Examining the impact of Instagram food vloggers on restaurant visit intentions: structural equation modelling approach

Abstract

The study involves the impact of Instagram food vloggers on customer intentions to visit restaurants, aiming on the part of credibility, attractiveness, homophily, and parasocial relationships. The research employs a quantitative survey methodology, targeting Instagram users who follow food vloggers. It analyses the collected data using PLS-SEM and SPSS to comprehend relationships between influencer characteristics and restaurant visit intentions. Findings reveal that credibility and parasocial relationships have a significant influence on restaurant visit intentions. Attractiveness, while influential on credibility, does not directly affect visit intentions, highlighting the importance of vlogger-subscriber relationships over superficial traits. The study involves the emerging sector of influencer marketing research by focusing on the food industry and highlighting the paramount importance of credibility and parasocial relationships in influencing consumer behaviour, offering valuable insights for marketers and vloggers alike.