How do KOCs influence wine consumers’ decisions? Based on NLP analysis and questionnaire surveys on Xiaohongshu
Abstract
In China’s social media-driven marketing landscape, user-generated content (UGC) plays a pivotal role in brand communication and consumer decision-making. On platforms like Xiaohongshu, comment sections increasingly influence third-party users who have not yet made purchasing decisions. This study analyzes 100 popular KOC wine-related posts and over 10,000 associated comments, applying natural language processing for semantic classification. Four comment types were identified: personal feedback, purchase intent, inquiry, and non-substantive. A simulation-based questionnaire (N = 978) measured how each type affects perceived purchase intention. Results show that personal feedback and purchase intent comments significantly boost third-party users’ buying inclinations (p < 0.001). The findings highlight UGC’s “social cognitive mirror” effect and the interactive pathway of content–comment–engagement–conversion. For small and medium-sized wine brands, enhancing the visibility of high-impact comment types can serve as a cost-effective strategy to build trust and drive conversions. This study offers actionable insights for optimizing UGC management in content-driven platforms.
DOI:
Publication date: 22/09/2025
Issue: 46th World Congress of Vine and Wine
Type: Short communication
Authors
1 Hegang Teachers College