“Their posts attracted me!”: unveiling the effect of social media influencers’ attributes on relationship quality and purchase intention

Purpose Drawing from the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) model and relationship quality theory, this study investigates how social media influencers’ persona and content attributes affect relationship quality with followers, leading to recommendation and purchase intentions. We also examine the role of swift guanxi as a moderator in the relationship between relationship quality and purchase/recommendation intention. Design/methodology/approach Following a quantitative design, survey data were collected from a purposively selected sample of 500 respondents. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) analysis were utilized for data analysis. Findings Persona attributes (i.e. similarity and enjoyability) and content attributes (i.e. visual attractiveness, interactivity and informativeness) were found to be relational resources that enhance relationship quality, which in turn showed positive effects on both recommendation and purchase intentions. Relationship quality mediates the link between influencer attributes and followers’ behavioral intentions. The results further revealed the moderating effect of swift guanxi on the relationship between relationship quality and purchase intention. Originality/value This study integrates the SOR model and relationship quality theory in influencer marketing, contributing a new perspective to the interactive marketing literature. It uncovers relationship quality as a key mechanism linking influencer attributes to followers’ behavioral intentions. Moreover, the study is among the first to demonstrate the moderating role of swift guanxi between relationship quality and consumer intentions, addressing a gap in this field. Thus, we offer valuable insights for both academia and industry regarding the role of relationship-building in marketing practice.