Research pick: Video virality and vitality - "How do viral videos on social media affect purchase intention?"

A study in the International Journal of Business Competition and Growth has drawn insights from 621 survey samples to help improve our understanding of what elements of viral videos affect consumer behaviour and purchasing decisions the most. The elements highlighted include entertainment, brand awareness, source credibility, informativeness, interactivity, and incentives.

A viral video is a piece of content, typically a short video clip, that spreads rapidly and widely across the internet through social media sharing. The term “viral” in this context refers to the video’s ability to quickly accumulate a large number of views, likes, shares, and comments, often reaching a massive audience in a short period.

Nguyen Hong Quan, Hoang Thi Hong Nga, Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, Pham Phuong Hien, Truong Nguyen Yen Thanh, and Nguyen Thi Kieu Trang of the Foreign Trade University in Hanoi, Vietnam, suggest that their research underscores the significance of entertainment in viral videos. It correlates higher entertainment levels with positive consumer attitudes. This aligns with earlier studies that also highlighted the role of entertainment value in influencing consumer perceptions, especially in emerging marketing channels like mobile advertising. The team also found that brand awareness, coupled with source credibility, is influential in shaping positive consumer attitudes, emphasizing the importance of reputation and recognition in today’s information-driven consumer landscape.

The study also identified gender-based differences in the impact of various factors in viral videos. They thus suggest that marketing needs to consider nuanced strategies across genders. They found that males respond well to entertaining and trustworthy content, while females prefer informative videos with attractive offers and positive product feedback.

Additionally, however, brand awareness not only influences consumer attitudes positively but can boost advertising effectiveness on social platforms. Viral videos thus act as dual agents, impacting consumer behaviour and contributing to brand image, thereby bolstering brand equity.

The team offers various practical recommendations for businesses hoping to gain marketing advantages using viral videos in their advertising campaigns. They emphasise that by incorporating entertainment, informativeness, incentives, and source credibility into their strategy they can nudge consumers to engage more with their brand and ultimately purchase their products or services. Conversely, they advise businesses not to exaggerate their content and to ensure it is as authentic as possible. Businesses might collaborate with credible experts or consumers for genuine product reviews, and embed brand information strategically without overwhelming consumers to this end.

Quan, N.H., Nga, H.T.H., Ha, N.T.H., Hien, P.P., Thanh, T.N.Y. and Trang, N.T.K. (2023) ‘How do viral videos on social media affect purchase intention?‘, Int. J. Business Competition and Growth, Vol. 8, No. 3, pp.202-222.