Abstract:

Vlog (Video Blog), a short video spread on the Internet, generated by users and viewed, subscribed to, or commented on by others, is rapidly becoming the most promising form of content for brand marketing because of the authenticity, liveliness, and scenario-based content that continues to immerse users. Vlogger (Video Blogger) uploads videos about personal life, brand, and product experience to social media platforms, thereby increasing the browsing traffic of followers and other viewers. Although it has become an essential consensus in the industry that Vlog is an important marketing tool, relevant research in academia has lagged relatively behind, and the literature on Vlog marketing is slightly insufficient. Therefore, based on the social cognitive theory, this study explores the influence of Vlogger attraction on consumers’ purchase intentions in the Chinese context, and the mediating and moderating effects of parasocial interactions and the fear of missing out in the aforementioned relationship, so as to possibly provide some guidance to the theoretical literature and management practice.
The results of the study based on the questionnaire survey of 649 Vlog users are as follows: (1) Attraction (physical attraction, social attraction, and task attraction) has a significant positive impact on consumers’ purchase intention; (2) Parasocial interaction plays a partial mediating role between the attraction (physical attraction, social attraction, and task attraction) and consumers’ purchase intention; (3) The fear of missing out negatively moderates the relationship between the attraction (physical attraction, social attraction, and task attraction) and parasocial interaction. (4) The fear of missing out regulates the indirect effect of physical attraction, social attraction, and task attraction on consumers’ purchase intention via parasocial interaction.
This paper has certain theoretical significance and practical value. From the theoretical point of view, firstly, the study of consumers’ purchase behavior in Vlog scenarios further broadens the application of the social cognitive theory. Secondly, the analysis of the mechanism of attraction (physical attraction, social attraction, task attraction)—parasocial interaction—purchase intention opens the “black box” of consumer purchase. Thirdly, the role of the fear of missing out in the process of transforming attraction (physical attraction, social attraction, task attraction) into parasocial interaction is discussed, and the boundary conditions of consumers’ fear of missing out are clarified. In practice, this study firstly suggests enriching Vlog attraction. Vlogger should show more natural and diversified life forms, cut down on the experience of brand implantation, improve the user stickiness of fans, and enhance the consumer experience. Secondly, it highlights the importance of deepening Vlog users’ parasocial interaction. Vlogger should make full use of the personality and sociability of Vlog itself, pay more attention to the communication with consumers, increase consumers’ real-time experience, and improve consumers’ pleasure and immersion. Thirdly, more attention should be paid to the personal characteristics of Vlog users. Vlogger should implement differentiated marketing strategies for consumers with different levels of fear of missing out, balance Vlog content production and business strategies according to consumers’ personalities and habits, and tell marketing stories well.

Key words: Vlog, Vlogger Attraction, Parasocial Interaction, Fear of Missing Out, Consumers’ Purchase Intention, Latent Moderate Structural Equations

摘要：

Vlog作为集文字、图像、音频于一体,软性植入商品广告的短视频新业态,受到消费者追捧,但现有理论研究滞后于实践发展。本文以社会认知理论为基础,构建了一个有调节的中介模型,通过潜调节结构方程考察Vlogger(视频博主)吸引力对消费者购买意愿的影响以及错失恐惧、准社会互动在其中的作用机制。通过对649名Vlog用户的问卷调查,结果发现:吸引力(外表吸引力、社会吸引力、任务吸引力)对消费者购买意愿具有显著的正向影响;准社会互动在吸引力(外表吸引力、社会吸引力、任务吸引力)和消费者购买意愿之间起到部分中介作用;错失恐惧在吸引力(外表吸引力、社会吸引力、任务吸引力)与准社会互动中的关系中起到正向调节作用;错失恐惧调节外表吸引力、社会吸引力、任务吸引力通过准社会互动影响消费者购买意愿的间接作用。研究结论为中国情境下Vlogger吸引力对消费者购买意愿的影响研究带来了新思路,也为Vlogger有效利用Vlog增强营销能力提供了理论依据与启示。

关键词: Vlog, 吸引力, 准社会互动, 错失恐惧, 消费者购买意愿, 潜调节结构方程