How Sensory Language Shapes Influencer’s Impact

Giovanni Luca Cascio Rizzo, Jonah Berger, Matteo De Angelis, Rumen Pozharliev, Andrew T Stephen and Jacob Goldenberg

Journal of Consumer Research, 2023, vol. 50, issue 4, 810-825

Abstract: Influencer marketing has become big business. But while influencers have the potential to spread marketing messages and drive purchase, some posts get lots of engagement and boost sales, while others do not. What makes some posts more impactful? This work examines how sensory language (e.g., words like “crumble” and “juicy” that engage the senses) shapes consumer responses to influencer-sponsored content. A multimethod investigation, combining controlled experiments with automated text, image, and video analysis of thousands of sponsored social media posts, demonstrates that sensory language increases engagement and willingness to buy the sponsored product. Furthermore, the studies illustrate that these effects are driven by perceived authenticity. Sensory language leads consumers to infer that influencers actually use the product they are endorsing, which increases perceived authenticity, and thus engagement and purchase. These findings shed light on how language shapes responses to influencer-sponsored content, deepen understanding of the drivers of authenticity, and suggest how to develop more impactful social media campaigns.

Keywords: influencer marketing; sensory language; authenticity; product use; engagement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:oup:jconrs:v:50:y:2023:i:4:p:810-825.

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