The moderating effects of involvement on the relationships between key opinion leaders, customer's attitude and purchase intention on social media

Businesses have focused on using key opinion leaders (KOLs) to reach their target customers because their use of technology and social media is more and more increasing. KOLs not only interact directly with potential customers but also influence their needs through reviews or testimonials, which traditional marketing cannot conduct. The purpose of this study is to investigate the factor of involvement moderating the relationship between KOLs, customer's attitude and purchase intention on social networks; proposes four factors to make up the perception of KOLs on social media including attractiveness, trustworthiness, expertise and brand consistency. The research sample includes 546 responses from participants aged 16 to 40 years old. Data was collected through an online survey of popular social media users (Facebook, TikTok, Instagram, Zalo and Youtube) in Vietnam. The result of the study shows that the involvement factor has positively promoted the relationship between perception of KOLs, attitude of KOLs and purchase intention; customer's attitude both has a direct impact and an intermediary factor in the relationship between KOL and purchase intention. Furthermore, brand consistency between KOLs and products has a strong influence on customer perception towards KOLs. The study proposed some solutions to improve the effectiveness of online influencer marketing.