Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Journal

This paper presents a systematic literature review on the relationship between influencer marketing and parasocial relationships in social media. Influencer marketing has gained significant traction as an effective marketing strategy with the advent of social media platforms. Thus, this study seeks to explore the impact of parasocial relationships between influencers and their followers on consumer trust, purchasing decisions, the factors that influence these relationships, and how influencers can enhance them to optimize marketing outcomes. The review encompasses analysis of five primary research studies, investigating factors such as interpersonal attraction, personal attributes, intimate self-disclosure, and empathy as determinants of parasocial relationships. The findings indicate that parasocial relationships exert a positive influence on consumer trust, purchase intentions, and brand evaluations. Notably, factors such as interpersonal attraction, intimate self-disclosure, and empathy emerge as key drivers in fostering and reinforcing parasocial connections. The paper concludes by discussing practical strategies that influencers can employ, including two-way communication, personal disclosures, advertising transparency, and tailored content, to cultivate and strengthen parasocial relationships, ultimately enhancing marketing effectiveness. The study underscores the need for further research to deepen our understanding of this phenomenon and its implications for influencer marketing.