Influence of Homophily Dimensions, Emotional Attachment and Expertise on Vloggers’ Popularity and Visit Intentions to Restaurants
Aiswarya Ramachandran*
Department of Commerce, Government College Tripunithura, Ernakulam, Kerala-682301, India.
*Corresponding Author E-mail: research@gcte.ac.in
ABSTRACT:
The proliferation of food vlogs in recent years has revolutionized the way individuals discover, experience, and engage with culinary offerings. This phenomenon has not only reshaped the digital media landscape but has also emerged as a potent influencer of consumer behaviour, particularly in the context of restaurant visit intention. With social media platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and Facebook increasingly populated by passionate food enthusiasts, the impact of food vlogs on viewers' dining choices has become a subject of burgeoning interest in both academia and industry. When the virtual space of vlogging is flooded with influencers and content, social media users look out for emotional attachment apart from the homophily dimensions or mere attractiveness or popularity. When repeat visits and viewership is a key for success of vloggers, coupled with the requirement of promising visit intentions, importance of creating meaning emotional attachment deserves attention.
KEYWORDS: Consumer Behaviour, Homophily Dimensions, Vloggers’ Popularity
INTRODUCTION:
Social media has opened up unending horizons of marketing opportunities1,2 and Digital Content Creation is one major dimension among them with a global usage reach of 23.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2022.3 Vloggers create visual content with or without brand endorsements mostly in YouTube, Instagram and Facebook.4 Apart from mere entertainment, the endorsements largely serves as a major tool to improve purchase intention among consumers.1,5
Consumer behaviour is found to be a complex basket of emotions.6-30 Antecedents and consequences of user behaviour has been a prominent research dimension in the marketing domain.18,19,22,26-28,31-36 The transformative power of social media in shaping consumer behaviour is undeniable, with platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp providing users with an unprecedented ability to share, discover, and curate their culinary journeys. From visually captivating food imagery to real-time reviews and recommendations, the virtual realm has become an influential conduit through which individuals explore, critique, and ultimately decide where to dine.37
Objectives: The present study aims to serve the following research objectives:
· To study the influence of homophily dimensions on Food Vlogger’s Popularity
· To study the influence of homophily dimensions on Emotional Attachment to Food Vloggers
· To study the influence of Emotional Attachment and Perceived Expertise on Food Vlogger’s Popularity
· To study the influence of Food Vlogger’s Popularity on Visit Intention to Endorsed Food Spots
Exhibit 1: Conceptual Model adapted from (4,38)
Research Hypotheses:
H1: There is a significant relationship between homophily dimensions and Food Vlogger’s Popularity
H2: There is a significant relationship between homophily dimensions and Emotional Attachment to Food Vloggers
H3: There is a significant relationship between Emotional Attachment, Perceived Expertise and Perceived Popularity of Food Vloggers
H4: There is a significant relationship between Expertise, Emotional Attachment, Food Vloggers Popularity and Visit Intention to Endorsed Restaurants
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
The study employs both primary and secondary data. Scale items has been be adapted from relevant literature to study the homophily dimensions and restaurant visit intentions (4,38). Primary data was collected from 120 respondents from different demographics.
Table 1: Reliability Statistics
Construct |
Cronbach’s Alpha |
Attitude |
0.911 |
Background |
0.956 |
Value |
0.889 |
Appearance |
0.954 |
Expertise |
0.933 |
Emotional Attachment |
0.946 |
Perceived Popularity |
0.963 |
Source: Computed from Survey Data
The constructs are found to be reliable for statistical analysis with Cronbach’s Alpha above 0.7 (39).
Table 2: Test of Normality
Constructs |
Kolmogorov-Smirnova |
Shapiro-Wilk |
||||
Statistic |
Df |
Sig. |
Statistic |
df |
Sig. |
|
Attitude |
0.090 |
120 |
0.017* |
0.955 |
120 |
0.001** |
Background |
0.142 |
120 |
0.000** |
0.927 |
120 |
0.000** |
Value |
0.100 |
120 |
0.005** |
0.957 |
120 |
0.001** |
Appearance |
0.162 |
120 |
0.000** |
0.889 |
120 |
0.000** |
Expertise |
0.146 |
120 |
0.000** |
0.909 |
120 |
0.000** |
Emotional Attachment |
0.120 |
120 |
0.000** |
0.943 |
120 |
0.000** |
Perceived Popularity |
0.163 |
120 |
0.000** |
0.862 |
120 |
0.000** |
a. Lilliefors Significance Correction |
Source: Computed from Survey Data
**Significant at 1% level of significance *Significant at 5% level of significance
The data is not found to be normally distributed (p < 0.05) and nonparametric procedures are recommended for drawing inferences.
RESULT:
Understanding these homophily dimensions in the context of tourism intentions provides researchers with insights into the social and psychological factors that contribute to decision-making processes. By identifying and analyzing patterns of homophily, researchers can gain a deeper understanding of how social and cultural influences shape individuals' preferences for specific travel experiences, destinations, or activities.37
Table 3: Independent Samples T-Test (Nonparametric)
Statistic |
P |
||
Attitude |
Mann-Whitney U |
1142 |
0.045* |
Background |
Mann-Whitney U |
1117 |
0.032* |
Value |
Mann-Whitney U |
1196 |
0.091 |
Appearance |
Mann-Whitney U |
1177 |
0.069 |
Expertise |
Mann-Whitney U |
1477 |
0.954 |
Emotional_Attachment |
Mann-Whitney U |
1472 |
0.928 |
Perceived_Popularity |
Mann-Whitney U |
1337 |
0.382 |
Visit |
Mann-Whitney U |
1064 |
0.012* |
The perception is found to be significantly different across gender with respect to attitude and background of vloggers and visit intention of respondents (p<0.05). Male respondents are found to be perceived the values higher than female respondents in this regard. But, the other dimensions are not found to be different across gender in perception.
Table 4: Kruskal-Wallis
χ² |
df |
p |
|
Attitude |
12.691 |
3 |
0.005** |
Background |
10.893 |
3 |
0.012* |
Value |
9.801 |
3 |
0.020* |
Appearance |
9.521 |
3 |
0.023* |
Expertise |
2.004 |
3 |
0.572 |
Emotional_Attachment |
11.856 |
3 |
0.008** |
Perceived_Popularity |
0.773 |
3 |
0.856 |
Visit |
15.512 |
3 |
0.001* |
Source: Computed from Survey Data
**Significant at 1% level of significance *Significant at 5% level of significance
The perception is found to be significantly different across gender with respect to attitude, background, Value, and appearance of vloggers and emotional attachment as well as visit intention of respondents (p<0.05). Middle aged respondents are found to be perceived the values higher than otger age group of respondents in this regard. But, the other dimensions are not found to be different across age in perception.
H1: There is a significant relationship between homophily dimensions and Food Vlogger’s Popularity
Table 5: Correlation Matrix between Homophily dimensions and Popularity of Food Vloggers
Attitude |
Background |
Value |
Appearance |
Perceived Popularity |
||
Perceived Popularity |
Spearman's rho |
0.198* |
0.106 |
0.248** |
-0.011 |
— |
p-value |
0.030 |
0.249 |
0.006 |
0.903 |
— |
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Source: Computed from Survey Data
Exhibit 2: Correlation Plot - DV Perceived Popularity
The attitude and value of the vlogger is found to be significantly correlated with the perceived popularity of the vlogger (p < 0.05). Background of the vlogger is not found to be significantly correlated with perceived popularity (p>0.05).
H2: There is a significant relationship between homophily dimensions and Emotional Attachment to Food Vloggers
Table 6: Correlation Matrix
Attitude |
Background |
Value |
Appearance |
Emotional Attachment |
||
Emotional Attachment |
Spearman's rho |
0.587*** |
0.490*** |
0.629*** |
0.418*** |
— |
p-value |
< .001 |
< .001 |
< .001 |
< .001 |
— |
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Source: Computed from Survey Data
Exhibit 3: Correlation Plot – DV Emotional Attachment
All the homophily dimensions are found to be significantly positively correlated with Emotional Attachment to Food Vloggers. Among the same, value is found to possess higher correlation.
H3: There is a significant relationship between Emotional Attachment, Perceived Expertise and Perceived Popularity of Food Vloggers
Table 7: Correlation Matrix
|
|
Expertise |
Emotional Attachment |
Perceived Popularity |
Perceived Popularity
|
Spearman's rho |
0.722*** |
0.640*** |
— |
p-value |
< .001 |
< .001 |
— |
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Source: Computed from Survey Data
Exhibit 4: Correlation Plot – E EA PP
Expertise and Emotional Attachment are found to be significantly correlated with Perceived Popularity of the vloggers. (p<0.05).
H4: There is a significant relationship between Expertise, Emotional Attachment, Food Vloggers Popularity and Visit Intention to Endorsed Food Spots
Table 8: Correlation Matrix
|
|
Expertise |
Emotional Attachment |
Perceived Popularity |
Visit |
Visit
|
Spearman's rho |
0.076 |
0.212* |
0.099 |
— |
p-value |
0.408 |
0.020 |
0.281 |
— |
Note. * p < .05, ** p < .01, *** p < .001
Source: Computed from Survey Data
Exhibit 5: Correlation Plot E EA PP V
Only emotional attachment is found to be significantly correlated with visit intentions of the viewers of food vlogs (p<0.05). Expertise and perceived popularity are not found to be significantly correlated with visit intention (p>0.05).
DISCUSSION:
When the virtual space of vlogging is flooded with influencers and content, social media users look out for emotional attachment apart from the homophily dimensions or mere attractiveness or popularity. When repeat visits and viewership is a key for success of vloggers, coupled with the requirement of promising visit intentions, importance of creating meaning emotional attachment deserves attention.
The discussion section thus, seeks to contextualize these findings within existing literature, highlight their significance, and offer implications for theory and practice.
The results indicate that certain dimensions of homophily, such as attitude and background, impact the perceived popularity of food vloggers. This aligns with previous research suggesting that viewers tend to be drawn to vloggers who share similar characteristics or values. Future studies could delve deeper into the specific mechanisms through which homophily influences audience perceptions and behaviours.
Emotional attachment emerges as a key driver of viewers' engagement with food vloggers. This finding underscores the importance of building authentic connections with the audience through storytelling, relatability, and personality. Vloggers and marketers could leverage emotional branding strategies to foster stronger bonds with viewers, thereby enhancing loyalty and advocacy.
The positive correlation between perceived expertise and vloggers' popularity highlights the significance of credibility and knowledge in the influencer landscape. Vloggers who are perceived as experts in their niche are more likely to garner trust and admiration from their audience. This underscores the importance of content quality, expertise demonstration, and transparency in building credibility.
The strong correlation between emotional attachment and viewers' intentions to visit endorsed restaurants underscores the persuasive power of vloggers in shaping consumer behavior. Restaurants could capitalize on this influence by partnering with vloggers who resonate with their target audience and align with their brand values. Moreover, fostering collaborative relationships with vloggers could facilitate authentic storytelling and engagement, ultimately driving foot traffic and sales.
The observed gender and age differences in perception highlight the nuanced nature of audience preferences and attitudes towards food vloggers. Understanding these demographic variations can inform targeted marketing strategies and content creation efforts. Vloggers may need to tailor their content to resonate with specific demographic segments, while marketers could leverage demographic insights to optimize influencer selection and campaign messaging.
CONCLUSION:
Research underscores the growing significance of food vlogs in shaping consumer decisions regarding restaurant visits. Restaurant operators and marketers should recognize the potential of collaborating with food vloggers, focusing on the authenticity and sensory appeal of their offerings. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, further research will be needed to adapt to emerging trends and technologies, ensuring that we stay current in our understanding of this influential relationship between food vlogs and restaurant visit intentions.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST:
The authors have no conflicts of interest regarding this investigation.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS:
The author would like to thank the respondents for the cooperation. Guidance and mentoring of Dr Vineeth KM (Assistant Professor of Commerce, Government College Tripunithura) is also duly acknowledged.
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Received on 13.11.2023 Revised on 15.04.2024 Accepted on 18.07.2024 Published on 06.12.2024 Available online on December 31, 2024 Asian Journal of Management. 2024;15(4):308-314. DOI: 10.52711/2321-5763.2024.00048 ©AandV Publications All right reserved
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