How can I trust you if you’re fake? Understanding human-like virtual influencer credibility and the role of textual social cues

Purpose This study explores the influence of textual social cues on virtual influencers' perceived attractiveness, homophily and credibility, and their impact on consumers' purchase intentions. The moderating role of perceived anthropomorphism is also assessed. Design/methodology/approach A randomized between-subjects experiment with 265 participants (134 low social cue/131 high social cue) was conducted. Participants viewed a fictional virtual influencer’s social media profile and post, then completed a survey. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) analysis was used to examine the effects of textual social cues on attractiveness, attitude homophily, credibility and purchase intention as well as the moderating role of perceived anthropomorphism. Findings The study found that textual social cues directly influence attractiveness and attitude homophily, which significantly impact virtual influencer credibility. Credibility, in turn, strongly predicted purchase intention. Practical implications Incorporating textual social cues into a virtual influencer’s profile to create a likable persona can help overcome the novelty effect and build lasting relationships with followers. Marketers should use textual cues, like emojis and self-disclosure, to enhance marketing effectiveness and select virtual influencers aligned with their target audience. Originality/value This study is among the first to explore the role of textual social cues in virtual influencers, extending the source credibility model and social information processing theory to the influencer marketing context.