p–ISSN: 2723 - 6609 e-ISSN: 2745-5254

Vol. 5, No. 8 August 2024 http://jist.publikasiindonesia.id/

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2908

The Influence of Digital Content, Public Figure Self-

Branding, Celebrity Worship, and Audience Motivation to

Increase Audience Interest in the YouTube Starpro Indonesia

Social Media Account

Vinesa Ramadhita Putri

, La Mani

, Anita Fedora

, Samiyah Amanina

, M Aras

Universitas Bina Nusantara, Indonesia

Email:

*Correspondence

ABSTRACT

Keywords: integrated

marketing communication,

digital marketing, YouTube,

celebrity worship,

influencer marketing

YouTube is in the 2nd position of social media that is often

used in 2023 through the official We Are Social website.

This is because people are starting to leave mass media to

social media. Different types of video content are very

popular and widely viewed, including funny videos, short

films, infotainment videos, and more. This study was

conducted to find out the factors behind Content Digital,

Public Figure Self-branding, Celebrity Worship, and

Audience Motivation. YouTube can now be used as a place

for marketing strategies to increase brand image or

purchases through Integrated Marketing Communication

(IMC). Therefore, content marketing strategy involves

creating content to reach the target market. Based on that

customers connect with the brand to fulfill their

requirements. This study was conducted on 278 participants

with ages ranging between 16-25 years old. The data were

collected by questionnaire. We find that the presence of

sponsorship content on YouTube has an impact on attitudes

towards YouTube influencers. The three elements of

entertainment, information, and interference in sponsorship

content on the YouTube platform play a role in shaping

attitudes toward YouTube influencers. Influencers have the

potential to provide concrete benefits to prospects and

customers by presenting appropriate content.

Introduction

In today's digital age, CEOs, CMOs, and senior marketing executives must rethink

their strategies, elevate the significance of marketing, and embrace new technologies and

data-driven tools to effectively align with the online landscape. Social media platforms,

typically internet-based, facilitate the formation of online networks where users can

express approval or disapproval of the content shared or posted by others (Okagbue et al.,

2020). Each month, over one billion individuals globally engage with YouTube,

constituting roughly a third of the world's internet user base. With its current status as the

The Influence of Digital Content, Public Figure Self-Branding, Celebrity Worship, and

Audience Motivation to Increase Audience Interest in the Youtube Starpro Indonesia Social

Media Account

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2909

leading platform, YouTube's popularity is anticipated to surge alongside the expanding

internet user count. Forecasts indicate a rise to 1.78 billion users in 2021, with further

growth expected to reach 1.86 billion users (Febriyantoro, 2020). YouTube's influence in

Indonesia is on a consistent upward trajectory, with a yearly increase in the duration of

YouTube access. According to research findings, a significant 92 percent of YouTube

users in Indonesia primarily use the platform to search for video content. Utilizing

YouTube social media channels to channel its content. By using their content, they can

participate actively or passively in sharing knowledge and using a variety of presentation

methods (e.g., vlogs, social networking sites, and podcasts) (Rangarajan, Begg, &

Somani, 2019). Content extends beyond "owned" media endeavors like corporate

websites or blogs; it also encompasses its crucial role across various marketing channels,

including social media, advertising, and offline platforms.

So much content on YouTube has various types of content that are very popular and

widely watched including prank videos, short films, music videos, game videos, parody

videos, guidance videos, challenge videos, and talk show videos so it is necessary to

program and select the right content creation to make the mission of an industry known

and even liked by the audience. Digital marketers seek to understand the specific types of

video content that trigger various forms of online customer interaction (Munaro, Hübner

Barcelos, Francisco Maffezzolli, Santos Rodrigues, & Cabrera Paraiso, 2021). These

social media metrics show not only how effective a content/influencer is. Incorporating

influencers into marketing strategies can serve as a beneficial collaboration for businesses

aiming to endorse their products. Influencers hold significant value due to their journey

from amateur to professional status on platforms like YouTube. They wield influence

over other social media users for commercial endeavors (ROSARA & Luthfia, 2020),

nonetheless, there is a viewpoint suggesting that YouTubers are considered to have more

credibility than celebrities in persuading their followers' purchasing choices. This is

because influencers frequently portray themselves as ordinary people with authentic

enthusiasm for life. Consequently, their product evaluations are perceived as more

authentic and relatable by their audience (Lou & Yuan, 2019). The ability for viewers to

interact with public figures through comments and messages, both technologically and

socially, implies a sense of approachability and communication on an equal footing (Rihl

& Wegener, 2019).

The presence of technological advancements and improved communication has

transformed advertising strategies, making them more interactive, thereby leading to a

shift in how companies approach their marketing efforts. Consumer response to

advertising is heavily influenced by the credibility of both the YouTubers and the brand

their using. This suggests that the reputation of the brand within the market can have a

considerable impact (Lee & Kim, 2020), also consumers form pseudo-social relationships

with influencers (Masuda, Han, & Lee, 2022). This study aims to contribute to research

on The Influence Of Celebrity Worship And Influencer Marketing On YouTube

Influencers Providing specific insights into crafting videos that capture customer attention

and stimulate online engagement. Users are increasingly drawn to engaging and

Vinesa Ramadhita Putri, La Mani, Anita Fedora, Samiyah Amanina, M Aras

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2910

captivating content available on YouTube. Various surveys have even suggested that

YouTube's popularity is becoming a formidable competitor to traditional television. The

study finds that Popular YouTube brands interact more with consumers, feature more

celebrities, are more emotional, and adopt more transformational messages (Wang, Xie,

Zhang, & Huang, 2018).

The greater the popularity of a YouTube channel, the higher the level of consumer

engagement, celebrity appearances, emotional content, and adoption of transformative

messages. According to a 2020 study by Tafesse titled "YouTube Marketing: How

Marketers' Video Optimization Practices Influence Video Views," research suggests that

video titles with fewer words might be more successful in generating views compared to

titles that are more detailed or informative. This suggests that concise and straightforward

video titles could be more effective in capturing viewers' attention on the YouTube

platform. However, it's essential to examine the actual study to fully grasp the specific

methodology, context, and scope of the research to draw more nuanced conclusions.

Integrated Marketing Communication

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a marketing communication

planning approach that acknowledges the enhanced value of a holistic strategy, which

assesses the strategic significance of diverse communication disciplines. IMC is

influential because it requires the message sender to be seen as a "powerful, appealing,

and trustworthy" information provider. This perception is essential for the recipient to

relate to the sender and replicate their buying behavior for the product or service being

promoted in the campaign (Duralia, 2018). The marketing information system collects

data from the surrounding environment and distributes it to various managers to assist in

making well-informed decisions that align with the organization's objectives (Alshare,

2018). The goal of marketing communications extends beyond facilitating customer

purchases; it also strives to establish a unique and impactful image within the community.

This is achieved not only through the quality of the product but also by fostering consumer

loyalty. Previous studies indicate that Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) is a

widely accepted marketing approach and concept extensively employed and successfully

embraced by consumer organizations. With the emergence of the digital era, there has

been a noticeable shift in consumer behavior norms, prompting firms to adjust their

Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) strategies towards a greater focus on social

marketing (Kumar & Mamgain, 2021).

This vitality arises not solely from the production and portrayal processes but also

from the various ways individuals and groups perceive themselves in connection with

celebrities (Ward, 2019). People are the primary content of any type of media and the

people we come into contact with through media are celebrities. Individuals feel as if they

know them personally, regularly framing extraordinary enthusiastic and mental

associations with them (Singh & Banerjee, 2019). In the view of consumers, celebrities

are figures that are considered role models in terms of aspirations. This is because

celebrities are perceived as individuals who are close to consumers through psychological

connections, which causes consumers to tend to follow the actions taken by their idols.

The Influence of Digital Content, Public Figure Self-Branding, Celebrity Worship, and

Audience Motivation to Increase Audience Interest in the Youtube Starpro Indonesia Social

Media Account

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2911

In the context of the process celebrity endorsement imbues a brand with desired

associations that are anticipated to impact consumers' evaluations of the brand (Parmar &

Mann, 2021).

Hypotheses

H0 = Digital Content does not influence increasing Audience Interest YouTube Channel

Starpro Indonesia

H1 = Digital Content Influences the Audience Interest in the YouTube Channel Starpro

Indonesia

H0 = Public Figure Self-branding does not influence increasing the Audience Interest in

the YouTube Channel Starpro Indonesia

H2 = Public Figure Self-branding influences increasing the Audience Interest in the

YouTube Channel Starpro Indonesia

H0 = Celebrity Worship does not influence increasing the Audience Interest in the

YouTube Channel Starpro Indonesia

H3 = Celebrity Worship influences increasing the Audience Interest in the YouTube

Channel Starpro Indonesia

H0 = Audience Motivation does not influence increasing the Audience Interest in the

YouTube Channel Starpro Indonesia

H4 = Audience Motivation influences increasing Audience Interest YouTube Channel

Starpro Indonesia

Research Methods

The method used in this research is the survey method. By the type of data, the type

of research used in this study is explanatory quantitative. Researchers use the positivism

paradigm because researchers want to build an understanding of Digital Content, Public

Figure Self-branding, & Audience Motivation in increasing audience interest in the

YouTube Channel. The positivism paradigm believes more in the verification process of

a result finding, therefore the author chooses this paradigm. In 2021 BARISTA was

ranked number 2 among infotainment programs in Indonesia. This affects the level of

fame of Starpro Indonesia's YouTube channel, as seen from Starpro's YouTube Channel

live data in November 2023, where Barista became the number one program most

watched by viewers compared to other programs. The population in this study are all

viewers who watch Starpro Indonesia infotainment content on YouTube. Based on the

total number of subscribers to the Starpro Indonesia YouTube channel, there are

1,807,124 accounts. From the population of viewers who watch Starpro Indonesia

infotainment content on YouTube, the researcher decided to use the Slovin formula to

determine the sample size to get 278 samples.

Results and Discussion

The data collected underwent processing and analysis utilizing SmartPls. This study

utilizes exogenous and endogenous variables, where exogenous variables are those that

Vinesa Ramadhita Putri, La Mani, Anita Fedora, Samiyah Amanina, M Aras

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2912

do not have explicit causes or do not have arrows pointing toward them in the diagram,

except in the measurement error section.

The outer loading value on all indicators is 0.70. This indicates that all data in the

questionnaire is valid. The indicator that has the highest value is Y2 which has an outer

loading value of 0.915. All indicators have an average variance extracted (AVE) value

of more than 0.5. This shows that the measurement of all question items in this

questionnaire can be declared feasible. It is known that the value of the cross-loading

result is higher than 0.70, which means that this research study is valid. Fornel Larcker

test results show that the root value of the average variance extracted (AVE) of each

construct is greater than the correlation value between one construct and another.

Heterotrait-monotrait ratio (HTMT) test results show that all variables have a Heterotrait-

monotrait ratio (HTMT) value of less than 0.9. This shows that this research study is

valid. all variables are considered reliable and adequate because they all have Cronbach's

alpha and composite reliability values that are more than 0.7. The results of the

Coefficient of Determination (R2) test show that Audience Interest has a large impact of

0.633, which is 63.3% and the remaining 26.7% is likely to be affected by various factors

outside this research study. Audience Interest can explain 60.9% of the data in the study.

So it can be concluded that Audience Interest has a strong predictive relevance value.

Digital content affects audience interest, as seen from the positive coefficient sign

with a P Value of 0.012 which is declared significant because <0.05. In addition, β =

0.201 which states that the effect is positive because> 0. So H1 is accepted and H0 is

rejected. Public Figure Self-branding affects audience interest, as seen from the positive

coefficient sign with a P-value of 0.006 which is declared significant because <0.05. In

addition, β = 0.249 which is stated that the effect is positive because> 0. So H2 is accepted

and H0 is rejected. Celebrity Worship affects audience interest, as seen from the positive

coefficient sign with a P Value of 0.014 which is declared significant because it is <0.05.

In addition, β = 0.185 which states that the effect is positive because> 0. So that H3 is

accepted and H0 is rejected. Audience Motivation affects audience interest, as seen from

the positive coefficient sign with a P Value of 0.014 which is declared significant because

<0.05. In addition, β = 0.268 which states that the effect is positive because> 0. So that

H4 is accepted and H0 is rejected.

Conclusion

From the entirety of variables examined in this study, it can be concluded that

sponsored content value significantly contributes to the theory, as prior research has not

explored the influence of the main value of sponsorship content on attitudes toward

YouTuber influencers. In essence, sponsored content value can be considered a robust

indicator for understanding attitudes towards YouTubers. While there exists a positive

correlation between entertainment, advertisements, and celebrities, this study did not find

that the entertainment factor alone explains attitudes toward YouTubers. Merely having

sponsored content on the YouTube platform focusing on entertainment does not

The Influence of Digital Content, Public Figure Self-Branding, Celebrity Worship, and

Audience Motivation to Increase Audience Interest in the Youtube Starpro Indonesia Social

Media Account

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2913

automatically influence attitudes toward YouTuber influencers. It will be able to indicate

that there could be additional factors influencing attitudes toward YouTubers.

Vinesa Ramadhita Putri, La Mani, Anita Fedora, Samiyah Amanina, M Aras

Jurnal Indonesia Sosial Teknologi, Vol. 5, No. 8, August 2024 2914

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