Impact of Social Media Influencers on Consumer Buying

Zachary Marcheschi

 Co-Presenters: Armen Fregenti, Samantha Martinho, Shanely Leonardini
College: College of Liberal Arts
Major: Psychology
Faculty Research Mentor: Ipek Kocoglu
 

Abstract:

The influence that icons on social media platforms have had on consumer buying has been astounding. Previous studies have shown similar results on price shifts due to influencer reviews. Digital marketing has become the way of the future with influencers on social media sites like TikTok, Instagram and YouTube, which include enticing benefits that attract consumers. The research aimed to explore how influencers can impact consumer purchases.The method used to collect primary data in this study was a qualitative survey. The survey measured what influencers participants followed, known products that the influencer supported, if the consumer had bought products the influencer supports, and if the influencer has made them consider buying a product. Participants were also asked about what products they are interested in.Overall, Social Media influencers have a big influence on what consumers buy because they can establish relatability and trust through their recommendations. Influencers that share content and raise brand awareness tend to frequently encourage impulsive purchases. Consumers that are younger are more affected by this tendency, as they are more prone to be swayed by social media influencers than by traditional forms of advertising.The research shows that influencers would have great impact on the viewers or consumers on social media. The posts made by the influencers and ads on social media will sway the watchers or consumers views and persuade them to buy products. Social media viewers view influencers as knowledgeable high status making their opinions matter to consumers