Influencer Marketing on Instagram: From Schema Congruence to Color Congruence

This study drew upon schema theory and Gestalt theory to explore the impact of congruence on the boundary between word of mouth and sponsored content on social media. Specifically, it delved into how congruence influences unconscious fixation behavior and enhances product attitude toward sponsored content during the preattention stage. Utilizing eyetracking technology, we conducted two experiments, closely analyzing participants’ eye movements. Our findings revealed that both fixation length and fixation count are significantly higher in influencer posts exhibiting congruence between the product and influencer compared to those with incongruent product combinations. Additionally, posts with congruent productbackground color combinations exhibit longer fixation length and higher fixation count than those with contrasting color combinations. Increased fixation length and count correlate with more positive product attitudes toward sponsored content. These insights contribute valuable perspectives on the impact of influencer marketing on users’ attention and product attitude on Instagram.