Literature Review on Effective Communication Strategy and Credibility in Health Communication on TikTok in Thailand using the Heuristic-Systematic Model
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This article aims to examine effective health communication strategies and credibility on the TikTok platform in the context of Thailand by using the Heuristic–Systematic Model (HSM) as the main conceptual framework. In recent years, TikTok has become an important source of health information, especially for younger generations, while simultaneously serving as a space saturated with inaccurate and poorly regulated content. This study analyzes how TikTok’s short, entertainment‑oriented format and algorithm‑driven environment foster heuristic processing, in which users rely on cognitive shortcuts such as perceived source credibility, rather than engaging in systematic, in‑depth content processing. The article explains the impact of heuristic cues (for example, perceived expertise and production quality) on credibility judgments and argues that the most effective communication strategy is a “hybrid strategy” that uses strong heuristic cues to trigger more systematic processing, guided by the sufficiency principle. The analysis offers insights that can support scholars and public health practitioners in Thailand in designing credible and effective health communication on TikTok in the digital era.
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