The mechanism of KOL on consumer purchasing behavior: the mediating role of consumer purchasing intention

Abstract

This article explores in depth the dissemination effects of KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders) on different social media platforms, particularly their mechanisms in influencing consumer purchasing behavior. With the deepening of globalization and the rapid development of Internet technology, KOL marketing has become one of the important strategies for brand promotion. All major social media platforms, such as Tiktok, Weibo, Little Red Book and Bilibili, have provided KOL with a broad platform for communication by virtue of their unique user base and content ecology. This article first analyzes the challenges and opportunities of KOL marketing in different cultural backgrounds, emphasizing the importance of precise selection of KOLs, customized personalized content, and deep interaction with consumers. Subsequently, the article focused on exploring the dissemination effects of KOLs on the four major social media platforms. On the Tiktok platform, the rapid growth of education and knowledge popular science content highlights the role of KOL in content innovation; Weibo, with its wide user coverage and diverse content forms, provides KOLs with strong dissemination power; As a lifestyle sharing platform, Xiaohongshu allows KOLs to effectively guide consumers’ purchasing behavior by sharing their personal experiences and recommending products; As a gathering place of anime culture, Bilibili has formed a high degree of user stickiness through its unique video content and community interaction. In order to quantitatively analyze the dissemination effect of KOLs, this article conducted empirical research on the influencing factors of consumer purchase intention through questionnaire surveys and data analysis methods. The results show that KOLs’ professionalism, reputation, content quality, and interaction with consumers are all key factors affecting their purchase intention. In addition, the article also revealed the mediating role of emotional support and information support in the effectiveness of KOL communication through regression analysis and other methods.