The Psychology of the Modern-Day Social Media Influencer

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Many years ago, I conducted a small experiment on persuasion for a graduate school class. I went to a grocery store with a friend, and we found products to rave about out loud while pretending to be shopping. Our script was,

"Oh, wow, they have this new... Have you tried it? It's amazing and hard to find. I'm getting two boxes."

We would then watch the people who overheard our enthusiastic exchanges and record whether or not they bought the products we mentioned. I don't recall our numbers, but there were many purchases. We did not realize we were original influencers circa 1990 before it was "cool."

A modern-day "digital influencer" is an individual with a dedicated social media following over which they have influence (Lou & Yuan, 2019). Successful influencers utilize their knowledge, authority, social status, and relationships to guide followers, often with particular product purchases.

Social media influencers have quickly become a marketing tool of choice. Brands send influencers free products and contract with them to promote their products if the following is large enough. Brands want influencers to create trends that will encourage new buyers.

The Psychology of Influence

Marketing works because people can be influenced to do things they wouldn't normally do or buy products they did not intend to purchase. Today's social media marketing is not always a conscious push. Often, it involves more covert coercion. For example, while an influencer is applying make-up and vlogging about break-ups or break-outs, she might casually mention the brand of blush she is applying.

In a follow-up video, she might say,

"I just love this color blush. It's called desert sunset." If she is a brand promoter, she may boldly suggest, "Run, don't walk, to get desert sunset blush. You really need this color."

Today, it is expected that sales of products will rise with the influencer's popularity and use of persuasion principles. Digital influencers, consciously or unconsciously, use psychological persuasion to earn likes, consistent followers, brand deals, and sales.

Robert Cialdini (2018) identified and studied "7 Principles of Influence," including reciprocity, consistency, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity, and unity. These principles align with key psychological heuristics, or mental shortcuts, involved in decision-making.

As consumers, it is important to know that these principles are at play so we can make more informed, conscious choices about what we like, watch, follow, and ultimately purchase and consume.

Psychological Constructs Used by Digital Influencers

1. Reciprocal Relationship and Reciprocity Bias: Online followers often feel that social media relationships are, or have the potential, to be reciprocal. As the influencer becomes more candid and consistent with posting, familiarity and trust build. We feel we know them and may feel that they share with us as a "friend." Suppose the influencer gives us something (advice, tutorials, songs, or services) online. Then, we feel the need to respond in kind (reciprocity bias) by giving them "likes," follows, and even monetary support.
2. Authority Bias: Authority bias is the tendency to attribute credibility to individuals we perceive to have knowledge, expertise, value, or experience in a particular area. We are more likely to accept the recommendations of those we believe to have authority. Often, we watch "live" results or testimonies and presume that an influencer has authority on a subject simply because of their experiences.
3. Familiarity Effect and Repetition Bias: Consistent and frequent social media posting within an influencer's niche builds followers who are likely to become purchasers at some point. A consistent message or product use builds recognition. The familiarity effect and the repetition bias confirm that people prefer and value repeated information and familiar things over novel ones.
4. Social Proof: Social proof theory postulates that if everyone, or a large majority of people, is doing, buying, or using it, it must have merit. We often mimic the behavior of others, especially with unknown things or situations. If several popular digital influencers use or promote a product, the desire to consider buying will likely rise.
5. Likability Through Authenticity: Many influencers are "liked" and followed if they are friendly, approachable, relatable, and seemingly "real." Influencers often highlight their problems by authentically sharing their dark or ugly truths, followed by solutions. Influencers share their struggles with acne, mental health, weight, infidelity, and more. Trust is furthered when followers find the realistic disclosures relatable.
6. Halo Effect: The Halo effect points to the tendency to generalize that because a person has one favorable characteristic or trait, they are favorable as a whole. For example, we may like and follow an attractive influencer and unconsciously assume they have other positive attributes, such as intelligence and sincerity.
7. Scarcity Heuristic: Creating a need based on scarcity is a well-used marketing tool. If we feel that we might not get something unless we immediately purchase, sign up, or tune in, we are more likely to act on this urgency and do what the influencer suggests.
8. Social Connection and Cultural Conformity: Influencing relies on the human need to belong and feel "part of the club" or "in the know." We don't want to miss out on a good thing. We feel secure knowing we are doing or buying something popular and liked by many.

Conclusion

A final tenet to understanding digital influencing is "assumed and actual control." Do you believe you shape your social media content and own your purchasing decisions? While algorithms and influencers connect us to content that confirms our interests, we do, in fact, have choices and control. We can "change the channel," scroll past anything we do not like, turn off social media, conduct research, and make informed decisions.