Not just food: Exploring the influence of food blog engagement on intention to taste and to visit

• Published in: British food journal (1966) Vol. 124; no. 2; pp. 430 - 461
• Main Authors: Mainolfi, Giada, Marino, Vittoria, Resciniti, Riccardo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bradford Emerald Publishing Limited 14.01.2022; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Blogs; Consumer behavior; Consumers; Credibility; Decision making; Empirical analysis; Food; Food products; Hypotheses; Influence; Influencer marketing; Knowledge; Multivariate statistical analysis; Polls & surveys; Restaurants; Social networks; Taste; Tourism; Intention to taste; Homophily; e-WOM; Perceived enjoyment; Blog engagement; Credibility
• ISSN: 0007-070X; 1758-4108
• DOI: 10.1108/BFJ-04-2021-0400

PurposeThe present study investigates the impact of perceived enjoyment, blogger credibility and homophily on readers' engagement. Moreover, the study investigates the role exerted by blog engagement on intentions to follow blogger's recommendations. Despite the growing relevance of these issues, past studies have neglected the relevance of a joint analysis of such dimensions within the context of food blogs.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical research builds on an online survey with a sample of 821 blog readers (353 Italian and 468 American). The proposed model was tested through structural equation modelling.FindingsResults from a survey on Italian and American consumers show that perceived enjoyment and homophily have a significant effect on blog engagement, which, in turn, positively influences both intention to taste and visit. Moreover, blogger credibility does not show a significant influence on blog engagement for Italian and American followers.Originality/valueThe study contributes to a better understanding of the influence exerted by blog engagement on intention to follow blogger's recommendations. The study also examines perceived enjoyment, credibility and homophily as antecedents of engagement, which have not been extensively researched in the past with respect to food blogs.