Author(s): George Cudjoe Agbemabiese,Michael Boadi Nyamekye, Mohammed Muniru Husseini and Juliana Aku Shika Andoh
This research examines the influence YouTube influencers on consumer behaviour, exploring how various stimuli, namely informativeness, trendiness, and argument quality, affect attitudes, recommendations, and purchase intentions. The study, rooted in the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model. Data is collected using structured questionnaire administered to Generation Y students in Ghana. The results shows that informativeness positively influenced attitudes, recommendations, and purchase intentions. Similarly, trendiness impacted attitudes and purchase intentions, emphasizing the importance of staying current in content creation. Argument quality significantly affected all outcomes, emphasising the strength of persuasive content. The findings underscored the mediating role of attitudes between stimuli and consumer responses, indicating the pivotal nature of attitudes in decision-making. Implications indicated the need for influencers to balance trendy content with substance and prioritise high-quality, persuasive content creation to impact consumer attitudes and subsequent actions positively. This study contributes to understanding YouTube influencer marketing's dynamics and offers insights into crafting effective influencer strategies.