Have you ever watched your favourite YouTuber play a new game you haven’t even heard of before, or perhaps you’ve had but weren’t quite interested as much and suddenly felt the urge to buy it for yourself to experience it personally, specifically after watching the gameplay or how enjoyable it seems compared to your first impression when you first saw it?
This is an example of how social media influence can affect our decisions, and it can be understood further through the Two-Step Flow Theory.
First of all, what is the Two-Step Flow Theory? Well it first emerged from a research by Paul Lazarsfeld and his colleagues during the 1940s and was later further developed by Elihu Katz.
The theory suggests that information from mass media often reaches the audience through influence from opinion leaders, individuals who explain and share their information and knowledge with others. Rather than depending entirely on the advertisements or news reports, people may place their trust in the opinions of individuals they admire or consider knowledgeable.
For example, a new game has been released, and its developers promote it through trailers and advertisements on popular media platforms, hoping to attract players.
A popular YouTuber then plays this game and uploads a video to showcase the gameplay and their experience while playing the game. While watching, viewers see the YouTuber enjoying the gameplay, reacting to the exciting moments and discussing the game’s features
Some viewers may suddenly become interested in buying this game, even if they previously had no intention of purchasing it. This precisely demonstrates one of the many methods of the Two-Step Flow Theory because the YouTuber in this method acts as the Opinion Leader, influencing how their audience perceives the game.
What’s interesting about this method is that the YouTuber doesn’t really need to encourage the viewers to buy anything. The enthusiasm and personal experience may be enough to sway their mind on purchasing decisions.
However, this also raises questions about sponsored content. If a gaming YouTuber receives payment to promote the game, can viewers still distinguish this situation from genuine interest, enthusiasm and advertising? Of course, not everyone will be persuaded, but popular and trusted influencers can have considerable power over how their audiences perceive products.
The Two-Step Flow Theory remains relevant in today’s digital media culture, especially with the continuous rise of YouTube, TikTok, and other popular social platforms. Although we have direct access to information on the matter, our opinions and decisions can still be swayed and shaped by the people we trust around us or online.
So the next time you feel tempted to buy a game after watching your favourite YouTuber, or buy a product you saw on your favourite influencer on social media, ask yourself: Do I actually want this game? Do I actually need this product? Or has someone influenced me to have the urge to want it?
References:
Lazarsfeld, P. F., Berelson, B. and Gaudet, H. (1944). The People’s Choice: How the Voter Makes Up His Mind in a Presidential Campaign.
Katz, E. and Lazarsfeld, P. F. (1955). Personal Influence: The Part Played by People in the Flow of Mass Communications.
