Designing a Model to Improve Influencer Marketing Performance and Its Role in Brand Loyalty

Abstract

The present study aims to design a conceptual model of important factors in better performance of influencer marketing and examine its impact on brand loyalty. This research was conducted using a qualitative method (grounded theory approach) through semi-structured interviews with marketing managers and marketers, employing purposive sampling. To this end, 15 semi-structured interviews were conducted with these experts. The obtained data were analyzed simultaneously using the grounded theory method based on the approach proposed by Strauss and Corbin (2011) and the paradigm model through three stages of open, axial, and selective coding. The findings showed that in the causal conditions dimension (factors such as consumer attitudes, rapid information transfer, success of influencer marketing, and characteristics of influential individuals), in the contextual conditions dimension (factors such as influencer marketing campaign, perceived motivation, planning and evaluation of influencer marketing, and audience accessibility), in the intervening factors dimension (factors such as key challenges of influencer marketing, advantages of influencer marketing, and disadvantages of influencer marketing), in the consequences dimension (factors such as efficiency and effectiveness of influencer marketing, development of advertising in social networks, campaign development and sustainability, increased trust in influencers, and improvement of customer relationship system), and in the strategies dimension (factors such as recognition, loyalty improvement, perceived credibility improvement, influencer marketing techniques improvement, and cost improvement) were categorized. It can be concluded that if the strategies are implemented successfully, the performance of influencer marketing will improve. Ultimately, this will lead to increased brand loyalty.