This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A meta-analysis of empirical studies involving more than 31,000 participants has revealed the factors that affect the level of influence of so-called social media influencers. Those factors include credibility, expertise, attractiveness and perceived similarity to their followers.
They are, the work shows, positively associated with the attitude of consumers toward the brands mentioned or promoted by those influencers and, in turn, their purchasing intentions. Details of the analysis are published in the International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising. The researchers emphasize that a parasocial interaction, the sense of personal connection, is the thing that most deeply affects the relationship between follower and influencer, despite the inevitable asymmetry of the connection.
The team also found that all of the factors showed similarly strong relationships with brand attitudes and purchase intentions. This suggests that no single characteristic dominates the effectiveness of influencer marketing. This thus has implications for businesses selecting influencers to help them publicize their products and services.
The analysis also found that credibility has become increasingly important in predicting purchase intentions over time. This perhaps reflects the growing reliance of consumers on trustworthy sources for guidance given the endlessly expanding volume of social media content. This may become an increasingly important part of influencer marketing as artificial intelligence, or AI, becomes more pervasive and consumers seek out genuine content.
Xiaofeng Jia et al., Decoding the influence: a meta-analysis on social media influencer marketing, International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising (2026). DOI: 10.1504/ijima.2026.157312 BA art history, MA material culture. Former museum editor, paramedic, and transplant coordinator.
Editing for Science X since 2021. Full profile → Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast.
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