How Does Organic Content on Social Media Platform Affect Sponsored Content:An Empirical Study Based on Micro-level Data of Influencers
Influencer marketing on social media platforms,an inte-gral part of corporate marketing strategies,has experienced rapid growth in recent years.A significant aspect of influencer marketing is that influencers generate both organic and sponsored content.Organic content is non-sponsored and created based on the influ-encer's interests,hobbies,or experiences.Conversely,sponsored content is posted under brand sponsorship to promote products,services,or brand image.Influencers boost their influence through organic content,allowing them to monetize through sponsored content.Since posting organic and sponsored content is a primary activity for influencers on social media platforms,understanding the relationship between the two is crucial for both influencers and the platforms.Yet,few studies have examined these two types of content within the same framework to explore their relationship and possible mechanisms.This paper focuses on the influence of organic content on sponsored content regarding post quantity and marketing effectiveness,using panel data from a well-known Chinese social media platform in 2021.The results show:first,the post quantity of organic content in the previous period has a significant positive effect on the post quantity and marketing effectiveness of sponsored content in the current period;second,the marketing effectiveness of organic con-tent in the previous period has a significant positive effect on the post quantity and marketing effectiveness of sponsored content in the current period;third,the post quantity of sponsored content is influenced by a reputation mechanism:the higher the influencer's reputation,the less need there is to use organic content to increase sponsorship opportunities,weakening the impact of organic content on the post quantity of sponsored content;fourth,the marketing effectiveness of sponsored content is influenced by a relationship mechanism:the higher the user engagement with the content,the less the influencer needs to rely on organic content to enhance the marketing effectiveness of sponsored content.Theoretically,this paper expands the study of influencer marketing on social media by exploring the impact of organic content on spon-sored content,shifting from focusing on the influencer's impact on brand marketing to the decision-making process in content creation.This study enriches the theoretical research in this field by empir-ically testing the significant effects of organic content on the post quantity and marketing effectiveness of sponsored content.Besides,it comprehensively explores the different impact mechanisms of organic content on sponsored content,thus refining the research framework related to influencer marketing.This paper distinguish-es between quantity and quality,proposing the influence pathways of reputation and the relationship through which organic content impacts sponsored content.Practically,this study offers specific insights for influencers,brands,and platforms.Building and maintaining a good reputation for influencers can enhance their commercial competitiveness,leading to more business opportunities and revenue.Additionally,to ensure the effectiveness of their sponsored content,influencers should strengthen their relationships with users.For brands,it is beneficial to collaborate with influencers who have historically posted frequently and achieved high marketing effectiveness,as these influencers have established user relationships that can yield better marketing returns.For platforms to foster more commercial collaborations,the platform should enhance influencers'brand per-ception reputation;to ensure a good user experience and to promote long-term platform development,the platform should strengthen the connection between users and influencers.Lastly,the conclusions of this study are also theoretically valuable and strategically signif-icant for marketing scenarios similar to influencer marketing,such as celebrity endorsements and brand-sponsored television programs that produce both non-commercial and commercial content.
Influencer MarketingSocial Media PlatformsOrganic ContentSponsored ContentEmpirical Research
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