Building connections with virtual influencers: the role of friendship and psychological well-being in driving social media engagement and purchase intention

Purpose: With the rise of virtual influencers (VIs) in digital marketing, their role in fostering parasocial relationships with followers has gained significant attention. However, few studies have examined how these interactions influence followers’ psychological well-being and engagement intentions. Consequently, this study explores parasocial interactions between VIs and their followers within the context of digital marketing communication. We assess how the communication strategies of language similarity, interest similarity and self-disclosure employed by VIs impact followers’ perceived friendship, psychological well-being, social media engagement and purchase intention. Design/methodology/approach: This investigation surveyed 587 US participants, all followers of human-like VIs. The study examined communication strategies employed by VIs, including language similarity, interest similarity and self-disclosure and their effects on followers’ perceived friendship, psychological well-being, social media engagement and purchase intention. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze these relationships. Findings: Language and interest similarity significantly enhance perceived friendship, while self-disclosure strengthens both perceived friendship and psychological well-being. Interaction frequency had no significant effect on friendship. Perceived friendship positively influences well-being and social media engagement but does not directly affect purchase intention. However, psychological well-being significantly drives both engagement and purchase intention. Indirect effects illustrate that language similarity, interest similarity and self-disclosure influence engagement and purchasing through their impact on friendship and well-being. Originality/value: This study extends the parasocial interaction framework to VIs, emphasizing how communication strategies foster virtual relationships. It provides new insights into how perceived friendship and well-being mediate these effects, deepening our understanding of the dynamics between digital communication and follower intention in VI marketing.