Beyond likes: the persuasive potential of romantic parasocial relationships with influencers

While existing studies emphasize the crucial role of amicable parasocial relationships in influencing the audience, research on the persuasive potential of romantic parasocial relationships with influencers remains limited. These relationships, characterized by a blend of physical and emotional love, are believed to be particularly intense. Therefore, we aim to investigate the persuasive impact of romantic potential with influencers, which may lead to the development of romantic parasocial relationships. Specifically, we analyze the influence of romantic potential (no romantic potential vs. romantic potential) and its interaction with follower status (follower vs. non-follower) on romantic parasocial relationships, evaluative persuasion knowledge, and subsequently purchase intention. Conducted among German social media users (N = 220), our experiment revealed no significant main effects of romantic potential on evaluative persuasion knowledge and purchase intentions. However, we found a significant indirect effect of romantic potential on the dependent variables mediated by emotional love but not physical love. Additionally, a significant interaction effect revealed that while the formation of the physical dimension in romantic parasocial relationships occurs relatively quickly, emotional affection requires a longer period to develop. This study significantly contributes to our understanding of persuasive dynamics in influencer marketing and opens avenues for further research.