Exploring the determinants of viewers' loyalty toward beauty YouTubers

Abstract

Managing a YouTube channel has become a key strategy for YouTubers to establish personal branding. Popular YouTubers even have the opportunities to work with businesses and create mutual benefits for both sides. However, as the Internet celebrity market becomes more and more competitive, how YouTubers could continue maintain popularity by attracting viewers to revisit their channels regularly and enhancing viewers' loyalty has become a highly important issue that both YouTubers and businesses have to think about. Based on the Parasocial Interaction (PSI) perspective and self-disclosure theory, the aim of this study is to explore the role of PSI in influencing viewers' loyalty toward beauty YouTuber, as well as the determinants of PSI, empirically. The research results show that viewers' perception of beauty YouTubers' self-disclosure, similarity, expertise, and likability are the significant determinants of PSI. Moreover, the PSI can positively boost viewers' loyalty toward beauty YouTubers. Finally, this study also proposes several practical suggestions for Internet celebrities and businesses.