The Impact of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty

Yuang Cheng

2025

Abstract

This study examines the influence of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on consumer behavior and brand loyalty in the digital marketplace. Employing a mixed-methods approach combining survey data from 387 consumers and semi-structured interviews with 15 industry experts, the research investigates the mechanisms through which KOLs shape purchasing decisions and foster brand relationships. The quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation modeling (SEM) with confirmatory factor analysis to validate the measurement model, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke's approach. Findings reveal that KOL credibility, content authenticity, and parasocial interaction significantly predict both immediate purchase intent and long-term brand loyalty. Furthermore, the study identifies important mediating effects of consumer trust and moderating effects of product involvement level. This research enhances social influence theory and offers practical insights by revealing how KOLs impact diverse consumers and product types, reshaping consumer-brand relationships in the digital age.

Paper Citation

in Harvard Style

Cheng Y. (2025). The Impact of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty. In Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC; ISBN 978-989-758-778-8, SciTePress, pages 490-495. DOI: 10.5220/0013993800004916

in Bibtex Style

@conference{prmc25,
author={Yuang Cheng},
title={The Impact of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty},
booktitle={Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC},
year={2025},
pages={490-495},
publisher={SciTePress},
organization={INSTICC},
doi={10.5220/0013993800004916},
isbn={978-989-758-778-8},
}

in EndNote Style

TY - CONF

JO - Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Public Relations and Media Communication - Volume 1: PRMC
TI - The Impact of Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) on Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty
SN - 978-989-758-778-8
AU - Cheng Y.
PY - 2025
SP - 490
EP - 495
DO - 10.5220/0013993800004916
PB - SciTePress