Paper Title
THE POWER OF VKOLS – EXPLORING FACTORS INFLUENCING VKOLS ON FOLLOWER PURCHASE INTENTION

Abstract
Abstract - With the emergence of online shopping and various digital platforms, Word-of-Mouth communication has become one of the most important sources for consumers.Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) are information brokers between the mass media and general consumers. They are accepted or trusted by their followers, and have a greater influence on their purchase behavior. Like human influencers, virtual key opinion leaders (VKOLs) can also meet the needs of social media and provide their followers with additional valuable information and the latest trends. This study uses Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM) to analyze how VKOLs influence follower online purchase intentions through similarity, expertise, authenticity, and followers’ trust. Finally, the expected hierarchical linear model analysis results,conclusion, and implications of this work arediscussed. Keywords - Virtual Key Opinion Leaders, Online Purchase Intention, Hierarchical Linear Modeling.