ABSTRACT

This study examined the influence of Influencer marketing on customer choice of hotels in Osisioma LGA Abia State with the following specific objectives of the study are: influencer credibility (IC), audience engagement (AE), content quality (CQ, platform selection (PS) and brand fit (BF) on customer choice of hotel in Osisioma LGA Abia State. The study adopted a survey research design, using a structured questionnaire administered to 240 hotel guests selected through convenience sampling. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and correlation analysis. The study on the influence of credibility on customer choice of hotels in Osisioma LGA, Abia State, revealed that perceived credibility significantly affects customer preferences and decision-making. Credibility encompasses factors such as trustworthiness, authenticity, and reliability of hotel brands. The findings on audience engagement reveal that interactive and meaningful communication between hotels and customers plays a crucial role in influencing choice. The study illustrated that hotels in Osisioma LGA that effectively engage their target audience through social media, personalized emails, and loyalty programs see a higher conversion rate in bookings. The research findings demonstrate that high-quality content significantly influences the customer choice of hotels in Osisioma LGA. Hotels that provide visually appealing, informative, and well-structured content across their platforms are more likely to attract potential customers. Content quality includes promotional materials, descriptions of services, and online imagery, all of which reflect the hotel's brand image. Based on the finding of this study, the following recommendations were made: to enhance customer choice of hotels in Osisioma LGA, it is highly recommended that hotel operators prioritize and demonstrate credibility through various channels. Credibility encompasses factors such as trustworthiness, reliability, and factual representation, to capitalize on the influence of audience engagement in their marketing strategies, hotel operators should focus on creating interactive and meaningful connections with potential customers, quality content is paramount in influencing customer decisions. Hotel operators in Osisioma LGA should ensure that all content disseminated via websites, social media, and print materials aligns with customer expectations, to effectively influence customer choice through platform selection, hotels in Osisioma LGA should analyze their target demographics to identify suitable platforms that resonate best with them and brand fit plays a crucial role when customers make accommodation decisions.