neticesinde,  işletmelere ve gelecek çalışmalara öneriler sunulmuş ve araştırma kısıtları aktarılmıştır. 

Keywords

mikro ünlüler, ünlü kullanımı, elektronik ağızdan ağıza iletişim, satın alma niyeti, sosyal medya

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