Influence of parasocial relationship between digital celebrities and their followers on followers' purchase and electronic word-of-mouth intentions, and persuasion knowledge

A survey was administered three hundred eighty-nine Chinese SNS users following digital celebrities; valid data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. Empathy and low self-esteem positively influenced parasocial relationships; however, loneliness did not. Parasocial relationships positively affected followers' purchase and eWOM intentions. The second model investigated the negative effects of persuasion knowledge on followers' purchase and eWOM intentions. The results indicate that parasocial relationship moderates the paths between followers' persuasion knowledge and purchase intentions and between followers' persuasion knowledge and eWOM intentions. This study sheds light on how digital celebrities have an advertising influence on their SNS followers with the concept of parasocial relationships and is notable given the dearth of empirical studies on digital celebrities' SNS advertising.