Interactivity as a peripheral cue in the online persuasion process for low-involvement products

Purpose This study examines the role of website interactivity in shaping consumer responses in the context of low-involvement products. Drawing on the Elaboration Likelihood Model it investigates whether interactivity functions primarily as a peripheral cue under low involvement and whether increasing levels of interactivity enhance persuasion in a linear or non-linear manner. Design/methodology/approach An experimental design was employed using three versions of a fictitious refreshment soft drink brand website, representing low, medium and high levels of interactivity. Participants were randomly assigned to one condition and completed measures of perceived interactivity, cognitive responses using a thought-listing technique, attitudes toward the website and the brand, intention to revisit the website and pre-purchase intention. Attitude strength was assessed one week later without re-exposure to the website. Findings The findings indicate that website interactivity plays a meaningful but non-linear role in persuasion. The absence of a linear progression highlights the importance of identifying optimal rather than maximal interactivity, particularly in low-involvement contexts. Medium interactivity generated the highest level of product-oriented cognitive responses, whereas website-oriented thoughts were not significantly affected by interactivity level. Attitude strength was significantly higher under high interactivity compared with medium and low interactivity. Although attitudes and behavioural intentions followed the expected directional pattern, most behavioural effects were not statistically significant. Research limitations/implications The findings highlight important implications for theory and practice by showing that website interactivity operates conditionally as a peripheral cue in low-involvement contexts and produces non-linear cognitive and attitudinal outcomes. This underscores the need for level-specific interactivity design and more context-sensitive theoretical models of digital persuasion grounded in the Elaboration Likelihood Model. At the same time, the study is limited by its focus on a single low-involvement product category, one experimental setting, and reliance on self-reported attitudinal and behavioural measures, which may restrict generalisability to other products, platforms or real purchase behaviour. Future research should examine high-involvement contexts, longitudinal effects, and more diverse user populations. Practical implications The findings offer several practical implications for managers designing digital marketing strategies and brand websites. First, the results caution against the assumption that more interactivity is always better. For low-involvement products, increasing interactivity does not necessarily lead to proportional gains in engagement or behavioural intentions. Managers should therefore avoid overloading websites with interactive features that increase cognitive effort without delivering clear value. Second, the finding that low-interactivity websites generate more positive website attitudes highlights the importance of simplicity and usability. In low-involvement contexts, consumers may prioritize efficiency, clarity, and ease of navigation over rich interactive experiences. Streamlined website designs that minimize friction may therefore be more effective. Third, high levels of interactivity appear to enhance attitude strength, suggesting that immersive experiences may still be valuable when the strategic objective is to build favourable attitudes rather than to drive immediate purchase behaviour. Interactive elements that foster enjoyment, perceived control, or engagement may strengthen affective associations with the product or brand. Finally, the absence of significant effects on behavioural intentions underscores the need for integrated digital strategies. Interactivity alone may be insufficient to drive action in low-involvement contexts. Managers should combine interactive website features with complementary tactics, such as promotions, reminders, or repeated exposure across channels, to reinforce behavioural responses over time. Social implications The study highlights ethical considerations in digital persuasion, showing that website interactivity may shape consumer attitudes through peripheral processing in low-involvement contexts. Designing simpler, more transparent digital environments may therefore better support informed choice, consumer autonomy, and digital well-being. Originality/value By explicitly testing three levels of website interactivity in a low-involvement context, this study clarifies that increased interactivity does not always uniformly enhance persuasion. The findings extend ELM-based explanations of online persuasion by demonstrating the contingent, context-dependent and sometimes diminishing effects of interactivity in digital brand environments.