Study on the Impact of Influencer Polarization on Consumer Social Media Engagement

• 1、School of Management,Wuhan university of science and technology,430065
• 2、Service Science and Engineering Center of Wuhan University of Science and Technology,430065

Abstract：As influencer endorsements become increasingly prevalent in social media marketing, some influencers attract sharply divided public evaluations because of their words, actions, or external events. Whether influencer polarization can enhance consumer engagement with endorsement content has therefore become an important question for marketers. This study develops a conceptual model of the effect of influencer polarization on consumer social media engagement and empirically tests it through two experiments. The findings indicate that influencer polarization has a significant positive effect on consumer social media engagement, with highly polarizing influencers eliciting greater engagement with their endorsement content than less polarizing influencers. Consumer involvement partially mediates this relationship. Furthermore, influencer type moderates the effect of influencer polarization on consumer social media engagement, such that the positive effect is stronger for mega-influencers than for micro-influencers. These findings extend research on consumer responses to influencer polarization and offer practical guidance for firms in selecting influencer partners and developing differentiated content communication strategies.

Keywords： Social Media Influencers InfluencerPolarization Consumer Involvement Consumer Social Media Engagement