The Influence of Digital Homemakers: How Influencers Affect the Purchasing Decisions of Tradwives

Abstract

This study explores how digital homemaker influencers on YouTube shape purchasing decisions within India’s tradwife subculture by aligning cultural values, platform algorithms, and influencer strategies. Using a qualitative, netnographic approach, 652 videos from Indian female creators (2020–2024) were analyzed through Braun and Clarke’s six-phase reflexive thematic analysis. The dataset focused on content promoting homemaking, childcare, and traditional domestic routines. The analysis incorporated multimodal cues, vernacular expressions (e.g., sanskār), and engagement metrics, triangulated across video content, viewer comments, and metadata. 
Three key themes emerged: (1) Strategic Nostalgia – positioning modern products as extensions of heritage (e.g., traditional cookware labeled as “grandmother-approved”); (2) Gendered Expertise – framing homemaking as a domain of specialized knowledge to justify consumption; and (3) Authenticity Paradox – balancing commercial sponsorships with anti-consumerist storytelling. Influencers leveraged parasocial intimacy and algorithm-driven visibility to build trust and cultural resonance.
The study contributes to influencer marketing theory by extending Source Credibility and Parasocial Interaction models to a non-Western, value-driven demographic. It introduces the concept of algorithmic traditionalism, highlighting YouTube’s role in reinforcing nostalgic, gendered consumption. Practical implications include culturally sensitive brand storytelling, ethical disclosure practices, and platform-aware marketing strategies targeting niche homemaking audiences.