From Screen to Table: How Douyin Food Bloggers Stimulate and Convert Viewer Interests

Abstract

In the era of social media, the influence of food exploration bloggers is increasingly apparent. Sharing their culinary experiences stimulates the audience’s interest in visiting and consuming food destinations. This paper seeks to understand how the characteristics of food exploration bloggers on the Douyin platform influence audience perceptions of food and locations and how these perceptions may relate to visiting intentions, using the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) model. A cross-sectional online survey analyzed responses from 437 individuals interested in food exploration videos on Douyin. The results indicate that source credibility is significantly associated with the stimulation of taste desires and the formation of taste awareness. The audience’s taste desire and taste awareness are positively linked to the intention to visit. This study contributes to the expansion of the SOR model’s application in digital media, underscoring the substantial role of social media in influencing audience consumption intentions. It highlights that as an effective communication tool, social media can significantly impact users’ behavioral responses and consumption decisions.