#StudyWithMe and buy this: antecedents of effective StudyTuber marketing

• Main Authors: Teo, Cheryl Qi En, Thung, Pei Ying, Tong, Tung Yeng
• Other Authors: Chen Lou
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2024
• Subjects: Social Sciences; StudyTube; Study influencers; Influencer marketing; Self-disclosure valence; Interactivity; Social presence
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/174475
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

StudyTube is a YouTube genre about the student experience led by student influencers who share study tips and review study-related paraphernalia through vlogs and streams. Extant StudyTube-related academia focuses on the movement’s pedagogical and social functions, overlooking the StudyTuber-influencer’s persuasive power and marketing potential. Drawing on concepts and literature underpinning self-disclosure and interactivity, this study conducted a 2 x 2 between-subjects online experiment to investigate the effects of StudyTubers’ self-disclosure valence and interactivity levels, on audience’s product attitude and purchase intentions towards advertised education products. We found the interaction between StudyTubers’ self-disclosure valence and interactivity to have a significant effect on both product attitudes and purchase intentions. StudyTubers’ lack of interactivity with followers (vs. with interactivity) led to increased purchase intentions, and negative self-disclosures led to more favourable product attitudes and higher purchase intentions; however, these effects were not significant when StudyTubers engaged in positive self-disclosure. Mediation analysis revealed participants exposed to noninteractivity perceived the StudyTuber to have higher social presence, leading to increased product attitude and purchase intentions. Results contribute to the under-researched field of study influencer-marketing while enriching existing conceptualisations of self-disclosure valences and interactivity. Our findings also offer practical implications to StudyTubers and marketers.