Time: 10:00-11:30, 11 November 2025
Speaker: Wenjing Liu is a tenured Associate Professor and doctoral supervisor in the Department of Marketing at the School of Economics and Management, Tsinghua University. She serves as Deputy Director of the Computational and Behavioral Science Laboratory at Tsinghua SEM, Deputy Director of the China Retail Research Center at Tsinghua SEM, and Chair of the Academic Seminar Committee of the Department of Marketing. She received her PhD in marketing from the University of Toronto. Her research interests include consumer behavior, consumer service and product experience, decision science, and product pricing. She has published multiple papers in leading international journals in management, marketing, and consumer behavior, including POMS, IJRM, IJOC, JCP, JIM, and Marketing Letters.
Abstract:
This research examines an emerging practice on social media: creators openly seeking help from algorithms in their posts, such as "Algorithm, please promote this". While this algorithm-leveraging practice is common, its actual effect on consumer reactions lacks empirical investigation. Contrary to creators' intentions of increasing visibility, we propose that this "algorithm please" tactic triggers negative consumer reactions. This study provides the first theoretical framework and empirical evidence on the downstream consequences of algorithm-leveraging practices, identifying perceived platform optimization as a novel mediator. Practically, the findings offer crucial insights for creators: appealing to algorithms is more effective when the content is framed as serving others' interests or being considerate of the community, rather than making a direct, self-focused appeal.
