Why The Golf Industry Should Care About Parasocial Relationships

Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships in which a person develops a strong sense of connection, intimacy, or familiarity with someone they don’t know, most often celebrities or media personalities. These relationships exist only in the mind of the individual, who experiences a bond despite the lack of reciprocity. Psychology Today

As more golf businesses leverage the reach of social media influencers to sell, promote, or represent their brands, it is important to understand why they are effective. One way to understand the draw of social media influencers is exploring the phenomenon of parasocial relationships. 

Does the success of social media influencers rely on the underlying parasocial relationships consumers have with them?

To help understand the power of social media influencers, we scientifically explored the relationship between golfers, golf fans, and the golf content creators they follow. 

Particularly, we were interested in how these parasocial relationships predict consumer behavior. 

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Synopsis

The total sample for this study was 1011 self-identifying golfers and golf fans based in the UK (505) and the US (507). Golfers self identify if they have played within the last year. A golf fan is, by definition, someone with an interest in or follows golf—but who has not played in the past year.

Considering the high correlation between golf consumers’ connection with social media content creators and purchasing influence, the findings in this report emphasize the importance for businesses to partner with social media influencers that will connect with pre-identified target markets. 

Purchase the report to discover what golf businesses using social media influencers to market their products or services should consider.

What’s covered in the report?

• What are golf consumers’ favorite ways to watch golf?
• What live tours do golfers and fans watch?
• What percentage of golfers and fans watch golf content on social media or YouTube?
• What do golfers and fans prefer about watching golf on social media compared to traditional media?
• What is it about parasocial relationships?
  • Connectedness to golf’s social media genres by age
  • Emotional engagement with golf’s social media influencers by age
  • Produce purchase: Influence of social media influencers by age
• Takeaways

Cover image credit: Tisha Alyn