Money Talks … to Online Opinion Leaders: What Motivates Opinion Leaders To Make Social-Network Referrals?
Mengze Shi
Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
Andrea C. Wojnicki
Independent marketing consultant
Management slant
- This research substantiates and reinforces the significant role of online "opinion leaders" in the marketplace. Referral campaigns not only should be targeted but offer valued, tangible rewards to opinion leaders.
- Empirical results indicate that consumers' online referral rates are higher when extrinsic (i.e., financial) rewards are conferred, particularly among opinion leaders.
- Opinion leaders may have developed a reputation of intrinsically motivated referrals, shielding them from potential loss...