An Experiment in Influencer Marketing: how follower count and social media platform affect the effectiveness of sponsored messages on video-based social media

Abstract

The objective of this thesis was to examine the effects that follower count and platform has on the effectiveness of paid social media influencer endorsements on video-based platforms.

The objectives were based on a literature review on the subject. In a 2 X 3 experiment, social media platform and follower count were manipulated to test the participants’ responses to a paid video advertisement.

Though much of the prior research shows that follower count has a significant role in sponsorship effectiveness on other types of social media platforms, this study found that follower count does not have this impact on video-based platforms, namely YouTube and TikTok. TikTok, however, had a more significant, positive effect on sponsorship effectiveness than YouTube for perceived influencer persuasiveness, brand attitude, and purchase intention. These results were consistent regardless of the audience’s age, education level, or nationality.