Not just food: Exploring the influence of food blog engagement on intention to taste and to visit
ISSN: 0007-070X
Article publication date: 29 October 2021
Issue publication date: 14 January 2022
Abstract
Purpose
The 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/approach
The 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.
Findings
Results 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/value
The 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.
Keywords
Citation
Mainolfi, G., Marino, V. and Resciniti, R. (2022), "Not just food: Exploring the influence of food blog engagement on intention to taste and to visit", British Food Journal, Vol. 124 No. 2, pp. 430-461. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-04-2021-0400
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited