YouTube influencer marketing through parasocial interaction: a dyadic perspective

Purpose Social media influencers (SMIs) have become vital components of interactive marketing to promote beauty-endorsed products. However, there are three major research gaps in the literature on influencer marketing. This research aimed to fill these gaps by integrating the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model with theories of source credibility and parasocial interaction (PSI). Design/methodology/approach A qualitative method was used to gain a deep understanding of the Korean beauty field in YouTube influencer marketing. Findings The data showed that YouTube influencer marketing is an ongoing PSI process that conforms to the extended SOR model. This model was based on four concepts: stimulus, which was the SMIs’ source credibility; organism, which was the followers’ perceptions of homophily/relevance to the SMIs in PSIs; response, which was the desire to imitate and engage in impulse buying behavior, and management, which was the parasocial trust friendship and/or relationship. Originality/value This study expands the new concept into the existing SOR model and releases an insight into ongoing PSIs in YouTube influencer marketing.