Title: KOC's characteristics, KOC effectiveness and online customer engagement towards travel products: evidence from Vietnam

Authors: Thu-Hang Hoang; Hong-Diem Le; Trieu-Chau Ngo; Minh A.B. Nguyen

Addresses: School of International Business – Marketing, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, 279 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 5, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' School of International Business – Marketing, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, 279 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 5, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' School of International Business – Marketing, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, 279 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 5, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam ' School of International Business – Marketing, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, 279 Nguyen Tri Phuong, Ward 5, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated unprecedented technology access, especially in the tourism field when people are restricted to travel based on several lock-down regulations. This has progressively generated favourable conditions for the rise of key opinion consumer (KOCs) on multiple social media channels. However, KOC is still a novel concept that is underexplored by past literature. The objective of this study is to investigate some distinctive KOC's characteristics including five elements (expertise, trustworthiness, usage similarity, source dynamism and cognitive effort) with the moderating role of product - KOC alignment that impact online customer engagement when interacting with travel-related marketing content on various social media platforms. The research adopted the PLS-SEM technique in the data analysis gained from 350 young consumers in Vietnam. The results of this paper propose the foundation for catering more effective strategies to reach higher levels of customer engagement via the use of suitable KOCs' profiles and relevant choice of travel products.

Keywords: key opinion consumer; KOC; customer engagement; e-engagement; KOC effectiveness; KOC characteristics; social media; internet marketing; travel; Vietnam.

DOI: 10.1504/IJIMA.2025.146486

International Journal of Internet Marketing and Advertising, 2025 Vol.22 No.4, pp.388 - 407

Received: 05 Oct 2022
Accepted: 22 Mar 2023
Published online: 02 Jun 2025 *

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